Quiet luxury is giving way to a looser, more relaxed style in menswear for spring, as seen on this season’s runway.
That’s according to buyers who spotted “relaxed nonchalance” and “undone elegance” throughout the collections, with blazers unbuttoned or in more fluid fabrics, and plenty of shorts for a more playful feel.
“The silhouettes, while still elegant, embrace a subtle relaxation that promises a laid-back and stylish summer 2025,” said Le Bon Marché director of men’s fashion Franck Nauerz.
A soft and subdued color palette carried through, with shades of ivory, sky and sage, or pale pastels like yellow, aqua and violet. Boat shoes were emblematic of the vacation vibe that permeated the collections.
Historic moments marked buyers’ favorite shows, including Dries Van Noten’s final bow. “The show was a masterclass in steadfast determination, independence and creative vision,” said Bergdorf Goodman’s divisional merchandise manager Young-Su Kim. Many cited him as one of the greatest designers of all time, and said he will be missed.
You May Also Like
“It was a fitting farewell from one of fashion’s true icons,” said Lane Crawford president Blondie Tsang.
Buyers cited any piece from the collection as one of this season’s must-have investment pieces and are planning to snap it up for their stores. Selfridges will be among those carrying it, said director of womenswear and menswear Bosse Myhr.
As Van Noten steps away, British designer Cole Buxton, who is not yet showing on the schedule, was cited as a fresh new face, as was the Meta Campania Collective.
The return of Homme Plissé Issey Miyake was warmly welcomed for its entrancing installation and fresh colors. Those inventive use of color carried on in the Amiri and Auralee collections — both mentioned as new talent but already considered established by some — as well as Lemaire’s use of layering.
Jonathan Anderson’s Loewe was also a favorite, with his study in restraint rich with artistic references that balanced quiet luxury with grunge, and new ideas with continuity. Kim Jones’ Dior also embodied the more relaxed mood, while staying as elegant as ever.
If Paris Fashion Week awarded Oscars, best show would go to Rick Owens for his cinematic masterpiece at the Palais de Tokyo, which most buyers listed as their favorite show format — if not favorite collection altogether. With just 10 looks, it made an outsized impact on 200 models that was described as “mind blowing” and “beyond fashion.”
Despite the political and economic uncertainties circling, buyers said that budgets are mostly steady — or edging up. The bright spot is that buyers will spend on brands they believe in, and cut where needed to make that happen.
Logos are on their way out, according to Galeries Lafayette menswear office and buying director Alice Feillard, while denim is becoming more sophisticated.
“I’m focusing on buying timeless pieces that still feel creative. Timeless doesn’t mean boring. I also want to invest in pieces that have a great value for money, emphasizing quality rather than a name or a branding,” said Raphael Deray, buying manager for men’s luxury and designers at Printemps.
That means staple pieces will be on the sales slips, while more experimental items will have a tougher time at retail.
Added END’s director of sports and energy Dean Walker: “Conversely, more experimental and avant-garde pieces will be carefully evaluated while the market recovers.”
Here, a selection of the biggest trends as spotted by buyers:
Lauren Amos, founder, Ant/dote
Favorite collection: Rick Owens
Best show format: Performances at Rick Owens, KidSuper
Top trends: Feathers at Balenciaga, Loewe, Walter Van Beirendonck; pink at Comme de Garçons, Walter Van Beirendonck, Acne, Undercover and Homme Plisse Issey Miyake; trompe-l’oeil; shirt jackets; bombers; cropped silhouettes; unstructured tailoring; straighter leg pants, and kitten heels.
Investment pieces: Lu’u Dan Leather Crombie Coat; Rick Owens Taco Kiss Boots; Craig Green Leather Reconstructed Jacket.
New talent: Ernest W. Baker
Impressions of the week: We’re noticing a move away from extreme silhouettes in favor of more wearable, wardrobe-friendly pieces.
