It’s just past the halfway point of yet another fashion month, and things are starting to really ramp up now. After Charles Jeffrey stans kept the spirit of a pared back London Fashion Week alive, it was on to Milan for standout showings from Miuccia and Raf over at Prada, Dan and Dean down at Dsquared2, plus loads more shows from Martine Rose, Jonathan Anderson and the rest of their peers.

After all that, we’ve promptly found ourselves in Paris for a week chock full of men’s fashion, each day attempting to outdo the last. So far, we’ve already seen Rick Owens assemble an army of 200 students for his biblical epic Hollywood, plus Pharell make the case for world peace at Louis Vuitton’s first fashion pageant. For all the other blockbuster shows – and the smaller, trailblazing ones, too – check out our guide below, and stay tuned for more as we update this rolling list.

LOUIS VUITTON

Never one to do anything by halves, for SS25 Pharrel Williams decided to occupy the entire roof of UNESCO’s Parisian HQ for his Le Monde Est À Vous show, meaning “the world is yours” in French. A dedication to “the unifying spirit of the global mentality of Louis Vuitton,” the set was dominated by a giant metal globe structure, with flags of the world planted around the Damier check lawn runway.

With guests including Colman Domingo, Sabrina Carpenter and Central Cee taking their spots on the frow, the emerging silhouettes took cues from all different types of travellers, with pilots, UN diplomats and general holidaymakers all appearing as avatars on the catwalk. The pixelated ‘Damoflage’ check was back, but in the form of a world map splashed across a worker’s jacket, and football tops were given their own LV spin, because what’s more unifying than the beautiful game?

The show also featured a collaboration with creative collective Air Afrique, who contributed logos inspired by the now defunct Pan-African airline which they get their name from, while the leather goods offering was a particular highlight. As well as ball-shaped, binocular case and translucent red variations, models also clutched renewed versions of the classic LV trunk, but rendered in supple leather for a handheld twist.

BIANCA SAUNDERS

The Bastille Design Center was the location for Bianca Saunders’ latest offering, a 19th century industrial building turned arts hub in Paris’ 11th arrondissement. The historical setting spoke to Saunders’ inspiration for the collection, namely the work of American photojournalist Bradley Smith and his images of a Jamaican resort from the 1940s, compiled in Escape to the West Indies: A Guidebook to the Islands of the Caribbean. But rather than capture the globetrotters on holiday, Smith’s work focused on the working class butlers, bellhops and fisherman of the resort, the people who inspired Saunders’ latest collection The Hotel.

Though the designer’s “exploration of character creation and rediscovery” was only a succinct 21 looks, Saunders deftly redesigned those vintage references for a 2024 wardrobe. There were the fisherman, swaddled in his own net, wearing brown wading boots and a longline yellow jacket; the butler’s classic tailoring was reconfigured as slouchy suits and psychedelic cigarette skinnies; and the bellhop’s hat appeared throughout as a floppy knitted creation.

As always, Saunders was concerned with masculinity and its various interpretations, and this time models arrived on the catwalk in satin, pussy bow shirts, similarly silky culottes, and 3-inch micro shorts that barely grazed the thigh. Elsewhere, the prints were particularly covetable, coming as kitsch slogans like “A happy home recipe” inspired by fridge magnets and prayer scrolls you might find in West Indian households.

LGN LOUIS GABRIEL NOUCHI

Last season, Louis-Gabriel Nouchi surprised us by introducing womenswear to his catwalk for the very first time, but now he’s only gone and killed off those same women to extract their scent (okay, not really). Continuing his “library” of collections based on books that shaped his worldview, the French designer chose Patrick Süskind’s Perfume: The Story of a Murderer for SS25. Popularised by the 2006 Ben Whishaw movie of the same name, the story sees a deranged man called Jean-Baptiste Grenouille go on a murdering spree in 18th century Paris, killing women then dunking them in big vats to preserve their scent. Despite its obviously unhinged plot, the book is all about love, sex and desire, so perfect for an LGN catwalk.

Setting up shop in the grand building that houses the Paris Mint, LGN kicked things off with a series of monochromatic looks, with sharp suiting, silky shirts and even Moses Sumney making an appearance. This gave way to some deep burgundy looks, which were then replaced by pure white suits and cream three-quarter lengths. Jean-Baptiste also made an appearance on the runway in spirit, in the leather smocks and aprons that suggested potion making, while his victims were there too, in see-through t-shirts and tops slashed open at the heart. And in true Perfume fashion, the collection ended in a brutal finish, with three black and crimson ‘bloodstained’ looks appearing on the runway.

UNDERCOVER

A ‘fictional tribe’ was the starting point for Jun Takahashi’s SS25 menswear collection for Undercover. Entitled New Cloud, this imagined cohort are not fighters, but lovers, painters, artists. “In response to the current uncertain state of the world, the pieces strongly express a desire for peace and tranquillity,” read the press notes. Envisioning what these artists might wear, the collection featured earthen and pastel linens, floral chiffon, and relaxed oversized tailoring. Elsewhere, a collaboration with Italian painter Robert Bosisio – known for his soft, out of focus works – saw prints of ghostly faces and landscapes barely visible on t-shirts and outerwear. 

