In the grand theater of fashion, where hemlines rise and fall like tides and trends flicker like fireflies, there are moments that transcend the ephemeral.
These are the seismic shifts, the paradigm-shattering spectacles that don’t just turn heads—they spin the entire industry on its axis.
From the swinging sixties to the roaring twenties of our current millennium, men’s fashion has seen its fair share of revolutions, each leaving an indelible mark on the tapestry of style.
Picture, if you will, a timeline of menswear, not as a straight line but as a vibrant, chaotic constellation.
Each point of light represents a moment when convention was not just challenged, but gleefully tossed out the window with a wink and a swagger.
In this rollicking journey through the greatest hits of Paris Fashion Week Mens, we’ll traverse decades, duck under velvet ropes, and peek behind the curtain of some of the most audacious, controversial, and downright revolutionary moments in fashion history.
From Yohji Yamamoto’s ready-to-wear rebellion to Virgil Abloh’s swan song, these are the shows that didn’t just push envelopes—they set them ablaze and scattered the ashes to the four winds.
1.YOHJI YAMAMOTO’S DEBUT IN PARIS (1984)
Picture this: It’s 1981, and Paris Fashion Week is about to be shaken to its core.
Enter Yohji Yamamoto, the maverick Japanese designer who flipped the script on everything the French fashion establishment holds dear.
With a collection that screamed “anti-fashion” louder than a punk rock concert, Yamamoto unleashed a sartorial revolution that had traditionalists taking furious notes.
Imagine models strutting down the runway in silhouettes so oversized, they make your grandpa’s hand-me-downs look like skinny jeans.
Yamamoto’s creations blurred the lines between masculine and feminine, serving up a delicious platter of androgyny that left everyone questioning their wardrobe choices.
And the color palette?
Let’s just say it’s fifty shades of black, with a side of more black – a monochromatic feast for the eyes that somehow managed to be both stark and sumptuous.
Yamamoto took Western tailoring, that bastion of Parisian chic, and deconstructed it like a fashion-forward Jenga tower.
Seams were exposed, proportions were thrown out the window, and suddenly, imperfection became the new black (pun absolutely intended).
The French fashion elite?
Well, let’s just say their reactions ranged from bemused to downright scandalized.
Yamamoto was bringing a whole new perspective to the table, blending Eastern philosophy with Western silhouettes in a cultural mash-up that influenced designers for decades to come.
2.JEAN-PAUL GAULTIER’S MEN IN SKIRTS (1985)
Image Credit: Getty Images
Fast forward to 1985, and the fashion world was about to witness another earthquake, this time courtesy of Jean-Paul Gaultier.
The enfant terrible of Parisian couture had a reputation for pushing boundaries, but his men in skirts collection?
That was a whole new level of sartorial rebellion.
Models sashaying down the runway, their muscular legs peeking out from under pleated skirts and kilts.
The collective gasp from the audience was practically audible.
Gaultier, with his cheeky grin and sailor stripes, had just drop-kicked traditional gender norms right out of the Parisian atelier.
The collection was a love letter to punk and street culture, with tartan patterns clashing gloriously against leather jackets and studded accessories.
However, it wasn’t just about slapping skirts on men; Gaultier had meticulously tailored each piece to flatter the male form.
Image Credit: Getty Images
The result was a delicious cocktail of masculinity and femininity that left fashion critics both shaken and stirred.
Naturally, the media went into a frenzy.
Headlines screamed about the ‘death of masculinity’ while fashion magazines couldn’t get enough of the edgy new look.
Marketing the collection was a masterstroke in itself.
Gaultier leaned into the controversy, plastering Paris with provocative posters and staging guerrilla fashion shows in the streets.
It was fashion as performance art, and the world was his stage.
3.HEDI SLIMANE’S DEBUT FOR DIOR HOMME (2001)
Image Credit: Rindoff Petroff/Getty Images
The year is 2001, and Hedi Slimane is about to drop a menswear bomb on Paris Fashion Week that’ll reshape the male silhouette for years to come.
Imagine, if you will, a runway where the models look less like the beefy hunks of yesteryear and more like the lean, mean rock stars gracing the covers of NME.
Slimane, with his razor-sharp vision (and even sharper tailoring), introduced an ultra-slim silhouette that sent the fashion world into a collective tizzy.
Gone were the days of baggy jeans and oversized suits that dominated the late ’90s.
In their place?
Skinny ties, form-fitting jackets, and trousers so slim they’d make a pencil jealous.
Image Credit: V magazine
It was as if Slimane took one look at the prevailing styles of the ‘90s and decided to put the entire menswear industry on a diet.
The genius of Slimane didn’t stop at the cut of his clothes.
Oh no, the maverick decided to throw another curveball by casting musicians and artists as his models.
Celebrities and musicians flocked to Slimane’s creations like moths to a particularly stylish flame.
Before you can say “rock ‘n’ roll,” everyone from David Bowie to Brad Pitt is squeezing into Dior Homme, proving that Slimane’s vision transcended the boundaries of fashion and ventures into the realm of cultural zeitgeist.
4.THOM BROWNE’S “MAD MEN ON ACID” SHOW (2013)
Image Credit: Gianni Pucci / GoRunway.com
If Hedi Slimane turned fashion on its head, Thom Browne in 2013 decided to drop it into a kaleidoscope and give it a vigorous shake.
His “Mad Men on Acid” show was less a fashion presentation and more a fever dream brought to life, leaving the audience wondering if someone had spiked the champagne.
