Paris Men’s Fashion Week, which wrapped up last Sunday, showcased Fall-Winter 2025/26 collections that featured a revival of more elegant tailoring – and fear about the return of Donald Trump.
Neo-dandy
“There is a desire to return to a form of elegance. Many brands have leaned into the figure of the ‘neo-dandy.
“There is a push to recreate the type of man who wants to dress well,“ explained GQ France fashion editor Adrien Communier.
Suits dominated the runway: styled in “mix and match” ensembles with a loose fit at AMI, in velvet at Hermes, inspired by the 1970s at Amiri, and with Latin influences at Willy Chavarria.
The leader of the trend remains Kim Jones, who presented a sleek, graphic collection at Dior Homme, which was possibly his last.
The suits were inspired by Christian Dior’s celebrated H-Line collection from Fall-Winter 1954/55.
At Louis Vuitton (LV), Pharrell Williams and Nigo combined their love of streetwear, whose one-time dominance continues to wane, with dandy aesthetics.
Their collection featured tailored and tweed suits paired with bombers, leather jackets and Teddy jackets.
Communier said there is a push for men to dress well. – PIC FROM INSTAGRAM @PARISFASHIONWEEK
Political statements
Several independent designers spoke out about the inauguration of Donald Trump for his second term as president, which occurred the day before the start of Fashion Week.
Belgian designer Walter Van Beirendonck said after his show that much of the fashion world was afraid to speak out about Trump because of fears about the impact on their sales.
Notably, none of the big corporate-owned designers said anything and LVMH boss Bernard Arnault was given a prominent seat at Trump’s inauguration on Jan 20.
The European industry is anxious about the possible impact of a trade war between the US and Europe under the tariff-loving Republican.
For his debut Paris collection, independent Californian designer Chavarria featured a highly critical speech by the Bishop of Washington, which upset the new president on Tuesday.
Mariann Edgar Budde urged Trump to have mercy and be aware of the fear he was creating among LGBTQ people and migrant communities.
Comfort above all
Between oversized garments and plush fabrics, such as Yohji Yamamoto’s quilted jackets paired with matching trousers, there is a clear desire for coziness.
“Despite the evolution of the suit, there is still a strong emphasis on comfort,“ added Communier.
Layering remains prominent, as seen at Yamamoto, SuperKid, Hermes, Kolor and Auralee, where knit dresses were layered over XXL-sleeved wool sweaters.
At 3.Paradis, French designer Emeric Tchatchoua took comfort to the extreme with puffer jackets styled such as quilts and pillows.
But the future may be slimmer, with trousers appearing to be going slightly shorter and tighter, as seen at Dior.
Communier shared the fashion scene is heading back to something reminiscent of the 2010s, which is a decade largely defined by slim-fit trousers.
Pops of colour
As expected for winter collections, dark tones prevailed, including brown, khaki, taupe, beige and cream.
There were pops of color, including a soft pink at Dior and bubblegum pink at LV and Kenzo. – AFP