Emmanuel de Bayser, co-owner, The Corner in Berlin
Favorite collections: Loewe, Dior, Sacai, Lemaire, Dries Van Noten
Best show format: My favorite show was Loewe. What a wonderful sense of fashion poetry — fashion-forward with softness, directional but not aggressive. It is really the antidote for today’s challenges. Jonathan Anderson captures the moment, and this is what fashion is all about.
Top trends: Oversize fluidity, ’80s proportions and ’90s efficiency in the clothes. Workwear and strong accessories, bags, shoes and hats.
Investment pieces: Outerwear, jackets and shoes for men. These are our strong categories. Of course, jersey is still selling well, but men focus more and more on stronger pieces they will be wearing for more than one season.
Budgets up or down: Budgets are consistent with last spring 2023, but if we like a collection, we may definitely go up with the buying. We really focus on the strong categories mentioned earlier, but we also take risks buying key show looks that will be good for merchandising and also inspire our customers.
New talent: Many interesting new talents as always during fashion week. I like the cool fresh vibe of Meta Campania Collective.
Impressions of the week: Even though the international and national political situation is tense, there was this week a relaxed and positive vibe in Paris. Fashion brought optimism and poetry in a world that desperately needs it. And with the Olympics arriving very soon and the fantastic spirit of sports that will shine, it will transport Paris again in a new dimension.
Reginald Christian, senior fashion manager menswear, Saks
Favorite collections: Dries Van Noten, Dior, Rick Owens, Amiri, Sacai, Loewe
Best show format: Rick Owens presented a highly emotional and visual stimulation of the power of fashion when combined with humanity. As we observed the repetition of milky canvas styles, we were encouraged to ponder conformity and where the line blurs. Rick Owens continues to inspire the industry, and he reminded us of the influence of fashion and design when unified for the greater good.
Prior to the start of Dries Van Noten’s final show, the designer welcomed us with a cocktail hour, where he moved among the crowd saying hello to old and new friends. The scene felt like a fashion reunion where we all shared our admiration and appreciation for his work. Models walked on what appeared to be a silver brick road that illuminated garments that felt absolutely Dries Van Noten.
Mike Amiri continued to explore and create his definition of American luxury with his collection, with its references to old Hollywood. At the show, which took place outdoors at the Jardin des Plantes and featured a live jazz band, Amiri skillfully delivered modernized styles that embrace the brand’s new direction. Touches of everyday cool and sartorial flair kept it feeling fresh. Knitted vests, tailored blazers and artisanal embellishments create a sophisticated collection of staples for the modern man.
Top trends: The overall trend direction in Paris is moving forward with excellent designs, texture and charged pieces that felt strong this season. Designers presented collections that spoke to traveling in style. Visual garden prints added graphic elements, stand-alone blazers spoke to the versatility of lifestyle and wardrobing the man and elevated travel sets reflected the need to have clothing that offers flexibility without compromising style. The boat shoe, mules and sleek sandals paired back perfectly. Refined functionality wear was also a key trend, addressing the need for clothing that allows men to move throughout the day while remaining stylish. Sleek workwear jackets, cargo trousers and straight-leg and sporty-luxe sneakers were standouts. Summer event dressing with exciting-to-see, updated tuxedos, silk shirting and refined trousers will provide our clients with standout options to dress up for various occasions.
New talent:We’re excited about the development of Auralee. The brand continues to create a freshness to minimal dressing that will be “must have” for our clientele.
Impressions of the week: At Paris Fashion Week, we are constantly encouraged to explore the market through experimentation and personal touch through passionate storytellers. At its best, Paris sells fashion and creates the desire to bring the best to our clientele. Coming out of Milan Fashion Week, we approached the market with an openness to the creative direction of fashion, searching for brands that would point us forward. The show calendar was lighter than the previous season, but the excitement and impact were still in full effect. This season felt particularly charged with the approaching final show of Dries Van Noten. Multivendor showrooms were buzzy this season with a surge of emerging brands showcasing in Paris, ready to break into the industry.
Reece Crisp, buying and creative director, LN-CC
Favorite collection: Dries Van Noten
Best show format: Rick Owens was a showstopper, and definitely felt like a real moment, he always manages to reimagine his deep history in a modern way.
