What to look out for at Paris Men’s Fashion Week

With what seems like half of Europe’s male population in football shirts
for the Euro 2016 championships, Paris designers will try to lift the tone
Wednesday with the start of men’s fashion week. Nearly 50 fashion houses
will unveil their spring and summer collections for 2017 in the French
capital, which is also hosting some of the championships’ top matches.

Menswear shows
starting tomorrow in Paris ! Be ready and find the schedule on
modeaparis.com and on our app #parisfashionweek #lamodeaimeparis #menswear
#ss17 @lilytempleton

A photo posted by Paris Fashion Week (@parisfashionweek) on Jun 21, 2016 at 5:15am PDT

Here are the shows and trends to watch out for:

Balenciaga first

Balenciaga is staging a men’s fashion show for the first time in the history of the aristocratic label which dressed the queens of Spain, Belgium and Wallis Simpson, the divorcee who dreamed of being Queen of England. Such is the buzz surrounding Demna Gvasalia, the young Georgian-born
designer now at the head of the house founded by Cristobal Balenciaga in 1917,
that it is prepared to put its traditions to one side.

BALENCIAGA MEN SPRING SUMMER 17 RUNWAY SHOW – WEDNESDAY JUNE 22 12PM CET A debut. For the first time, the house of Balenciaga will present a runway show to premiere their men’s ready-to-wear line – the debut menswear collection by Balenciaga artistic director Demna Gvasalia. The show will broadcast live on Wednesday June 22 from 12PM CET on Balenciaga.com #Balenciaga #men #SS17

A video posted by Balenciaga (@balenciaga) on Jun 20, 2016 at 4:11am PDT

Gvasalia caused a stir with his first women’s show for the brand in March, taking the spirit of the remastered streetwear look he pioneered with his label Vetements, and giving some of Balenciaga’s classics an almighty yank. His own oversized Vetements hoodies beloved of rappers Rihanna and Kanye West sell for up to 1,000 US dollars (890 euros) a pop.

His reworked Puffer coats — a far cry from Balenciaga’s typically upper-crust look — have also become a must-have for American singers as well as Parisian fashionistas. Having first made his name with his big, unisex, re-functioned combinations in 2014, Gvasalia and Vetements are going still further upmarket in July when they will be admitted into the rarefied world of haute couture.

A photo posted by Balenciaga (@balenciaga) on Jun 8, 2016 at 8:11am PDT

Five new players

Five other labels are also making their official Paris men’s fashion show
debuts, including Off White, the US label run by Virgil Abloh, Kanye West’s
fashion advisor.

A photo posted by Off-White™ (@off____white) on Jun 19, 2016 at 6:44am PDT

Facetasm, a brand founded by Japanese creator Hiromichi Ochiai — a
finalist for this year’s prestigious LVMH prize — will be the first of the
newcomers to show on Wednesday.

A photo posted by facetasm official (@facetasmtokyo) on Jun 14, 2016 at 11:12pm PDT

Chinese designer Sean Suen will also be making his first Paris appearance,
as will French labels Carven, under artistic director Barnabe Hardy, and
Stephane Ashpool’s Pigalle.

Saint Laurent, Raf Simons

Having only parted company with Hedi Slimane in April, the French fashion house Saint Laurent will not be showing this season. Instead Slimane’s Belgian-Italian replacement Anthony Vaccarello will present his first collection for the label during October’s fashion week.

A video posted by SAINT LAURENT (@ysl) on Jun 17, 2016 at 1:14am PDT

The other notable absentee is the former Dior director Raf Simons, who
instead showed his latest collection inspired by the American photographer
Robert Mapplethorpe at the Pitti Uomo in Florence last week.

Unisex

More and more labels are mixing up male and female silhouettes in their
shows as Gucci and Vivienne Westwood did during Milan week, which has just
finished. That trend is likely to continue in Paris and do not be surprised
also if there is more than one nod to football and sportswear given the
soccer-mania gripping France. (AFP)

And it’s here!!!! Watch the full video of the #MANSS17 show on our YouTube channel- www.youtube.com/VivienneWestwoodLtd Enjoy xxxx

A video posted by Vivienne Westwood (@viviennewestwoodofficial) on Jun 21, 2016 at 10:40am PDT

Photo: Valentino, Facebook