Demystifying the Spring 2025 Menswear Season
By Angela Baidoo
While we may have been temporarily diverted by the fanfare of destination show season – with Jacquemus’ see-now, buy-now runway show on Monday and Max Mara in Venezia on Tuesday rounding things out – all eyes will now turn to menswear for the last few weeks of June.
So, here at The Impression, we break down what debuts and departures, anniversaries, ones-to-watch, celebrations and conversations to earmark for what is set to be another thought-provoking season as we continue to ask the question of what is the future of menswear? And how will men express themselves, through the medium of fashion, in 2025?
London Launched a New Concept Spotlighting Sub-Cultures and Savile Row
While there is a lot to look forward to in the spring 2025 collections, London’s return to the circuit with a dedicated fashion week was particularly poignant, as the city’s fashion week continued to celebrate its 40 year anniversary.
Over the past decade menswear had lost its status, as the January and June seasons which were earmarked for the menswear collections had been rolled into the womenswear season in February and September. But this June, the British Fashion Council took the step to allow the category to shine on its own stage once again.
The week kicked off with a surprise return to the runway by Craig Green on the morning of Wednesday 5th June – after a two-year absence – who presented his particular vision of rule-bending fashion for the ‘Green’ Man at the Carlsberg-Tetley brewery in Silvertown, Newham, a building which doubles as the designers studio space. As one of London’s most directional designer, it was a positive sign that Green decided to use now as the perfect opportunity to revive his runway presentations, as menswear is experiencing somewhat of a metamorphosis in the shedding of traditional formalities, a de-emphasis around gender codes, and a deep-diving into expressive sub-cultures.
Fellow maverick Charles Jeffrey’s label LOVERBOY was celebrating his 10 year anniversary with a return to London in an outdoor show and exhibition at Somerset House. The collection featured a continuation of their “puckish takes on traditionally masculine conservative signifiers…from spheres of military and gamekeeping…looking to upend the enduring status of these symbols” and a nod towards the brands beloved “hero garments according to the show notes. There was a performance by composer Luca Manning and the Somerset House Studios choir and Beth Ditto.
“As we continue our celebrations of LFW40, we are thrilled to share a new concept for LFW June which will amplify our designers and promote the diverse menswear businesses, from streetwear to Savile Row, as well as retail in the city. We will celebrate and pay homage to some of the cultures which contribute so much to the UK fashion industry, the aim is to build on this with different cultures each year. We want to ensure we are recognising the business needs of our designers and providing them with a global showcasing platform which is both relevant and beneficial.”
Caroline Rush, Chief Executive, British Fashion Council
London Fashion Week provided a platform for important conversations around industry topics which are affecting designers today – from “How to create, build and sustain a fashion brand in an ever-evolving environment” with brand founders Charlie Casley-Hayford & Rejina Pyo to “Are we going far enough? Performative activism in the fashion industry” in conversation with trans-activist Munroe Bergdorf and adaptive fashion designer Victoria Jenkins. Alongside the panels there were also shows from denzilpatrick, HARRI, Qasimi and the University of East London on Saturday 8th June as the main draw. On Sunday 9th June a Menswear Showcase of the best emerging talents was hosted at the Groucho Club and included Paolo Carzana, Roker, Harri, Derrick, Carlota Barrera, Denzilpatrick, Lueder, and Kyle Ho. A book reading from Dylan Jones (who spearheaded the formation of a separate fashion week in London for Men’s), early morning run clubs powered by Adidas and wellness brand Healf, and a DiscoveryLAB series for new design talent rounded out the weeks schedule.
Driving home the constant need for diversity and inclusion – following the publishing of a collaborative report titled ‘The UK Fashion DEI Report 2024’ in January – a spotlight on the varied cultures who make UK design talent some of the most sought after in the industry was inevitable.
A focus on cultures and sub-cultures (African, Caribbean, South-East Asian, LGBTQIA+) within the UK was the subject of an expansive exhibition at the Institute for Contemporary Art where guest curators Clara Amfo, Kai Isaiah-Jamal, and Simran Randhawa used fashion and photography to highlight creators within the UK who are using their heritage to inform and set apart their work.
