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Fit and flair, men’s fashion is having a shake-up

Menswear is no longer as much about countries, ‘it’s about the internet’.

Jacob Elordi wears a Bottega Veneta cross body bag; Timothee Chalamet at the Wonka premiere in Paris. Pictures: Getty Images
Jacob Elordi wears a Bottega Veneta cross body bag; Timothee Chalamet at the Wonka premiere in Paris. Pictures: Getty Images

Boys just want to have fun. Or, at least, they definitely want more flair. That was the take-out from the men’s fashion shows in Milan and Paris this month, where – both on and off the runway – finesse and personal style were fully expressed.

This could be attributed to such things as Kim Jones debuting the first haute couture for Dior Men with gleaming details such as beaded necklines, crystal-embellished overcoats and a sense of opulence that took inspiration from ballet luminary Rudolf Nureyev.

Shimmering accents could be found in Sabato de Sarno’s debut menswear collection for Gucci too amid the more classical tailoring. There were the skirts at Fendi and the reintroduction of the necktie at Prada – proof that it is at one’s peril to ever declare the death of a fashion item. So too the idea that menswear is a broad church, and rules are always meant to be refashioned.

At Valentino, tailoring was softened with rounder shapes. “I want to give men a new grace and gentleness,” says creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli. “The suits are really soft as cardigans. It’s a long way from the classic president’s double-breasted power suit.”

Loewe fall/winter ’24.
Loewe fall/winter ’24.
Textures and softness at Valentino.
Textures and softness at Valentino.

There was the joy of Pharrell Williams’ cowboy-inspired third collection for Louis Vuitton, which showcased the intricate work of Dakota and Lakota nations artisans and offered a new lens on the American Dream.

And indeed the American Dream, so broadened and flattened by the internet, also inspired Jonathan Anderson at Loewe. The Northern Irish designer continues to reimagine what menswear can be with his studies of art, craftsmanship and the creation of new silhouettes.

Backstage, he told Vogue Runway of his latest collection – which mixed Fair Isle polo sweaters with sweatpants and pussy-bow blouses in leather and denim – that it represented “a lot about heroes and bad boys. And a lot about America. How the American Dream kind of became a global dream somehow. Though now, in a weird way, it’s not about countries anymore. It’s about the internet. We are just the internet”.

The internet has shaped some of the shifting discourse around men’s fashion too: witness “babygirl men”. That is, men the internet has decided to almost unequivocally adore, in part because of the way they dress and engage with fashion.

Confirmed “babygirl men” include 195cm-tall Priscilla star Jacob Elordi, who has been snapped carrying “women’s” handbags such as the Bottega Veneta Andiamo bag and a yellow Louis Vuitton Monogram Speedy, and Timothee Chalamet, whose recent fantastical Wonka press tour included the likes of a gleaming Tom Ford tank top adapted from the women’s runways.

Other “internet boyfriends” such as Pedro Pascal and Paul Mescal fall firmly into this category too. As fashion and pop culture critic Evan Ross Katz told Vogue Business’s Madeleine Schulz, the rise of babygirl men ultimately points to a shift in how fashion is both worn and consumed.

“We’ve eliminated, in some senses, the idea that to take an interest in fashion somehow makes you effeminate or gay – or that it says something about who you are as a person.”

Now, to be interested in fashion is “cool”, he says.

Dior Men, fall winter 2024-25.
Dior Men, fall winter 2024-25.
Pops of red and the return of the tie at Prada.
Pops of red and the return of the tie at Prada.

Sinead Cutts, style director of The Outnet, says we’re in an interesting time for men’s fashion. It’s something she expects to continue to infiltrate the culture (and our wardrobes) more broadly.

“The male style icons in fashion have been so exciting these past few years. We are feeling the Saltburn effect in terms of male style icons: Jacob Elordi and Barry Keoghan’s red-carpet looks are making statements. From Harry Styles and Pharrell Williams to Timothee Chalamet and, again, the cast of Saltburn, there is a confidence in menswear that we haven’t seen for years,” Cutts says.

“This more experimental style was seen at Fendi with their culottes, Louis Vuitton’s floral applique and cowboy fringing. It’s an exciting time for menswear and I look forward to seeing it trickle down into the mainstream.”

Some of the biggest trends Cutts has noticed on the menswear runways recently are what she calls “outdoor pursuits” – think Balmoral-style wax jackets, lumberjack shirts or fishing vests worn with heavy workwear boots. (“A bit of a Balmoral look,” is how Silvia Venturini Fendi describes her collection.) She also clocks the TikTok-friendly “eclectic grandpa” trend of loaders, knitted vests and cardigans, and how – just as on the recent women’s runways – shorts are getting ever shorter.

That said, there’s also been plenty of great coats and interesting colour combinations such as mustard and apple green at Prada (which has also re-evaluated the idea of what men can wear to work) and neutrals with punchy and unexpected shades such as lime at Gucci. Pops of red brightened many a runway.

Chris Wilson, general manager of menswear at David Jones, says this has been a season of classicism, such as the assured elegance at Hermes, sleek and refined tailoring at Giorgio Armani (his favourite show of the season), sharp suiting albeit with signature kinks at Prada, and flamboyance.

Slinky polos and skirts at Fendi.
Slinky polos and skirts at Fendi.
Classic cuts at Giorgio Armani.
Classic cuts at Giorgio Armani.

“This season at the fall 2024 menswear collections, we saw a tasteful combination of the quiet luxury trend mixed with more experimental designs, setting the stage for a balance of subtlety and boldness,” he says.

“On the runway, styling remained simple and elegant, while fabrications and finishings took centre stage.

“Cashmere is the new wool and silk is the new cotton. Velvet is also making a resurgence in the form of cords and plains, with brushed and textured fabrics providing the feeling of luxury for the wearer to shine through.”

Key silhouettes of the season, says Wilson, include relaxed fits with deconstructed shoulders and boxy silhouettes in suiting.

Wilson lists the likes of Jeremy Allen White, Chalamet and Elordi, Troye Sivan and Charles Melton as men celebrating the “art of getting dressed” and redefining what personal style means in 2024.

It’s something he expects we will see more of in 2024.

“In 2024, individuality will remain central in menswear with clothes serving as a platform to express our style and identity. We’ll see menswear continue to embrace fluidity, blurring the gender lines and prioritising comfort, be it in formal and casual wear,” Wilson says.

“The influence of both high fashion and streetwear has had a big influence on this, fostering an environment where personal expression is celebrated.”

Jeremy Molcanvos, men’s buyer at Australian luxury retailer Incu, agrees there is more choice in menswear right now.

“Menswear is a lot more spontaneous and diverse than where it’s been, which for a customer is amazing since whatever you could possibly want is out there,” he says.

Still, he adds, casual tailoring remains a “significant trend” and he says denim is finally getting interesting again.

Molcanvos, whose personal favourite show this season was Belgian designer Dries Van Noten, says he hopes 2024 is the year men start wearing suits for fun.

Sleek and chic at Hermes.
Sleek and chic at Hermes.

“Less caring about what other people think and an increase in the ‘less is more’ mentality,” he says.

Indeed Molcanvos thinks investing in a suit, to be worn well beyond the office, is key for dressing well in 2024.

“Invest in a suit you feel comfortable wearing any day of the week. Comfort is the key word – think of it the same way you do your favourite jeans and T-shirt. Other than that, find a versatile coat that will last a lifetime and start exploring small brands you’ve never heard of to discover something new,” he says.

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Original URL: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/life/style/fit-and-flair-mens-fashion-is-having-a-shakeup/news-story/33d8f08be74d1b043c6e7b8c09a2ddf9