Menswear Highlights From A Jam-Packed Paris Fashion Week

Here’s the good stuff you might have missed from the last week of men’s shows in the French capital.

Auralee AW26 painted the town every colour

The Auralee show was hot. Both in terms of temperature inside the venue and the attractiveness of the clothing, but not necessarily in the way you’d think. It’s not like there were sheer tops or skin-revealing shorts; quite the opposite, in fact, with models bundled up for the face-numbing, crisp winter air. But the Japanese outfit’s Autumn/Winter 2026 show hit like a fresh sorbet after a heavy meal in the scorching sun, and we got all the flavours. 

This season’s show put a heavy emphasis on bright, rich tones. Starting off with a deceiving array of beige and earthy notes, we can see creative director Ryota Iwai slowly bring out his saturated palette. Bloody reds, electric blues, limey greens and smooth mauves all make an appearance, cutting through the January gloom with menswear that’s rugged in nature but laid back in practice.

Masculinity is subverted in Auralee’s very own subtle way, with military wear referenced through their version of M65 jackets, bomber jackets with an overly fuzzy lining and blousons with leather so thin you’d think it’s nylon. Workwear codes carry this on with puffers reminiscent of vintage Eddie Bauer or L.L.Bean, and even through smart colour-blocking, with a blue and teal combo that makes your mind race to old Patagonia Synchilla fleeces. 

Tailoring isn’t neglected, either, with a strong few suits that feature the perfect drape and angular yet relaxed lines, offset with rather vibrant waistbands. The belts play a bigger part in this story than you might expect, inspiring Mr Iwai to crop his tops and jackets a lot more than usual to show off the joyful winter hues. 

Although we were presented with what felt like an intermission for the moodier fellows with the block of all-black looks,  the brand’s AW26 show proved that Auralee will never stop making clothes for the everyday uniform. But maybe we can learn to approach the cold, dark winters like the Tokyo designer, painting the town on even the most mundane, gloomy days.

At IM Men AW26, the layers didn’t stop

If you had asked the IM Men design team how many scarves they would show in the Autumn/Winter 2026 show, their answer would probably be a simple yes. 

Headed by a triple-threat team of creative directors that includes Sen Kawahara, Yuki Itakura, and Nobutaka Kobayashi, this season saw layering taken to a new level. The show started off with a flurry of monochromatic looks, with the big talking point then being the ultra-long ties that were either flung over the shoulder or left to droop down to the floor. The narrative quickly transitioned into the seemingly uncountable layers, draped over each other majestically and, in turn, changing the palette to something much more vibrant. 

Coats and suits were enveloped in patterned, colour-blocked and solid neckpieces that were way past the point of oversized, packing up and shipping the models onto the runway in highlighter chic.

So whether you’re a monochrome opter or a colour enjoyer when it comes to IM Men, we can all appreciate the pattern cutting and fabric brilliance that brings drama and majestic movement to these casual, drapey clothes. The IM man this season can do it all – even in a million layers. 

Balenciaga dressed the haute gym bro

Wait, are gym rats cool now? For Balenciaga’s AW26 collection, newly installed creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli looked at how clothing works in our daily lives. 

Sportswear blends into the design language of Cristobal Balenciaga, a master of shape, volume, and refinement. Tailored coats were worn with hoodies and ball caps, anchored by full gym bags and yoga mats; the early hours uniform in the spotlight, not just the gym locker. Buttery soft leather jackets were layered with track tops, before daytime derbies and swooping trousers entered into the mix. 

This was a collection that valued absolute luxury, not just in what is worn, but in how we move through life. 

Kiko Kostadinov doesn’t fit into boxes

Kiko Kostadinov is London’s mad menswear professor flying the flag in Paris. His AW26 collection showed his sleight of hand, spanning clean cut single-breasted suits before being warped and wrapped around the body, with shirts ruching at the elbow, and tank tops finished with asymmetrical necklines. This was clothing that didn’t fit into boxes, and instead offered something refreshingly uneasy, and characteristically off-beat. 

This is the stuff cool people will ask you about, with features like rhombus cuts and diagonal gusset motifs weird enough to intrigue without ever tipping over into costume. For the most part, the freakiness was kept to sombre greys, blues and blacks. But uniform-ish nylon looks in red and mustard turned up the colour dial to round out the collection. 

