Paris Fashion Week S/S 2012: Menswear

Lanvin

Alber Elbaz and Lucas Ossendrijver always begin a Men's season at Lanvin with fabric, silhouette and colour - their aim is for an evolution rather than a revolution, 'as revolutions don't last'. The brand is know for a certain sense of 'fragility' that was introduced a few years back, but Ossendrijver used this collection to make a statement that it was time to go back to masculine, 'giving strength back to men'. Starting with the idea of strong shoulders alluding to strength, the tailored shoulder was raised by stitching the seams outside. Likewise, there was plenty of leather, but not as you know it - the first look, (think airline security guard) had leather pressed all over the finished garment, hinting at the construction beneath - a technique he described as 'insane'. The collection stood out not just for its superb colour palette, the emphasis house codes like raw edges, exposed zips and the fragile/masculine tension, but also because it offers options for men of different tastes, ages and body types

Photography: Jason Lloyd-Evans

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