Paris Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2022 Men's Was Full of Firsts and Lasts

After two digital fashion shows, Ami’s return to an in-person audience was well worth the wait. Inspired by the Mètro, Ami’s Alexander Mattiusi wanted to focus on the bringing together of the different styles seen in transportation hubs. Mattiusi focused on classic French fashion staples such as the trench coat, scarf, and fine lines. The collection featured several spontaneously bright-colored pieces, such as a neon pink trench coat styled with an orange sweater and a bright orange puffer jacket styled with a neon pink suit, bringing together serious tailoring with playful coloring.

On the third day of Paris Fashion Week, Louis Vuitton presented the last menswear collection designed by the late Virgil Abloh. Abloh’s legacy was deeply embedded in his last collection—elements of his signature streetwear style, his take on the modern suit, and magnificently detailed accessorizing was present throughout. The collection also highlights how the designer was both aware of and incorporated his own mortality in his designs; the models wore bags designed to look like bouquets of flowers, and the show closed with four all-white outfits, with the final look accessorized with large, angel-like wings.

Rick Owens’ latest collection comprised of two unexpected yet seamlessly intertwined sources of inspiration: Ancient Egypt and modern Philips light bulbs. After a recent trip to Egypt, Owens was fascinated with the geometric shapes used by the ancient civilization in Egypt, which can be seen in the many harsh geometric silhouettes throughout the collection. These modernly unconventional silhouettes were further highlighted as the light from the Philips headpieces took attention away from the details on the fabric and instead to the overall shape of the outfits. Owens focused on a primarily black color palette, with some pieces of neutral colors such as beige and grey scattered throughout. 

For the fashion house’s 75^th anniversary, Kim Jones decided to focus on the brand’s legacy and signature pieces. The collection followed a neutral color scheme, comprised of looks in beige, off white, light blue, and of course “Dior gray.” Jones’ collection highlighted the brand’s clean, structured lines while incorporating a modern, laid-back vibe, thanks in part to a footwear collaboration with Birkenstock.

Lucie and Luke Meier often keep Jil Sander pure and uncontaminated, and this season is no exception. The duo’s latest collection has a muted color palette of mainly black, beige, gray, staying true to their signature, clean uniform look. However, this season Lucie and Luke Meier added several statement pieces placed throughout their collection—a black knitted collar and matching hat are paired with a black blazer, and astrology prints are seen on trench coats and sweaters. The chunky knits of the accessories and the fluidity of the prints create a beautiful juxtaposition with the sharp tailoring which seems simultaneously mature, yet perfect for younger consumers.

Eye-catching prints and quilted fabrics took center stage at Dries Van Noten this season. Inspired by all of the things younger people can’t do during the COVID-19 pandemic, specifically going to parties. Van Noten created a collection bringing together all of the chaos of a house party into one cohesive collection with an “anything-goes” mentality. Fine tailoring made out of unexpected fabrics make an excellent match for all, as Van Noten featured models of all genders in this collection.

Jonathan Anderson’s latest collection was deeply inspired by technology’s increasingly great influence on our lives and the newly emerging metaverse. Models wore see-through leather trench coats, shirts printed with their own face, outfits sparkling with lights sewn inside the fabric, and pieces reaching in different directions to resemble how we warp our bodies through applications like FaceTune. Anderson let the audience into his perspective on the intersection of fashion and technology’s advancements.

Presented on the final day of Paris Fashion Week men's, Kenzo’s new artistic director Nigo ensured that prints were the focus of the show. From plaid to flowers to checkered, it seems as though no pattern was left out. Many of the prints seen however, were an homage to Kenzo’s roots—many were original patterns drawn by Kenzo Takada in the 1970s when the late designer first started out. The latest collection also highlighted an interesting silhouette—one created from many layers which almost resembles a kimono. After his debut collection, all eyes are on Nigo, eager to see his direction for Kenzo.