Michael Rider debuts his first Celine Menswear collection 

Newly-installed Celine creative director Michael Rider unveiled his first standalone menswear offering via a presentation format. 

Held in the Maison’s HQ, clothing was presented like gallery installations, with shoes snaking along the floor, satisfyingly colour coordinated, while sweaters and denim stacks were arranged like sculptures. Shirts and patterned square ties came in blockish blues and reds, leather jackets were adorned with pin badges. Footwear spanned pointed ballet-style loafers and boots, and the Phantom bag (first seen during Phoebe Philo’s tenure at The House) featured in the collection. 

Rider has delivered a stellar look into French style through his American lens, where Ivy League chill and polished Parisian minimalism can work together. This is deeply solid stuff — menswear that packs a punch without any need to shout about it. 

Rick Owens was a smokeshow

The so-called Lord of Darkness returned in true capital-G Gothic fashion (vampiric undertones included), with a smoke-filled space that had guests squinting their eyes in hopes of getting a glance at the collection. A continuation of last season — “TEMPLE OF LOVE, TOWER OF LIGHT” as per Owens’ self-written show notes — TOWER was all about enforcement.

In this day and age, it’s easy to feel powerless, as police brutality continues to plague the streets of America, and an endless stream of globally-found violence unfolds in front of our screens. Owens may not have the full-proof solution to end it all, but he does propose the following tangible actions:

First and foremost, identify the wrongdoers. This season, the offenders are caricatured by over-inflated, disproportionate boots resembling those of a law-enforcement officer. Shaggy headpieces trailed along the torso, bouncing on the walker’s legs, and lightly grazing the floor, all the while covering their face, alienating the wearer from his identity, further spreading fear of the unknown.

Strengthen your armour. Statement, multi-pocketed coats offer more than just practicality. Made out of kevlar, a heat-resistant synthetic fibre five times stronger than steel, the outerwear pieces are the first point of contact with the external world. Protection is of the utmost importance in vulnerable times.

Lean and rely upon your closest. Owens’ tight knit community is one he continues to tap into, season after season. Square-cut crocheted tops were a handmade product of  SARUTANYA, a close collaborator who has been working with the Rick Owens family for the past ten years. Perhaps not a traditionalist in the strictest sense, Owens continues to pull resources from those who have supported him across his career. For example, part of his wool was provided by a fourth generation textile mill in Veneto, Italy, a frequent pitstop in Owens’ creative journey.

Surround yourself with those who share your ethos. No show is like a Rick Owens show. From the mass of crowds who gather outside the landmark space in hopes of catching a glimpse of the new offering, to those privy to the actual show ground (none of which are dressed by the brand, yet all unmistakably appear to be part of the same herd), there is undeniable love and admiration flowing through the Palais de Tokyo. The dark and often off-putting clothing is simply the reactive effect of the menacing environment that surrounds us all.

Everyone had fun at Dries Van Noten AW26

Paris Fashion Week is exhausting, plain and simple. The schedule is relentless, your feet never stop, and your social battery gets about 12 minutes to recharge between shows and dinners. Today, though, Julian Klausner offered a rare reprieve at Dries Van Noten’s Autumn/Winter 2026 show: sip a beer, let the smooth jazz wash over you, and take in some damn good clothes.

Kicking off the Belgian designer’s sophomore collection, Klausner carried the poise of his lauded debut effortlessly into this outing. Patterns abounded, as expected: Missoni-esque stripes, the house’s signature florals, and everything in between, all drenched in a warm orange hue that threaded through the busy lineup.

The menswear felt preppy yet playful, carefree with a dash of childhood whimsy. Prints collided without a second thought, sleeves were casually rolled, and silhouettes leaned oversized, reminiscent of the clothes your parents used to buy you to “grow into.” Despite the adolescent playfulness, the tailoring was mature, sophisticated in a jazz-enthusiast sort of way: extended, sharp shoulders, forgiving double-breasted fronts, and double pleats that moved with a natural rhythm.

