Fashion week A/W 2013 invitations: menswear collections

... and our pick from the Paris menswear shows
Givenchy: Each season, Givenchy sends out a limited-edition artwork by M/M Paris to guests. This printed illustration in black and white, with the house's logo in gold foil on the reverse, was folded into an elaborate envelope
Dolce & Gabbana: This invitation was laid out in a booklet format. Show details alternated with delicate flower compositions on thin paper, the bouquets referencing some of the collection's prints
Hermès: A booklet printed with elegant graphic details in black and orange
Ann Demeulemeester: For her Paris show, Ann Demeulemeester sent out a humble white handkerchief with a screen-printed motif and show details in simple black type
Z Zegna: A pentagonal motif referenced the collection's graphic textures, and the brown card had a contrasting black flock
Marni: The bold fluorescent-pink Marni invitation got a punky treatment in matt black with asymmetrical design detail
Ballantyne: The Ballantyne logo and crest stood out from an elegantly understated white card, with show details in basic black
Maison Martin Margiela: A fan of the novelty feature, Margiela sewed a garment tag to a simple white card, with the show details on the reverse
Calvin Klein Collection: This simple card from Calvin Klein displayed the details of the show in matt red foil
Salvatore Ferragamo: On the front of a plike card, the Maison's logo was embossed in black gloss; show details were printed on the back
Versace: Bold Klein-blue lettering was interwoven with a sophisticated baroque design on a thick, blue-edged card
Gucci: The substantial mail-out from Gucci featured a darkened-gold face and edge. On the reverse, a matt black surface was embossed with metallic lettering
Moncler: The no-frills invitations from Moncler always contrast with the flamboyant narratives of the label's shows. This season's dinner invitation was handwritten on a plain white card
Diesel Black Gold: The 'Cosmic Tour' collection was announced with the delivery of a fantastical stage motif, intricately laser-cut to evoke the brand's psychedelic rock tour theme
Bally Everest: Over in London, the mid-century Mount Everest explorations recalled on this Bally 'newsletter' celebrated the collection's central theme
Armani: The two invitations for the Armani brands followed a similar theme. Giorgio Armani's felt envelope, closed with a button strap, revealed a simple black card inside. Emporio Armani's charcoal leather envelope was sealed by a magnet and carried a delightfully contrasting electric-blue card
Fendi: This heavy metal offering came printed with only the most essential of show venue information
Alexander McQueen: Classic with a hint of drama, the Alexander McQueen show was heralded on a thick blue card with show details in gold foil
Margaret Howell: An abstract black form making a play of shadows was the prelude to the Margaret Howell show
Richard James: More abstract imagery - this time in festive colour from Richard James
Prada: This invitation featured a teaser of the special set design which previewed a furniture collaboration between OMA and Knoll. The small booklet included compositions of blurred shots inspired by the interiors of the Milanese set
Ports 1961: The simple but sturdy invitation from Ports 1961 was printed on a duplex card with black edging
Saint Laurent: Hedi Slimane eschews standard invitations in favour of art booklets. For the latest, designer Brian Roettinger produced a series of black and white abstract ink prints, which were bound in a sleek black journal
Viktor & Rolf: The invitation design from Viktor & Rolf was driven by a playful typographic illustration on a simple white card
Mugler: A midnight-blue card with a graphic cut-out introduces Mugler on the front, and his show details on the back
Yohji Yamamoto: Is there any dog more glamorous than the Afghan hound? Here he is, front and centre on the Yohji Yamamoto invitation
Dries Van Noten: A tangerine drop shadow gave this black lettering a contemporary feel at Dries Van Noten, while the accompanying envelope was lined with the same hue
Dior Homme: A sleek black card came with two smaller pull-out tags containing the show details
Paul Smith: With the show taking place at the Centre Pompidou, Paul Smith reproduced a negative of the building as seen from above; it doubled as a map for guests
Louis Vuitton: Always working alongside the art world, Louis Vuitton commissioned Dinos and Jake Chapman to design a baroque print. They mined the house's archives and Himalayan imagery for their intricate print, debossed on silver mirrorboard for the invitation
Comme des Garçons: As per the house style for Comme des Garçons invitations, unassuming typography was printed on a sheet of A4 - this season in aqua
Junya Watanabe: A cheeky photograph of a child in fancy-foil dress introduced Junya Watanabe's Paris show
Kenzo: Kenzo sent out a holographic image of clouds passing through the sky, referencing the collection's dreamy prints
Neil Barrett: A fold-out card for Neil Barrett mixed matt black gatefold with foil block lettering
Berluti: For its presentation at Paris' grand Galerie de L'Evolution, Berluti chose an elegant thick black card with silver edging and block lettering
Kris Van Assche: A poster-sized invitation displayed the title of Van Assche's collection in bold black type. The message referenced 'Trainspotting' and Katherine Hamnett's 1980s slogan T-Shirts
Lanvin: Rounded edges, gold accents and refined calligraphy are trademarks of the Lanvin invitation
Rick Owens: A rectangle cut from particleboard was printed with black and white graphic blocks for Rick Owens
Etro: This season Kean Etro drew inspiration from Celtic symbols for the family brand's collection. The invitation turned them into a spinning 'circle of life' calendar
Jil Sander: Matt and glossy black contrasted on the Jil Sander card, which came with bold debossed type and a thick coloured edge
Y3: The art was in the envelope at Y3's invitation to its first men's fragrance launch, sleek and black with a geometric motif
Jack Moss is the Fashion Features Editor at Wallpaper*. Having previously held roles at 10, 10 Men and AnOther magazines, he joined the team in 2022. His work has a particular focus on the moments where fashion and style intersect with other creative disciplines – among them art and design – as well as championing a new generation of international talent and profiling the industry’s leading figures and brands.
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