ShareMenswear is where the party is happening in fashion at the moment, and the latest Paris Fashion Week was one of the most flamboyant ever. As labels see unprecedented growth in the men’s sector, labels were keen to splash out on attention-grabbing events in the week that ended Sunday. It was also a season of sunny colors and plenty of skin on show, balanced by the continued influence of military styles.
Afterparties for all
Pharrell Williams set the tone on opening night with his debut show for Louis Vuitton, laying the oldest bridge in Paris in golden carpet and turning it into a celeb-stuffed open-air club. His new song “JOY (Unspeakable)”, sung by a huge gospel choir, soundtracked the catwalk show before he invited the crowd to stay for a performance by rap superstar Jay-Z.
Inevitably, the fashionistas were more interested in recording their presence for Instagram than dancing, even after Jay-Z begged them to put their phones away for at least one song, but it was a spectacular night that showcased the blurring lines between fashion, music and other branches of culture. It was not the only party this week.
Nigo took over another bridge for Japanese label Kenzo and then brought everyone to a party on the roof of the Quai Branly Museum. French label Ami had actor Vincent Cassel on the catwalk and then held a garden party where everyone could join him on the dance floor. Guests for young star Marine Serre’s show were told they had a ticket to a catwalk show and a disco in one: “Fifteen minutes for a show is way too short,” said the designer. Some preferred to keep things more traditional, with Dior designer Kim Jones telling AFP that his austere show had “a simple message: it’s all about the clothes.”
Artist Shawn Corey Carter aka Jay-Z performs during a free show on the Pont Neuf after the Louis Vuitton Menswear Spring-Summer 2024 show as part of the Paris Fashion Week.Sunny colors
Technically, these were the autumn-winter collections, but the fashion business moves too fast these days, so many of the styles were beach-ready. Hermes made short shorts a signature look and went away from its usual palette with breezy “mineral” colors. Williams’s show for Louis Vuitton was all about bright yellows and sunsets in keeping with his “Happy” vibes.
There were bright yellow bags at Loewe, and a range of sunny items—parkas, jackets and gilets—at Givenchy. Issey Miyake was full of seaside pastels and shades of orange, while Dior went with lemon and lime shirts and bright colorful hats in homage to the founder’s love of gardening.
Models present creations for the Louis Vuitton Menswear Spring-Summer 2024 show as part of the Paris Fashion Week.Military
Contrasting with those styles were many military-inspired outfits. “It’s a natural direction to go for men’s tailoring as military tailoring is so well thought-out and fits so well and has this idea of strength and elegance within it,” said Givenchy designer Matthew Williams. Marine Serre made her logo into a camouflage effect on her denim.
Sacai achieved a similar effect with green vegetal motifs, and putting its male and female models in chunky shoes. At Louis Vuitton, Williams nicknamed one of his styles “damoflage”—a military-style and pixelated version of the label’s famous Damier motif.—AFP
