PARIS — Golden feathers cascaded down models’ concealed faces Saturday, which opened Loewe and evoked the myths, setting the stage for Northern Irish designer Jonathan Anderson’s more refined and subdued collection this season. This was a quintessential Anderson move, blending whimsical artistry with high fashion.
Here are some highlights of spring 2025 menswear shows:
Moments of poetry abounded, as usual. A stiff sleeveless pearl vest and another resembling armor, almost sculptural in its presence, shimmered like iridescent fish. Anderson’s talent for what he calls creating “collaged realness” was once again on display for spring, merging art content with high-end fashion.
Generous draping and ruching on pants and foulards showcased fine fashion design with curves swirling elegantly, all conceived with a light, minimalist touch. This was Anderson at his best, creating exaggerated, sculptural silhouettes that are now a hallmark of his Loewe tenure. The deceptive lightness and fluidity of the cottons, wools and leathers marked his ongoing exploration of materiality.
The tailored suit and pants — a mainstay of an office job — were touchstones, starkly contrasting the moments of whimsy.
Even here, styles were treated with Anderson’s signature off-kilter eye and in loose, generous proportions.
Elongated belts were in double vision, while patent Oxford shoes would have been ready for Wall Street, were it not for the fairytale-like surreally long toe that could have been worn by Rumpelstiltskin. Was Anderson trying to evoke a daydream of a bored city worker? This fusion of the mundane and the fantastical is an Anderson trademark. Spring was another example of his ability to use clothing as a medium to explore broader cultural themes.
Asian cross-over styles and sumptuous turban-like headwear mixed with the buttons and epaulet detailing of military garb created a distinctively avant-garde atmosphere for fashion-forward designer Kiko Kostadinov’s latest collection. The nuanced incorporation of pastels, often gently color-blocked into the outfits, lent the collection a vibrant yet subtle harmony, reflecting Kostadinov’s knack for blending unlikely elements.
The uncommon pastel hues made this collection sing. Kostadinov often uses vibrant tones to create eye-catching ensembles.
Other styles featured high, round collars that seemed to evoke Star Trek, adding a futuristic twist. Kostadinov has a penchant for integrating elements of science fiction and fantasy into his designs, as seen in past collections inspired by cinematic and bookish themes.
Indeed, one look — a striking industrial-style jacket and pants — sported surreal motifs of alien lifeforms or underwater creatures. This playful yet eerie detailing continued, resembling microscopic bacteria adorning a 70s-style pastel-striped shirt and pants.