Paul Smith: ’In a world that’s seeing so much change it’s important to bring a ray of sunshine however you can,’ said Paul Smith ahead of his defiantly upbeat show. We couldn’t agree more. Photography: Antonio Camera
Paris Fashion Week S/S 2017 menswear editor’s picks
Paris Fashion Week S/S 2017 menswear editor’s picks
Thom Browne: Every season it falls to Thom Browne to close Paris Fashion Week – he is a great showman after all. For spring, his staging brought to mind a dystopian Californian beach, populated by a throng of bewildered surfers. Each stumbled onto the set wearing slate grey ‘wet’ suits in exploded proportions that were peeled off to expose Browne’s signature natty tailoring
Acne Studios: Creative director Jonny Johansson was in a reflective mood this season and thinking of his Swedish summertimes spent as a child. Both the silhouette and materials were inspired by camping equipment and attire. A series of parkas and ponchos looked as if they’d been made from an old tent, while the check on an anorak resembled a tablecloth from a Swedish holiday home. Rubberised pull-on boots completed the look. Photography: Jason Lloyd-Evans
Hermès: Renown for its luxurious goods and eminent handbags, the famous maison’s latest collection – proposed by Véronique Nichanian for the menswear line – were utterly stupefying in their expert finish and unequivocally French mood. Photography/Videography: Antonio Camera
AMI Alexandre Mattiussi: Designer Alexandre Mattiussi continued to building on his unique perspective on clothing for the real guy on the street. Wide leg pants were teamed with tailored overcoats, tracksuit tops were worn under blazers and billowing zip fronted shirts were tucking into high-waisted trousers. Photography: Jason Lloyd-Evans
Sacai: For S/S 2017 Chitose Abe focused less on her signature hybrid aesthetic and more on complete individual items. A series of bubblegum pink ensembles opened the show - a jumpsuit belted at the waist, an oversized bomber jacket team with cropped trousers, and a knitted jumper emblazoned with a floral motif. Photography: Jason Lloyd-Evans
Dior Homme: Set in the midst of a sprawling mass of rollercoaster tracks festooned with coloured lights, Kris van Assche’s catwalk was said to be a direct replica of a ride that once stood at Sinksenfoor Antwerp, a traditional Belgian fairground. Photography/Videography: Antonio Camera
Helbers: Designer Paul Helbers found inspiration in Dirk Bogarde’s infamous autobiography Snakes and Ladders. It was the actors restraint, classical elegance and quite masculinity that influenced the designers second collection. Oversized drawing trousers loosely rolled at the hem where teamed with softly tailored jackets to add an easy elegance. A small shoe line including sneakers and loafs made from vegetal leather completed the collection
Ann Demeulemeester: The label’s designer, Sébastien Meunier, explored transparency in a collection of light sheer layers in classic Demeulemeester black. Sheer shirts and tops were layered over each other, the later with ’I AM RED WITH LOVE’ spelt out in beads on the front. Elsewhere military jackets appeared tightly belted at the waist were worn with skinny trousers and heavy boots, while long strings of pearls tipped with feathers and ribbons hung loose from outfits. Photography: Jason Lloyd-Evans
Cerruti 1881: Creative Director Jason Basmajian’s second collection for Cerruti 1881 saw the introduction of a new tailored silhouette in the form of softly tailored jackets and a looser trouser shape. A pale palette of blush and sage heightened the relaxed mood. Big news came in the form of a fully fledged denim collection that will continue to exist within the brands mainline
Kenzo: Everything about Carol Lim and Humberto Leon’s Kenzo show was youthful and upbeat, right down to the bright array of shoes that included glitter platforms, neon brogues, strappy sandals and these rather Bowie-esque boots. Photography: Antonio Camera
Comme des Garçons Homme Plus: Transparency and pageantry were the message of Rei Kawakubo’s S/S 2017 collection. A raft of tailoring was layered with fine gauze, longline cardigans underneath or PVC trench coats on top, models milling about the raw concrete runway. Photography/Videography: Antonio Camera
Maison Margiela: For spring summer 2017 Maison Margiela tapped back into the labels DNA of deconstruction. A sharply tailored jacket with it’s inner workings exposed on the outside set the agenda. This was followed by a series of silk shirts that appeared to be falling apart, there collars and cuffs attached by hook and eyes. The look was completed with loafers and Chelsea boots that were brutally cut in half to make them backless. Photography: Jason Lloyd-Evans