Top trends: Imperfect perfect (think creases).
Budgets up or down: Paris felt extra busy this season and while I can’t speak explicitly to LN-CC, the investment in men’s activations for both industry and consumer felt like a resurgence
Impressions of the week: The community around men’s fashion is really what makes it.
Laura Darmon, buyer director and business development, ENG
Favorite collections: Rick Owens, Loewe, Dries Van Noten, Kiko Kostadinov, Wales Bonner
Top trends: Relaxed silhouettes, suiting fabrics, a mix of oversize bottoms and smaller tops and, finally, we’re getting away from the monogram.
Investment pieces: Short, suiting and travel bags too.
Budgets up or down: Up, focusing on growing our existing brand partnerships and delivering something special to our market.
New talent: Burç Akyol delivers edgy elegance, revisiting eveningwear and daily suiting with a contemporary approach through shapes, structures and details. It’s been a few seasons, and it stays consistent and relevant.
Impression of the week: Refreshing
Jian DeLeon, men’s fashion director, Nordstrom
Favorite collections: Dries Van Noten, Sacai, Rick Owens, Louis Vuitton, Lemaire, Setchu, Jacquemus
Best show format: It was a season of amazing shows. It’s hard to narrow it down between Rick Owens’ maximal “Hollywood” show featuring phalanxes of models and Dries Van Noten’s celebratory farewell show featuring models from the entire span of his design career, walking down a runway covered in silver foil. One standout for me was Japanese designer Mihara Yasuhiro, who turned his show into an impromptu karaoke night, embedding singers into the audience.
Top trends: Low-profile sneakers — especially a new one from Dries that’s become a favorite of editors and industry insiders. There was also an abundance of sleek leather jackets thanks to the favorable weather this season.
Investment pieces: A good leather jacket from Sacai, exaggerated linen trousers from Rick Owens and metallic pieces from Dries Van Noten that nod to his runway.
New talent: Minimal Japanese label A.presse became a fast favorite for its dialed-in interpretations of classic menswear. Setchu designer Satoshi Kuwata continues to be one to watch, making a new iteration of his Origami Jacket in lighter fabrics with options to drape it on the body inspired by Japanese geishas.
Impressions of the week: This was a promising week that brought a lot of inspiration for the season. From designers like Rick Owens to Chitose Abe, who remain masters of their craft, to a bittersweet farewell by Dries Van Noten, who made many of us fall in love with menswear in the first place. Dries Van Noten’s show didn’t feel like a book was ending, but certainly signified the beginning of an exciting new chapter of men’s fashion.
Raphael Deray, buying manager for men’s luxury and designers, Printemps
Favorite collections: Lemaire, Loewe, Dries Van Noten
Best show formats: It has to be Rick Owens or KidSuper, as they both created a stunning artistic performance that goes way beyond fashion. It is always nice to see something different than just a classic runway show.
Top trends: Pleated and wrinkled garments, shrunken clothes, light outerwear, fluidity, viscose and satin, V-necks, wide and deep open collars, pop-color knits, asymmetrical jackets and pastel colors.
Investment pieces: An asymmetrical blazer jacket, a shrunken polo, a full satin outfit and a pop-color knitwear jumper.
Budgets up or down: Our budgets are slightly going down, given these times of economic and political uncertainty. We prefer to be cautious and honest with what is happening worldwide.
Impressions of the week: Overall, it was a great week with a lot of beautiful collections and creativity. Paris is definitely the center of fashion right now, and it is crazy to see the amount of events, showrooms and pop-ups all happening at the same time and in such a short amount of time. It is also great that it resonates across all segments of fashion and not only in the classic luxury arena.
Alice Feillard, menswear office and buying director, Galeries Lafayette
Favorite collections: Loewe, Rick Owens, Dior, Lemaire
Best show format: Rick Owens’ mind-blowing show with his spectacular army of unity proving that creativity remains the essence of fashion and Dries Van Noten: a joyful and generous celebration for his last show.