There was also a celebration dinner highlighting the ‘South Asian Impact on British Fashion’, and a roundtable conversation on diversity with presenter at i-D magazine and creative commissioner for Sony Music Lea Ogunlami , writer and creative Simran Randhawa, and artist, performer, and activist Darkwah.
The city’s mix of presentations, digital and physical runways, pop-up stores, panels, events and exhibitions is a progressive take on the traditional fashion week format and is reminiscent of the way in which other brands such as Copenhagen Fashion Week have shifted to reflect a more inclusive and rounded experience for all attendees.
Pitti Welcomes Designers Past and Present
Sandwiching this June season (11th-14th June in Florence) Pitti Uomo – in its 106th edition – merged the narrative of designers past and present with Marine Serre as this seasons guest designer presenting her collection in the grounds of the Villa Favard.
This editions theme was the lemon, so everything associated with the event – advertising, set design, and campaigns – were coated in the sunny hue as the organisers explained “Pitti Lemon will be a tasty theme (both in flavor and color), thirst-quenching (for those always craving something new), energizing (for those in search of a boost), astringent (to hold back from saying too much), and anti-free radicals (for those keen on staying young)”.
Alongside Marine Serre, British Menswear stalwart Paul Smith – whose brand heritage has a natural affinity with the trade show and its smart street style set – presented his spring 2025 collection. The design icon has pedigree at Pitti Uomo, as he was one of the first designers to show there when he was invited to do so in 1993. For his presentation (also at the historic Villa Favard) he created his own culinary experience with a ‘Bar Paul’ takeover complete with branded espresso cups and an illustrator capturing guests on location. The theme was in homage to the “artistic epicentre of 1960s soho” – London’s thats is, not New York’s – and featured fluid tailoring in pastel colours, unstructured blazers and chore jackets in a palette which ran the gamut of fresh greens, from leaf to teal. Smith also revealed an upcoming collaboration with iconic American denim brand Lee, which will be a tribute to his love for their rugged utilitarian designs.
Marine Serre’s dedication to sustainability through re-envisioning both used materials and vintage clothing through innovative upcycling is nothing short of forward-thinking in an industry which struggles to make that model work on the scale which Serre has achieved. Her runway show titled ‘Sempre Legati’ which translates to ‘Always Connected’ was an elegant commentary on modern occasion wear and an updated take on slick Italian glamour. With innovatively deconstructed backpacks and nylon bags remade into utility jackets and evening gowns thrown in for good measure, a “Radical Call for Love” was printed on an all-white dress as the designers timely statement to a volatile world.
Carolina Castiglioni of Plan C also unveiled her first foray into menswear via an installation created in partnership with Italian artist and designer Duccio Maria Gambi. Her collection demonstrated a natural synergy between the genders, with the starting point for the designer being her own archive, identifying key pieces, which were then reinterpreted “…into men’s and women’s wardrobe essentials”. Community was also an important amplification this season, as was seen in the S I Style section where ten emerging designers were paired with leading industry creatives who shared the same vision of reimagining circular luxury, these ranged from Edoardo Monti (Art Curator and Founder of Palazzo Monti) x Unsung Weavers, Giorgia Cantarini (Journalist, Stylist and Curator of S|STYLE x Pitti Uomo) x Florania, Edward Buchanan (Fashion Designer and Fashion Director Milano at Perfect Magazine) x Buzigahill, and Phil America (Multidisciplinary Artist and Founder of Objectsareby) x Denzilpatrick, who was fresh off his runway show at London Fashion Week.
In this edition, we have asked ten emerging brands to dedicate sculptural, genderless, seasonless, over-the-top, and excessive looks to Kering, giving their creativity a chance to reinterpret the concept of circular luxury”
Pitti Uomo, S I Style Edition
Milan’s Concise, Yet Unconventional Mix
Opening Milan fashion week will be the first standalone men’s presentation for the newly appointed Moschino designer Adrian Appiolaza, and while the show will be highly anticipated it remains to be seen how the designer will interpret the distinct blend of Italian eccentricity, pop culture markers and subtle surrealism that the brand is renowned for.
