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A/W 2012/13 Paris Wrap

The big news in Paris was the announcement that London will hold a three day menswear event from June 15 to 17 this year, called London Collections: Men. Menswear is one of the few areas of fashion that is booming despite the gloomy economic outlook. Key looks from Paris included military and camouflage; tartans and checks, puffer jackets, sportswear in suiting (especially the sleek zippered jersey that will replace the cardigan), leather and reinventing the suit – whether in separates, mixed materials or new proportions. Where Milan is conservative, Paris is more experimental, but with an eye to retail reality.

3.1 Phillip Lim

Elegant suiting meets punk and anarchy, with Britain’s rudeboys and suedeheads adding a little grit. Lim was also inspired by the recent anger of the Occupy Wall Street movement. This translated to sturdy Doc Martens boots, 80’s style bomber jackets, nylon and PVC duffle coats, rudeboy checks and white socks with everything. Many jackets featured mixed materials, like boiled wool with leather. Loved the translucent PVC “duffle coat”.

Key colours: beyond basic black and white, the main colours were plaster grey, chalky blue plus a shot of orange or violet as accents.

Styling point: inside-out layering: sweaters half worn over coats, waistcoats over jackets.

Miharayasuhiro

A new take on military, using traditional kimono silk weaving techniques for a play on camouflage. As at Phillip Lim, Mihara used reversal, showing lining fabrics on the outside of coats. He turned up the cuffs on elegant pea coats to reveal vibrant silks. Slim suits were topped with oversized flight jackets, cowl necks replaced ties and checks were layered in different sizes.

Key colours: somber charcoal, black and khaki, with tarnished gold.

Styling detail: cowl-necks in sumptuous kimono silk to top off a suit.

Dior Homme

Another military-inspired collection. Kris Van Assche showed variations on a military theme, in a signature olive green. He also played with sportswear for a lighter feel, adding blouson jackets, looser trousers and the zip-through jersey ‘track’ jackets that will be next season’s cardigan. There was also the inside-out look that proved so popular in Paris, and a play on camouflage with embroidered doves.

Key colours: khaki and olive, lightened by shades of sand and off-white.

Styling point: the slightly menacing baseball and aviators combo.

Balmain

For a completely different and very romantic take on military, see Olivier Rousteing’s second collection for Balmain. Byronic heroes, Russian Imperialists, Nureyev and motorbike style all inspired a tough/elegant look. And so we got padded motorcross pants in deep red velvet with biker boots in the softest leather. Double-breasted waistcoats with brass buttons, grandpa collar shirts, slim-shouldered officer’s coats and oversized flight jackets.

Key colours: a rich claret red, black, navy and an off-white, especially for the Regency Dandy trousers.

Styling point: Elegant, slim-shouldered jackets with tough, padded motorcross pants.

Kenzo

Opening Ceremony designers Humberto Leon and Carol Lim took over the reigns at Kenzo this season, and took inspiration from Steve Jobs! Not a black turtleneck in sight, though. They took to the Kenzo archives for comfortable suiting mixed with sportswear, reversible pieces, quilted jackets based on traditional Japanese shapes, offbeat colour combinations and a vintage Kenzo medallion print. The models looked like characters from a Wes Anderson film: cool, stylish eccentrics.

Key colours: burgundy, French navy, forest green, with shots of lime and orange.

Styling point: the new ‘lanyard’ – keep your keys, security pass and train pass handy!

Lanvin

According to Alber Elbaz, in fashion, modernity for its own sake is not important; it’s relevance to our lives is key. Looking at how to make the suit new and relevant, it was pulled into separates, shoulders were dropped, waists got higher and silhouettes more curvy. Lanvin also offered slim, collarless zip-through knits to replace the sweater or cardigan. There were ombre-dyed tartans and subtle checks, a few broad stripes; but colour was generally low-key.

Key colours: shades of smoke, charcoal and khaki, plus a chalky blue; orange and red for accents.

Styling point: Mod style parkers over suits and sporty white high tops with suit pants.