Welcome back to the City of Lights. And welcome back to our succinct 10-word show reviews (if you want to dip and dash) or listen to our audio reviews (if you want to hear our full thoughts) on the best shows from Paris Fashion Week Men’s for the autumn/winter 2020 season.
Saddle up your fashion pony, kids. We’re bringing you our favourite looks, must-have accessories, and candid observations from the men’s runways—insights that you can only get from attending the show in person.
For the last day of Paris Fashion Week Men’s AW20, dunhill mixed old-guard with the avant-garde, while Paul Smith celebrated 50 years in the business by championing his iconic design tropes.
DUNHILL: HIGH SHINE
Designer: Mark Weston
10-word show review: Bourgeois sharp tailoring on top; avant-garde leather on the bottom.
Favourite look: For Weston’s fifth show for the British house, it was a creative juxtaposition of rigorous tailoring (old-guard) with the flash and ostentation of high shine eel leather (avant-garde). Which is why our favourite ensemble was look 2 with the all-business top half of a double-breasted grey blazer worn over a white shirt and a silk knit neck piece, contrasted with a party-going bottom half of a pegged trouser crafted from panels of sensuous, black eel leather paired with patent leather loafers featuring glistening gold hardware. Very New Romantic.
Favourite accessory: Those slim leather hardcases proposed in a vertical orientation, and with top handles (looks 9, 16, 19 and 37). Because horizontal briefcases feel too last decade. And, after all, all you need nowadays is an iPad and your Amex right? Roger that.
PAUL SMITH: 50 GLORIOUS YEARS
Designer: Sir Paul Smith
10-word show review: Monochromatic suiting mixed with Paul Smith icons and baby blue.
Favourite look: That luxe loungewear combination of a shearling mocha coat worn over a latte-coloured large wale corduroy twin set in look 42; or, if you want to tick off all the Paul Smith design tropes in one ensemble, then check out look 54 which consisted of a checked peak-lapel top coat with signature Paul Smith black-and-white polkadot lining, and a ‘Paul Smith’-inscribed white shirt tucked into a pair of corduroy trousers in a refreshing shade of baby blue—the key colour for Paul Smith autumn/winter 2020.
Favourite accessory: It has to be those cotton twill bucket hats with evenly frayed brims. Go baby blue if you want to be fa-shun; otherwise pick up the camel-and-black check version woven in mini pied-de-poule if you want to be trad.
Related stories:
Day 1 of Paris Fashion Week Men’s AW20: Sankuanz and AMI
Day 2 of Paris Fashion Week Men's AW20: Off-White, JW Anderson and Valentino
Day 3 of Paris Fashion Week Men’s AW20: Givenchy, Homme Plissé Issey Miyake, Amiri, Louis Vuitton and Dries Van Noten
Day 4 of Paris Fashion Week Men's AW20: Berluti and Officine Générale
Day 4 of Paris Fashion Week Men's AW20: Dior Men
Day 5 of Paris Fashion Week Men's AW20: Loewe, Bode, Sacai and Hermès