The concise nature of Milan’s week means that fashions heavy-hitters will bookend each day, from Dsquared on the evening of Friday 14th June followed by Dolce and Gabbana, Fendi, Zegna, Emporio Armani, Prada, JW Anderson and Sabato De Sarno’s ‘New Gucci’ on Monday afternoon. There will also a co-ed offering from MSGM who are celebrating their 15th year in business in 2024. Magliano and Martine Rose are Pitti Uomo Alum and hot ticket schedule additions (both on Sunday 16th June), but especially Rose who has been known to throw a surprise show off-schedule or pop-up during fashion week with a genre-defining presentation for those in-the-know.
Names to watch will be LVMH Prize 2023 winner Setchu who will be holding a presentation which seems to sync with the level of detail and discovery to be explored within Satoshi Kuwata’s collections. Simon Cracker was a surprise highlight for The Impression last season, as his show titled ‘La Nanna’ featured inventive upcycling using construction and deconstruction techniques reminiscent of early Vivienne Westwood, and his collection had a dreamy dishevelment to it communicated through a faded colour palette, overdying, raw hems, gathering, and splicing. And Jordanluca who excel at emotive set design, the unexpected (Andreas Kronthaler and Tommy Cash have both walked for the brand), and the art of proportion play which can always be relied upon to provide a conversation starter on what the future of men’s fashion will or can look like.
Paris Sets its Sights on Gold
Just ahead of one of the biggest events to be hosted by the city from the 26th July to 11th August, namely the 33rd Olympic and Paralympic Games, the fashion crowd will be navigating a very different infrastructure as Paris prepares for its sporting debut. This may also mean that the front rows of the mens shows will become a Who’s Who of athletes from the worlds of basketball, tennis, track and field, archery, soccer and fencing. Add to that, the fact that LVMH are a premium partner of the games, and we can expect a men’s season that will preclude a summer of activations with an undercurrent of sportsmanship.
Opening proceedings will be Louis Vuitton Men’s on the evening of Tuesday 18th June, marking creative director Pharrell Williams fifth collection for the luxury house. Where he has previously explored the untold heritage of America’s Black Cowboy culture, reinterpreted camouflage for the Roblox generation, and the uniforms of those who work and play at sea – namely surfers and sailors.
As with Milan, key brands are represented across the week from Rick Owens, Loewe, Sacai, Lemaire, Kenzo, Issey Miyake, KidSuper, and Amiri, but what will be the most anticipated show of Paris fashion week will be Belgian designer Dries Van Noten’s final collection for his namesake label. After a nearly 40-year career, which included being an integral member of The Antwerp Six collective, attendees lucky enough to secure tickets to the creative directors swan song are likely to represent the decades-worth of expressive design craftsmanship, often bringing together colour and texture in off-kilter combinations, by dressing in their Van Noten finest.
Tuesday 19th June is set to be a British takeover with Bianca Saunders – returning to the runway after sitting out last season – Feng Chen Wang, and Wales Bonner.
Names to watch include Ouest Paris, who blends a mix of streetwear, skate, and retro Cali culture with western-inspired denim, Arturo Obegero who has dressed both Beyonce and Adele trades in a particular brand of poetic decadence of luxe furs, pronounced shoulders, and second-skin lace. And Airei, founded by Drew Curry and launched in 2021, can already boast of an Asics collaboration and the support of Dover Street Market LA . With the tagline “Celebrating the human touch” loose threads, salmon-skin coats, and human-hair hoodies make Curry’s designs an experiment in tactility.
A notable absence from this season will be design duo Serhat Isik and Benjamin Alexander Huseby of GMBH, who used their platform – as the closing show of the Fall 2024 season – to boldly highlight the global conflicts taking place, offering a sobering reality check to those in attendance. They will now show during Berlin Fashion Week. Two major heritage houses seeking to find their footing, and so also opted out of the June season were Valentino – instead choosing to debut Alessandro Michele’s inaugural collection in September – and Givenchy who are still seeking a designer to assume the top position since Matthew Williams parted ways at the beginning of 2024.
And in a last-minute change to the advertised schedule, it was announced that Balmain Homme – after its star-studded January debut – were to withdraw from their June 21st slot, stating to WWD that “Following recent executive changes, with new CEO Matteo Sgarbossa assuming the leadership role one month ago, Balmain announces today [Wednesday] that it is changing the date of the presentation of the house’s spring 2025 men’s collection. The collection, which had been scheduled to be shown on June 21, will now be presented in September”.
