With Paris Fashion Week Men’s in full swing, here’s a look at the hot shows, cool collaborations and memorable shoe moments.
Jan. 20: The Loafer is the New Sneaker Says Hedi Slimane
As confirmed by Celine, formal footwear is back with a vengeance. And at Slimane’s men’s debut for the LVMH owned house, the loafer was the star of the show. It came in leopard, graphic zebra, white and in crocodile or embossed variants too. Some versions came adorned with gold chain details and buckles that resembled razor blades (very Slimane) but there were enough low key models to ensure the collection’s footwear bankable across the board.
Jan. 20: Having it all at Alyx
Thought you were looking at chunky sneakers at Matthew Williams’ Alyx Studio show. Likewise. Until we realized that many of the styles were actually neat leather or patent lace-ups set atop removable sneaker soles made in collaboration with Vibram. Yes, you really can have it all. Formal fusion walk this way. Kaia Gerber also walked in the coed show.
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Jan. 20: Top Athletes Walk in Adidas Y-3 Show
Star athletes, including sprinter Noah Lyles and track-and-field runner Tori Bowie, walked the runway alongside the regular models at Yohji Yamamoto’s Adidas Y-3 show. Footwear included modern versions of styles from past collaborations between Adidas and the designer. Among the looks was the Torsion ZX, a runner inspired by the 1984 Adidas ZX and updated with Boost and Primeknit technology. The Adidas Mangostin was reimagined as the Y-3 Manja – a low pro-racer with a multi fabric upper.
Jan. 20: The Jacquemus Breakfast Club
Simon Porte Jacquemus set the fashion week crowd up for the day — serving a traditional French country breakfast to showgoers and models alike. Plimsolls, slip-on sneakers and work boots were paired with suiting and more casual weekend looks too. Vulcanized rubber edging rendered the shoes’ canvas fabrications more durable.
Jan 18: Enfants Riches Déprimés
Henri Alexandre’s signature Marlboro packet heel was back on the runway for fall. Let no one say that smoking is out of fashion in Los Angeles. The show was attended by Courtney Love. Watch out for the label’s first Paris boutique opening soon in the Marais.
Jan. 19: White Mountaineering Teams Up With Ugg
Ugg followed up its Heron Preston collab with another co-branded collection unveiled on Yosuke Aizawa’s White Mountaineering runway. The rugged mid boot and sneaker with their exaggerated outsoles will be available for purchase in November 2019, retailing from $250.
Jan. 19: John Lobb’s New Formal
Paula Gerbase explored occasion wear for fall. New black calf city shoes came with subtle broguing in a punch design from the brand’s 1960s archive. “I was interested in a new formal,” she said. “We’ve seen sneakers and casual wear and comfort and leisure wear for so long now so I’m actually just craving occasions dressing.” The boot was also a focus — and Gerbase’s fall update came in autumnal suede or marbled museum leather with a lightweight walking sole. Bridging the gap were loafers with a slightly chunkier sole and hand-rolled tassels. “With everything that’s happening culturally and politically at the moment, I think people are trying to reach for assured values, purity and truth,” Gerbase observed.
Jan. 19: Kaia Gerber modeled Sacai’s New Nike collab kicks
Kaia Gerber opened the Sacai show in Chitose Abe’s Nike collab LDV Waffle Daybreak sneaker that launched last season. The Blazer/Dunk hybrid look is back for fall as well in new gray, black and white color combinations. The designer also evolved some of the styles with detachable faux fur details and zip-up leather shells.
Jan. 19: Wear Christian Louboutin’s Face on Your Shoes
Christian Louboutin’s famous red soles have always made his shoes instantly identifiable. Now the designer is kicking things up a notch and adding his own face to some new men’s styles. Louboutin has created a collage out of photographs of himself, turned it into a print and emblazoned it across a series of shoes and high-tops from his fall ’19 collection.
Jan. 19: Black & White at Balmain
The hero shoe in Olivier Rousteing’s Balmain collection appeared to be a white sneaker with a black strip bearing the new Balmain logo. However, the shoes actually featured cutouts with Balmain Paris socks worn underneath. Both the shoes and garments alike were all unisex. “There was no difference between the boys and the girls in the show,” observed Rousteing. “I want to push a new world where you don’t label and you don’t judge.” Some of the shoes were also emblazoned with the message, “Things Have to Change.”
Jan. 19: Meet Dior’s New “It” Accessory
Kim Jones showed his second collection for Dior on a long moving walkway resembling a super chic supermarket conveyor belt. Merchandise on display featured a new Dior branded footwear accessory which might actually come in exceptionally handy. Practically all of the shoe looks were styled with chic black nylon Dior logo gaiters – perfect for protecting pant cuffs and shoes from rain and mud.
Jan. 18: Berluti’s New Direction
For his Berluti debut, Kris Van Assche borrowed from the house’s footwear heritage for his ready-to-wear. The opening look was a leather suit dyed to resemble the hand-painted patina technique used on those signature shoes. The technique was amplified in glorious technicolor throughout the collection’s formal footwear, often reflecting the colors of the outfits. The collection also marked the debut of the brand’s ready-to-wear line for women; the looks were teamed with high-heeled takes on its men’s derbies. As for the sneakers, the former Dior Homme designer’s take came with metallic toe caps, just like their more formal counterparts.
