It was very fair to assume that Saint Laurent creative director Anthony Vaccarello would thread along the lines of the aesthetic that he's refined for the House for a couple of years now. Sleek, almost '80s-inspired classic elegance has permeated the collections of late—a more confident and singular take of Saint Laurent's heritage than when he first took over as creative director. And it did seem as though Vaccarello was about to present a Winter 2025 menswear collection that was just that; the dramatic, couture-like staging of the Bourse de Commerce certainly alluded to it.
But it was clear from the very first look that Vaccarello had no intention of being predictable, and dare we say, bland.
The fit: Aside from the impeccable tailoring that Yves Saint Laurent is known for, the late founder is had a habit of creating a sort of tension in his creations. There was always a twist to the mundane that was either felt or seen. It's this juxtaposition that became Vaccarello's starting point for the Saint Laurent Winter 2025 menswear collection.
The now-signature Saint Laurent tailoring—strong shoulders, roomy and languid—was paired with knee-high leather boots that sat somewhere between horse-riding boots and leather-kink. From where I was seated, the boots were kept rather minimal, with simple construction lines creating a promising roomy (and comfortable) fit and a buckle to keep things secure right at the top.
There's no question that it's a jarring proposal, but that's the point. In the collection's more British-leaning looks with Prince of Wales checks, however, they're less peculiar—take it as a gentleman who rides a horse to the office or just someone who'd rather not get his trousers muddied and wet. And when the boots were worn over leather trousers in some looks, there's a seamlessness that's quite beautiful to look at.
The details: Vaccarello is a master at creating contrasts with the slightest tweak. For this collection, it was the upturned cuffs that became a styling leitmotif throughout almost every look. It's typically a style that I'm not exactly fond of, but in this instance, it worked to balance out the juxtaposition with the boots and gave the tailoring a tad bit of a rakish, casual air.
Three exceptional looks: The black double-breasted suiting in look 3 paired with the collection's knee-high boots that further emphasises on the strong shoulders; look 17's poppy combination that's just effortlessly cool; and the aristocratic flair of the closing look perfect for a winning red carpet fit.
The takeaway: When it comes to style, keeping everyone on their toes to expect the unexpected does it sometimes; a little bit of juxtaposition always keeps things interesting.
View the full Saint Laurent Winter 2025 menswear collection in the gallery below.
Hermès is always being talked about, especially of late. That's not a bad thing of course; as they say, any publicity is good publicity. Perhaps, that's why the Maison saw the need to increase the capacity of its Autumn/Winter 2025 menswear show at 9 Place d'Iena. A PR rep told me that the seating configuration was different this time around so that they could accommodate more people—a good sign that there's increasing interest in Hermès.
It did seem as though artistic director Véronique Nichanian felt the need to widen the appeal of her menswear creations for the Maison. The Autumn/Winter 2025 menswear collection was perhaps one of the safest collections by Nichanian in the last few years. But don't get me wrong, it's not bad. It's just that we're used to seeing Nichanian be more experimental with her menswear vision that a pared back, almost classic collection was a stark contrast to her previous work.
Having said that, there was still plenty to discover. It's not a collection that one would immediately strike as distinct or in industry speak, "editorial". No; this was a collection you'd have to touch, feel and understand a bit more intimately in order to appreciate the craft and thought behind it.
The fit: Sticking to her penchant for oversized outerwear and tops, Nichanian slightly extended the lengths of jackets, rebelling from the current fervour for cropped everything. More traditional tailoring was also brought back, cut slim and worn with equally slim ties, while an array of outerwear took on familiar forms but rendered in leather and technical fabrications. A particular treatment employed on a number of coats and jackets appeared like textured patent leather on the runway, but was actually coated fabric.
The colour palette was classic Hermès with a heavy usage of earth tones for the season. The more colourful pieces in the collection were knitwear with motifs inspired by the uniforms of jockeys. But at the same time, the colours used were complementary and served to break away from the monotony.
The details: Instantly, my eyes were drawn to the clever styling of a scarf turned into a double-tour necklace. This was done quite simply by sliding the scarf into a number of Hermès rings (you could pretty much do this on your own with any just about any ring) and then securing it with a knot. Quite a neat style hack, in my opinion.
As an example of the Maison's savoir-faire beyond fashion, a number of outerwear incorporated blankets as part of their design. These blanket liners could be removed when needed but attaching them functioned to add much needed warmth. They're also finished with blanket stitching for a beautiful contrast.
