Neither searing heat, K-pop stars and their hordes of fans nor snarled traffic could wither the men’s crowd’s enthusiasm for the spring 2024 collections shown in Milan and Paris. Buyers and editors agreed it was one of the strongest seasons in years, with major trends ranging from the New Suit to a more relaxed silhouette, transparency to a greater push of color. But what, out of the hundreds of shows, were the 10 best?
Here are WWD’s picks.
1. Loewe
There’s no denying that [Jonathan Anderson’s] handsome young cast looked terrific in this elongated, raised-waist silhouette, which brought to mind “The Little Prince” by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry — and also extroverts like Cher in the 1970s, partial then to sparkly, flaring pants. — WWD international editor Miles Socha on the best collection of the season.
2. Louis Vuitton
Sunset on the Seine is for lovers, but on Tuesday, the magic hour was the backdrop for a spectacular show marking the beginning of the Pharrell Williams era at Louis Vuitton. — WWD Paris bureau chief Joelle Diderich
3. Prada
Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons delivered fashion fireworks galore with their spring 2024 men’s show for Prada, conceived as a freewheeling exploration of the shirt — which some audience members viewed through curtains of slime flanking parts of the runway. — WWD international editor Miles Socha
4. Dior
Kim Jones celebrated five years at Dior with a “pop-up” presentation that saw models sprouting from the floor of the venue, through the magic of trap doors and hydraulic platforms. — WWD Paris bureau chief Joelle Diderich
5. Fendi
There is a lot of talk, especially in Italy’s fashion supply chain circles, about the modern artisans and preserving their know-how.
Well, [Silvia] Venturini Fendi’s workers — whether walking the runway or in the factory’s labs — were some of the chicest around. — WWD Milan correspondent Martino Carrera
6. Zegna
As for the colors, they were exquisite, from mint green and orange to flamingo pink, juxtaposed with earth tones, jute, gray and chocolate brown.
The collection was beautiful and, par for the course with [Alessandro] Sartori, thought out to the minutest detail. — WWD Milan bureau chief Luisa Zargani
7. Giorgio Armani
Global warming has made wearing typical tailored clothing in the 95-degree heat a challenge, no matter how chic you might wish to look while attending Milan Men’s Fashion Week’s June edition.
To the rescue comes designers like Giorgio Armani, who found the lightest, breeziest fabrics that allowed him to continue plying his signature brand of soft, unstructured tailoring. — WWD international editor Miles Socha
8. Grace Wales Bonner
For spring, Wales Bonner didn’t miss a beat, drawing on sport, tailoring and artisanal handwork for this elegant coed collection that unfurled to live performances by musicians from Ethiopia, Kenya, the Republic of Niger and West Africa. — WWD London bureau chief Samantha Conti
9. Rick Owens
He opened the show with his radical flared pants with very high, cinched waists, giving an appearance of endless legs not seen since the modeling heydays of Nadja Auermann. Over these, Owens created small tops in silk or leather tightly wrapped around the shoulders and chest. — WWD international editor Miles Socha
10. Comme des Garçons Homme Plus
[Rei] Kawakubo titled her latest Comme des Garçons Homme Plus collection “Beyond Reality,” offering as an explanation that “in order to find a new world, we have to go beyond reality.”
She certainly opened up a host of new tailoring possibilities worlds more daring than the prominent shoulders and flimsy fabrics that many other designers explored this European season. — WWD international editor Miles Socha