It's not that there's nothing sexy about Hermès; there's nothing explicitly or brashly so about the storied luxury house. For spring/summer 2024, longtime artistic director Véronique Nichanian pushed the limits of what we know of Hermès with a play on summer sensuality by way of layered contrasts and lots of skin.

There's an architectural element to the spring/summer 2024 menswear collection that's reflected in the staging of the show. Nichanian intended the clothes to act as architecture, from which the body became the foundation.

Models appeared from behind openwork screens resembling the graph-like fabrics that ran rampant throughout the collection. Lightweight—and at times, translucent—fabrications were layered atop of each while modestly revealing skin, especially in the collection's lighter hues.

But what was the most surprising element of the show were the shorts. Nichanian opted for shorts with inseams that couldn't be longer than five inches. It's quite possibly the shortest that Hermès has ever gone when it comes to the length of shorts. It's hardly anything to complain about given the heatwave we've been experiencing, but for Hermès, it's quite a big deal.

The fit: With the short shorts, the revealing of skin was still done tastefully—the Hermès way. The shorts were crafted from a range of cotton blends as well as technical fabrics. They were designed with elasticated waistbands that still featured belt loops for an elevated look and for the added style option of wearing one with a belt (or two as they're styled).

The entire spring/summer 2024 menswear collection felt free in a sense that nothing felt constricted. Silhouettes consisted of roomy cut shirts and blousons with trousers that range from slim- (but not excessively so) to wide-cut that were all elasticised at the waist.

The details: The opening look included a Haut à Courroies bag that was treated as though it's been weathered out in the sun. A slight imprint of the bag's lock, clochette as well as its flaps were done in a subtle tonal variation—a beautiful rendition to a classic icon.

The collection's double étrivière belts—essentially fitted with buckles that resemble stirrups—were some of the more inspired elements in the collection. They're connected in the middle by a chain that added some edge, and recalls the more punk-esque autumn/winter 2023 menswear collection presented earlier this year.

Three exceptional looks: Look 6's easy, summer fit that featured the collection's shorts as well as a crinkled blazer topped off with a roped tote bag; look 25's option of layering pretty much the same outfit as in look 6, with a deliciously oversized shortened parka; and look 46's knit-layering masterclass.

The takeaway: Showing off skin tastefully is an art.

View the full Hermès spring/summer 2024 collection in the gallery below.