Trend Watch: Men’s Street Style at Paris Fashion Week FW22
Whilst being one of the ‘Big 4’ fashion weeks, Paris Fashion Week is always an opportunity for showgoers to dress to impress. This year was no exception – proving that nearly two years of being inside during the pandemic has not starved anyone of their creativity when it comes to meticulously piecing together an outfit. Here, I break down five notable trends in menswear seen throughout the streets of Paris during the series of designer presentations.
- Balaclavas
Practicality has never been placed at the forefront of modern-day fashion trends, however every now and then a fashion trend comes along that perfectly aligns its form and its function. In the case of the balaclava, that function is now serving two purposes: as a winter accessory in the blistering cold months and a pandemic-adjacent fashion accessory.
Check out how 1017 ALYX 92M styled the practical piece.
On the streets at Paris Men’s Fashion Week, the balaclava was clearly the accessory of the moment. The fashion capital of the world may have milder winters in comparison to other cities such as New York, but the face masks still provided warmth from the elements, in chunky knits and technical fabrics alike.
Facemasks and balaclavas alike were already gaining considerable momentum in the fashion world, even before the pandemic hit. Take Billie Eilish, for example, who donned a Gucci face mask to the 2020 Grammy Awards. Whilst they have become a medical necessity in our everyday lives, it has become another accessory for street fashion subjects to experiment and wear iterations of. This has been seen at the highest level, with even Kim Kardashian taking it to an extreme, wearing a full face covering to last year’s Met Gala, styled by Demna Gvasalia of Balenciaga, or in the same vein, Kanye West wearing full face coverings throughout last summer and, most recently, to Paris Couture in late January.
Photo credits: @demnagram on Instagram
- The box cut leather jacket
Another standout staple piece, seen sported by a number of this season’s showgoers was the box-cut leather jacket. Whilst the ordinary leather jacket is certainly no novelty in the fashion realm, what distinguishes a box coat from other heavy coats is the fitted waist and shoulders and wide lapels. However, what stood out the most was the simple patchwork designs and bold colour accents incorporated.
Whilst our traditional concept of a box leather jacket may be that of a black shiny leather one, attendees of PFW sought to simultaneously honour and challenge these perceptions, with awe-inspiring colourways, styled with equally as eye-opening accessories, trousers, and mid-layers.
Fashion and music mogul Tyler, The Creator attended the Kenzo Fall/Winter 2022/2023 fashion show, sporting a cream-coloured leather jacket from his designer label Golf Le Fleur, which featured orange and turquoise signature lettering sewn onto the breast, and the name of his latest LP release, ‘Call Me If You Get Lost’ embroidered onto the back. He started as he meant to go on, as he was seen the following week sporting a brown box cut leather jacket crafted by Human Made to the Louis Vuitton Fall/Winter 2022/2023 show, with similar style embroidery of tiger heads on the front and back.
- Statement Eyewear
The use of bold, statement eyewear was prevalent on the streets of France’s capital during the highly anticipated bi-annual fashion event. As glimmers of sunshine managed to force their way through the gaps in the clouds above Paris, it was an opportunity to leap on – the various frames, lenses and colours allowed much leverage to integrate such an accessory into one’s outfit, perhaps matching colours or fitting the overall style of the outfit. One design of sunglasses that garnered considerable attention is those with thick, rectangular frames with equally as bold lens shape, taking after the Louis Vuitton ‘Millionaire Sunglasses’, designed by Marc Jacobs and later reimagined by Virgil Abloh for Off-White, in the form of the ‘Arthur’ sunglasses.
The use of bold, statement eyewear was prevalent on the streets of France’s capital during the highly anticipated bi-annual fashion event. As glimmers of sunshine managed to force their way through the gaps in the clouds above Paris, it was an opportunity to leap on – the various frames, lenses and colours allowed much leverage to integrate such an accessory into one’s outfit, perhaps matching colours or fitting the overall style of the outfit. One design of sunglasses that garnered considerable attention is those with thick, rectangular frames with equally as bold lens shape, taking after the Louis Vuitton ‘Millionaire Sunglasses’, designed by Marc Jacobs and later reimagined by Virgil Abloh for Off-White, in the form of the ‘Arthur’ sunglasses.
Photo Credits: @marcjacobs on Instagram
Alternatively, a thinner frame offered an apt accessory for those sporting more classic, tailored outfits. These ranged from the more basic aviator sunglasses, all the way to artist Pharrell’s luxury Tiffany & Co’s almond-shaped sunglasses, with diamonds at the rim and emerald studs at each temple, which he paired with a black beret and army green parka jacket.
- Cross-body Utility Bags
Storage is a necessity for any outfit. Whilst wallets are getting smaller, phones are only getting bigger and not to mention your pandemic essentials, whether that be a facemask, hand sanitiser etc. Participants of Paris Fashion Week demonstrated that the cross-body holdall bag is no longer just for festivalgoers and Dads who hike. No, much the opposite. Saddle bags were a standout, coming in a plethora of styles, branching away from the original luxury Dior one that everyone has come to know.
As we move further away from what could be known as the ‘Hypebeast’ era of fashion, the phrase ‘Less is more’ becomes more and more applicable to fashion ‘fits and accessories. Simple, leather cross body bags in lieu of any significant branding appeared in their numbers over the top of the outfits boasted to the cameras.
- Scarves/Neckerchiefs
To the same end as the balaclava, the scarf was a clear trend during Paris Fashion Week, draped and wrapped over the showgoers in striking hues. Not only will an oversized scarf keep you warm, but it will also certainly make you stand out in a crowd. Thick and fuzzy mohair scarves, from brands such as Acne Studios, Jil Sander, Marni and Bottega Venetta were in amongst those spotted. It is a simple and easy to pull off accessory with an overall neutral outfit – simply dress as you would and throw it on.
The same applies to the neckerchief, clearly demonstrated by its evident versality. Fashion subjects had paired the classic neckwear with plain T-shirts, large trench coats, linen shirts, blazers, leather jackets and even puffer jackets, executing the look perfectly every time. It goes without saying that it is a timeless accessory, dating back to the late 19thcentury.
