The Daily Front Row‘s perennially chic correspondent Sofia Achaval de Montaigu is soaking up the glamour in Europe. Below, she fills us in on all the highlights and the unforgettable moments that took place during Paris Fashion Week Mens.
Kenzo
On the last day of Paris Fashion Week Men’s, Kenzo presented its collection at the Galerie Vivienne, the same place where Kenzo Takada launched his first show in 1970. This occasion was also special due to Nigo’s debut as creative director, and he invited big celebrities to decorate the front row, among which were Pharrell Williams, Kanye West, Julia Fox, Pusha T, Shygirl, J Balvin, Gunna, Big Matthew, Sik-k, and Tyler the Creator. The collection mixed modern with classic: on the one hand, the brand’s trademark poppies were redesigned and applied to midi skirts and vests, on the other, the poppies could be seen in total-floral looks and embroidered on denim items and shoes. In addition, aviator-style jackets and checkered suits set the trends for the next winter. A stand out, for obvious reasons, the collection was fun and colorful, and accessories took each look to the next level. On some occasions, exaggerated berets were the main focus.
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Hermès
Hermès menswear collection, designed by Veronique Nichanian, stood out because of its glam rock meet sophistication vibe and its clear “dandy” inspiration. The chosen stage was the Mobilier National, and once again, Nichanian called Cyril Teste to run the show and create a set inspired by the Mobilier National’s tapestry collection. Models walked down the runway surrounded by both antiques and examples of the digital era. The color palette varied between green, blue, pale pink, orange, yellow, and brown, reflecting the tapestries motifs. Turtlenecks acted as the foundation for looks comprised of layered parkas, bomber jackets, and cardigans that were combined with high-rise clipped trousers. One of my favorite looks was a double buttoned jacket combined with a high neck pink blouse and an impeccable pair of formal trousers. Among accessories, fishermen hats stood out, but without a doubt, what caught my eye the most were riding boots in sparkly brown leather. Lastly, bags could be seen in many sizes, like fanny packs crossed over the torso to little hand purses.
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Loewe
Loewe presented its collection at the Paris Tennis Club, where 87 flags with 13 different color ribbons stood around the hall creating a festive and colorful environment. The sand covered floor also offered warmth to the venue, designed by artists Joe McShea and Edgar Mosa. Guests sat on see-through acrylic seats and included personalities like Jonathan Bailey, Barry Keoghan, Paul Hameline, Eddy de Pretto, and Manu Ríos. The collection was made out of asymmetric and fluid items such as knit pullovers with holes and cashmere sweaters with pieces going all the way to the floor. On other occasions, the clothes became tighter and more rigid, as we could see with suits. In addition, designer Jonathan Anderson chose to include technology in his designs, so he added LED lights to items like sleeveless turtlenecks and sheepskin coats, which brought sparkle to the runway. Models also wore fun accessories like heart-shaped ski masks and big belts that read “smile” and “happy”. Some of the other items that stood out were clothes with prints, some worn alongside typical Y2K low-rise jeans and others that had the models’ faces on them. Short leg rain boots were made out of transparent material and were super original, while tri-dimensional and voluminous t-shirts and denim items tied at the waist made the collection cheerful.
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Jil Sander
Jil Sander presented its FW ’22 collection at the American Cathedral in Paris, a magnificent church with enormous columns and beautiful windows. The seats were put in circles, and at its center, there was a big sparkly balloon that looked like the sun and brought warm light to the venue. Models walked down the runway to the beat of Panda Boy and Animal Collective’s music while showcasing a minimalist collection designed by Luke and Lucie Meier, where geometric lines and sombre colors acted as a base for the designs. The coats had different lengths and on occasion, they had scarves at the waist with zodiac prints, which were also seen draped around the neck matched with items like a beige trench coat and an oversized black sweatshirt. More formal jackets had asymmetric cuts and leather lapels that contrasted with the main fabric. Lastly, rigid boots with simple lines completed the looks.
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Dior
Dior Homme presented its collection at the Place de la Concorde under a huge tent with a view of the Seine and the Eiffel Tower. The most striking thing was its interior, that was only accessible to certain celebrities like Naomi Campbell, J Balvin, Thomas Doherty and designers Olivier Rousteing, and Haider Ackermann. Kim Jones, the brand’s creative director, had the monumental Pont Alexandre III replicated with a panoramic picture of the city, although it was a little bit different: the Grand Palais, the Eiffel Tower and the Musée d’Orsay, among other buildings, were the chosen stage to present the new collection. Dior’s new line paid homage to the New Look of 1947—it is its 75th anniversary—which came through in jackets tight at the waist with very subtle volume. The color palette oscillated between grays, browns, and strikes of black and pastels, and an added romantic spirit thanks to embroidered flowers. Accessories also had their share of the spotlight as plain and printed berets completed most of the looks and a collab with Birkenstock gave us an insight to the next must-have shoes of winter. While the designer Christian Dior’s voice recited some of his most famous phrases on the speaker, models walked down the runway in a slow pace surrounded by a super intimate environment.
