Best of Paris Fashion Week Men's Fall/Winter 2024

Junya Watanabe returned this season with more distorted takes on traditional tailoring. His latest collection, titled “Reconstructed Suiting,” included 39 looks that re-envisioned classic menswear staples with unconventional construction. The most notable looks were two-piece suit sets stitched together to create flowing overcoats. This approach was done through a standout collaboration with Levi’s, which sewed the label’s jeans into the bottom of traditional blazers. There were many wonderful yet bizarre pieces that blended formal and casual dress codes: a pair of loafers outfitted with the sole of a New Balance1906R sneaker. A Carhartt work jacket crafted with suiting fabrics. Trousers bearing the elastic waistband from a pair of sweatpants appeared along with an opera cloak featuring a Palace graphic embroidered on the back. While abstract takes on traditional menswear is nothing new for Watanabe, his latest cleverly commentates on how the lines traditionally drawn between formal garments and casual street style are blurrier now more than ever before. —Lei Takanashi

Designer Angelo Urrutia titled his Fall/Winter 2024 collection “Inspirations, Homages, Copies, and Bootlegs.” Urrutia, who was born in San Miguel, El Salvador, but raised in New York, wanted to honor the references he’s grown up with. That homage is rooted in streetwear, a term that Urrutia knows can be looked upon negatively. However, he pushed them forward in his own way. We’ve seen many designers utilize these references, but instead of copy and pasting the idea into his collection and throwing a logo on it, Urrutia reinvisioned what a streetwear piece could be. He recalled observing two Haitian brothers when he was younger who wore alligator shoes and Stacy Adams suits. This translated to a crocodile print that showed up on a bomber jacket and a tailored coat in a black and beige colorway. He thought about the classic Coogi sweater from the ‘90s, which he created as a boucle tweed workwear shirt styled over a matching top with a leather collar. He also did his own take on a Versace shirt, replacing the baroque gold and black print with a brocade shirt covered in Statue of Liberty heads. Manipulating fabrics and piecing them together to create something new is one of Urrutia’s best skills. He played with organza and feathers, using them to create a workwear shirt, along with varsity jackets with croc embossed sleeves. Each of the looks were styled with Timberlands, a streetwear staple. Urrutia is one of the few Americans on the official Paris Fashion Week schedule and he honored the spirit of American sportswear, while integrating new, couture level details into the pieces, The pieces felt special but still functional and cool. —Aria Hughes

In 2023, it felt like Rhuigi Villaseñor’s name made it into the headlines for everything besides his clothing. He abruptly parted ways with Bally after just one collection as its creative director and found himself in legal dispute over millions of dollars with a former business partner. Rhude was as big as it's ever been, consistently worn by huge rappers like Jay-Z and athletes like LeBron James, but it seemed to take a backseat in the conversation. Needless to say, a memorable runway show in Paris would be very beneficial. Villaseñor delivered. For “On Range,” he took Rhude to the English countryside. Classic elements of the English wardrobe were effortlessly blended with Rhude’s more modern aesthetic. Oxford University crewnecks layered with checkered blazers were paired with baggy jeans. Pointed lapels peaked through acid-washed zip hoodies. A signature Rhude graphic T-shirt was worn with a tailored tuxedo. True to his own wardrobe, baggy washed denim spilled over cowboy boots done in exotic leathers. Villaseñor also continued to show off his ability to make covetable accessories by introducing bags in a wide range of materials from fuzzy yellow fur to oily black leather. There was something for every taste level, and it lived together harmoniously. The internet loves controversy. But don’t let Villaseñor’s rocky 2023 overshadow the great work he’s still doing. This collection proved to be one of his best, and most versatile, to date. —Mike DeStefano

If there is one thing we have come to expect from Jonathan Anderson’s Loewe, it's that it’s going to be playful and just a little bit weird (in a good way). This time around, the show was a commentary on society’s view of masculinity in the internet age. Paintings by Richard Hawkins were displayed at one end of the venue (some of his colorful works made it onto hoodies and bags). In another area, giant video installations played footage of some of Loewe’s ambassadors and friends like Omar Apollo. On the runway, looks referenced wardrobe staples like a pair of worn-in blue jeans or a chunky knit sweater, but styled them atypically. Beautiful green and orange snakeskin coats with long bow collars were worn with bare legs and white tube socks. Shirtless models wore jeans adorned with undone belts. Leather boilersuits were given big lapels. Some of the most outlandish pieces were black coats and blazers made to look like they were filled with a pile of dirty laundry, or pairs of pants with sneakers attached. During a season where it seemed like many designers put wearability at the forefront, sometimes sacrificing creativity in the process, Anderson made sure not to waver from the whimsical approach that he’s known for. Once again, the result was something unforgettable. —Mike DeStefano

