Raf Simons

The Men’s Spring 2010 shows in Paris ended just before I arrived today. There’s definitely still a buzz in the air and chatter about the vast array of looks presented here. This season was marked by very bold menswear collections in Paris. The shorts, cuffed pants and loose fits I observed in Milan continued to show, but there is an element of experimentalism here that makes these designs more extreme.

I think that the Men’s Spring 2010 shows in Milan struck a better balance between ingenuity and wearability, but that’s not to say there weren’t some great Paris collections. Raf Simons, shown above, presented a strong, elegant collection. It was unique yet not over-the-top. The high-waisted belts he showed with pants and wrapped up-and-around various coats emphasized the beautiful silhouettes and expert tailoring of his designs. 

Unlike many collections, the cuts here were neither too tight nor too loose — they were just right. The hardware details, dashes of rich color, and some cool leather jackets created a polished collection with a touch of the unexpected. I was very impressed, and I hope this is an indication of what we’ll be seeing from Raf Simons over the next few years.

Dunhill

Dunhill showed the classic menswear look I love. The tailoring was crisp, the prints were stylish, and the icy blues and grays were understated yet modern. The results were the height of men’s chic. The rolled pants, shorts, and men’s accessories were in step with the season and executed with precision. It was also one of the few shows that included bowties. They softened the sharpness of the clothing — finishing the collection with a dapper and dare-I-say festive feel.

Hermès

Hermès is forever chic. Hermès designer Véronique Nichanian created a more relaxed spring collection than in the past while maintaining the brand’s tradition of luxury at the same time. Beautiful fabrics are to be expected, but I also appreciated some of the newer looks including the low-slung belts, narrow shirt collars, and assorted neckwear. The collection was colored in earthy browns, brick, puddy and what Nichanian called “verdigris.” They complemented the designs for an overall look of chic, easy sophistication.

Viktor & Rolf

A few other noteworthy mentions: Viktor & Rolf only showed eight pieces, but I liked their sporty take on elegant menswear. The look was decidedly crinkled — which is a departure from the classic men’s look I typically favor — but there was something fresh about these designs that I found compelling. 

Louis Vuitton also went sporty for their Spring 2010 collection (pictured below). The totality of the bright yellows, electric blues and short-shorts with dress socks was a bit much, but the separates in-and-of themselves were quite marvelous. Individual pieces from the collection could be integrated with any wardrobe. And though a bit shocking at first, pairing the yellow and oranges with the white and grays grew on me, and I enjoyed the collection more with each review. Those leather shoulder bags and duffels were sumptuous, too!

Louis Vuitton

Finally, you must check out the video of the Thom Browne collection (brought to my attention by James Gardner of Create the Group).  Click here to watch it. How brilliant is this presentation? I’ve actually been to this pool hall for an event in the past, but I’ve certainly never seen anything like this!

- images via men.style.com and wwd.com