This off-kilter feeling translated into the show’s soundtrack too – performed by Australian band Glass Beams. Drawing inspiration from the psychedelic sounds, Takahashi blended the traditional menswear looks with womenswear elements: pleated skirts, ladylike jewellery, and delicate lace veils that covered the models’ faces. 

WALES BONNER

For SS25, Grace Wales Bonner was dreaming of sexy summer nights, dressing up (and down) for an evening of partying and debauchery. The smell of the sea in the air, the collection had a distinct nautical vibe with this season’s boys heading straight to the function without even changing out of their skimpy speedos – simply throwing on a leather jacket or striped knitted polo. 

Celebrating the oeuvre of Trinidadian artist Althea McNish – member of the Caribbean Artist Movement, previously producing work for Dior and Liberty – the designer’s Midnight Palms collection featured three tropical prints, Osiris, Akarana and Trinidad, that poked out from under blazers or boldly covered two-pieces.

The collection also featured the latest iteration in the designer’s ongoing adidas Originals collaboration in the form of a revamped Superstar silhouette in suede and a brand new Country Low style.

HOMME PLISSÉ ISSEY MIYAKE

Life’s a breeze this season at Homme Plissé Issey Miyake. For SS25, artistic director Satoshi Kondo imagined floating as free as the wind, transforming the courtyard of Paris’s Mobilier National into a field of dandelions that delicately swayed as models meandered through them. Up, Up, and Away as the collection’s title suggested is where the models dreamed of going, with their light and airy looks – crafted in the house’s signature pleats – bounced and floated down the runway. 

As free as the wind they float on, parachutes inspired billowing cocoon-shaped backs to garments that could be concealed if not needed. Elsewhere, kites were the reference point for structural garments with various buttons and fastenings that can be undone to change its silhouette. As always, the collection was made with the brand’s ongoing commitment to sustainability in mind – using recycled fibres and eco-friendly dyes to create its bright tones. 

Seemingly sending a message that we can fare any weather, for the finale, the models floated through the show space as their looks ballooned in air – a procession of coloured petals caught in a breeze, going wherever the wind blows.

YOHJI YAMAMOTO

“We do not have a press release at Yohji Yamamoto, as the designer prefers that the audience interpret his collection freely,” said a polite note from the Yohji team after the show. Amidst a sea of over-explaining and over-intellectualising, it’s a bit of a welcome break that Yamamoto allows us this freedom – plus the octogenarian designer has only ever walked to the beat of his own drum.

Favouring a stripped back affair, Yamamoto took us to his brand’s HQ, where models inched onto the catwalk (surely the slowest walks of PFW) in an assortment of jagged cut waistcoats, silky ankle swingers and longline overcoats. Covered in frenetic black doodles and bursts of floral brushstrokes, it was a collection that spoke to the care-free artists in all of us, down to the ratty cardigans and slouchy, painted t-shirts.

But about two-thirds of the way through our band of bohemians, one recognisable face made it onto the runway. Silver screen icon Charlotte Rampling had made a surprise appearance at Paris Fashion Week, but rather than come as herself, she’d been decidedly Yohji-fied, arriving to the catwalk in the felt hat and all black combo we’re used to seeing on Yamamoto. Though the designer likes to keep his inspirations close to his chest, Rampling’s Yohji cosplay suggested the idea of fashioning your own identity was important to this collection, especially for artists who appeared in their various forms throughout.

JUNYA WATANABE

“I have used denim and patchwork a lot in my past collections, but this time I tried to go further in my exploration to find new discoveries,” said the show note (singular) provided at Junya Watanabe’s SS25 catwalk. But once guests filed into the space and the show began, it soon became clear that these “new discoveries” were actually old discoveries presented anew, as this offering seemed to be a fresh take on the designer’s AW15 Sapeurs show, debuted here in Paris just shy of 10 years ago.

In 2015, the sapeurs – a type of Congolese dandy – were fitted out in tops, tails and smoking jackets, Watanabe’s most straightforwardly classic offering to date. Today, the red-carpet runway of AW15 remained, but the dandies’ suits were reconfigured with clashing tartan patchwork, paired with baggy jeans, or completely switched out for a full Canadian tuxedo (thanks to an ongoing collab with Levi’s). Before some hemmed together band tees swept them away, the suits returned as all-white patchwork versions, proving that, even a decade later, the sapeur is still the chicest man at Paris Fashion Week.

