Men’s fashion week in Paris took place again in the midst of a strike notorious for France. This time the protests have been directed against a government proposal to raise the retirement age from 62 – one of the youngest in the world – to 64. Run by a multitude of young people, the fashion industry is one of countless industries where older workers are struggling to find employment. However, some sectors, such as French crafts, rely on an older generation of professionals who can pass their skills on to the younger generation.
The purest form of craftsmanship
Nowhere is craftsmanship so embedded in the essence of a luxury home as at Hermès. Elegant leather pieces dominate the collection for autumn and caused a stir on the catwalk. Hermès uses only the finest types of leather and uses them to tailor supple trousers, blousons, jackets, bags and accessories this season. On Saturday, the brand’s boutique in the 6th arrondissement saw throngs of shoppers snapping up the maison’s never-sale luxury items. The queues made the tills ring.
Saint Laurent
One of the most impressive collections of the week came from Saint Laurent. Creative Director Anthony Vaccarello unveiled a new silhouette for the house that’s long, slim and androgynous, taking less cues from rock ‘n’ roll or the formal wear the brand has come to expect.
Vaccarello blurred the lines between traditional men’s and women’s clothing. He looked ahead and lengthened the coats and slimmed down the ready-to-wear. There were also straight-cut but wide-falling trousers, some of which were combined with knitted dresses that reached below the knee. A tuxedo shirt morphed into a pussy bow blouse, a centerpiece of the collection that works equally well in a fluid wardrobe where gender constructs no longer play a role. Predominantly black, the collection heralds a new chapter for the house that will no doubt spread quickly to the masses.
Ludovic de Saint Sernin
Another pioneer of men’s fashion is Ludovic de Saint Sernin. Born in France, he has steered sexy men’s fashion in an ever newer direction. His vision fits perfectly with the zeitgeist of all people blatantly surrendering to themselves, no matter how they express it.
De Saint Sernin’s bodywear is more than the usual aesthetic of well-built men in skimpy garments, although that too was spotted on the runway. It’s a confident vision of beauty that transcends gender roles. An example of this is a sheer embroidered top worn over a glittery mini skirt that was featured on the runway for both her and him. De Saint Sernin questions classic characteristics of garments and all those who once defined them.
De Saint Sernin, who was recently appointed creative director by Ann Demeulemeester, brings his aesthetic to another brand that has long had androgyny at its core. It remains to be seen whether he can give Demeulemeester’s more gothic approach a new, inspiring direction.
Louis Vuitton
Louis Vuitton was all about making big statements. The house is in transition, and this season’s collaboration with KidSuper founder Colm Dillane puts the storytelling front and center. While Gucci chose to come clean before announcing a new designer, Louis Vuitton went in the opposite direction, relying on constant communication without saying much.
LVMH is due to announce 2022 sales later this week, and Louis Vuitton is likely to be the company’s first brand with sales of €20 billion, analysts say. That means a lot of bags and accessories sold, not to mention added pressure on new CEO Pietro Beccari to keep up the growth momentum.
As far as menswear is concerned, the house has long since left behind the classic approach of timeless fashion. Here, today’s youth is tomorrow’s clientele, and Vuitton’s bag of tricks is designed exclusively for this target group. Fashion is loud, either in the form of slogans, prints or messages. Stripping away all the noise leaves well-crafted statement pieces, but these often feel meaningless.
Wales Bonner
Designer Grace Wales Bonner chose a suitable location for her debut on the Paris catwalk, the Place Vendôme – the elegant heart of the French capital.
The show opened with a black tailored coat with a simple side closure, complemented with a white sculpted turned-down collar and brooch. This look set a romantic accent for the presentation, which brought a fashionable mix of sport, tailoring and evening wear to the catwalk. The show had the lightness of a self-confident designer who has found herself. The looks contained subtle cultural nods to Josephine Baker, Art Deco and Maharajan nobility, but never appeared gimmicky, instead exuding the poetic elegance of an era that still resonates today.
Last year Wales Bonner was traded as a possible successor to Virgil Abloh at Louis Vuitton. The question on everyone’s lips this season is who will LVMH and Gucci call up?
This translated and edited post previously appeared on FashionUnited.com.