Top trends: Casual sophistication is evident in refined, luxury fabrics and embellishments. Soft and fluid tailoring is still strong with wide trousers and tailored pleated Bermuda shorts. Black and chocolate are mixed with pale colors — light khaki, sandy beige and touches of light yellow and pastel pink — that give a fresh take on the summer silhouette.
Investment pieces: A tailored Bermuda suit by Dior, a relaxed suit and an overcoat by Lemaire, a suede workwear jacket from Ami, a leather jacket from Loewe, a trenchcoat from Meta Campania Collective, leather slippers by Dries Van Noten or Lemaire, a multicolor damier LV bag by Pharrell Williams.
Budgets up or down: Flat
New talent: 3.Paradis, fresh and cool energy; Meta Campania Collective, casual sophistication and Auralee soft silhouette and beautiful color palette. We keep on supporting young talents and brands that we already carry: Ouest Paris, Hed Mayner and Louis Gabriel Nouchi.
Impressions of the week: Paris remains the strongest fashion week in terms of business, creativity and visibility. Overall, this fashion week felt a bit more conservative. Brands played it safe focusing on essentials and good staples within their DNA.
Marta Gramaccioni, buying director, LuisaViaRoma
Favorite collections: Sacai, Ami
Best show format: Dries Van Noten’s last show was very emotional. The setting was beautiful, in a very large and open space, a fun party. The atmosphere was pleasant. Everyone was there to greet him and celebrate him.
Top trends: Less quiet luxury, more revisited streetwear.
Investment pieces: Transitional multifunction coat and jacket.
Budgets up or down: High budget needed.
New talent: A$AP Rocky’s American Sabotage by AWGE.
Impressions of the week: Designers are mixing different worlds more and more to create new and unexpected proposals. Sportswear and outdoor wear have now become an important part of men’s wardrobe, to mix and match with luxury and niche brands.
Sophie Jordan, menswear buying director, Mytheresa
Favorite collections: The Row, Auralee, Junya Wantanabe
Best show format: Dries Van Noten’s last show was beautiful and an emotional moment. The anticipation for the show had been building and it really was a celebration of his career and contribution to fashion with a collage of videos showing behind-the-scenes moments before the room opened up to show the runway and where we would sit to watch the final show. The collection itself demonstrated his usual approach and beauty to print and fabrications. Highlights were the floral dipped print pieces, which will be limited in production as all are hand done so each one is unique, true collectors’ items from this last show. Rick Owens also deserves a mention; the show was an epic production with groups of models all walking in the same outfit, almost like mini armies. The collection was all in a chalk white color palette and gave the message of peace.
Top trends: We have seen shorts in almost every collection this season, whether it’s a tailored fit or a sporty take, they will be an item we need to talk to our customer about. Bold metallic fabrications and accessories were new for this season, most notably the fluid looking suiting from Dries Van Noten, which I loved, and the draped pant from Loewe. I’ve seen the low-profile silhouette sneaker even more during Paris, including Dries Van Noten and Junya Watanabe x New Balance’s latest collaboration, after seeing this shape as a focus at Prada during MFW.
Investment pieces: The Row’s Ronan jacket is the ultimate piece of the season; it is made in the softest dark brown suede and a forever piece — super beautiful. I loved Acne’s trompe l’oeil jeans. We are already seeing amazing sales on them this season, but the spring 2025 versions are bolder and better.
Young-Su Kim, divisional merchandise manager, Bergdorf Goodman
Favorite collections: Dries Van Noten, Lemaire, Homme Plissé Issey Miyake, Loewe
Best show format: Rick Owens at the Palais de Tokyo created his own version of an ancient Grecian opening ceremony. The message of unity and strength, mixed with Rick’s distinct dystopian aura, was a powerful statement in our chaotic times.
Top trends: Throughout Paris we saw several designers exploring layering and lightness to offer wardrobe essentials that were breezy, sophisticated and new. Shorts were everywhere, particularly tailored styles with significant volume cut above the knee providing a dressed-up version of a classic. There were new ideas around eveningwear from Wales Bonner, Junya Watanabe, Amiri and others that modernized the approach through textiles and cut.