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Louis Vuitton
Louis Vuitton presented its collection called “Louis Dreamhouse” at the Carreau du Temple. The venue was built as a dream baby blue house built in one of Paris’ biggest public spaces. Different house items were put surrounding the runway besides an empty bed and smoke that came out of a chimney. On the other hand, at a large dining table, the orchestra Chineke interpreted a piece composed by Tyler the Creator, creating a very emotional atmosphere. A clock set to eight o’clock decorated the wall behind the musicians. There were stairs in a corner where dancers moved around at the beginning of the show, which had 20 dancers and 67 models, including Naomi Campbell, who walked down the runway in a total white look and a slightly askew hat, which created an urban look. In addition, dancers spread out over the roof moving in perfect coordination; some of the models rode down the runway on a bike while others strutted, creating a very dynamic and majestic show. The stands that surrounded the runway had comfy seats for celebrities like J Balvin, Evan Mock,Tahar Rahim and Sergio to sit on to watch Virgil Abloh’s last collection. The designs were a mix of impeccable colorful suits and streetwear items like wide trousers full of pockets that created big volumes. The athletic touches were given by bicolored bomber jackets with patches that exhibited the brand’s logo. The star accessories were caps: some of them even carried tulle veils, but bags acting as flower bouquets also stood out. Towards the ending, white took over the runway with designs that included big wings made out of kites that made the models look like angels, which moved all of the guests. The show’s finale had the design team and Abloh’s collaborators as its main characters, and all of them went out to greet the audience under a standing ovation dressed with the colors of a sunset. The attending celebrities were also acclaimed by the public that waited outside the venue to see them, including students from the fashion École Duperré Paris, that gathered to be a part of this amazing event.
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Rick Owens
Rick Owens presented his new collection, “STROBE”, at the Palais de Tokio, where models exhibited a very innovative collection around the stairs of the venue in a dark environment. The first model wore a metallic tank top that bared his torso combined with wide rain boots. But as the show progressed, the looks included more layers such as oversized jackets with wide shoulders and big hoods that covered all of the models’ faces. Black was the main color of the palette, but there were little streaks of pink and orange in fur vests and other items like asymmetric skirts and coats that mixed both colors. However, what stood out the most were helmets with portable lights that created a cinematographic experience for the show.
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Rains
Danish brand Rains debuted in Paris with a collection called “we come in peace”, a message that they also spread through their social media and on a truck that featured that same prompt. The show took place at the Palais de Tokio, where a totally white venue was decorated with walls that acted as “wavy” concrete through which the models appeared carrying Tanne Vinter’s new Winter collection. Vinter focused on creating athletic and practical clothing, but above all, waterproof, being that it’s the brand’s defining characteristic. Enormous duvet-like coats covered the models from head to toe, and were even dragged through the floor creating a dress tail effect. Neon trousers were a hit, while black and white ensembles could be seen in striped sets. But without a doubt, my favorite look was a total black look made out of loose pants, a puffy jacket, gloves, and a huge hood that covered nearly all of the model’s face.
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Y-project
Y-project’s presentation took place at Porte de la Chapelle, where a transportation company’s parking lot was the chosen stage to exhibit the line. The models walked around signaling lines over a runway so long that the ending couldn’t be seen. The set was designed by “Back to the house”, while the classic-vibe music was created by Senjan Jansen. Designs stood out because of their irregular cuts in jackets, sweatshirts, skirts, and necklines that completed the looks for the following Winter. However, and without a doubt, Jean Paul Gaultier’s trademark prints were the collection’s main characters: they were revisited by creative director, Glenn Martens, and applied to many kind of items: micro tulle long dresses, matching sets of skirts and tops, shirts, and oversized suits in a variety of colors.
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AMI
Alexandre Mattiussi chose a metro theme for the AMI PARIS show, which was reflected in the invitation that included a ticket and a card to access the event at the Palais Brongniart. The impressive venue received hundreds of guests, among which were Carla Bruni, Noah Beck, Pierre Niney, and Catherine Deneuve, all of whom sat in the first row. Inspired by the idea of making street style fashion again, Mattiussi presented a super attractive collection that varied in cuts and shapes: he included leather bomber jackets, draped dresses, puffy jackets, and crop sweaters. Suits in bold colors like fuchsia and neon green with contrasting black lapels really caught everyone’s eye, and they were completed with printed shirts. Some big celebrities shone over the runway and made everyone praise their walks: Emily Ratajkowski, Isabelle Adjani, and Laetitia Casta.
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Lemaire
Lemaire presented its new collection at the Atelier Berthier, located in the outskirts of Paris where the city’s Opera creates its sets. The show began when a 240 square meters canvas painted like a sky created by Philippe Quesne began to rise from the floor to the ceiling. Afterwards, the models began to walk around the venue following a very dynamic choreography while a mist floating just above the floor offered a dramatic vibe to the event. The collection’s color palette translated Fall vibes into hues: it included beiges, blue, and gray with touches of warm red and ochre. Gabardine coats such as jackets and knee-length raincoats combined with dressing trousers were the main characters. On the other hand, leather was one of the other fabrics that stood out in clothing items, but it was also present in men’s loafers and high leg boots for women, who wore draped items and overlapping clothes. My favorite look was a green trench that was combined with beige trousers and a mustard sweatshirt: a combination of colors that was both subtle and beautiful.
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