Best of Paris Fashion Week Men's Spring/Summer 2025

Paris Fashion Week Men’s Spring/Summer 2025 has left us with a lot to think about.

Pharrell’s latest presentation as the creative director of Louis Vuitton Men's obviously got people talking. We’ve discussed it plenty already. Even unsuspecting brands like Vans had a stellar presence throughout the week. But those were far from the only highlights.

Dries van Noten held his final presentation at the helm of his namesake label to close the book on his legendary 38-year career. On the opposite side of the spectrum, ASAP Rocky made his runway debut with an impressive showing dubbed “American Sabotage.” Shows from smaller designers like Hed Mayner, Bianca Saunders, and 424 also piqued our interest. 

These are the presentations we are still thinking about.

ASAP Rocky’s off-the-calendar show was undoubtedly one of the biggest moments of the week. Scanning the room was enough proof of that. Rihanna, the Clipse, Chitose Abe, Jonathan Anderson, and Alexandre Arnault were among the power players in attendance. According to Rocky, the show was long overdue. “How many years was I advocating for everybody else’s brands, puttin’ on new brands, and showing people how to do new trends,” Rocky told Complex prior to the show. “Now, I wanted to express myself. I gave everybody my ghetto expression.” 

He’s right. For the past decade, Rocky has been a trendsetter introducing names like Rick Owens and Raf Simons to the masses. For this show, titled American Sabotage, Rocky clearly pulled some influence from these designers that he has championed throughout his career. Simons’ “Riot Riot Riot” show from 2001 comes to mind when looking at a camo bomber jacket featuring tacked on photographs. Repurposing NYPD sweaters or DEA caps feels like something you may see on the runway at Vetements. But rather than copy and pasting these reference points and adding an AWGE logo here or album title there, Rocky (with the help of young designers Bede Marchand, Joshua Jamal, and Coucou Bebehe) was able to recontextualize them to fit his own message. The show was meant to be a commentary on the turbulent political and socioeconomic climate of the United States. Sometimes it was obvious, an image of Uncle Sam flipping the bird accompanied by “F$CK YOU” plastered on the back of a jacket or “Political Satire” literally printed on a sweater. Other times, Rocky referenced the individuals he would see on the streets of New York City like a homeless person collecting bottles in trash bags to help paint the picture of modern America. 

The runway was also a vehicle to preview upcoming footwear from his ongoing partnership with Puma, pre-weathered pairs of the Inhale OG. And don’t think this means that Rocky forgot about the music. He used the show as a platform to premiere three new tracks and officially announced that his long-awaited album Don’t Be Dumb is dropping on Aug. 30. Rocky isn’t choosing one medium over another. Instead, he is building a world where all of his creativity can live cohesively. It will be interesting to see how regularly Rocky presents these types of shows moving forward. Hopefully, it wasn’t just a one off. —Mike DeStefano

How do you end an almost 40 year career via a fashion show? For the team at Dries van Noten, it was about being reflective but also celebratory. Guests walked into an airy warehouse space and were greeted with a large column of four screens that played back a collage of key moments and runway shows in Dries van Noten’s career. Looking at it, you easily see his contribution to fashion but particularly menswear. Van Noten, the Belgian designer who was part of the Antwerp 6—a collective of designers from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts that also included Ann Demeulemeester, Marina Yee, Dirk Bikkembergs, Dirk van Saene, and Walter van Beirendonck—started with menswear. He came from a family of tailors and his father owned clothing stores. You can see a reverence for tailoring in his menswear, but also a desire to integrate it with traditionally feminine flourishes, which wasn’t always common. For his last show, he leaned into some of his signatures and left us with, per usual, some new ideas. 