When it comes to tailoring, we saw fantastic suits with soft shoulders, longer lengths and voluminous trousers at several of our top shows.
Bruce Pask, senior editorial director, Neiman Marcus
Favorite collections: Dries Van Noten, Homme Plissé Issey Miyake, Amiri, Auralee, Dior
Best show format: Rick Owens’ epic, cinematic show featuring an astounding procession of 200 models dressed identically in packs of monochromatic white looks bearing house signatures felt wonderfully ceremonial and will go down as one of those rare “I was there” moments in fashion.
Top trends: There has been a relaxed nonchalance — an undone elegance — to many shows. The double-breasted jacket styled unbuttoned and easy has been a key relaxed look, seen from Amiri to Ami and beautifully epitomized at Lemaire. There has also been an airy lightness to many of the shows, with multiple layers of diaphanous garments in looks that had graceful, fluid movement in Dries Van Noten, Homme Plissé Issey Miyake and so many others.
The show season has definitely been a short story, with all lengths, from micro short shorts and Bermudas to wide-legged, full-cut, below-the-knee lengths. Many shows styled shorts with lightweight dusters that had an elegant, seasonal appeal.
Creative interpretations of eveningwear continue to excite, with bejeweled dinner jackets at Amiri to Junya Watanabe’s signature patchworked tuxedos and Grace Wales Bonner’s floral anorak, cummerbund and tuxedo pant combination. Our Neiman Marcus customers want to make a statement with their occasion wear and the designers and brands continue to be innovative in this very important category.
Boat shoes continue to be the fresh footwear for spring, seen across runway shows and showrooms including great versions at Jacquemus.
Investment pieces: One must have a piece from this Dries Van Noten collection, the last to be designed by the man himself. It’s sure to be timeless and a favorite; a great double-breasted jacket to be worn elegantly unbuttoned, a pair of wide-legged shorts, a lightweight duster to layer.
New talent: Paris has become the city of discovery with so many small brands, trade shows like Welcome Edition and Man/Woman, showrooms and designers showing here during fashion week.
Impressions of the week: From Rick Owens’ inclusive, awe-inducing “White Satin Army of Love” to the closing of Dries Van Noten’s final runway show with a monumental mirrored disco ball spinning to the sounds of “I Feel Love,” there was a resonant theme of unity and community seen throughout the show season in Paris. There has been an abundance of creativity and fantastic collections that have been energizing, from the smallest of independent designers seen on walk-throughs to the largest scale runway shows from leading brands. Paris menswear continues to be incredibly inspiring.
Franck Nauerz, director of men’s fashion, Le Bon Marché
Favorite collections: Dries Van Noten, Dior Homme
Best show format: Rick Owens’ impressive show featured numerous models all dressed in white, creating an extraordinary and memorable spectacle. Loewe’s “Man becomes bird” for the elegant suiting, and the work on plissé on pants and shirts.
Top trends: This season, the trend of quiet luxury continues to prevail, as it has for several seasons now, but with a more relaxed twist suited for everyday wear. Designers are focusing particularly on specific materials, notably denim, which is utilized in full coordinated looks. Additionally, the use of textured fabrics like waffle knits introduces a casual and laid-back element to the silhouettes, adding a touch of nonchalant sophistication to the collection.
Investment pieces: The standout pieces of the season are undoubtedly the piqué knit polo shirts and the waffled fabric short-sleeve shirts. These items are distinguished by their texture and comfort, bringing a sophisticated and modern touch to the wardrobe. Additionally, the trousers this season feature a fairly loose fit with enough length to elegantly break over the shoes, adding a relaxed yet chic dimension to the outfits.
New talent: We have discovered a promising new talent in the Canadian brand École de Pensée, which we are excited to introduce exclusively this winter. This brand stands out for its refined reinterpretation of classic pieces in elegant wardrobe, emphasizing impeccable cuts and carefully selected materials. Their meticulous and innovative approach transforms wardrobe essentials into modern, timeless creations, perfect for those who appreciate both style and quality.