Klausner has shed the nerves of his debut and now inhabits his role like a child in a Dries Van Noten-shaped candy store. He’s self-served a pick-and-mix bag of his favourite patterns and colours, creating a collection that injects much-needed vibrance into rainy January Paris – not to mention the perfect pick-me-up show for any lucky guest in attendance.

Kenzo brought the calm 

Paris Fashion Week and feeling zen don’t usually feature in the same sentence. You wouldn’t include the pace of the French capital during show season in any conversations around stillness, calm, and sanctuary. But Kenzo managed to weave the two together.

The brand unveiled its AW26 collection within Kenzo Takada’s former home, nestled away in the Bastille district of the city, a hidden design triumph, imagined as an oasis to bring peace, clarity, a spot for some garden meditation, and the space for legendary parties (the Kenzo founder used to throw his post-show parties at home). 

The collection served as a homecoming. This meant an exchange between Japan and France played out across workwear, western-style flannels, Italian and kimono tailoring. And given the presentation space, some historical nods were right at (literal) home, seen through the return of a 1986 Kenzo Kite bag. The whole thing felt considered and calm; a fallow year from the runway frenzy in favour of something slower and softer. And it was a rare chance for the travelling fashion set to pause to take in the world of Kenzo from its original Parisian base.

AMIRI took the Hollywood Hills to Paris 

Inspired by the creative scenes that spawned from the Hollywood hills in the 1970s, AMIRI’s languid and loose tailoring landed like a time capsule, bursting with the free spirit of the creatives that called Laurel Canyon home. This meant suits paired with denim, punctuated with western-style tips on lapels. When it was dressed up, it was worn with boots over traditional dress shoes, suggesting a care-free approach that favours personal style over rule-following. 

The ’70s vibes extended into a colour palette that spanned deep burgundies to sage and mint greens. To hammer it all home, select guests enjoyed the show from the cosy comfort of velvet armchairs and leather sofas, mirroring those fancy homes in the Hills. 

Solid Homme made uniforms for real life

Solid Homme presented a transparent look into the uniform of life, where beyond looking good, fashion is a vehicle for getting through the day. This was seen in the presentation space, where the floor was swamped with monitors and office chairs and workshop walls were packed with tools. 

The collection was grounded in reality rather than fantasy. This meant a wardrobe shaped by tradition grounded by the demands of the daily grind. Tailoring was heavy and winter-ready, shirt and tie combinations ticked business professional dress codes. Boiler suits were worn with overcoats and protective aprons lapped over pooling trousers. Models carried large leather shoulder bags with coats shoved through straps in a nod to the toolbox for the day (and night) ahead. 

“The concept of the alter ego defines the season. Not a disguise, but an extension. The accountant who builds furniture after hours,” read the accompanying show notes. “The barista who codes through the night. The creative director who returns home to domestic routine. These parallel existences do not demand costume changes. Instead, they call for adaptability, intelligence and nuance.”

Our Legacy AW26 gets down to business

Cult menswear label Our Legacy has enjoyed a pretty organic rise to mainstream fame. What started off as an IYKYK brand for only the savviest of fashion enthusiasts has now become a household name at countless major boutiques. The clothes are extremely wearable, the designs walk the line of not-too-minimalist perfectly and their silhouettes never fail to flatter. 

This season’s offering was titled “Just Clothes” and saw the Swedish outfit step back into their Nordic roots, staying true to their military references rather than trying to actively leave their OL fingerprints behind. Reversible MA-1 bombers are filled with their own recyclable filling and given new life in the lining, giving the jackets a heftier and more premium feel. Car coats are also given a vintage treatment on the outside wool, contrasting with the true-to-original inside that peaks out when worn unbuttoned. 

Meanwhile, their approach to tailoring and the optimal business casual wardrobe remains within their signature realm, elevating ties with a leather treatment or giving suit trousers a relaxed fit with a glimmering sheen for a touch of punk sensibilities.

Our Legacy knows what they do best and they keep on delivering, season after season. This collection did feel like they were going back to basics but in a way that felt nostalgic to true fans who have been following the brand for several years, restoring the rock ‘n roll feeling that got so many of us hooked in the first place. 

The style roulette at sacai AW26

It would be a treat to catch any of sacai’s models on the street. Not just because they’re all dashingly handsome, beautiful individuals, but because the clothes at the Autumn/Winter 2026 show are really that good. 

