Best of Backstage: Paris Men's SS13
Hermès, Raf Simons, Acne, Dior, Givenchy, Henrik Vibskov, Dries Van Noten.
Men's Fashion Week in Paris just happened and this season silhouettes are fitted, pants are cropped, prints are painterly, and backpacks look like basketball hoops. (Literally).
Surprisingly, though, the collections were not all that summery. Acne and Dior both used leather and the colours were sombre — greys, navy and deep blues. At Acne, at least, they rolled out the stripes — horizontal and vertical, and the result was something that looked like either classy pyjamas (good) or Christmas wrapping paper (bad).
Hermès certainly did not shy away from brighter hues — chartreuse, sapphire blue and traffic light red worked well with classic tailoring. Raf Simons' also embraced the season — he brought back that soft pink he loves so much —along with a pretty floral print and a surreal painterly print. Why is it that I want to wear everything he makes, even if it's menswear? Those boxy shapes and short shorts will be popular with the boys as well.
The prize for the latest 'it' accessory goes to Givenchy this season for those gold chain sandals. The silhouettes were also interesting: jackets and tops were long in length, perhaps a reference to traditional oriental styles, but the pink satin missed the mark, just.
Henrik Vibskov can always be counted on to do something inspiring. Whether it appeals to everyone is another story, but his bold prints, use of colour and experimental approach to design is always fascinating.
Photography: Sonny Vandevelde
Alice Cavanagh
