PARIS FASHION WEEK MENSWEAR SPRING/SUMMER 2027: DAY 1

SAINT LAURENT
review by MAREK BARTEK

all images courtesy SAINT LAURENT

On what was reportedly Paris’ hottest June day on record, Anthony Vaccarello presented perhaps his lightest menswear collection for Saint Laurent yet. Staged inside the Bourse de Commerce, models emerged from Fujiko Nakaya’s fog installation dressed in clothes that seemed designed for exactly that kind of weather. Unlined jackets, fluid trousers and airy fabrics drifted through the mist, creating silhouettes that felt simply effortless.

At first glance, the collection appeared unusually restrained. Tailoring came cut close to the body, often paired with softly pleated trousers sitting high on the waist. Ribbed V-neck knits, waistcoats and technical blousons arrived stripped of excess, while a palette of beige, brown, grey and black was occasionally interrupted by powder blue, ochre and flashes of orange. It was elegant, easy and refreshingly uncomplicated.

But this is Saint Laurent, and Vaccarello has never been particularly interested in playing completely by the rules.

Silk scarves wrapped tightly around bare necks felt far more suggestive than just vanilla Riviera chic. Transparent derby shoes brought a subtle sense of fetishism. Several looks paired sharply tailored jackets with little more than knitted or leather briefs. Even at his most restrained, Vaccarello remains incapable of fully resisting temptation, which has become one of the defining strengths of his Saint Laurent. The clothes sit somewhere between bourgeois respectability and erotic provocation, never fully committing to either. A beautifully cut beige suit might be followed by a shirtless waistcoat. A practical trench coat suddenly appeared rendered in shimmering gold. Luxury was present, but rarely in an obvious way.

Had Vaccarello stopped at the beige tailoring and fluid trousers, the collection might have felt a little too polite. Thankfully, he didn’t. For all its apparent simplicity, there was enough ambiguity woven throughout the collection to keep it from settling into the predictable.

LOUIS VUITTON
review by ANOUK WOUDT

all images courtesy of LOUIS VUITTON

Backdropped by an overwhelming wall of waves, Louis Vuitton’s Spring/Summer 2027 Menswear collection presents itself as an ode to sea, shores and the laid back culture of surfing. As the waves crash in an endless loop, pieces march forward each articulating the unspoken yet unbreaking bond between water and man. Among orchestra swells and choir chants, we see palm tree icons and cutoff shorts mixed with checkered prints and suits with ties, merging together to form the collection’s unique identity.

For this collection, Pharell Williams’ usual affinity for dandyism takes a more summer-forward perspective, ending up with looks that manage to infuse 18th century elegance into your usually casual surfer attire.

Contrasting the relaxed nature of beachwear with more structured suited fits, the pieces meet in a playful in between, maintaining a classy exterior while a bohemian flair lurks in details. This ranges from pairing suits with shorts to full on monogrammed wetsuits — encompassing the full extent of surf wear.

Despite its heatwave-friendly concept, many looks came draped in ribbed cashmere jackets and bouclé wool coats to mimic a surfer’s cover-up. Fur details are also featured prominently among layered looks, which feels increasingly contradictory. Despite this, to add to the show’s world-building, many looks came paired with logoed surfboards and even a bike, which acts as a symbol of summer.

Pharell’s Louis Vuitton takes the brand’s whimsical identity and builds upon it, each collection creating a map of his own interests and influences all seen through the LV lens. With that same playfulness, the SS27 collection recreates this only doused ebbing and flowing silhouettes and a bit of sea breeze.