Always expect the unexpected at Paris Fashion Week. Forever full of imagination; contemporary ideas are generated with a focus on fine detailing to create ready-to-wear attire. From the avant-garde approach seen in Maison Margiela’s return to the menswear runway to the classic Louis Vuitton monogram embellishing athleisure attire – thinking outside of the box is key to Parisian style. Check out our top 5 not-to-be-missed Autumn/Winter ’18 fashion shows that took place in the French capital:
Louis Vuitton
A farewell full of newfangled fashions
Kim Jones’ final collection for Louis Vuitton encompasses his journey with the French fashion house. Titled ‘Overview’, the Autumn/Winter ’18 show was inspired by a “constant voyage”. Merging aspects of the Earth’s geography together, the aesthetic represented Louis Vuitton’s global recognition and rooted focus on travel. As well as Kenyan landscapes, American rodeo references, Russian textures and Icelandic palettes, the runway was ingrained with a sense of urban streetwear. Such inspirations that sprouted from Jones’ bringing-up in London have influenced the designer to push Vuitton to its boundaries.
As part of the new collection, titanium and glaze detailing breathes new life into the luxury leather goods line and the Louis Vuitton speedy is re-worked into a cross-body bag (a hyped contemporary trend in the current menswear scene). Trunks are also worn across the body, re-invented for everyday use, a strong style choice that fits in with the seven-continent concept.
For the finale, Kim Jones paraded female models down the catwalk for the first time, choosing a go-hard-or-go-home selection of Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell. The supermodels came down the runway repping fitted vinyl trench coats embellished with the classic monogram pattern. Offering moments to remember and a batch of alluring new pieces, Louis Vuitton A/W 18 is an essential part of our top 5.
Maison Margiela
Margiela makes a strong return to menswear
A playground of primary colours, pinstripes and avant-garde attire, Maison Margiela showcased their first mens collection under direction of John Galliano. Offering a fresh approach to the French fashion house’s menswear designs, the outlook was certainly inspired by modern art. Trench coats that appeared on the runway in two-tones/layered with a transparent material were followed by sizeable yellow puffers, cropped trousers and swimwear accessories.
For part of the runway the sunshine-yellow hue of the show-space contrasted against all –white attires, pieced together in unorthodox manners. Brown leather tailoring and the show-stopping ‘Security Margiela’ sneakers illustrate Galliano’s recognition of current and future trends; however, the experimental nature of the label is still able to shine through – making it a top 5 must.
Valentino
Walk into the wilderness of the night
A caliginous jungle predominately based upon black, blues, greens and greys, Autumn/Winter ’18 for Valentino is fierce with darkness. Creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli merges tailored and unstructured pieces together with a mean, masculine colour scheming to interpret on behalf of the brand, the athleisure mania of modern day society. Subtle camo printing, now quintessential to the label, harmonises with long-overcoats and technical fabric suit trousers for a suave man’s wardrobe.
Chunky white trainers and pops of blue, red and white, contrast against the inky ensembles which conquer the catwalk. A stand-out piece for PAUSE, using red to add an extra dimension, is the puffer printed with the brand name/logo around the bottom of the outerwear.
Juxtaposed with the majority of the runway are kits of wild colours: pink, orange, yellow and greens. The anomalies creep into the shadowy next season like the ready-to-pounce tigers adorning coats and jackets. Piccioli doesn’t force the concept, but the untamed aspects (such as spiky sleeves and collars) of Autumn/Winter ’18 are open to interpretation. A collection worthy of decoding is one that must feature as part of our top 5.
Kenzo
Lights, Kenzo, Action
Kenzoscope productions presents a Parisian-Asian narrative of ‘Autumn/Winter ’18’, directed by Humberto Leon and Carol Lim.
Kenzo’s runway at Men’s Paris Fashion Week merges cross-continent inspriations: the brand’s Asian roots through oriental embroidery and French fashion’s attention to detail – boosted with bursts of Hollywood referencing. Marrying intense tones on top of mellow checked trousers, navy blues contrasting against vivid red hues and softened lilacs peeping through mossy clay trench coats all feel rather familiar. Familiar to an audience of film fanatics, especially to those who immerse themselves within cinematography spectaculars such as last-years ‘La La Land’. Colours that connote meaning through the silver-screen are translated into modern masterpieces of fashion for the future season.
Furthermore, Leon and Lim tap into the gritty side of the LA region, embracing retro-nostalgic subcultures through thrift-shop stylising (snake-skin boots, black leathers and graphic tees) and the recreation of vintage movie posters. Silk longline jackets, sweatshirts and hoodies are embellished with delicate detailing of Kung Fu dragons and flowers (a runway reminder of Kenzo’s Japanese heritage). Strikingly, the dragons adorned over-shoulder pouches branded with the Kenzo name that accessorised leopard print attires to create eclectic looks.
Just as the city of stars, the new season is an assortment of individual tastes; heavy duffel coats, aquatic sequin dresses and head-to-toe brown leather get-ups bravely come together to present contemporary finesse fits. Kenzo’s charge of unique fashions for A/W 18 is an official part of our top 5.
Y-3
State-of-the-art styles
The hybrid German-Japanese Label Y-3 (Adidas x Yohji Yamamoto) is forever a progressive amplification of modern athileisurewear, and for Autumn/Winter ’18 the brand emphasises its neoteric approach to fashion. A spectacle of luminous yellows, later met with tangerines and royal blues, dazzle in a sea of midnight hues. Oversized fits and exaggerated winter accessories are piled upon the models; accented with the palette of adjacent tones, a trend which is mirrored in many of the AW18 shows.
Use of colour may be crucial to the catwalk for next season, however, a wave of floral camo decorates part of the runway. Quilted jackets, heavy-hoodies and sweatshirts feature the pattern which appears painted, referencing Y-3’s rooted blend of cultures.
Sleek uses of the always in-vogue three stripes include the enhancing of black satin tracksuits and ultra-modern cuban-collar boiler suits whilst trainer designs are as eye-catching as ever (ranging from chunky soles to slip-ons). Branded baseball caps, cross-body mini duffle bags and slogans & signatures are dispersed across looks to garnish the attires. Completely visionary, Y-3’s cutting-edge Autumn/Winter ’18 finds itself worthy of our top 5.
