Last autumn, Dries Van Noten creative director Julian Klausner took us to the beach for his SS26 womenswear show. The collection featured boardshorts, hibiscus prints and silhouettes inspired by ultra-tight neoprene wetsuits. It’s a show that would’ve been well timed this week, during one of Paris’ hottest weeks on record, with temperatures surpassing 40 degrees. 

For his SS27 menswear show, Klausner moved away from the surfers paradise (meanwhile Pharrell’s Louis Vuitton took it to a whole new level), yet still managed to deliver a collection ideal for the current climate. Gossamer-light crepe fabrics floated down the catwalk in the form of camis and parachute pants, wafting attendees with a light breeze as they walked by. While some models pulled the short straw – shrouded by sweeping, belted overcoats – others were luckier, withstanding the heat in short-shorts and tops made from silk bandanas. 

Inspired by Stéphane Mallarmé’s 1876 poem, L'après-midi d'un faune, Klausner framed his collection around the idea of half-humans, half-animals waking from a nap, underscored by accents of leopard print throughout. The poem was later turned into a ballet, choreographed by Nijinsky and performed by the Ballet Russes, set to a composition by Debussy. At Dries, the delicacy of Nijinsky’s ballet was echoed in the lightness of the clothes. 

Klausner’s work often displays a softer approach to masculinity, but this was arguably the most feminine menswear collection we’ve seen from his time at the brand. He even paid homage to women's lingerie with wispy embellished vests and backless styles. It was a show that somehow balanced delicacy with bold animal print and playful, girlish shapes. As worrying as this heatwave may be, at least one good thing will have come from it if men start dressing like this.