Paris is gearing up for the triumphant return of its Men’s Fashion Week after three challenging years dominated by the Covid-19 pandemic. This season, the fashion shows will once again take place in a physical format, with live broadcasts continuing on the Paris Fashion Week platform. The exciting news is that eight fashion houses that had previously withdrawn from the City of Light are making a comeback, adding to the anticipation surrounding this event. Overall, a total of 80 labels will be showcasing their collections for the autumn-winter 2023/24 season, running from January 17 to January 22.
In previous years, Paris Men’s Fashion Week featured an impressive 60 shows in 2019 and 53 shows in January 2020, just before the pandemic struck. Notably, the event has always included a range of additional shows organized outside of the official calendar. However, for this highly anticipated return to normalcy, the program will feature a more balanced schedule, with 47 shows and 33 presentations taking place. Leading luxury fashion houses such as Dior, Louis Vuitton, Hermès, Loewe, and Kenzo are confirmed participants, showcasing their latest creations alongside prominent brands like Y/Project, Marine Serre, and emerging labels such as Botter, Bluemarble, and Casablanca. Furthermore, the event will also feature highly acclaimed young British designers who have gained significant attention, including talents like Bianca Saunders and Grace Wales Bonner.
One of the most exciting highlights of the event is the return of Saint Laurent to the Paris Men’s Fashion Week after a five-year absence from the men’s calendar. The highly anticipated Saint Laurent show is scheduled for Tuesday evening, and creative director Anthony Vaccarello has made it his signature style to present his men’s collections abroad, even in the pre-pandemic era. In recent years, Saint Laurent has held shows in various locations such as New York, Los Angeles, Venice, and the Marrakech desert. Additional returning designers to look out for include Japanese labels White Mountaineering and Sacai, as well as Bode, known for its vintage fabric patchwork designs that have earned widespread praise since its launch in 2016. Additionally, Maison Margiela, under the leadership of John Galliano, will close Paris Fashion Week with its men’s ready-to-wear collection, deviating from its usual showcase during Women’s Fashion Week.
Following in Maison Margiela’s footsteps, other fashion houses that traditionally participated in Women’s Fashion Week have decided to join the men’s calendar this season. For example, Botter, which debuted at Men’s Fashion Week in January 2020 but showcased at Women’s Fashion Week in 2022, will be making a return to the men’s calendar this season. Similarly, designer Ludovic de Saint Sernin, who transitioned to the women’s program in 2021, will also be making a comeback to Men’s Fashion Week. On the other hand, Y/Project, led by Glenn Martens, will be transitioning to the women’s calendar from the end of February, resulting in their absence from the January shows as originally planned.
While Paris Men’s Fashion Week has experienced the departure of four brands this season, including Thom Browne, Rhude, Craig Green, and Celine, it has also seen the arrival of new and exciting brands such as 032c, Berluti, Ziggy Chen from China, and the French label Uniforme. Uniforme will be presenting its collection as part of the Sphère showroom, operated by the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode (FHCM) with the support of Defi. This showcase platform aims to highlight the work of promising young designers in the Parisian fashion scene. Alongside Uniforme, seven other brands have been selected for this season’s Sphère showroom: Arturo Obegero, Christoph Rumpf, Jeanne Friot, LGN Louis Gabriel Nouchi, Ponder.er, Steven Passaro, and Valette Studio.
Paris Men’s Fashion Week is undoubtedly one of the most highly anticipated events in the fashion industry, symbolizing the return of physical shows and the reinvigoration of the fashion scene in the City of Light. With its diverse lineup of established luxury brands, emerging labels, and talented designers, the event promises to showcase the latest trends and innovations in men’s fashion for the autumn-winter 2023/24 season.
Useful links:
– Vogue Fashion Shows
– Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode (FHCM)