The show opened with model Alain Gossuin—who also opened his show in 1991—completely covered up wearing a long black coat over a baggy trouser and furry sandals. Almost like a flower that hadn’t started to bloom. But the proceeding looks were open and vibrant. Van Noten played with diaphanous fabrics, as he has in the past, showing sheer pants and shirts layered over regular garments. He also played with shine, presenting shirts and jackets made with a coated textile. Tailored pieces felt relaxed and embellished with gold beading. He elevated sportier silhouettes like anoraks and parkas with more intricate embellishments. He brought in even more texture with trench coats that resembled cellophane, coats and shorts made of a brushed, furry fabric. Prints, a staple for Van Noten, showed up as large florals in faded colors. Everything had a bit more dimension thanks to the silver runway covered in strops of aluminum. The show closed and a large disco ball appeared at the top of the runway, inviting everyone to drink and party. The collection was an ode to his career and a testament to his timeless vision and singular perspective.—Aria Hughes

For her latest season, Chitose Abe was inspired by Hollywood icon James Dean. It was seen in the set design, which was inspired by a photograph Dennis Stock took of Dean in front of his childhood home. Dean’s youthful spirit and urge for discovery is also the lens through which she reinterpreted traditional menswear staples for sacai Spring/Summer 2025. His signature leather jacket, white T-shirt, and blue jeans look was brought into modern times. Now, the leather was layered with a graphic T-shirt and paired with a pair of baggy trousers. Dean’s face stamped on a white tee peaked out from behind a boxy take on the red leather Harrington jacket he wore in Rebel Without a Cause. The classic white T-shirt was crafted in heavier fabric that sculpted perfectly around the body. A colorful print of vintage cars and flowers accentuated knit zip-ups and short sleeve button-ups. 

We also saw sacai debut a handful of new collaborations. A Nike sneaker dubbed the Zegamadome, a low-top trail shoe that fuses elements of the Lava High, Son of Lava Dome, and Zegama, was featured in three colorways complete with sacai’s signature layered Swooshes and co-branding on the tongue. Levi’s trucker jacket got their sleeves chopped off and were bonded to jeans to create sculpted one-piece suits for women. Other jeans featured baggy silhouettes and thick cuffs. Bomber jackets were meant to look like they were flipped inside-out, and given denim collars and Levi’s signature gold stitching. Abe even worked with WTAPS on a series of military-inspired items. A lot of people like to say that everything has been done already. After 25 years, Abe proves that there is still plenty of room to take even the most classic items to places we have never seen before. —Mike DeStefano

Grace Wales Bonner’s approach to creating a collection doesn’t change from season to season. She’s interested in connecting directly with artisans from across the world, platforming Black artists, and documenting their contributions through her clothes. This process isn’t atypical for fashion, but Bonner does it with precision and intention, making sure that all the stories, references, and craft meld together to create a beautiful, completely new tableau. For Spring/Summer 2025, a Trinidadian artist and textile designer named Althea McNish was central to the collection, which was titled “Midnight Palms.” McNish moved from Trinidad to London in 1950 and was known for her tropical prints that she contributed to brands like Liberty and Dior. Bonner utilized those prints on cotton blazers, tap shorts, and a matching skirt and collared shirt. Tailoring is always a touchstone for Bonner, and this season she continued her relationship with Saville Row’s Anderson and Shepard, who brought shimmer to the assortment with overcoats made of satin, and evening suits made of silk and mohair. Bonner is so good at mixing more casual but refined items into her collection, and this season she looked to nautical references like net shirts worn under polos, anoraks and matching shorts, and Adidas track sets. She re-upped her popular sneaker partnership with Adidas showing a chocolate brown sequined Samba, a suede Superstar Hi-Top, and a new suede, Country Low silhouette. She’s also producing more footwear in-house including embellished mary janes and desert boots made of cowhide. We continue to appreciate Bonner’s dedication to documenting Black history and making incredibly thoughtful clothes.—Aria Hughes

