What We Learned From Men's Paris Fashion Week F/W 2022

With Milan and Paris Men’s Fashion Week both wrapped up, it’s about time that we recapped the events and shared some of our thoughts. Color, energy, and optimism reigned supreme on the runway this year, with post-covid excitement clearly in full effect. Obviously omicron has put a damper on things in the practical sense, but the emotions were still present throughout. This season included major shows like Virgil Abloh’s final collection at Louis Vuitton, as well as Nigo’s highly anticipated debut collection for Kenzo; although the larger fashion houses had incredible moments, some of the smaller brands on the calendar stole the show.

Glenn Martens has been on an absolute tear recently, creative directing both Y/Project and Diesel. For his latest collection he enlisted the help of Jean Paul Gaultier, who brought an eye-catching flair with the trompe l’oeil body prints that are sure to take off with Gen Z, whose latest obsession revolved around vintage JPG. Martens flexed his creative prowess with the diversity of looks throughout the collection, and a little bit of something for everyone. 

Kiko only seems to get better and better with time as he evolves, and the intimate collection he released recently is a testament to his growth. While not shown on the runway, the photographs of his collection in Mexico City are stunning. The collection revolves around his research into gaming as a subculture, particularly the MMORPG Lineage II, of which Kostadinov recalls fond memories. 

Bianca Saunders, winner of the 2021 ANDAM fashion prize, caught our attention with her understated Paris debut. Full of monochromatic looks and interesting cuts, her emphasis on shape and proportion spoke volumes in a sea of busy collections. Her subdued nature was not seen nearly as much elsewhere on the runway, and offered a refreshing break from the noise. The overall simplicity of the collection speaks to Saunders’ expert pattern making, letting the cuts do the talking.

Chitose Abe’s sacai was chock full of amazing oversized fits, as well as a sneak peek of her take on Nike’s Cortez, presumably their next collaboration. Rick Owens reclaimed his position as fashion’s left field savant, with Dan Flavin-esque light fixtures protruding from vaguely egyptian hats perched atop models’ heads.

Nigo’s debut at Kenzo was a surprising departure from his familiar streetwear roots, with iconic flower prints galore. Hermès dominated quiet luxury, with simple, yet mouth-watering offerings. Wales Bonner’s very 70’s inspired collection was full of texture and craft, creating beautiful and ultimately very wearable clothing. Junya Watanabe shared a charming Jamiroquai-inspired collection full of big hats and color.

Louis Vuitton’s set design and show were an impeccable performance that would have made Virgil proud, as models freely tumbled and moved throughout the space while Tyler, the Creator rode around a bicycle as his composition played in the background. J.W. Anderson clearly had fun with his eponymous brand as well as Loewe, with both collections toying heavily with ideas surrounding gender and full of whimsical looks.

Prada’s star-studded lineup overshadowed the collection, which felt somewhat uninspired and lackluster. Dior showed off a boring show that continues to prove that the brand cares about little more than capital, with a Birkenstock collaboration that we don’t love but is sure to fly off the shelves. Many of the other collections were still worth mentioning, but there was simply so much to cover.