DIOR MEN

For SS25, Dior’s Kim Jones wanted to “concentrate on elements of craft, the skills of the ateliers and artisans who work for the house,” while also collaborating with South African ceramicist Hylton Nel. “This collection is a celebration of work and an expression of who somebody is and what they achieve through work,” continued Jones. “In the case of Christian Dior, Hylton Nel and myself, it’s an idea of parallel paths with different stories.” On the runway, Nel’s work was presented as huge, eccentric cat statues that dwarfed the models, while Jones, of course, took care of the clothes.

With Bad Bunny, Kate Moss and Robert Pattinson sitting in the front row, the designer gave us a collection of muted tones with pops of colour. Most suits, jackets and trousers arrived in earthy hues, while the odd fluorescent knitted vest or baby blue workers’ jacket added some flair. As well as the catwalk statues, Nel also contributed to the collection’s prints, his distinctive artwork appearing on sweater vests and brooches, as well as a detachable, 70s drawstring collar, which was the standout accessory of the collection.

Y-3

For SS25, Y-3 had to pull out all the stops. The sportswear brand – the fruit of a 20 year collaboration between Yohji Yamamoto and adidas – hadn’t staged a catwalk in well over five years, so its long awaited return to Paris Fashion Week couldn’t be anything but a showstopper. And as guests made their way through the thronging crowds and into the Salle Pleyel concert hall, the space looked set for exactly that.

As three enormous columns of light took centre stage, pulsating in time to a glowering soundtrack, A$AP Nast, Gabriette and Bryant Giles took their seats on the frow. The catwalk itself was similarly stacked, with model-of-the-moment Alex Consani, photographer Gabriel Moses, skater Marcos Montoya and various members of Japan’s national football team all making runway appearances. Unsurprisingly – given that clearly no expense was spared – the clothes were some of the brand’s best output in seasons: waffle knit sweaters with winding threads came artfully undone, complex outerwear arrived ruched and fit for parachuting, while green-blue cloudburst patterns covered multi-layered technical wear. A particular highlight, though, were the footwear and accessories, which included knee-high boxing boots, 3-stripe gauntlet gloves and re-upped versions of the classic Superstar silhouette.

COMME DES GARÇONS HOMME PLUS

This season, Rei Kawakubo looked to shine some light on Paris Fashion Week Men’s. “I want to hope for some light, even if very small,” said the 81-year-old designer in her typically brief pre-runway note, for the aptly titled The Hope of Light. But rather than a literal gleam or glow, Kawakubo’s light was one of lightness, an attitude that appeared in childlike headpieces of multicoloured clips, frothy tulle in pink and black, and giant clown ruffs that sprouted from lapels.

During the opening act of solid black and white, the ruff motif reappeared sticking out the sides of shoes, or zipped to the outseam of shin-length three quarter lengths. Rosy pink then began to seep in on shirts, coat sleeves, and the midsole of a new Nike x CDG silhouette, beforely completely drowning a section of blazers with playful knotted ribbons later on. Texture was added via a selection of striped and checkerboard jacquard outerwear, while a finale of sheer trench coats stuffed with the contents of a washing basket materialised to close off the show. As ever, an ingenious and original collection from fashion’s leading light.

DRIES VAN NOTEN

When Dries Van Noten announced that he’d be leaving his namesake label back in March, the industry was overcome with sadness. Van Noten’s almost 40 years in the game was marked not just by success but thought-provoking innovation, so his departure felt symbolic in a way, like we were losing the essence of a bygone fashion era, one that doesn’t really exist anymore. But rather than succumb to that sadness, Van Noten only saw cause for celebration for his final show.

When it came time for the catwalk, models strode onto a silver leaf runway in the designer’s functional, wearable but highly covetable clothing. Van Noten signatures came in via slouchy, liquid suiting, cleverly knotted outerwear and sleek leather accessories. The festive tone was signalled in gold lamé accents and crushed velvet knitwear, while iridescent shorts, smock and blazers lit up the runway even further. After a joyous finale of familiar Dries faces, the designer took his final bow, before a giant disco ball descended onto the catwalk, refracting light from every single surface. “Tonight is many things, but it is not a grand finale,” wrote Van Noten in a heartfelt final note. “Creating is about leaving something that lives on. My sense of this moment is how it is not only mine, but ours, always.”

HERMÈS

After finding inspiration in the digital world and sending a bunch of glitchy knitwear down the runway last season, Véronique Nichanian was firmly planted in reality for SS25. Like many other brands on the schedule, Hermès took a trip to the beach, giving us their über-luxurious take on simple resort classics. Revere collar shirts were doused in daisies, knitted polos came in soft, muted colours, and horse reins appeared as a print on jackets, trousers and shirts, as well as a temporary tattoo on the models who wore them.

Elsewhere, more equine references came through in the galloping horse motif on shirts and sweaters, while the metal mouthpiece on a horse’s bridle was repurposed as a necklace. And though the oversized beach bags were an expected highlight – with the Haut à courroies appearing in supple tan leather and denim variations – it was a chic and simple shirt that stood out the most. With a necktie woven through a hole in its collar, the simple change produced a fresh take on a classic wardrobe staple.