Budgets up or down: Up
Impression of the season: This season, the collections stand out for their cohesiveness. There are surprisingly many silhouettes designed for winter, which accentuates the seasonal contrast we experience. However, they are not devoid of colorful pieces that bring a breath of freshness, inspired by travel and discovery. A clear trend emerges with a strong focus on pastel colors like yellow, aqua green and violet. The silhouettes, while still elegant, embrace a subtle relaxation that promises a laid-back and stylish summer 2025.
Laura Larbalestier, group fashion buying director, Harvey Nichols
Favorite collections: Dries Van Noten. After 139 shows, it was such an elegant, happy ending.
Best show format: Dries Van Noten, Rick Owens, Loewe
Top trends: Soft collars, pants with volume, dressing with ease.
Investment pieces: Dries’ tailoring — to wear for years to come.
Budgets up or down: We are growing what we believe in.
New talent: My discovery of the week was Louis Gabriel Nouchi.
Impressions of the week: Concentrated, but clear, good shows, and lots of new talent off the runways.
Simon Longland, director of buying, fashion, Harrods
Best show format: The Rick Owens show was absolutely breathtaking. It was a moment that showcased the incredible ability of fashion to convey powerful messages that go beyond just the individual collections themselves. Dries Van Noten’s final show after four decades in fashion and his retirement. It was set in the same Parisian warehouse where he staged his 50th show.
Top trends: The prevalence of shorts was evident in nearly every collection. Tailoring remains vital but was interpreted in a way that fits each brand’s DNA, whether it’s sharp and slick, relaxed and boxy or embellished and glamorous. Exaggerated proportions were seen across many collections and were executed with softness and draping, resulting in a distinct and elegant aesthetic.
We saw subdued color palettes that included deep shades such as black, navy and chocolate, complemented by lighter tones like ivory, sky blue and sage. Overall, this season had an air of relaxed ease and sophistication mixed with a more directional edge and youthful twist.
Impressions of the week: This was a very strong week, and the focus continues to be on creating elevated, beautiful ready-to-wear pieces that will stand the test of time.
Bosse Myhr, director of womenswear and menswear, Selfridges
Favorite collection: Dries Van Noten
Best show format: Being outdoors in Paris with more moderate weather was very, very pleasant. Keeping it simple is the way forward.
Top trends: Different kinds of matching sets — not just a tailored jacket and trousers — were visible on most runways. Shorts with shirts, balloon trousers and sports jackets, and matchy-matchy [looks] were definitely a trend. Color-wise, we saw a lot of beige, black and neutral tones again.
Investment pieces: A piece from the first part of the Louis Vuitton by Pharrell collection that was all in black.
New talent: The Cole Buxton collection in a showroom in the Marais. The AWGE show by A$AP Rocky was a particular highlight with a lot of pieces that will be highly desirable and coveted.
Impressions of the week: A lot of exciting, new independent brands were in Paris during fashion week this season. It makes Paris one of the most important cities for fashion.
Joseph Tang, fashion director, Holt Renfrew
Favorite collections: Issey Miyake Homme Plissé, Sacai, Dries Van Noten, Dior
Best show format: All eyes and hearts were wide open for the last collection designed by Dries Van Noten. It was a celebration of the community that Dries has cultivated with an emotional farewell that will leave a lasting impression to everyone who was there. He is a true maestro of authentic elegance.
Top trends: Feather-weight layering with fluid and relaxed shapes offered a nonchalant attitude for the spring season. The Row, Homme Plisse and Dries Van Noten demonstrated this best.
Pastel color-mashing with mint greens, pale pinks and butter yellows styled alongside sage green, navy and pops of cherry red. We’re seeing an evolution of quiet minimalism and joyful elegance seen in new visions of cocktail and evening from Amiri, Dior and Louis Vuitton. Crystal-embroidered dinner jackets and couture shaped tailoring were the standout here.
Investment pieces: This Paris Fashion Week brought back the anticipated hype of the “It” item including the Sacai-Nike Sneaker and Levi’s collaboration; Wales Bonner Adidas sneaker; Louis Vuitton slouchy Speedy bag; Dior derby clogs. There was a tremendous amount of outerwear shown this season as well, with Issey Miyake, Dries and Rick Owens all showcasing variations of the lightweight duster coats for spring.