In January, Rick Owens orchestrated an intimate presentation at the home he started his namesake label in 25 years ago. For his Spring/Summer 2025, he went in a completely different direction. Owens noted that the decision was partially because he “felt bad about making attendance so restricted.” Aptly titled “Hollywood,” everyone was invited this time. Soundtracked by Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7 Allegretto and staged in front of the Palais de Tokyo art museum, Owens presented a spectacle that felt like we were watching a scene from the next Dune move unfold. Rather than come out one by one, models in all shapes and sizes marched in militant formations of 20. There were 10 looks in total, all white. Some included thin face masks paired with capes and knee-high leather boots that resembled deflated balloons. Cropped biker jackets with a crusty paint coating were worn over silk jumpsuits. Knit wrap shirts were paired with marshmallow-colored Geobaskets and shorts. Other looks were accentuated by gold headpieces. The highlight came when a group of burly men in knit shirts carried a pyramid-like metal structure. Two women contorted themselves around it as a third stood at the top waving a flag featuring Black and white hands linked together. It was a visual unlike anything we had ever seen and the perfect cap to a show with a powerful message about inclusivity. Expect this Rick Owens presentation to be talked about for years to come. —Mike DeStefano

For his latest Loewe show, Jonathan Anderson focused on singularity and the ability to make everyday objects feel extraordinary. The works of 20th century artists that Anderson admires—Peter Hujar, Charles Rennie Mackintosh, Carlo Scarpa and Paul Thek—were strewn about a white stage. Models popped out from the center of it to start their walks.

The looks incorporated classic silhouettes in various imaginative ways. A black leather jacket was turned sideways to resemble a cropped smock. Brown ostrich leather belts were so long that they wrapped the waist twice. The excess strap dangled below the knee. Trench coats were given structure so that the bottom stayed flipped open. The v neck of a shirt was so deep that it sunk below the waistline of a pair of pants. And the pants, they were the star of the show. Some looks were devoid of tops to put the focus squarely on them. Styles ran the gamut from skinny black trousers to ultra baggy knit genie pants. A series of bottoms that gathered material at the waist with an off center leather logo patch were a crowd favorite. Every model’s face was obscured by pheasant feathers that hung from headbands to alter the viewer’s perspective. Anderson once again showed his propensity to turn the ordinary into something unorthodox. —Mike DeStefano

Israeli designer Hed Mayner is known for presenting new shapes and proportions, but this season he focused on textiles, finishes, and tension. He lent pieces that are typically stiff or sometimes staid new life. For example, a cable knit sweater with slash details draped against the body and revealed some skin; cargo shorts featured a zipper that revealed the thigh; and vests took on a more relaxed shape, slightly falling off the shoulders. Cotton shirts were completely reinvisioned, with diagonal button plackets and a waist detail that creates a peplum-esque shape. He offset this with coated fabrics that updated classic silhouettes like a leather T-shirt, or chocolate brown trousers. Suits were voluminous made of crinkled fabrics that gave them more texture and shape. He brought these same techniques to footwear, showing a Reebook Classic Leather made of the foam that’s usually reserved for the inside of the sneaker. Because of his dedication to reimagining clothes and construction, Hed Mayner remains a highlight at Paris Fashion Week Men's. —Aria Hughes

Kim Jones’ latest collection for Dior Homme was all about wearability. Once again, the veteran designer brought a modern approach to classic tailoring. Blazers were paired with shorts and crafted in shiny green fabric. Slouchy pinstriped suits worn with T-shirts underneath felt more casual. There were also takes on workwear like a tan vest or chore coat that were elevated when paired with a classic pair of trousers. A fanny pack was made luxurious by using brown crocodile leather. Pants with pleats that wrapped the leg creating an illusion of a layered skirt and a coat with asymmetrical buttons were among some of the standouts across the 47-look presentation. 

Most looks were accessorized by safari hats that featured colorful gems hanging from the brim designed by Stephen Jones and hand-crocheted by South African artisans. The work of South African artist Hylton Nel was tastefully sprinkled throughout the collection. Illustrations of birds and dogs appeared on knit sweaters, while other items like coats and boots were covered in animals and flowers drawn out in silver studs. Some models carried ceramic sculptures. Smaller ceramic badges were placed on lapels of blazers or used to fasten knit vests. The various applications of Nel’s work modernized these pieces without overpowering them. 

Jones’ tenure at Dior has been rife with splashy collaborations. A Stone Island capsule announced earlier this year is a prime example. Sometimes they overshadow the other great work that Jones does at the house. Collections like this prove that those moments are not all that Jones’ Dior era should be defined by.  —Mike DeStefano