As Paris Fashion Week approached its final hours, I once again found myself talking to ASAP Rocky about clothes.
Now, who else was my Roper Evert? Rocky loves fashion shows! From Milan to Paris, he was my unofficial Fashion Week North Star. He wasn't always visible, but when he was there I was reassuring that I was heading in the right direction.
For the two of us on a Tuesday afternoon, that direction was the mood-painting Miu Miu show. I liked what I saw. Rocky agreed.
His outfit was a testimony of his gratitude. From his chocolate brown fleece to his cute, curved colored button-up, the man was mewed out. His eyesight was now on top of Snakeskin sneakers that had just crossed the runway, he said.
Miu Miu has only introduced male wear in the past few years. The fleet of male guests in attendance were all wearing branded corporate blue shirts and dusty tan jackets, but it was proof that the progression of the men's clothing was wise for Mrs. Prada's pet project.
This collection had a more certainty for men. The Joseph Bayes style felt suit is perfect for daily wear. Cigar Brown Leather Blazer had a crazy fade that made men go hunting like crazy in vintage shops. And the jacket lined with sandy shearling was a ray style zip-up this season. (Required warning: Miu Miu may look egalitarian, but it's not cheap. If the fleece of the current season is any indication, that jacket will sail for about ten times the price of a new Patagonia coat.)
“We really wanted to create an elegance that is nothing. Through the day, through direct manipulation of simple pieces,” wrote Mrs. Prada in the collection's show notes.
Simple, yes. But with all these boxy shapes and nasty textures, it can also be said that Mrs. Prada actually stopped to contemplate what the Miu Miu guy should look like. It's a low bar, but many designers couldn't clear it during Paris Fashion Week.
The boys' appearance on too many shows was a slight castoff that reflected deeper thoughts, by designers and through transitive property by ventilators. Women were challenged with wrapped chaps and layered tulle skirts, while men were offered an unforgettable overcoat that was better to buy from theory.
This is not a universal truth. Rumors continue to be that Jonathan Anderson is leaving Lowe, but for now, he can count on suggesting something that his male shopper will bite. Loewe's Felted Gray Suit (do you make two trends?) predicted ease of use like pajamas. The hiking boots looked like they were swinging their toes and slid on a mallet. In a good way.
His collection began with an experiment on what he personally wanted to wear, so it was Demna, the creative director of Balenciaga.
On the final Halloween, Demna said she decided to wear “the worst”: a suit. (Only a man like Demna who once wore a behind-the-scenes mask and did a behind-the-scenes interview was shocked to wear a suit.) He went to an unknown, bespoke tailor and made suits. He hated it.
“My pants were too tight,” he said. “They were cut out too much. They couldn't move. I felt like an idiot.”
His Halloween was short, but the idea of a reliable suit left behind. He made it for himself and was shocked to discover how difficult it was.
“It's much easier to put four sleeves on it, tie two of them together and put the colour somewhere,” Demna said. “Suits are the most difficult. It's very difficult to get that golden ratio.”
His show began with a series of office workman suits cut to perfection. The rest of the show kept this circle for real clothes. The puff jacket looked like it had been pulled out from the back of a motorcycle courier. As if to say, “Look at the time you can wear this,” the heavy camel coat is already missing. They were almost white, as there were some sleazy white button-ups that didn't rank the HR category and blue jeans.
“Most of what I do is hoping someone wants in wearables,” Demna said.
He was his own best fit model. Behind the scenes, he faced a pressed scrum in a humble single-breasted black suit wearing a black shirt. Like his collection, it was conservative, but was considered. Dem never looked good.