Jan. 18: Amiri’s Off-Schedule Show in Paris
FN’s Vivien Infantino Emerging Talent award winner Mike Amiri made an off-schedule appearance during Paris Fashion Week Men’s. His soft rock aesthetic, which included luxe bikers and hikers, played out to a romantic Simon & Garfunkel soundtrack.
Jan. 17: A Michael Jackson Tribute at Louis Vuitton
From the white diamante glove that served as the invitation to the New York streetscape set, Virgil Abloh’s Louis Vuitton fall ’19 show, which was presented in Paris’ Jardin des Tuileries, was entirely dedicated to Michael Jackson. Even the title, “Sliding Backwards Slowly,” was a reference to the music legend’s famous Moonwalk. Few things epitomize the musician more than the penny loafers that he wore to perform the iconic move. Abloh delivered his own take with the Pin Lock loafer. There were also new iterations of the LV skate sneakers Abloh debuted for spring ’19 and a couple of pairs even glowed in the dark when they killed the lights. See the full collection here.
Jan. 17: Pierre Hardy Draws Inspiration From ’80s Hip-Hop
Pierre Hardy’s new hero sneaker for fall ‘19 is called the PHMC. The MC stands for master of ceremonies and the shoe is inspired by ’80s hip-hop culture. The midankle model features both laces and a Velcro strap, and colorways were abundant. There were vivid neon accents, camouflage prints, patriotic colors and a quieter camel and navy combo. The designer also created two new formal styles: a lace-up and a jodhpur boot, both in the boxy silhouette that’s indicative of the new season. “We always need classics,” Hardy said. See the full collection here.
Jan. 17: Rick Owens Goes Vegan With Veja Collab
Rick Owens has joined forces with sustainable Parisian sneaker label Veja and premiered a new co-designed 100 percent vegan performance runner on his fall ’19 runway during Paris Fashion Week Men’s. While we may not have seen it coming, it makes perfect sense. Owens, is, after all, known for his environmentally conscious approach to fashion.“It was the most environmentally friendly sportswear company I could find,” the designer stated in his show notes. “I have absolutely no authority to promote sustainability, but I do endorse the idea of thoughtful living and planning for the future with kindness in mind. We all gotta start somewhere.” See the full collection here.
Jan. 16: Givenchy Blurs the Gender Line
Buckled ankle boots and luxe bikers lent a rocker edge to tailored looks, which ran the gamut from ’70s color-block suits to pleated pants. And although this is the first time Clare Waight Keller has presented men’s as a standalone show, the androgynous vibe was stronger than ever.
Jan. 16: Raf Simons’ Floral Piercings
Raf Simons has already proved himself as a master at tailoring. But for fall ’19, he made the focal point to be all about the coats, along with a a dress shoe that came decorated with piercings in the shape of flowers.
Jan. 16: Welcome to Planet Valentino
While the flying saucer motifs at Pierpaolo Piccioli’s Valentino show were out of this world, a surprise Birkenstock collaboration with the label’s sporty VLTN line brought things back to earth with a bump. The Valentino take on the classic Birkenstock Arizona looks like all-black and all-red styles with the VLTN logo emblazoned on the side.
Jan. 16: Off-White Goes Green
Given how much hype that comes with every Off-White x Nike collab, Virgil Abloh’s footwear feels inextricably linked to the sports giant. So when the designer presented his fall ’19 collection on Jan. 16 at the Louvre during Paris Fashion Week Men’s, it was to everyone’s surprise that there were no Nikes in sight (on the runway at least — plenty of showgoers still repped them). Instead, there were exaggerated fringed boots that swung with every step, chunky hiker-style sneakers, loafers with colorful accents at the heel and sole, and cowboy styles in bright hues and decorated with studded straps or chains. See the full collection here.
Jan. 16: J.W.Anderson’s New Converse Collab
The J.W.Anderson show ushered in a new world order. The designer said he liked the idea of distorting reality and when it came to footwear. This meant lace-up boots in calf hair, leopard-print shoes, sneakers and shearling moon boots. They were coupled with odd contrasting socks with drawstrings at the top, which looked like a combination of a fisherman’s wader and a stocking. Back in the real world, he reprised his collaboration with Converse — chunky takes on the All-Star — which was made available on Jwanderson.com right after the show.
Jan. 15: Heron Preston Takes Off
Heron Preston got the week off to a flying start, collaborating with both Nike and Ugg. The buzzy designer unveiled a redesign of the Swoosh’ Huarache style. Preston teamed with Ugg — a brand that has collaborated with Y/Project, Jeremy Scott and others — on two boots and a low top. His show set was based on an airport security check zone complete with body scanners and metal detectors.
Jan. 15: Fumito Ganryu Goes Kawaii
The Japanese designer made waves with the second collaboration of the day — shearling ankle boots and closed-toe sandals in partnership with sneaker label Suicoke. Some of the styles came styled with kawaii pompom socks.
Jan. 15: Sankuanz Gets Into the Shoe Game
Last season, designer Shangguan Zhe introduced sneakers in collaboration with Puma. This time around, he launched his own, including chunky black and white styles inspired by killer whales. The overall theme of the show? Diving. And there was some rather dangerous-looking finger jewelry that riffed off the idea of protection.
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