A week of surprises, celebrity front row shows (Usher, Lucien Laviscount, aka the plot of Paris, Rosalia, etc.) and stellar menswear shows. After PT Uomo and Milan Men’s Fashion Week, the fashion crowd heads to Paris this week to continue filming the F/W 23 collections. This season, menswear pushed the boundaries of the binary and focused on sharp tailoring, and the Paris shows continued those themes. From Rains’ avant-garde puffer coats (and 3D-printed puffer boots by Zellerfeld) to Amy’s soft, neutral monochrome collection that focused on basics (and amazing coats), there was something for everyone.
From Bianca Saunders’ playful approach and Saint Laurent’s high-luxe show at the grand Bourse de Commerce museum to the highly anticipated Louis Vuitton men’s show headlined by Kid Super – our fashion team had some ideas.
Ahead, our fashion team discusses some of our favorite shows and highlights from Men’s Paris Fashion Week.
Wallace Bonner
“Grace never ceases to amaze me. Her skillful approach to presenting a collection is no exception. This collection pays homage to the Sorbonne 56, by renowned artist Lubaina Himid, combining cowshells and raffia plumes with traditional Savile Row stitching – not many designers can draw from so many sources and yet present a collection that is completely realistic. and integrated” – Shelton Boyd-Griffith, fashion editor
British-Jamaican women in menswear seem to be winning lately and Grace Wells’ Bonner FW23 was no exception. Titled “Twilight Reverie” in honor of the Jamaican national football team, her designs stayed true to the signature tailoring and had touches of all the Jamaican heritage. Guests at her show included Usher and Kendrick Lamar in the front row, adding to the already well-attended show. – Kerane Marcellus, fashion news writer
Rick Owens
“There are few designers working today with a full aesthetic universe, and Rick is one of them. When you see a Rick show, you know it’s special. It’s dark and moody, it challenges binaries, it exudes sensuality, and there’s something earthy about it. For F/W The tailoring was everything. He took this brown cowhide, sharp-shouldered bomber jacket—I want it now!— SBG
“At the museum, Tyrone Dylan once again opened the show, while Rick Owens’ FW23 collection was another show full of avant-garde ideas and fantastical, dark themes. With sky-high shoulders and textures like snakeskin and nylon puffer made on the luxury runway. – km
Saint Laurent.
“Beautiful, Paris, cool! A collection like this perfectly encapsulates what you think of when you think of a refined Parisian gentleman. You know that je ne sais qui. A coat! Long leather trenches, flawless sharp-shouldered coats, oversized pinstripe coats, slim shirts with bows in luxurious silks and satins, a monochrome color palette. A very big chick. – SBG
“The fashion house Saint Laurent has designed some of the most gender fluid and beautifully tailored clothing designs for menswear. Huge bows covering slim necklines and figure-hugging silhouettes on models has created a renaissance of what-you-want-to-wear-whatever-you-want-to-wear-any-gender-identity. – km
Bianca Saunders
“Bianca has proven to be a force and you watch her and oh my god he made this show even more proof of why she is a force. The collection is presented as a piece of performance art with a strong offering of large tailoring, formal wear, knitwear (as above, cream). – SBG
“Another British-Jamaican womenswear designer, Bianca Saunders, used this collection to pay tribute to Jamaican comedian Oliver Samuel. Always emphasizing her Jamaican heritage is something she’s a bit of an expert at, channeling those emotions into minimal and well-crafted designs. Throughout her design career, she used the same images, making many of her pieces easy to identify. Now, she’s expanded on those shapes and translated them into new meanings, playing with texture and movement. – km
Louis Vuitton
“While I have mixed feelings about the casting of Dylan as guest designer (I personally think Bianca or Martin would have been better choices), overall this was a very strong show. Some great tailoring, great bags and clothes, and Virgil’s playful spirit throughout. Kudos to LV Men’s Atelier for their gracious approach to preserving Virgil’s legacy and wonderful emporium. – SBG
“Kid’s super guest designer Colm Dillane has proven himself to be a great adaptor of the Louis Vuitton men’s show. He made it clear that he has a playful eye but also a detailed look in this collection, with models wearing funky coats and bags while being styled at the same time. Hopefully, Louis Vuitton will continue to have guest designers to expand the talent of the designers we know and love. – km
The drying of memories
“Who is published as Darris? Absolutely no one. Not to be biased on top of that, but Dres has and continues to have menswear in a chokehold. It’s always about impeccable tailoring, masterful placement of prints and fabrics, and a touch of the unexpected. This season, that off-kilter body was a dash of athleisure with a mesh jersey. I’m taking a dress sports jersey to my Super Bowl party!” – SBG
According to Amanda Murry @londongirlinnyc, the “Papa Gets Dry” scene was full of perfectly flowing pants and perfectly tailored darts that were positioned in just the right place to fall naturally on the model’s body. His ability to make anything look luxurious is a talent in itself. Drees is a favorite designer among the fashion elite and has once again proven that he is worthy of that honor. – km