On the bags front, the Haut à courroies got an update with a detachable addition that slides onto the bag's front hardware for added external pockets. And aligning with the Hermès theme of the year—Drawn to craft—a number of iterations featured a completely hardware-free version replaced with a clever connect-the-dots motif.
Three exceptional looks: Look 3 that'll be the perfect outfit for next winter; the blanket-stitching savoir-faire in look 17; and the cool elegance and simplicity of look 44.
The takeaway: While social media debates over the Birkin versus the Wirkin, Hermès proves that its signature style and elegance can't be replicated for cheap.
View the full Hermès Autumn/Winter 2025 menswear collection in the gallery below.
After the Dior Men Winter 2025 runway show, artistic director Kim Jones received the Chevalier de la Légion d’honneur—France's highest civilian honour. It's a rarity for someone outside of France to receive the honour, but given Jones' six-year tenure modernising and recontextualising house codes and archives, it does seem fitting. Anna Wintour presented the award to Jones, while wearing a piece from the Dior Men Winter 2025 collection.
Wintour was also present front row at the show. I was seated at the other side of the sprawling runway show space, across from her. There was nothing particularly special about her presence at the show; Wintour isn't a stranger to the Dior Men runway shows. But with the persistent rumours of creative directorship changes, one does wonder if it all points to some sliver of truth to them.
It didn't help to that there was a sort of sombre element to the show's musical choice. "Time Lapse" by Michael Nyman provided some energy to the elegance of the collection but also underscored a sense of melancholy.
But all that to say, the Dior Men Winter 2025 collection was easily one of Jones' best, especially in the past couple of years. Jones took it back to Monsieur Dior after seasons of referencing the works of past Dior creative directors, drawing focus on the graphic and angular Ligne H collection.
The fit: While the collection referenced Monsieur Dior's Ligne H collection, Jones took the opportunity to expand the idea to include other signatures by Monsieur Dior. The opera coat from the Pondichéry collection of 1948, for example, was reimagined in two different versions—one in pure black, and another embellished pink iteration that closed the show. Jones slipped through time periods recontextualising and merging them with more modern silhouettes, all while envisioning a gender-fluid casanova—taking the idea of a "ladies' man" quite literally.
Right from the first look, a play of volumes was apparent. From cinched waists of a number of the opera coats to more voluminous structured creations that were left as is, there was a brilliant display of fabric manipulation and couture-level constructions.
Save for the couture embroidery techniques employed, there was hardly any other Dior motif present. There was no Oblique, no Cannage or anything that resembled any form of signature or branding. The only such element was a Christian Dior Paris label that were placed front and centre on a number of pieces. This collection was all about the cut, silhouette and make of each piece. Sublime.
The details: One of the standout design details was the folded, draped collars that were seen on both precious fabrics as well as leather. Without constructing a "proper" collar or lapel, collars were formed just from manipulating the material and skilfully draping it to create a seamless appearance of a collar. It was incredibly breathtaking to witness up close at the re-see the next day.
The couture bow was used as a clever leitmotif throughout the collection. On some ready-to-wear pieces, they were removable accents on the back of blazers as well as sleeve covers on jackets. There were, of course, the Dior-branded bows that were worn as masks. The bows were also translated as satin bow caps on the collection's footwear, and will sure to be the most sought-after piece in the entire collection.
Three exceptional looks: Look 9's pink bow-sleeved jacket that I'm calling "couture coquette"; the delicious and supple leather top in look 20; and the drama of the skirt-trouser combo with the offbeat pairing of an embroidered striped shirt in look 46.
The takeaway: Jones's appointment to Dior Men may have been partly due to his affinity for and ability to interweave streetwear into luxury fashion, but the truth it, he's a fashion engineer capable to making a brand relevant.
View the full Dior Men Winter 2025 collection in the gallery below.
In a way, the Louis Vuitton Autumn/Winter 2025 menswear runway show was somewhat of a déjà vu. Nigo—founder of A Bathing Ape, and artistic director of Kenzo—has collaborated with Louis Vuitton before during the late Virgil Abloh's time with the Maison in 2020. It was so successful that it spawned another drop the year after.
This new iteration of a Nigo collaboration with Louis Vuitton felt a bit different.
As a whole, it was more of a dialogue between two friends and creatives. While Nigo's first collaboration with Louis Vuitton felt like he was given free rein to do whatever that he wanted, the Autumn/Winter 2025 version saw a more deliberate approach for a creative volley. There's a distinct Pharrell Williams-look to the entire collection—marked by relaxed suiting, workwear-tailoring pairings, and embellishments—that were then peppered with Nigo-isms the likes of Japanese-inspired treatments and fabrications with a whole load of denim.