This season, Rick Owens presented his Fall/Winter 2024 collection, titled “Porterville,” inside the same home he started his label in 25 years ago. Owens said he picked this setting as “a respectful move in observance of the barbaric times through which we are living.” Here, he invited guests to seek shelter from our war-torn world within his otherworldly garments. And the same type of escapism found within the best science fiction films came through with clothing designed with “grotesque and inhumane” proportions, which Owens says is a reaction to atrocities currently being committed by humans across the world. That translated into pieces like inflated rubber pull-on stretch boots that made models walk like Futura “Pointman” characters, knit cashmere space suits, and billowing leather duvet puffers fit for the Star Wars ice planet Hoth. Although no fashion show will bring peace to the world, Owens’ latest reminds us how it could bring us blissful ignorance during troubling times. —Lei Takanashi

Ted Joans, an artist, poet and jazz trumpeter, was the starting point for Idris Balogun, the designer behind Winnie. Balogun helped contextualize the collection by holding it in the American Library in Paris to a soundtrack of scat poetry created by Pauli Lovejoy. It was reminiscent of the Beat Generation, a literary subculture movement started in the 1940s. Balogun looked to Joans’ circle of friends, which included James Baldwin, Don Cherry, Fela Kuti and André Breton, when thinking of the man he wanted to dress this season. That resulted in sophisticated but cool looks that could work on a variety of archetypes. He showed elevated leisurewear—something he dabbled in last season—that included a cherry red velour hoodie and jogger set and intarsia knits (one with his logo on it), and one with some interesting color-blocking in rose, beige, and brown, a color Joans worked with consistently. He also brought in a rhino skin print, influenced by Joan’s favorite animal, which showed up on a tuxedo jacket, a cotton shirt, and a mesh shirt. He juxtaposed these softer pieces with fitted leather pants that had just the right amount of bagginess, and structured leather coats. Having been trained on Savile Row, Joan's tailoring is also a highlight at Winnie. Balogun adheres to the tried and true rules of fit and proportion, but puts it through his very modern filter. He showcased a chocolate brown three-piece suit, and a gray blazer with layered double collars. Balogun continues to develop and fine-tune his menswear proposition, which is cool, refreshing, and thoughtful.—Aria Hughes

Chistose Abe kicked off Sacai’s 15th year with a collection that played off the house’s lifelong love for obscure takes on uniforms. Titled “United as One/One Love,” Abe’s most eye-catching looks this season were built by garments with voluminous silhouettes enhanced by extra large sleeves shaped into nearly perfect circles. This motif was seen across pieces like oversized denim jackets, double-breasted coats, and a shearling faux fur jacket. Sacai is known for its radical mash-ups and Abe offered plenty to consider. Take Sacai's interpretation of traditional Fair Isle knitwear as a prime example: The iconic sweater pattern was seamlessly flipped into sequined tops, mohair cardigans, and puffer jackets. Bomber jacket styles are characteristic to Sacai, and one look to remember from this collection was an all-white double breasted coat that boasted oversized sleeves from a white MA-1 jacket. While skateboarders may have to think twice about Sacai’s suit-hoodie hybrids, they’re likely already eyeing the many pieces made in collaboration with Mark Gonzales, whose whimsical art graced everything from bomber jackets to corduroy puffers. Abe’s distinct vision may not be the best everyday uniform—good luck riding any subway train with sleeves jutting out one foot on each side—her designs remind us what true inventiveness looks like in fashion today. —Lei Takanashi

Drew Curry is dedicated to craft. He scours the globe sourcing different textile manufacturers who think about sustainability and top-tier craftsmanship. This translates to a collection that’s heavy on beautiful textures, but also intriguing storytelling. Curry named the collection “Bright Horses,” the song by Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds. He invited guests into a gallery space, where the song played on loop and he sat, reflecting on the ups and downs of life. The clothes hang on a rack behind Curry and guests were encouraged to engage with them, try them on, and then pass in front of a camera. That footage was streamed to a small TV Curry was watching. Guests tried on soft, wispy knits with hanging fringe, boxy coats made from fabric recycled by LVMH, a denim set with needle point details, and a collarless tweed jacket accentuated with hanging threads. You see the hand in each of these pieces, but you also feel Curry’s deep interest in presenting fabrics in new ways. —Aria Hughes

We know that Dries Van Noten can design classic pieces at the highest level. The Antwerp Six member has done it time and time again since starting his legendary label in 1986. This season, he went in a different direction. He wasn’t interested in the traditional wardrobe. Instead, he aimed to find the beauty in the unexpected. Knit sleeves were worn over long coats. Sleeveless button-up shirts cropped at the chest were worn over leather T-shirts. Knit sweaters with a side zip were styled so that only one sleeve could be worn. The other wrapped around the neck. Denim was used to construct a trench coat and cargo pants were covered in large, pixelated cheetah print. Not all of the tweaks were as aggressive, like a perfectly tailored pair gray trousers with a built-in belt or flight jacket in bright colors like lavender and yellow. The designs weren’t always the most cohesive, but Dries Van Noten proved that sometimes there is beauty to be found in the madness. —Mike DeStefano