A Season of Restraint, Resistance, and Rebellion
By Angela Baidoo
A Season of Creative Contradiction
Post-pandemic was an exciting time for menswear and where there seems to have been a reversion back to simpler silhouettes, if you look beyond there are still sparks of genius happening on the runway. And while politics and financial uncertainty will always cause the jitters amongst the C-suite, from the dawn of time it has always served to light a fire under creatives, who use times of adversity to produce some of their best work or at the very least, remind their customers why they should still invest in them.
The spring 2025 Men’s seasons has shown that market forces may have played a heavy hand on the business side, but the creativity of designers still had a lot of fight left. Gone are the days of radical experimentation, where we witnessed a ripping up of the rulebook on gendered clothing, and in its place are new voices from the queer community who have come into the fold and given menswear a new form of expression. Something which has both excited and motivated other designers to test out new masculine ideals – outside of simply putting a model in a skirt.
This season, even though the major brands were still the draw, it was the newer names who carried the weight – aside from the major talking points of Rick Owens ‘Hollywood’ spectacle and Dries Van Noten’s farewell show. In doing so, the likes of Magliano, Jordanluca, Setchu, and Hed Mayner offered a ray of light for the way they design their versions of menswear without restriction. And in light of the discourse around support for up-and-coming brands (considering the closure of Matchesfashion and industry prizes that don’t seem to go far enough to help brands sustain a financially viable business) will we see these stand-outs still thriving a decade from now? And if not, that should be what needs discussing now, with the hope that the Men’s season can continue to sustainably grow in influence and with an eye on the future, welcome New York back into the fold.
Index
- Brand Knows Best Vs Mounting the Resistance
- The Escape Plan
- No Short-age of Options
- The Technical Takes Flight
- Carry-All, All the Time
- The Games We Play
- Have You Seen My Childhood
- Easy Access
Brand Knows Best Vs Mounting the Resistance
It has been debated back-and-forth by those who ply their trade across all corners of the fashion industry, but since the economic (and political for that matter) climate took a turn for the worse, we have asked whether fashion should rise to the occasion and push creativity and Avant-garde ideas to the forefront or double down on capsule wardrobing and clothes that we can wear everyday, and over the long term.
The short answer to these questions is that we need both; the chance to dream as well as produce collections which focus on pragmatism. Which is something that could be seen throughout this season. To the latter the truncated London and Milan fashion weeks were actually an unexpected gift as a balance was struck between creativity and commerce with re-worked dress codes at Martine Rose (who was a welcome addition to the Milan schedule) and Dolce and Gabbana’s surprisingly stripped back summer staples which focussed on natural raffia as a key material. While in reaction to relying on basics, there was a genuine resistance by designers from Rick Owens to Charles Jeffrey Loverboy, Kidsuper and Simon Cracker who remined us why menswear’s was being lauded as the fashion week to watch only a few short years ago.
The Escape Plan
Destination dreaming often coincides with the June show season, as the typically scorching weather provides the backdrop for the resort-style options on display. It was not wholly about jetting off for vacation for spring 2025 though, as there were those who dove into their heritage to inspire. Take Bianca Saunders, who looked to her Jamaican roots and the photography of acclaimed photojournalist Bradley Smiths photographs of a resort on the island, and Kim Jones whose road trip to South Africa to meet artist Hylton Nel manifested in a collection of woven hats with shell beading, fluid tailoring, and whimsical prints. Tropical Modernism could also be seen at Kenzo and Dries Van Noten’s farewell collection which included his signature hibiscus florals that were amplified with sweetie wrapper sheer layers in pastel tones.
No Short-age of Options
Shorts, and their thigh-skimming length will be a hot topic for spring, as editorials that are sure to go back-and-forth on ‘How high to go?’ will make for required reading in the lead up. Across all three cities there was a daring playfulness to the short shorts on the runway. They were worn almost skort-style and fitted (a-la cycling short) at JW Anderson, in leather and with braces at Emporio Armani, embellished at Louis Vuitton and as baggy Bermudas at Moschino. For 2025 there will be no short-age of options when it comes to baring it all.
The Technical Takes Flight
Technically speaking sportswear and utility have always been mainstays within menswear. You can expect to see an anorak, gilet, or cargo pant featured in some iteration whatever the season may be. But, for spring 2025 it was as if designers took technical fabrics and sports-inspired silhouettes and injected them with a burst of air, as parkas at Undercover and trench coats at Homme Plissé Issey Miyake seemed to take flight and become airborne as they billowed past. This shift towards packable, lightweight silhouettes also ties in with the spirit of escapism which was pervasive throughout the season, as these styles are carry-on ready and will work whatever the weather.
Carry-All, All the Time
An oversized duffle or practical rucksack will be a familiar site on the average daily commute, but for fashion folk a new claim to the throne was being touted in the form of the XXL tote. From Hermès to Dior Men, Zegna and LGN Louis Gabriel Nouchi bigger was infinitely better this season. Meeting the everyday needs of their customers, these bags presented a practical solution for all the versions they might need to be in a day, but in luxe leathers, exotic skins, cotton canvas, or with an art-inspired prints. It brings new meaning to the term compartmentalising your life, and in supersizing accessories, the price point for a £2895 (for Zegna’s deerskin holdall) bag has been made all the more justifiable.
The Games We Play
In a Euros and Olympic year, with Paris on hosting duties for the latter, it was inevitable that sports – in all its forms – would permeate this seasons collections. And none more so than the ‘Beautiful Game’ (which was taking part at the same time as Paris fashion week) of football, which is itself becoming deeply entwined with fashion, as football jerseys are becoming the new must-have – whether attending a game or not, or if the wearer actually has an allegiance to a particular team.
The fact that the sport is taking on creative directors (Crystal Palace Football Club), has made superstars of their biggest players (such as Lionel Messi, who joined Inter Miami in 2023), and is seeing growing interest in its women’s tournaments, means that it is a no-brainer for fashion. Pharrell Williams Louis Vuitton collection led the way with its literal interpretations (one jacket was made with the same technique used for football construction) that were about highlighting the way in which the game unifies on a global scale.
Have You Seen My Childhood?
Womanhood in all its forms was celebrated during February’s fall 2024 season, but for menswear there was a revert instead, to the simpler days of childhood. A naivety was applied to crafted embellishment, from 8ON8’s oversized daisies to JW Anderson’s knitted cardigans depicting British houses that wouldn’t look out of place on a children’s TV presenter. Plush toys are set to be the new accessories, as Kenzo gave us the cuddly ‘Tiger’ update which doubles as a back-pack. This theme was very much all in the styling too, as shrunken silhouettes were reminiscent of hand-me-downs or family heirlooms and gave off an air of a boy playing dress-up.
Easy Access
Loafers step aside, the sophisticated slip on has entered the conversation. Easy access was on the minds of designers when it came to developing their footwear options for the season as the softest leathers were used to create second-skin slip-ons at Wales Bonner and Ami, which loosened the codes around traditional footwear that is often about sturdy styles that will take you through your day.
What was an exciting development was the introduction of sports materials in the form of scuba fabrics or rubber soles which cropped up at Gucci, MSGM, Bianca Saunders and Wales Bonner. But the best hybrid version, that will surely be of keen interest to the 1%, was a nylon and suede combination finished with a branded metal toe-cap from Prada.
