Continuing our coverage of the menswear Fall/Winter 2019 collections that debuted in Paris, we’re sharing some of our thoughts on what we saw from Hermès, Dunhill, Celine, and Acne Studios.
In a hall of high ceilings and arching windows, models wearing Acne Studios’ Fall/Winter 2019 designs emerged from a runway overhung with a web of industrial metal gridding. Investigating counter-culture life, this season drew from the books of anarchists, off-grid pioneers, bohemians, and academics to build a new community of outsiders. Going against the grain, the collection featured pieces that were both practical and romantic like a cropped sweater with a long-fringed trim, paired with pink pants and hiking boots; washed cashmere cardigans worn as a loose outer layer; and pants with dungaree fastenings meant to be worn undone. One of our favorite looks was the snakeskin pants and silky overcoat, paired with work boots and teal snood scarf.
Bringing back the brand’s recurring theme of duality, Dunhill presented its newest collection atop a white runway, surrounded by black on all sides. This season, the juxtaposition of utility and elegance, tradition and subversion, and field clothing versus evening attire brought us looks of timeless design. In the Fall/Winter 2019 collection, simplicity became the best agent for duality, as a palette of pragmatic colors like black, gray, navy, and brown tones ensured the designs were fitting for any number of occasions—like a navy trouser and turtleneck pairing, completed with a floor length overcoat, glossy black dress shoes, and a plaid fedora hat.
Hedi Slimane’s first menswear collection for Celine was inspired by time spent in London documenting the emerging Indie music scene in the early 2000s. With traditional English style at the heart of the collection, the models clad in tweed, ties, and tailored trousers looked faintly Beatle-esque as they walked the runway with their bowl-style haircuts and shaggy locks with cropped bangs. In front of a luminescent puzzle-like backdrop, we saw looks like argyle sweaters topped with leather jackets, clerical-collared blazers looking more sophisticated than ever in an all-black ensemble with leather boots, and the occasional charismatic pop—like the tiger print double breasted coat layered over a blazer, sweater, and shirt and tie. Each look was completed with a pair of black sunglasses.
Highlighting simplistic sophistication without loud extravagance, Hermès’ Fall/Winter 2019 men’s collection made its debut in a warehouse setting filled with gilded furniture. Composed of the brand’s own takes on classic menswear items, this season’s silhouettes were precise and clean, while remaining natural and relaxed—seen in pieces like a navy round-shouldered jacket with zipper and leather details, and an oversized parka with silver metallic lining. A few standout details included the geometric print turtleneck sweater paired with the calfskin trousers, and the inclusion of understated prints featuring unusual designs like flames and dragons.