Berluti: Instead of a traditional fashion show, Berluti chose a rather more active stage on which to showcase their new wears: a poolside party. A rather fitting touch, considering they debuted their new lifestyle collection. Alongside skipping ropes, dumbbells, beach rackets and a set of boules, the label’s signature hide was also hand-stitched around a football which models kicked around in a friendly match. Photography: Antonio Camera. Videography: Courtesy of Berluti
A.P.C.: Founder Jean Touitou focused his SS 2017 collection on the brand’s workwear DNA. Dungarees came in pinstriped denim and a generously cut pair of jeans were teamed with deep indigo postman’s jacket. The brand continued it’s collaboration with graphic designer Pierre-Marie Agin on a series of propeller inspired prints that were in turn emblazoned on shirts and tees
Dries Van Noten: All matter of vintage automobile headlights provided the backdrop to Van Noten’s artisanal show, which was created by French theatre company Royal de Luxe. Photography: Antonio Camera
Issey Miyake Men: Japanese band Kikagaku Moyo played a blend of psych rock and folk in the roaring June sunshine. Miyake is known for its pleats but for spring, the focus was on wrinkled fabrics in elegant shapes. The silhouette of Indian kurtas was a reference and as such, the collection embodied a graceful minimalism that was heavy on texture. A riot of colour came in the form of multi-coloured marble prints, hand done by skilled craftsmen to evoke the spirit of Holi – the Hindu festival of colour. Photography: Antonio Camera
Yohji Yamamoto: Street-fighting men walked the Yohji Yamamoto catwalk with their heads and arms bandaged with different coloured dressings. Long jackets with soft shoulders were worn with wide high-waisted trousers that broke at the ankle. The jackets were often reversible revealing painted slogans and portraits of Yamamoto himself. Photography: Antonio Camera
Julien David: For S/S 2017 Julien David decided to amalgamate both his men’s and women’s collections and show them together. Graphic 3D knitwear was the focus appearing on its own and layered under generous fitting workwear jackets and shirts. Sweaters were cinched at the chest with belts, while oversized checks covered lightweight coats. ras checked trousers and shirts. Other standouts included a pair of hot pink shots that were ruched at the sides and a blazer with cut out flower motif at the chest. Photography: Jason Lloyd-Evans
Kolor: Designer Junichi Abe of Kolor took us on exotic trip for S/S 2017. In a palette of washed out hues, softly tailored jackets and trenches appeared crumpled. These were often teamed with Aztec prints or Madras checked trousers and shirts. Other standouts included a pair of hot pink shots that were ruched at the sides and a blazer with cut out flower motif at the chest. Photography: Jason Lloyd-Evans
Haider Ackermann: With the light of the day fading in an open air courtyard, Haider Ackermann presented his uniquely eclectic vision of menswear. Billowing silk shirts were cinched at the waist with skinny, cropped trousers, metallic printed leather jackets were worn over shrunken hoodies. A pale pink suit worn with flat pointy shoes epitomised the look. Photography: Jason-Lloyd Evans
OAMC: Co-founders Messrs Luke Meier and Arnaud Faeh of OAMC were thinking about desert island survival for S/S 2017. A juggle lit with strip lights acted as a backdrop for jackets and shirts with raw edged seams, hand sewn details with thick threads, basket weave and mismatched fabrics. Cropped trousers and Bermuda shorts came in waxy, sail-like fabrics or prints of tropical leaves
Carven: This season designer Barnabé Hardy chose to show his collection on a troupe of dancers who moved energetically through a series of elastic straps stretched from floor to ceiling. Lightweight nylon jackets and bombers in acid green added an adrenaline fuelled shock of colour, while patterned knitted jumpers and trousers proved highly flexible
Y/Project: On a party boat moored on the River Seine designer Glenn Martens of Y/Project made an impact with a collection that distorted familiar sartorial items through a play on proportion and materials. Suit jackets came oversized and worn with trousers split at the sides. Elsewhere, shirts came in high-shine satin and denim strips were woven into cable knit jumpers
FACETASM: Japanese brand FACETASM presented a collection of oversized shapes with an architectural edge that merged a street style swagger with a sartorial elegance. Standout items included a voluminous trench coat with cutout back and a asymmetric tailored pinstripe jacket that carried a graphic swagger
Lemaire: Christophe Lemaire and partner Sarah-Linh Tran continued to advance the brands minimalist utilitarian aesthetic in a collection that seamlessly fused sports and workwear for spring. Highlights included softly tailored blazers with patch pockets, zip-up front shirts, pleated wide leg trousers and languid overcoats