What's interesting to note was the more restraint use of loud logos. Sure, there were still plenty of Damier motifs going around in a number of permutations—Williams is big on making the Damier his era-defining signature—everything else was kept more pared back; the collection is easily Williams' most wearable one yet.
Another Williams trope is the show's soundtrack that he produces each time (how does he find the time to do all that, I want to know). This time around, a couple of K-pop's finest each had a hand in hyping up the atmosphere of the runway show. BTS' j-hope—who was, expectedly, mobbed by just about every editor in attendance—contributed to "LV Bag" together with Don Toliver, while SEVENTEEN's "Bad Influence" seemed to be a crowd favourite.
The show ended with Williams and Nigo making their way around the circular show space. And as they passed grey lightboxes (there were a total of 24 of them) positioned at intervals on the runway, each lit up to reveal its contents. The lightboxes contained archive collections belonging to the Maison, personal collections of Nigo and Williams, as well as those by personal collectors. The pieces are now open for bidding on Williams' digital-only auction platform Joopiter.
The fit: Unlike previous collections by Williams, the Louis Vuitton Autumn/Winter 2025 menswear collection was conceptualised around more familiar menswear staples. There was little deviation from the tried-and-tested, with less gimmicks and a more concerted effort to focus on craft and tailoring. This in turn provided the perfect canvas for the Japanese craft techniques and motifs employed to shine through even more. Shippo-weaving was incorporated into the Maison's flower emblem to create a encircled diamond stitched pattern, while kasuri-weaving was used in tailoring jacquard and silk-wool outerwear.
There's a stylistic flair in the way that tailored pieces are paired with workwear-inspired separates. Old-school dandy codes are mixed in with a sense of functionality that's not only pleasing to the eye, but also sensible in today's context.
The details: I did say that the collection is a bit more pared back in terms of logos, but that doesn't mean that both Nigo and Williams skimped on the details. For one, the embellished denim in look 38 was beautifully executed as an interpretation of the Maison's flower emblem. There was also a nod to the iconic 2021 collaboration with Stephen Sprouse but instead of the just splashing "Louis Vuitton" in highlighter hues, this new interpretation was done in black and white and incorporated words such as "LVERS", "TOKYO" and more in both French and Japanese.
The wave-like effect that Nigo first conceptualised for the 2020 collaboration with Louis Vuitton made a return, but this time, skewed vertically and consisting of a patchwork of the Maison's motifs. And for those crazed over the bag charm trend, there plenty on the runway, including a leather charm shaped like a lobster claw.
To commemorate the collection's collaborative nature, a number of pieces across ready-to-wear and accessories feature the graphic renderings of both Nigo's and William's heads—perfect for anyone who's a stalwart fan of both figures.
Three exceptional looks: Look 18's mishmash of Louis Vuitton motifs that somehow looked very well put together; the aforementioned look 38; and look 66's broken embroidery look that's stunning upclose.
The takeaway: A collaboration is only as good as the dialogue that went into it; this was good.
View the full Louis Vuitton Autumn/Winter 2025 menswear collection in the gallery below.
If there's one thing that's certain during Paris Fashion Week Men's, is that artistic director Kim Jones will dig deep into Dior's archives for a contemporary reimagining of the spirit of Christian Dior. The Dior Men Winter 2025 collection will certainly be all that and perhaps, more.
There's already a clear teasing of this from the physical invitations sent out. As per Dior Men custom, the invite came packed with a zipped folio—this time around, it's plain black with a classic Christian Dior tag in leather. The invitation card features a lily of the valley motif that's become synonymous with the House. If there's a prediction to be made, it does look like Jones could be presenting a very pared back collection focused on silhouette and make, with some couture elements thrown into the mix.
For confirmation of what the Dior Men Winter 2025 collection will look like, stay tuned for the show this Friday. And for an even closer look at the collection, follow @esquiresg on Instagram as we bring you the action live from Paris Fashion Week Men's.
What: Dior Men Winter 2025 runway show
Where: Paris, France
When: Friday, 24 January 2025 at 10pm Singapore time
Saturday during Paris Fashion Week Men's is Hermès day.
Longtime artistic director Véronique Nichanian is taking a slightly different approach this season, switching up the runway show format once again. While show attendees will be watching the show live in Paris at 3pm (10pm Singapore time), the show film will only be screened a couple of hours later. A little bit of a delayed gratification, if you will.
