The upcoming men’s fall/winter ‘25 season collections shown off in Paris from Jan. 21 to Jan. 26 did not disappoint. Every show had their own theme, some exuberant, some elegant, some straight-up bizarre. There were a number of stunningly sensational shows, with even more gorgeous pieces.
From the eye-catchingly strange Walter Van Beirendonck presentation to the very cool and chic Dior Homme looks, Paris Fashion Week lived up to the hype.
Most shows sparked positive buzz and conversation on social media throughout the week, with some saying this might be one of the best men’s seasons in recent years.
I cannot help but agree.
Willy Chavarria, Rick Owens, Kiko Kostadinov and Juun. J were just a couple of my favorite collections. These designers consistently impressed, offering a wealth of unique and inspiring styles.These brands had the most complete collections, along with some of the best show themes and presentations.
Willy Chavarria has become one of my favorite designer brands as of late. The Mexican-American brand is relatively new, having debuted its first collection in 2015.
There are few prominent Latino designers, so having that representation in Chavarria is definitely an inspiration for me.
The brand debuted in Paris for the first time at this contour with the collection named “Tarantula.”
The theme of the show was love and Chavarria’s queer identity.
Oversized blazers dominated the show. They all have different proportions, materials, silhouettes and details, differentiating one from the other. Many of the blazers and runway models included some sort of accessory, such as a cross or rosary, which is a common symbol of Latine culture, or a massive standout rose on the blazer, further solidifying the theme of love and the western-Chicano look Chavarria was aiming for at this show.
Fashion stylist Jesus Velasquez was also in awe of Chavarria’s latest collection. “I love all the suits with different materials and unique details Willy Chavarria incorporated,” Velasquez said. “I especially love the roses; the roses on the suits were just a beautiful touch.”
I can not help but to love the roses; it is such a playful, loving touch, and especially with Valentine’s Day around the corner, I thought it was perfect.
Similar to the Willy Chavarria show, Juun. J is still proving that if done right, a good oversized fit will not go away anytime soon.
The brand debuted some standout, wacky, huge leather jackets that I absolutely love. They also presented some funky pants and jeans-wear, experimenting with asymmetrical designs, double waists, multiple belts and straps. The asymmetrical double-waisted jeans reminded me of some designs Y/Project debuted a couple of seasons back with some of their jeans, just to an even more exaggerated extent.
Rick Owens continues to impress me as well. The brand did not miss at all during their presentation of “Concordia,” which was inspired by the small Italian town that Rick Owens himself visits frequently.
One of my absolute favorite pieces to come out of Paris Fashion Week was from the Rick Owens collection: the kiss heels.
The kiss heel seems to get wilder every year, and this year was no exception.
The boot is feathered; it looks like part of a raven. You either love it or hate it, and I am in love.
The heel debuted on the runway in classic Rick Owens colors of black and beige. The boot does a phenomenal job of fully encapsulating the wild, avant-garde, energetic, mysterious aura for which Rick Owens’ brand name has built up a reputation.
These heels are not supposed to be normal; they scream Rick Owens. These boots can only be Rick Owens.
As long as Rick Owens continues excellently using materials, including wax, faux and leather, and multiple textures, such as ruffles, strings, drapes and flares, to fully capture its simplistic yet avant-garde dark identity, I will always be a fan.
I will continue to be a fan of Kiko Kostadinov, who also stole the show at Paris Fashion Week this time around.
This collection included all-new patterns and silhouettes I had not seen Kostadinov experiment with before, or at least in a while. The brand also used more lucrative accessories with the garment during this collection, adding ties, attached collars to shirts, coats and scarves for their fall/winter collection.
The brand focused on knitwear, military-like jackets, trench coats and uniforms, still with many of the same buttons and embroidery the brand is known for, but many of the looks included a twist. Some garments were less straightforward and had some sort of bending asymmetrical silhouette, which I adore. I feel like there was more layering than in previous years in a lot of the looks on the runway, which I also appreciate.
I love it when brands play around with silhouettes and add quirks or different ways of wearing clothes, and layering is a huge part of that.
The approach was less minimalistic than some recent ones. My favorite piece was the massive bright purple and yellow scarf that almost seemed part of the clothing, along with the look of the Tabi-Asics collaboration that I highly anticipate.
“This collection combines elements from Kostadinov’s earlier work all mixed together in a very chaotic but elegant manner that I can’t help but find beautiful,” DePaul student Jacob Kornfeld, a massive Kiko Kostadinov fan, said.
It is safe to say that Men’s Paris Fashion Week for the upcoming fall/winter ’25 season was a massive success. There were many memorable, breathtaking and sensational looks that I will forever cherish. I look forward to the women’s week coming up in March. This seasons’ couture is just getting started.
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- How men’s fashion is forming at DePaul this fall
- How Chicago Fashion Week will change the fashion industry
- Global ‘Fashion Week’ shows go virtual
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