Hermès A/W 2016

Group of male models wearing neck scarves — (Image credit: Jason Lloyd-Evans)

Mood board: Colour vibration, mismatched compositions, textured contrasts: the theme for Véronique Nichanian’s offering for Hermès confirmed the new lust for mix and match fabrics. Season upon season Nichanian never cites a rare film, obscure performance artist or epic trip to the outback as the starting point to the collection - and thankfully so. Her design motivation is based around the exploration of the very material that is her métier.

Best in show: Hooded parka jackets upscaled in silky glazed calfskin were exquisitely understated as were, believe it or not, the matching one-pleat trackpants. The company’s long standing artisanal heritage is well acknowledged, but it is their ability to elevate seemingly normal clothes in the most extraordinary luxury textiles that is their real cleverness.

Finishing touches: Throwing the genteel breeziness of the collection momentarily off track was the label’s seasonal iteration of the Bolide Relax weekend bag, which was here appliquéd with a wide-mouthed, sharp toothed grinning shark.

Several male models standing in studio with brightly coloured clothing

3 male models in studio wearing dark clothing

3 male models in pink &amp; black clothing stood together

Group of male models arranging their clothing

INFORMATION

Photography: Jason Lloyd-Evans

London based writer Dal Chodha is editor-in-chief of Archivist Addendum — a publishing project that explores the gap between fashion editorial and academe. He writes for various international titles and journals on fashion, art and culture and is a contributing editor at Wallpaper*. Chodha has been working in academic institutions for more than a decade and is Stage 1 Leader of the BA Fashion Communication and Promotion course at Central Saint Martins. In 2020 he published his first book SHOW NOTES, an original hybrid of journalism, poetry and provocation.