PARIS — The conclusion of Paris Men’s Fashion Week delivered a powerful sartorial directive: invest in meticulously crafted garments designed for permanence rather than fleeting trends. The final showcases emphasized sophisticated dressing and durable construction, marking a significant shift toward sustainable luxury in menswear.
Japanese design force Sacai, under Chitose Abe’s direction, revolutionized traditional silhouettes through deconstructed reassembly. The collection introduced geometric modifications to jackets and trousers with additional panels, pockets, and quilted inserts, maintaining wearability while fundamentally reengineering proportions.
Hermès staged an emotionally charged farewell for veteran designer Véronique Nichanian after her 37-year tenure. The presentation championed minimalist elegance through precision-tailored pieces, including a standout finale piece: a sophisticated dark coat crafted from glossy crocodile leather. Nichanian’s inclusion of designs from previous decades demonstrated fashion’s timeless potential, complemented by her parting wisdom: “Slow down.”
Five dominant trends emerged from the week’s culminating shows:
1. Statement Outerwear: Coats dominated as the season’s definitive piece. Junya Watanabe centered his collection on classic camel and navy coats hybridized with sportswear elements—bomber backs, leather fronts, and technical quilting—creating formalwear with contemporary ruggedness.
2. Architectural Tailoring: Designers reengineered traditional suiting through structural innovation. Comme des Garçons Homme Plus presented radically altered black suits with reconfigured lapels and hems, later transitioning to stark white iterations. The dramatic styling underscored tailoring’s foundational role in fashion experimentation.
3. Hidden Complexity: Kiko Kostadinov exemplified the trend of surface-level minimalism concealing intricate construction. Clean coats and jackets featured folded panels, curved collars, and sophisticated draping in muted tones, with fasteners discreetly hidden to emphasize pure form and movement.
4. Edged Formality: Collections balanced elegance with subversive elements. Watanabe’s serious presentation featured razor-sharp denim pieces styled as contemporary uniforms. Louis Gabriel Nouchi intensified this concept with provocative body-conscious garments mixed with precise tailoring, creating wearable yet charged ensembles.
5. Longevity Focus: Multiple designers emphasized enduring design over rapid trend cycles. White Mountaineering’s final show presented technical outerwear and precise patterning as the culmination of a 20-year creative journey rather than seasonal statements.
The week ultimately championed a philosophy of investment dressing—garments valued for their construction quality, material integrity, and timeless relevance rather than temporary novelty.