There Is a Monster Energy Coming
Following on from the beastly vibe in Milan (specifically the ‘yeti’ suit at D&G), there is decided animalism at this round of shows. Lots of leopard print, such as that in a classic trench at Dior. And oversized shaggy, fake fur pieces, such as that at Givenchy. And at Bode, a shaggy hoody in tiger print. The trend was rubber-stamped by haute-couture womenswear brand Schiaparelli, which sent Naomi Campbell et all down the runway in dresses equipped with (fake again) taxidermy heads at the breast or shoulder. Kylie Jenner sat front row, a lion's decapitated bonce resting heavily on her chest. It looked bonkers and many people were furious about the opulent insensitivity of it, so take heed: you should probably never go full safari.
Navy Is Undefeated
It’s kind of an unspoken rule that if you’re not sure what to wear, wear navy. It is smart without being stuffy, timelessly stylish and flattering on everyone. And it’s exactly that do-it-all nature that tends to keep it out of high fashion. It is a known quantity, why mess with it? So, it was heartening to see the infinitely reliable (yet oft overlooked) colour take a starring role at this season’s Paris shows. There was navy tailoring at Dior, knitwear and coats Fendi (in Milan) and Pierre Mahéo decided to dedicate half of his show (titled ‘Monochro-mania’) to the colour. "I have always associated consistency of dress with a form of elegance," he said in the show notes. "And I have always admired women and men with a restrained wardrobe, who trace a clear line as they move through the decades, updating their look without really altering it, and staying relevant without deviating from a style, their style."
Blazers Can Be Coats
Contrary to reports, tailoring is still the crux of menswear, evidenced by the fact that it is presented every season in some new way, but never so new that it’s not still a suit. This season, for example, many designers decided that a blazer, normally not equipped for the cold, could be thickened to outerwear proportions. At Dior, in true Kim-Jonesian style, wool coats had their tails folded up to create boxy blazers, and at Ami, double-breasted jackets were cut thigh length. The key, as demonstrated by the tailoring-led brands such as Corneliani, is in how you treat the fabric. ‘Coat’ wool, such as melton – known for its warmth and rigidity – softened a little and cut down to size.
In Milan, we saw that grey tailoring was making a play for the season, and the trend continued here and there in Paris, but the prevailing motif was more focused on the placket than the palette. The lapels were rising, and whereas in recent seasons tailoring has been swooping, plunging and broad-shouldered, with histrionic Seventies detailing, here it was cropped, boxy and, crucially three or four-buttoned. Very Sixties. And found at Prada, Tiger of Sweden, Fursac and Paul Smith, among many others.
There is An Alternative to Scarves
Allotment-core is on the rise (more information here) and one of the key elements of the trend for wholesome, folky, almost Tolkienian dressing is a neckerchief. Clearly, the halls of high fashion have been paying attention, because there were neckerchiefs at Paul Smith Hermes and Bode - three brands where whimsy is expected, to be fair – but no one kerchiefed harder than Officine Generale, a brand managed by one of the allotment-core gods, Pierre Maheo. The Parisian is an icon of laidback elegance, so a neckwear-heavy collection makes sense, and good news for those that plan to lean into the trend this Autumn.
The Seventies Was the Best Decade for Outerwear
For starters, there was a lot of shearling at the shows this year, both on the runways and on the streets. Hermés is always a good source of outerwear, and the Paris show didn’t disappoint, most notably with a kind of shearling-donkey jacket hybrid (available as both a gilet and an overcoat, too). But the Robert Redford vibe continued far and wide, with duffle coats at Prada, bombers at Isabel Marant, big pea coats at Tiger of Sweden and brilliant, brown leather field jacket at Louis Vuitton. High waisted denim and cowboy boots sold separately.
Very Classic Menswear is Back
In her brilliant show in Paris, British designer Grace Wales Bonner seemed to take a major step forward in her career, shifting from exciting, emerging young thing to mainstay talent that looks set for heavyweight status. A collection of elegance and luxury and restraint, and still so characteristically her. Inspired by the lives and work of Black artists in Paris, it mixed elements of prep and sportswear with aristo-classicism – slippers, contrast collars, shawls lapels, brooches and tailoring made in partnership with Savile Row’s Anderson & Sheppard – and it fired a starter gun on a trend that would continue throughout the week. First at Louis Vuitton, then Dior, Paul Smith and Hermes – more high-neck shirting lapel-badges and Dickensian-tailoring.
