From Hermès to Dior, here are our favorite men's Milan Fashion Week shows.
Hermès
The latest Hermes menswear collection is reminiscent of the softness of summer. Think of a summer breeze met with the strength and architecture of well-crafted clothing. This is what Véronique Nichanian, the creator of this collection, wanted to portray with the Hermes men’s summer 2024 runway show, making a point that the clothes look as if they were “constructed with the weightlessness of daylight.” The collection features several looks that focus on lightweight yet durable materials such as cotton, canvas, linen, and even a spin on “tracing paper” or graph paper-like fabric rendered into a shirt or blouse. The color palette expressed lightweight or almost airey themes, such as pale blues, crisp whites, and soft greys, that contrasted the theme of structure with darker colors like charcoal greys and chocolate browns. What would Hermes be without their famed leather handbags? The bags adorned the outfits by the models’ sides in a variety of styles, from the Kelly bag and Corsage tote bag to the Garden Party bucket bag; the accessories stayed true to classic Hermes.
Loewe
The Loewe men’s summer 2024 shared space with artistic works from Lynda Benglis, an American sculptor known for her poured sculptures, in the equestrian arena of La Garde Républicaine in Paris with Benglis’s bronze water fountain sculptures placed around the runway. This show and the clothes focused on the idea of perspective and how the clothes on the models seemed shrunken when next to one of Benglis’s sculptures. But from the audience’s wide-angle view, the outfits' tailored silhouettes also focused on the scale, creating high-waisted focal points, long legs, and compact chests. Collared shirts and formal jackets, and pants were not hard to find. The fabrics meshed well with the setting, made from glistening and sparkling fabrics that shimmered like the water from the fountains, and featured colors that complemented the grey space, like shades of blue and grey, bronze and browns, sage green, and black. Occasionally, pops of red and even the stark contrast of white made their way down the runway. Notorious Loewe bags, such as the Pebble bucket-style bag and the Loewe Puzzle bag, accompanied the collection.
Paul Smith
The classic element of tailoring can be seen in many menswear shows; some would say that’s the whole point of menswear shows. This season, British designer Paul Smith decided to explore “tailoring in all its forms” with his men’s summer 2024 show in Paris. In this collection, Smith poses the question, “Where does tailoring end and workwear begin?” and his show was made to answer. Instead of the drab approach to workwear that has left little to the imagination for color or fun, Smith combines the classic motifs of men's formalwear patterns, such as polka dots, pinstripes, and florals, with loud enhancements and modernization to make workwear fun and fashionable again. By reimagining the suit and its paired components, Smith constructed utility-style details such as wider lapels, carpenter-style trousers, and even hints of military jackets. Going somewhat against the traditional formalwear color palette, Smith included bright reds, sandy greens and neutrals, soft blues, and even pinks.
Amiri
From coast to coast, Amiri’s latest menswear collection is Californian, and European summers melted together to form a display of “contemporary rhythm” in the clothes. Picture an individual catching a flight from the heat of LA to the picturesque south of France with a wardrobe to match their trans-Atlantic journey that whispers wealth. The time period stretches from the 50s to the 90s with casual and classic tailored silhouettes with revamped quality and design for the modern age while maintaining a vintage aesthetic. The California skate community is found in relaxed trousers with wide-leg flare and baggy jackets and blouses designed in softened colors that reflect the vibe of a sophisticated European summer, such as cream, sage green, aquamarine, and blush. Implications of elegance are found in traditional suit jackets and vests, some made from luxe fabrics such as bouclé, adorned with sequins or leather lapel flowers. Accessories mix the two coastal aesthetics with berets, baseball caps, scarves, and woven handbags.
Dior
The fifth-anniversary collection from Dior’s creative director Kim Jones debuted with the importance of tweed fabric almost everywhere. Models arose from the ground on platforms at the show’s venue to unveil a collection designed to suit both the house’s couture heritage and the younger generations, no matter feminine or masculine. Dior stood true to its roots with recognizable themes within their sporty tailoring and clung to tweed fabric on various mediums from shoes, shorts, coats, and even backpacks, alongside the unmissable Cannage pattern. Muted tones were met with pops of electric color through various polo shirts, handbags, and knit beanies created in collaboration with millinery designer Stephen Jones and artist Cecile Feilchenfeldt. Jewels and metal embellishments played a predominant role in this collection through the adornment of jackets with lapel pins, pearl jewelry, and sparkling embroidery, all tied together with a new metal Dior logo found on bags and chunky loafers.
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