stylish

What does it signify when you show your first five looks in darkness so inkily profound that all the audience can see is the barest underlit shadow of your brogue-trainers and bronze-capped, abstractly stitched formals? Answer: You are either atrociously, delusionally arrogant, or you are rather brilliant—and confident enough to know it. And perhaps you are the creative director of a brand rooted in shoes. Happily for the balance of critical karma, in this case the answer was the latter.

Comme des Garçons Homme Plus Fall/Winter 2016 Paris Fashion Week

Riccardo Tisci grew up in Italy dreaming of America, which has frequently fed his men’s collections for Givenchy. A book he came across detailing the obsessions of certain kids in Africa – cowboys, heavy metal – unleashed a torrent of new ideas on his fall runway. He also blended in recent travels to Morocco and Berlin, yielding a diverse and energetic collection.

Much like pianist Nils Frahm whose music — a mix of classic and electronic influences — was playing, Cerruti 1881’s new chief creative officer Jason Basmajian set out to merge classic tailoring with technical fabrics.

Jean Touitou translated his interpretation of Britishness into a vision for his fall 2016 men’s collection. Taken literally, this could be seen in the use of a range of checks and a greater profusion of color than is usually his wont, especially red.

Paul & Joe Fall/Winter 2016 Paris