The overtly romantic French capital was the last stop on our Men Fashion Week road trip. The oldest and possibly most established venue, Paris has shown a new, easier, vibe this year, without losing its authentic signature – a dashingly charming attitude.
The first sign of change could be seen at Raf Simons’ show, where men in cotton tanks – layered one on top of another – walked the brainy designer’s catwalk. There was no space for sporty, basket-alike sleeveless shirts. Instead, it was all about quality craftsmanship and impeccable garments, usually left for posh female clothing, matched with futuristic shoes and well tailored pants.
Dries Van Noten used a totally different approach, applying it to the same type of gaments. The Belgian designer took inspiration from elegant dancers and developed a collection full of feminine elements – together with tanks, a notable piece were the ballerina-shaped shoes. Kenzo, on the other hand, featured a series of pastel tones and maxi polka dots that gave the idea of an American tourist lost on the streets of Europe. But, in the end, the most unexpected runway was Dior Homme, with striped tanks styled on top of classic shirts rather than worn under elegant jackets, for a classy yet edgy feel.
On the other hand, air force and military world won the attention of many fashion designers, forming a second relevant trend. From Louis Vuitton’s man, a hybrid between Sixties-style bourgeoisie – with his turtlenecks and trench coats – and a daredevil aviator – with his decorated jumpsuits and typically rough belts – to Comme des Garçons, where Rei Kawakubo exploited military jackets and typical uniforms and subverted them to speak about peace. And last but not least, Givenchy fashion show sparked from that influence, too, with Riccardo Tisci going along his well established path, revisiting bomber jackets and utility pockets in line with army apparel codes.
