Men's Fashion Week Highlights

If you missed the shows from the French capital this season, Style Magazine has got you covered with a roundup of our favourite menswear collections. From Milan to Paris, with a multitude of designers showing their latest collections for Spring/Summer 2016, we highlight the most noteworthy looks. Overall, tailoring but easy dressing seemed to be the mood for Men’s Fashion Week so expect more sandals worn with socks next summer as this trend isn’t taking a backseat. Layering is also one common element that almost every luxury men’s brand showcased.

Saint Laurent Hedi Slimane’s ode to ‘70s punk rock and vintage graffiti – the collection boasted skinny jeans and shredded tops. The men sported shaggy hairstyles and wore sneakers paired with leather jackets and donned a bright mishmash of prints, dyed hair and flannel shirts. We definitely get the California surf vibe from the collection and it’s tremendously digestible. It was certainly “A Tribute to Contemporary Californian Surf Music Culture” with the frayed-hem shirts and the tie-dye sweats. Saint Laurent was the essence of alternative cool.

Balmain Being that this is the first menswear show for Balmain, we noticed the strong Balmain shoulders that ran throughout the collection. Vintage safari guide or explorer paired with Greek inspired footwear. Sporting caps, drop crotch shorts in earthy shades of sand and camel, mostly colours you would find in the dessert. The collection is sporty and functional (military inspired cargo pockets) but with an edge, perfect for the high-spirited adventurous individual.

Versace Donatella sent her models down the runway covered in sand wearing fine fabrics that hung close to the body. Long tunics untucked beneath a suit or bomber jacket and the long shirts give an air of sophistication. There was tons of drama exuding from the pieces, with an emphasis on tailoring and the firm shoulder.

Jil Sander The collection consisted of predominantly muted dark colour palettes and was a little nod to edgy ska culture. Soft shapes and rivers of fluid fabrics floated down the runway, with a collection full of geometric shapes and complex silhouettes. We adored the leather lightweight jackets, and the suits that came with knee-skimming shorts and functional pockets. The vibrant abstract Japanese-style flower appliques and patches on denim jackets added some much-needed perk to Jil Sander’s Spring/Summer 2016 collection.

Dolce & Gabbana The Spring/Summer 2016 collection is a modification of notable old signatures and strict tailoring. The collection is inspired by Palazzina Cinese, a Chinese palace in Palermo and it is prominent since the collection is dominated by Chinese motifs, floral prints on loose sweatshirts and luxurious silk pyjama-suits. D&G artfully constructed separates, especially apparent with their three-piece suits.

Salvatore Ferragamo Streetwear mixed in with a tropical vibe for a collection that appears predominantly youthful, working against a backdrop of palm trees and tropical greens. Ferragamo sent models down the runway in baseball caps and wearing sports-inspired interpretations of the classic suit. Besides the tailoring, we noticed the embellishment-splattered T-shirts, embroideries of cacti and the skinny ties. Colours that were highlighted included earthy plum, cocoa, palm leaf green and turquoise.