The sequencing this season was as clear as day. Tailoring, leather, military wear, tweeds, eveningwear, knits, workwear, aztec patterns and florals were all blocked into a series of looks, playing like your liked songs on shuffle. Chitose Abe played on the rule of thirds, adding an extra layer on trousers to give us three points of visual interest from top to bottom, not limited to just womenswear. Each genre of look was executed masterfully, with each subsection of style fighting between clean cuts and bulbous shapes to create a collection that was well-rounded yet full of edge. 

Fashion’s obsession with neckties continues in this show, too, with each look featuring a scarf or tie at any given chance and worn incorrectly (on purpose, obviously). This intentional sloppiness has been a key factor in this season’s men’s Fashion Week and whether you think it’s performative (yuck!) nonchalance or top-notch styling, there’s a rather punk sentiment in roughing up these elegant, high-end clothes. 

Abe put on a lot of hats this time around, and that’s without a single headwear piece in sight. To try your hand in this many clashing styles over the span of 73 looks is impressive enough, but she has passed with flying colours and there’s no doubt people leaving the show are already anticipating when we’ll get the chance to have these clothes in our wardrobe – I know I am!

Feng Chen Wang delivers chaos and control

At Feng Chen Wang, menswear chaos and put-together sophistication live in the same universe. This meant pairing your smart shirt and tie with a massive fur hat, colourblocked suiting peppered with loose black threads, oil-stained denim, and cardigans reinforced with nylon. The clashing was born from the Chinese philosophical concept of Liang Yi (which means two forces), where dressing up and down weirdly worked well. 

This wasn’t a collection that could be easily categorised, and instead saw clothing move through different moods, days, and attitudes, where the traditional codes were twisted and took on new meanings. Rules were broken, it was bold, but it worked, and proved the power in loosening things up. Extra points for the dogs that graced the runway, too. 

The blockbuster that was KidSuper AW26

As guests took their seats at the show that never fails to deliver a true spectacle, KidSuper Autumn/Winter 2026 opened with a short film featuring famed French actor Vincent Cassel. Directed by Colm Dillane himself, a sharp cut in the movie transitioned us to the show where we saw a more mature look for the brand, both in style and in the casting. 

Film seemed to be a big theme for Dillane this season, with many notable characters being mirrored in the collection. We got Neo and Morpheus in slick, head-to-toe black leathers, Theo Faron from Children of Men and even Tyler Durden in warm-toned leather jackets and tropical shirting. 

KidSuper-isms were clear for all of us to see, with the American designer’s signature illustrations and paintings adorned on several coats and suits along with a surprising collaboration with Jameson Whiskey making its debut. Without hiding his love for the beautiful game, Dillane is World Cup-ready with a Havaianas collaboration which also hit the runway with turf soles. 

Wooyoungmi reimagines the winter traveller 

Winter might mean shorter nights and colder weather. But it makes for some exceptional menswear (we’re talking big coat gold). And it’s Korea’s plummeting temperatures that served as the basis for Wooyoungmi’s AW26 collection. 

Madame Woo imagined how travellers would have bundled up at the turn of the century – a time when railway travel meant sophistication, where passengers would  navigate snow-capped mountains in style. This was played out through leather field jackets, wool coats, and faux fur bombers. Tailoring was layered with technical parkas and paired with hiking boots, fusing formality with function, as laid-back outerwear and suiting created a tension rooted in the demands of winter wear. We don’t know where these guys are going, but we want to come with them. 

It was a whimsical affair at Jacquemus AW26

With a rather poignant showing for his last collection, Simon Porte Jacquemus decided to have some fun and add a little whimsy to close out Paris Fashion Week. This came in the form of scattered and multi-coloured polka dots on a bulbous bomber jacket, dotted ties flung across the shoulder and, of course, the palm tree ponytail that was inspired by his daughter. 

For an Autumn/Winter show, the legs were out with short shorts and boxers the preferred choice for many looks, further proving the care-free approach to this season’s offering. But if you’re a fan of Jacquemus’ sharp tailoring, there were a series of equestrian-esque looks with an asymmetrical button closure along with glimmering pinstripes and oversized tuxedos.