Paris Men’s Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2026 pushed designers to engage directly with their own histories, using reinterpretation as a creative tool rather than a fallback. Moving beyond winter’s expected darkness—both in palette and perspective—collections from Acne Studios, Études Studio, Wales Bonner, Georges Laurence, and Kenzo revisited established codes and recast them for the present. Jonny Johansson looked back at three decades of Acne Studios to recalibrate familiar silhouettes for a new generation, while Georges Laurence’s debut challenged wearers to slow down and engage with detail. Wales Bonner drew on cultural rhythm and ritual to soften uniform dressing, and Nigo returned to Kenzo’s origins, opening a clear dialogue between founder and successor. Together, these collections positioned Paris as a space for active reflection—where menswear evolves through memory, material intelligence, and continuous exchange rather than rupture.
Acne Studios: Three Decades In, Codes Reconsidered
Courtesy of Acne Studios.
Courtesy of Acne Studios.
At Paris Men’s Fashion Week, Jonny Johansson reflected on three decades of Acne Studios, revisiting the brand’s evolution while recalibrating its menswear codes for a younger generation. The collection balanced traditional tailoring with vintage-inflected references, where familiarity felt reworked rather than nostalgic.
Denim took center stage with the return of the straight-leg 1996 silhouette, updated through varied washes and trompe l’oeil treatments that evoked photocopied textures and collage-like effects. Leather continued to assert itself as a key material—appearing on pockets, trims, jackets, and full looks.
The color palette moved beyond winter’s default darkness, blending deep natural tones with pale blue washes, crisp whites, and flashes of aubergine. Tailoring remained elegant but relaxed: slender coats paired with subtly flared, cropped trousers nodding to the 1970s. Outerwear leaned into practicality through suede flight jackets, Harrington and Teddy silhouettes, and a Loden-inspired coat. Accessories—including Camero bags, aviator sunglasses, belts, and loafers—anchored the collection, reinforcing Acne Studios’ ability to balance restraint, utility, and cultural relevance.
“I wanted this season to explore the passage of time as both a testament to our credibility and a reflection of how classic codes evolve.”
-Jonny Johansson
Études Studio: Résonances
Courtesy of Études Studio.
Courtesy of Études Studio.
Presented at the Institute for Research and Coordination in Acoustics/Music (IRCAM), Études Studio unveiled Collection No.28, “Résonances,” within one of Paris’s most conceptually charged spaces for sonic experimentation. The setting framed the collection’s central idea: a dialogue between sound and garment, inspired by soundmakers and artists who shape, distort, and translate auditory experience across disciplines.
Garments were conceived through the logic of reverberation, where familiar silhouettes absorbed new accents and structural shifts. Tailoring remained precise yet exploratory, anchored by a cashmere-and-wool collared bomber, alongside blazers and wide-leg trousers. Functional workwear details introduced volume and layering—front and back zippers, removable hoods, and modular constructions that suggested movement and adaptability. Texture played a key role, from ribbed second-skin pieces and corduroy to jersey with inverted seams and dense knitwear.
The palette transitioned through deep black, cool grey, muted brown, and subtle violet, creating a moody and immersive atmosphere. A new messenger bag—Études Studio’s first proprietary accessory—appeared in leather or canvas, reinforcing the collection’s balance of utility and restraint. Together, “Résonances” positioned clothing as a sensory medium, where sound, form, and gesture quietly converge.
Wales Bonner: Morning Raga
Courtesy of Wales Booner. Photography by Malick Bodian.
Courtesy of Wales Booner. Photography by Malick Bodian.
At Paris Men’s Fashion Week, Wales Bonner presented “Morning Raga,” a collection that continued the brand’s signature dialogue between European heritage and Afro-Atlantic spirit, this time inflected with references to India. Inspired in part by the work of architect Balkrishna Doshi, the collection moved fluidly between the practical and the sensual, where uniform silhouettes were softened through fabric, texture, and touch.
Familiar codes were gently reworked. The heritage polo appeared in satin, cut with a refined color block of ivory and blue, while geometric abstractions—set against minimalist grid patterns—emerged across structured topcoats and chore jackets, guiding the eye across the body. Tailoring remained disciplined yet expressive, allowing contrast to do the work rather than embellishment.
Seasonal interpretations of Madras checks and Bengal-stripe shirting appeared in crinkled cottons, lending a tactile ease to the collection. Throughout, the garments suggested morning rituals—quiet, reflective, and intentional—where lightness, rhythm, and material sensitivity shaped a wardrobe that felt both grounded and contemplative.
Georges Laurence: “Zoom”
Courtesy of Georges Laurence.
Paris-based menswear brand Georges Laurence debuted its first collection, “Zoom,” with a proposal rooted in observation. Built on a careful rereading of classic codes, the collection was conceived as an invitation to slow down, shifting attention away from screens and toward the garment itself. Under the direction of Nathaniel Benayoun, “Zoom” encouraged a more focused, distraction-free engagement with clothing, where details reveal themselves only through close looking.
Crafted in Italy and supported by a made-to-measure offering through the brand’s Salon, the collection centered on foundational wardrobe pieces: coats, jackets, trousers, and tailoring. Familiar silhouettes were subtly disrupted through proportion and emphasis. Buttonholes appeared oversized and embroidered, plackets widened, and trouser waistbands extended—secondary elements elevated to primary focus. Rather than decorative excess, these gestures asked the eye to linger.
In reframing what is typically overlooked, Georges Laurence proposed a quieter shift in lifestyle as much as style—one that values presence, attention, and the intimacy of dressing with intention.
Kenzo: Homecoming
Courtesy of Kenzo.
Courtesy of Kenzo.
At Paris Men’s Fashion Week, Kenzo’s creative director Nigo staged a symbolic homecoming—both for the house and for himself—presenting the collection at Kenzo Takada’s former residence near the Bastille. Now transformed into a serene garden, the space offered a quiet bridge between Japan and Paris, grounding the show in reflection. The setting paid tribute to the founder while allowing Nigo to revisit the silhouettes and ideas that defined his own beginnings at Kenzo.
The collection moved fluidly between French and Japanese aesthetics, weaving together cultural codes and archetypes with ease. Tailoring carried a European sensibility, while details like Chinese pankou fastenings and Japanese references added nuance. Americana surfaced intermittently through varsity graphics, cowboy shirts, and casual sportswear touches, reinforcing Nigo’s layered approach to identity.
Archival dialogue ran throughout. Original Kenzo labels reappeared, alongside the return of the iconic tiger from 1980s Kenzo Jungle and vintage “K” letter motifs. Two-tone neo-tailoring—first drawn from 1990s archives and revisited in Fall/Winter 2022—returned once more, underscoring the cyclical nature of fashion. The result was a thoughtful exchange between past and present, where heritage adapts to bodies in motion and the ongoing conversation between founder and successor continues to evolve.
“Kenzo represents freedom, color, and joy. I want people to feel the same way when wearing these clothes.”
-Nigo
