The year 2025 was marked by changes in artistic direction at the helm of the biggest brands. Now, fashion returns to a sense of normalcy in 2026. The new men’s fashion week, held from Tuesday to Sunday, January 20-25, in Paris, reflects this shift. The schedule featured 35 runway shows and 32 presentations, three fewer events than the last season in June 2025, and no first-timers. Every designer had already presented at least one collection in their current position.
As usual, the calendar was packed and truly diverse in its offerings. There were the major productions from Dior and Vuitton, prominent international labels with unique stylistic visions, such as Rick Owens, Comme des Garçons or Willy Chavarria, and French brands known for their functional wardrobes and international ambitions, like AMI, Lemaire or Officine Générale.
But there were also some notable absentees: brands that opted out of a dedicated men’s show, instead presenting their menswear during their women’s runway, in a presentation, or by releasing a lookbook – a series of photos showcasing the silhouettes. This was the case for four LVMH brands: Celine, Loewe, Kenzo and Givenchy. However, the cost-cutting did not affect all of the group’s labels. The first two days of this fall-winter 2026-2027 season were marked by the considerable efforts put into the Vuitton and Dior shows, the fashion conglomerate’s two flagship houses.
On the opening day of fashion week, Vuitton staged its show on home ground, within its foundation in the Bois de Boulogne. More than 1,000 guests, including LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault, French First Lady Brigitte Macron and rappers Gims and Chris Brown, gathered inside an enormous tent shaped like a wooden shipping crate, the kind used to transport works of art. Inside, instead of paintings or sculptures, there was a flowered lawn and, at its center, a real four-room house with glass walls and furniture designed by Pharrell Williams, the creative director of Vuitton’s menswear lines, who is set to be awarded France’s Legion of Honor on Friday, January 23, by President Emmanuel Macron. With its rounded shapes, light wood walls and deliberate minimalism – limited to a few wildflower bouquets – the set offered a preview of the collection.
“It’s functional luxury, and that’s what timelessness is,” said Williams, who, for once, chose not to draw inspiration from travel. “I wanted fabrics, textiles and even hides that did things, that did more than just look good, that did more than just had a brand on it. (…) So when you’re running or you’re playing a sport, it’s keeping you warm, it’s sweat-absorbent or it’s water repellent.” This focus on materials was apparent from the very start of the show, when a gospel choir entered the dimly lit room wearing black tunics illuminated by a glowing LV monogram.
Neon green shimmering tops
The abundant and highly wearable collection included formal wool coats that reflected light, breathable flannel shirts, crumpled aluminum tops, silk water-repellent windbreakers and puffer jackets. Since Vuitton remains one of the few brands that has not stopped using real fur or exotic skins, the collection also had a zip-up fleece in mink and a bomber jacket in crocodile, as supple as lamb. The result was both luxurious and relaxed. The silhouettes, oscillating between tailoring and streetwear with cropped torsos and elongated legs thanks to flared trousers, reflected Williams’ own taste. Since taking on the role in 2023, the American designer has refined his approach, making it less showy and more subtle over the seasons.
On Wednesday, January 21, Dior gathered around 700 people in the gardens of the Musée Rodin, with a spectacular guest list, from Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton to French actor Louis Garrel and K-pop stars. Inside the rectangular tent, the décor only had the essentials: long velvet curtains concealed the walls, metallic paint covered the floor and simple stools. This stripped-down setting invited focus on the clothing itself. The collection proved surprising. While Jonathan Anderson’s first collection in June 2025 struck a balance between commercial and experimental elements, this time the British designer embraced his creativity.
Drawing inspiration both from couturier Paul Poiret, whom Christian Dior admired, and from American indie rock singer Mk.Gee, Anderson imagined a cast of characters dressed in lavish yet peculiar outfits. Poiret’s geometric and Oriental patterns were embroidered on shimmering tops in neon green and acid yellow, as well as on voluminous capes fastened to oversized parkas. Shirts with checks were adorned with rhinestone-fringed epaulettes. The Bar jacket, a Dior signature, was shown in a shrunken format… The clothing extravaganza was accentuated by the yellow or spiked wigs worn by all the models.
“I don’t want normality. Dior started as a fashion brand. (…) You have to see the fashion show as an idea to animate the reality of what’s in store,” said Anderson. This season, his passion for dissonance, subcultures and explorations of volume, three hallmarks of his work at Loewe and sources of his reputation as a brilliant designer, shone through. For now, though, his flashes of inspiration have struggled to find a place within Dior’s classic repertoire. Renewing a house’s style poses a far greater challenge than simply designing an attractive wardrobe. But attractive wardrobes have never made fashion history.