The menswear season came to a close on Monday, with Simon Porte Jacquemus showing his latest co-ed collection in Corsica, where the press and buyers escaped the Paris heat. Extreme temperatures made the Paris menswear season quite challenging, and it was not uncommon to see guests fainting at shows.
The unbearable heat raised many questions about the validity of the current fashion calendar and whether it still makes sense to stick to the same old schedule. I personally think menswear should be shown earlier, in May, and end with Pitti Uomo in June. Suddenly, fashion people have come to terms with the reality of global warming, and it affected everyone involved in both Milan and Paris. I wish the same heat could have been found on the runways, but this season felt rather safe creatively, missing some of the fireworks we have come to expect.
In general, this has been a tough retail season, and while I was in Paris I visited several high-end stores, which were surprisingly empty. Another thing I noticed is how commercial most of the runway shows seemed, which again felt quite puzzling. A show is supposed to make a strong creative statement for the press, and later buyers can see the full commercial offering in the showroom.
Of course, there were a few exceptions, notably in Paris, where Japanese designers truly delivered this time, with collections that struck the right balance between commerce and innovation. It was exciting to see a new generation coming from Tokyo and making their mark. Those designers are embracing tailoring, elegance, and quality, as opposed to predictable sportswear. Soshi Otsuki, who was born in 1990 and studied at Tokyo’s Bunka Fashion College, presented a gorgeous collection that really made you feel like wearing suits again. It perfectly blended Japanese aesthetics with the subtle appeal of Giorgio Armani, who remains, to this day, a huge inspiration – and a style icon – for many young menswear designers.
A rubrica by: Philippe Pourhashemi, Fashion critic.
[📷 Courtesy of Dolce&Gabbana; Courtesy of Celine; Snapix; IPA; dior.com; jacquemus.com; saulnash.com; Instagram: driesvannoten, jacquemus]