Impression of the week: Paris was booming with excitement with fashion week coinciding with the preparations for the [2024] Olympics. While getting around took a bit longer than usual, the incredible design talent of Paris still [offered] a creativity-filled week with great product to buy. Perhaps it was a coincidence [given] the unseasonably cooler temperatures in Paris, but this spring 2025 season was anchored in summer-weight outerwear, layered in a way that would effortlessly elevate one’s wardrobe. We were also excited by new iterations of eveningwear. Today, the modern gentleman has more options than ever before to express himself within the clothes he wears. We are thrilled to be able to offer him a range of fashions to support!
Blondie Tsang, president, Lane Crawford and Joyce
Favorite collections: Dries Van Noten, Loewe
Best show format: Rick Owens’ shows are always held at the iconic Palais de Tokyo venue. This season, Rick opted for a unique approach, casting hundreds of fashion students as the models for his collection. The entire show was presented in a cohesive palette of beige and white tones with Rick revisiting many of his most iconic silhouettes and designs — from biker jackets to the brand’s signature over-the-knee, high-heel boots. This sense of continuity and familiarity created a strong visual unity throughout the presentation.
The visual impact was powerful, with the models descending the marble steps of the Palais de Tokyo against the stunning backdrop of the Eiffel Tower. The juxtaposition evoked a sense of biblical grandeur, blending Art Deco opulence with a feeling of moral redemption. It was a truly memorable fashion moment that epitomized Ricks’ ability to seamlessly marry his avant-garde aesthetic with deeper sociocultural commentary.
Top trends: Lemaire’s tonal neutral looks [are] very Parisian; Loewe polo top with belt and belted pant; any piece of Dries Van Noten’s last show; The Row cashmere sweater and jeans; worker jacket from We11done; sneakers from Acis Tiger/Salomon.
Investment pieces: We strongly believe in the continuation of Lemaire, Loewe and The Row — these are great quality and consistent designs customers are following. We are also having a lot of interesting sneaker ranges and collaborations such as Asics Tiger, Maison Mihara Yasuhiro x Bonbom, Crocs collaboration etc.
New talent: Our focus this season will be working with our existing brands and developing our business.
Dean Walker, director of sports and energy, END
Favorite collection: Edison Chen for Adidas.
Best show format: The shift from Rick Owens’ fall 2024 intimate apartment setting back to the grandeur of the Palais de Tokyo was a welcome and necessary change. Paris Fashion Week simply isn’t the same without the spectacle of Rick’s conversation-stopping shows.
This season, he introduced an innovative format featuring only 10 looks, but with more than 200 models comprised of staff and students from Paris fashion schools. These models walked in cohesive groups rather than the traditional spaced single file. This fresh approach not only highlighted his vision, but also celebrated the collaborative spirit of the fashion community.
Top trends: Fashion’s love affair for football. Retro and modern jerseys; hybrid boots/sneakers and shoes; and jackets either replicating, or using construction techniques, from football making.
Budgets up or down: This season our budgeting strategy will mix increases with decreases based on collections’ merits. Budgets for standout, signature items will rise, given their strong presentation and versatility. Conversely, more experimental and avant-garde pieces will be carefully evaluated while the market recovers.
New talent: Although not yet featured on the Paris show schedule, Cole Buxton continues to evolve and expand from its British sport and streetwear roots into a globally renowned collection. The brand’s latest developments highlight its commitment to innovation and quality, showcasing exclusive fabric advancements such as printed leather, sun-bleached distressed jersey and bespoke leaf camou. These standout features exemplify Cole Buxton’s dedication to craftsmanship.
Impressions of the week: I thought the week brought a lot of positivity back, in comparison to fall 2024, which was a direct reflection of how the market was and, in some cases, still is.
— With contributions from Samantha Conti, Lily Templeton, Jennifer Weil, Alex Wynne and Tianwei Zhang.