Nichanian has cemented Hermès' menswear look for decades now—founded on classic staples designed with clean lines and an occasional nuance of playfulness. Based on the teasers, she's most likely sticking to a relatively modern, oversized silhouette with hues that's already synonymous with the Hermès menswear universe. What surprises will Nichanian include throughout the collection? That, we will have to wait and discover.
For confirmation of what the Hermès Autumn/Winter 2025 menswear collection will look like, stay tuned for the show this Sunday. And for an even closer look at the collection, follow @esquiresg on Instagram as we bring you the action live from Paris Fashion Week Men's.
What: Hermès Autumn/Winter 2025 menswear runway show
Where: Paris, France
When: Sunday, 26 January 2025 at 12am Singapore time
2024 was relatively not a great year for fashion and luxury as a whole. And now that we've kicked off 2025 proper, shifting branding and marketing strategies are taking effect with the upcoming Autumn/Winter 2025 menswear show season showing the first signs of how brands are seeking to ensure newness beyond the collections.
That's not to say that there's very little to look forward to during the year's first slate of fashion shows and presentations—it's quite the contrary. Making early headlines are some eagerly anticipated debuts as well as welcomed returns to the official fashion calendar. Here, we list them all down so you won't be missing a beat when the time comes.
There will be plenty of fashion brands and houses that have opted out of the Autumn/Winter 2025 menswear show calendar, focusing instead on co-ed showings during the women's shows in February and March. Gucci, Moschino, Fendi, DSquared2 and JWAnderson will be absent from Milan, while Loewe (surprisingly) has bowed out of this season's Paris Fashion Week Men's calendar.
After a brief showing in June last year, Moschino decided to release its Autumn/Winter 2025 menswear collection (together with its Pre-Autumn 2025 womenswear collection) as a lookbook back in December. Sparking a trend of a return to co-ed runway shows, Gucci, DSquared2 and Fendi will instead show during the womenswear show calendar—Fendi will also officially start its 100th anniversary celebrations without an artistic director for its womenswear universe.
The Milan Fashion Week Men's calendar may be looking rather sparse without the presence of several flagship brands, but the usual big-named favourites remain. Prada and its host of famous attendees are scheduled in its usual spot, so will Emporio Armani and Giorgio Armani, and Zegna is set to close Milan in true sartorial form.
After multiple seasons of showing off-calendar, Saint Laurent will be making its Paris Fashion Week return. Sort of. While its Autumn/Winter 2025 menswear show won't exactly be part of the official calendar, which ends on 26 January, it's still the closest it has been for a while.
Creative director Anthony Vaccarello is scheduled to show his latest menswear creations for Saint Laurent on 28 January 2025, right smack in the middle of Haute Couture Week. In any case, the show will certainly be one to watch as Vaccarello has certainly come into his own in the past few seasons, especially when it comes to the House's menswear universe—unifying the vision and look of the House as a whole.
After a year of opening boutiques in New York City and London, another brand that will be making its Paris Fashion Week return is Jacquemus. Known for showing somewhat off-calendar and away from Paris, Jacquemus' last Paris Fashion Week Men's showing was back in 2020. The brand has been focusing on co-ed runway shows since, with an overall sense of dramatic theatricality reflected in both its show locations as well as its designs. While there's little information of where the show will take place, there's little doubt that founder and designer Simon Porte Jacquemus will be putting on a show made to go viral on social media.
Let's face it: Lanvin hasn't exactly been quite the same since the late Alber Elbaz was its creative director. British designer Peter Copping—he had most recently spent five years at Balenciaga—was named Lanvin's newest artistic director in June 2024 and is set to show his first collection for the brand, closing out Paris Fashion Week Men's on the eve of Haute Couture Week.
Copping's Lanvin debut won't be the only debut of the season. In Paris alone, a couple of brands will be making their first appearance in the City of Lights.
American designer Willy Chavarria will make his Paris debut after years of being a New York Fashion Week fixture on 24 January, before the Kenzo show in the evening. And on the second day of Paris Fashion Week Men's, British brand S.S.DALEY—the brand that Harry Styles himself owns a minority stake in—will open the day's proceedings.
There will unfortunately (to the disappointment of this style director) not be a Dries Van Noten show by newly installed creative director Julian Klausner this time around. However, it's been said that the Autumn/Winter 2025 collection will instead be dropped in a lookbook and presentation format, showcasing a first look into Klausner's vision for the beloved brand.
For all the first-person encounters during Paris Fashion Week Men's for the Autumn/Winter 2025 show season, follow @esquiresg.