The best moments from men’s Paris Fashion Week AW25

Rick Owens gave his models bug eyes

We’re not sure why the American designer gave his ever-eclectic assemblage of models black contact lenses, but they at least looked like creepy bug eyes. The whole collection (as expected) was pretty weird and wonderful — the star feature being the ‘kiss’ boots, created alongside the Parisian designer Victor Clavelly using a literal laser cutter, which landed somewhere between a Maine Coon’s overgrown paw and leather kink apparatus. Either way, though, the rubber and leather-laiden collection was an apt way to pay homage to the designer’s industrial roots back in Concordia – the piccola Italian town where Owens set up his factory two decades ago, plus the title of the runway show – and we have to say, we were big fans.

Amiri featured Doechii-worthy women’s suits

This January was the first time the Hollywood-born brand showed womenswear at a men’s fashion week and, we won’t lie, the ladies kind of stole the show. The name of the game this time round was great tailoring, with a nod to old Hollywood glamour. And, while the menswear included some gorgeous leather detailing, studs and sparkles, it was the Doechii-worthy women’s tailoring that really did it for us. It reminded us of an elevated version of what the current it-girl of rap wore on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert back in December and we’re here for it.

Louis Vuitton launched a lobster 

No, we don’t mean that someone chucked a lobster across the stage at the LV show. Rather, this particular runway had a pretty heavy focus on honouring the past and, with that, of course, came an ode to the maison’s leatherwear history. That wasn’t the only blast from the past creative director Pharrell honoured, though — he actually paired up with Nigo, fellow creator of Billionaire Boys Club – the multi-hyphenate’s other brand, born in 2003 – to celebrate their friendship (hilariously dubbed Phriendship) for this year’s show. That meant an eclectic mixture of merch – think skateboards and hoodies from the noughties – as well as some whacky pieces like a bag modelled, for some unknown reason, off a lobster. 

Charles Jeffrey put on a wrestling show

After a while, all the shows at fashion week start to blur into one. Charles Jeffrey, though, made sure that wouldn’t happen for him when he decided to turn Dover Street Market Paris into a wrestling ring. In true Charles Jeffrey style, though, it was a completely queerified version of wrestling (even though the sport is undeniably homoerotic as it is). And the match wasn’t just part of the show — it was literally the whole thing. The music and dance duo Bullyache displayed the collection (a fantastical take on Victorian English garbs) over a seventy-five minute theatrical spectacle. Oh, and did we forget to mention that the punkish Scottish designer also paired up with Pornhub for the event? That happened too — but you’ll have to Google it for yourself.

Dior blindfolded its models

We’ve (sadly) never been down the runway ourselves, but we imagine it’s probably hard enough to strut in front of a room of A-listers wearing something most likely heavy and elaborate without having to do it blindfolded. Well, that’s what the maison’s menswear designer, Kim Jones, decided to have his models do — and they had to walk down a set of stairs. That said, though, it added a lovely bit of je ne sais quoi, as the French say, to the stripped-back collection.

Comme des Garçons made a statement

The Japanese brand’s founder, Rei Kawakubo, decided to actually use her show for good and led with the message of “To Hell With War”. The clothing followed suit with feminised-versions of military wear – think plaited wigs, flowers and satin – with a suitably-political punk flavour that also gave a nod to Comme des Garçons roots. The models were also notably on the younger side to highlight the plight of the youth being tragically ravaged by war across the globe. With the ongoing crises in Gaza, Ukraine and Sudan (to name just those), it was an important reminder of reality amongst all the glamour of PFW.