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Paris, January 2025 - Men's Fashion Week
Personal key take aways
Firstly, Paris in January is a masterclass in layering. But is layering a trend? Is wearing clothes a trend? To me, the whole idea of trends is both annoying, exhausting, temporary, disposable and often meaningless. So i'm not gonna write about any trends.
I'm here to share a couple take aways and ideas, i brought with me home from Paris. Trends or not–these are things or specific pieces i'm going to implement. Who actually cares anyway? You shouldn't. I’d rather talk about what actually stuck with me. Things, that to me felt and looked good. What I’m bringing home, whether or not it gets labeled a "trend".
So, here are a few ideas, pieces, details that resonated, with me at least. Things worth considering, worth wearing, worth keeping in rotation long after the industry moves on to whatever’s next.
Paris, January 2025
First thing? Well-made clothes.
It might sound pretty basic, easy and maybe even too simple? Well, clearly it isn't. This, to me is the future of fashion. And well-made does not mean boring.
I just got home from three days in Paris, bouncing between showrooms, catching a single show, and one thing was clear: the brands delivering the strongest collections weren’t chasing a quick cash-grab–they weren't following trends. They are the ones that have been minding their own business since day one. The ones that feel completely, unmistakably themselves.
Take Lemaire, Dries Van Noten, and Comme des Garçons—brands that have never wavered from their own universe. You see the clothes, and you know exactly where they’re from. No shortcuts, no forced relevance, but a clear understanding and appreciation of their own core values.
Luckily that same spirit is showing up in younger labels as well. Brands like Meta Campania Collective, Auralee, and Rier. These brands aren’t trying to do everything or be for everyone. They’re refining, evolving and pushing new ideas while staying true to their starting points and core values. They are for the people who really care. Care about quality. Care about good, well-made clothes. Pieces that will last season after season–this is why they sit at the top of the taste-level hierarchy. And that’s why they’re the ones that in my opinion, will last.
And I'm sure no one reading this has seen a single piece of marketing from any of the brands just mentioned. No Instagram celebrity-PR marketing stunt. A sign they're on the right path, and that you should be following, and paying attention to what they are doing. Why? Because they don't need to. Their clothes, values and most importantly, to me– their enthusiasm sell the clothes.
Cuffs and collars
Somewhere between practicality and pure decoration, cuffs and collars are quietly becoming the focal point of a well-considered outfit. Coming home from Paris, I kept thinking about how often I noticed them in showrooms throughout the week.
Whether it’s a double-cuffed shirt from Auralee or a grandad collar—(the grandad collar is so back)—reduced to its simplest form, it adds a laid-back yet elegant touch.
Contrast materials—leather collars on canvas or cashmere jackets, sequins against crisp poplin shirts from Dries Van Noten. Textures that add depth and a sense of intention. The kind of detail that elevates your look without trying too hard. The ones who know will notice—and those are the people we’re really trying to impress, right? Right??
There’s a return to things that feel finished, individual, and lived-in. I’m not sure how to describe it—is it a reaction to what I’ll call the "quiet luxury-zation" of everything? I’m not saying we’re going back to big logos and maximalism, but I do think we’re moving toward something more personal. Whether it’s a big cashmere cardigan from Meta Campania Collective that looks like something you could pull from your grandad’s closet, or a garment-dyed, leather-collar canvas jacket from Auralee that literally looks like it’s been lived in, the appeal is the same: clothes that feel broken-in from the start, with what feels like character built into the fabric.
And this isn’t to say you shouldn’t beat your own pieces up—real character comes from actually wearing the clothes, time and time again. How do you differentiate stylish people from very stylish people? You can tell if they’re actually wearing their clothes.
Around-the-neck accessories
Another thing brands seemed to be taking seriously this season were accessories. More specifically: Around-the-neck accessories. Ties, of course but foulards, thin silk scarves and even butterflies were taking up space this season.
Ties have been around for centuries, and their resurgence over the last few years has been hard to miss. But calling ties a trend? Easily one of the most annoying things. To the people calling them that—honestly, it’s disrespectful. Seriously, but not too serious.
Of course, those of us in the know started wearing them early. Because when the fashion world has a sartorial fall-back, the path is clear—start doing exactly that. People are tired of the skinny pants silhouette? That means it's about time to start wearing them again.
Anyway, back to what I was actually writing about… Foulards were everywhere in the showrooms. Every texture, every fabric imaginable—leather, wool, suede, cotton. First and foremost, they’re functional and they look good, if worn right. The greatest combination, if you ask me. A great foulard adds elegance and texture, that’s hard to match. Also it’s the kind of accessory that makes you look like you have your life together—even if you dont.
The best part? A foulard can take you from classic menswear guy to a South Tyrolean grandma from a hundred years ago. That’s real versatility! Wear it right, and you look like someone who spends weekends in the countryside, driving an old Land Rover and sketching. Wear it wrong, and you look like a reality show contestant in an ill-fitting suit.
Dainty Footwear
A personal favourite i'm bringing with again this year. Dainty footwear—after a few years where it felt like every type of shoe was made in a chunky silhouette, the pendulum is finally swinging the other way again. It seems that the start of the ballet flat craze a year or two ago was the beginning of a shift toward smaller, more refined silhouettes—now really making their way into menswear as well. Whether it's flat, slim sneakers, leather sandals, boat shoes, moccasins or a sleek pair of derbies, there's something about the lightness and elegance these designs bring to an outfit. Also, in my opinion, you’ll look more sophisticated.
A couple of my favourites from my time in Paris this past January came from—of course—Lemaire. A brand that has been doing slimmer, refined silhouettes for all genders long before most. This season is no different. Their collection featured classic flat-piped loafers and Mary Janes, but also introduced a slim, unstructured derby and a new flat sneaker silhouette, available in both low- and high-top versions. Dries Van Noten, meanwhile, delivered even more great colorways and textures for their popular A/W '24 sneaker silhouette.
Leather Jackets
Leather jackets have never really been a trend—the reason I’m not writing about them like one. They just exist, cool, always relevant. During my time in Paris, I saw a lot of great ones. Auralee, Lemaire, Studio Nicholson and Dries Van Noten all presented different takes, while keeping their core design principles, and maintaining their focus on texture, luxury feel and fabrics. It's always fun seeing brands reimagine concepts, that's been around for such a long time and still present something fresh.
Checkered patterns & stripes
Somewhere between prep and modern uniformity, checkered patterns and stripes have claimed their place as sartorial staples. They should be in every well-curated wardrobe—not just because they look cool, but because they're fun! Checkered patterns, whether in the form of heritage tartans, ginghams, or something else entirely, all work. If you want to get real nerdy about it, they carry a sense of history—borrowed from Savile Row tailoring, school uniforms, and what I associate them with most: old Scottish and English countryside dressing.
My favorites this season? Checkered wool shirts from both Auralee and Meta Campania Collective, and striped wool and cashmere sweaters from Auralee.
Cashmere
Cashmere isn’t loud and it's comfortable. What more could you want? After finally owning a garment made of cashmere, it's honestly hard to go back to any other wool. Seriously, cashmere is addicting.
There's clearly a reason people have loved it for centuries. It works across seasons and in basically any context.
Sourced from Mongolian goats and spun into fine yarns, it creates that warm and soft texture. It’s the antidote to fast fashion—a reminder that true luxury is felt.
In a world of constant reinvention, cashmere remains.