Imagine Don Draper stumbling through a Salvador Dali painting, and you’re halfway there.
Browne took the clean-cut silhouettes of 1960s menswear and warped them into psychedelic wonderlands.
Suits in eye-searing patterns, proportions stretched to cartoonish extremes, and headgear that would make the Mad Hatter envious – it was a sartorial trip without the need for chemical enhancement.
The runway became a stage for Browne’s theatrical vision.
Models moved with exaggerated, puppet-like movements, their faces painted stark white, creating an unsettling contrast with the explosive colors of the garments.
Technically, the collection was a marvel.
Image Credit: Gianni Pucci / GoRunway.com
Browne’s atelier must have been a mad scientist’s lab, pushing the boundaries of tailoring to their breaking point and beyond.
The show was a watershed moment for Thom Browne.
It cemented Browne’s reputation as fashion’s maddest hatter, a designer unafraid to push boundaries to their breaking point and beyond.
After all, who could forget a show like this?
5.RICK OWENS’ “SPHINX” SHOW (2015)
Image Credit: Yannis Vlamos / Indigitalimages.com
Hold onto your hats, because Rick Owens’ 2015 “Sphinx” show was about to redefine the very concept of a runway spectacle.
In a world where shock value seemed increasingly hard to come by, Owens managed to drop jaws and raise eyebrows with a presentation that was equal parts art installation, philosophical statement, and, oh yes, fashion show.
The scene: Paris Fashion Week.
The expectation: another avant-garde collection from fashion’s dark lord.
The reality: models strutting down the catwalk with their nether regions exposed for all to see.
If you just did a double-take, you’re not alone.
The fashion world collectively gasped, then leaned in for a closer look (pause.).
Owens described nudity as “the most simple and primal gesture,” emphasizing its potent symbolism in the contemporary, corporatized landscape.
He leveraged this concept to striking effect, introducing an audacious element to the runway: several models appeared with their penises exposed through strategic cut-outs in their garments.
Image Credit: Yannis Vlamos / Indigitalimages.com
Despite its potential for shock, the unveiling was subtle, more a whisper than a shout, underscoring Owens’ ability to balance the sensational with the artistic.
The garments themselves—a series of deconstructed tunics and swathes of fabric—enveloped the models in what has become Owens’ signature style: a poetic, flowing aesthetic that often blurs the lines between traditional masculine and feminine silhouettes.
The show’s bold display was not just about shock value but a deeper commentary on freedom and independence in fashion.
Owens pointedly critiqued the corporate dominance over personal expression, using his platform to challenge normative boundaries and expectations.
6.GOSHA RUBCHINSKIY’S SHOW AT A 1930S BUS DEPOT (2016)
Image Credit: Yannis Vlamos / Indigitalimages.com
In 2016, while other designers were busy transforming grand Parisian palaces into runways, Gosha Rubchinskiy zigged where others zagged.
He chose a gritty 1930s bus depot on the outskirts of Paris as his catwalk, and in doing so, transported the fashion elite from their comfort zones straight into the heart of post-Soviet cool.
The show consisted of fashion’s finest picking their way through an industrial wasteland, the smell of diesel and rust hanging in the air.
As models emerged from the shadows, it became clear this wasn’t just a show – it was a cultural immersion.
Image Credit: Yannis Vlamos / Indigitalimages.com
Rubchinskiy’s collection was a love letter to Eastern European youth culture, filtered through a high-fashion lens.
Oversized sweatshirts emblazoned with Cyrillic script rubbed shoulders with reconstructed track pants and chunky sneakers.
It was as if the coolest kids from a Moscow skate park had raided a Soviet-era wardrobe and hit the runway.
The raw, industrial atmosphere of the venue wasn’t just a backdrop – it was an integral part of the experience.
Models stalked through puddles, their reflections creating a mirror image that blurred the lines between fashion and gritty reality.
It was streetwear in its natural habitat, far removed from the polished boutiques of the Champs-Élysées.
There was something irresistibly authentic about Rubchinskiy’s vision – a breath of fresh (if slightly diesel-tinged) air in a fashion landscape that often felt stale and over-produced.
The impact on menswear was immediate and far-reaching.
Suddenly, Cyrillic script was everywhere, and the post-Soviet aesthetic became the coolest thing since sliced black bread.
7.KIM JONES FOR DIOR MEN WITH KAWS (2018)
Image Credit: Getty/Victor Boyko
Just when the fashion world thought it had seen every collaboration imaginable, Kim Jones swooped in and raised the bar to stratospheric heights.
His 2018 debut for Dior Men, featuring a partnership with street art icon KAWS was a cultural earthquake that left the industry’s tectonic plates permanently shifted.
The scene was set when the hallowed runway of Dior, steeped in decades of haute couture tradition, suddenly invaded by a giant floral sculpture of KAWS’ signature BFF character.
The juxtaposition was jarring, thrilling, and utterly unforgettable.
Jones’ collection was a masterclass in sartorial alchemy, transmuting street art’s raw energy into high fashion gold.
Suits adorned with KAWS’ distinctive motifs strutted down the runway, each piece a wearable canvas that blurred the lines between art gallery and wardrobe.
The iconic Dior bee, reimagined through KAWS’ distinctive style, buzzed across accessories and garments, creating an instant icon for the Instagram age.
Technically, the collection was a tour de force.
Jones and his team had to reinvent techniques, pushing the boundaries of embroidery, printing, and tailoring to bring their vision to life.
Suddenly, every luxury brand was scrambling to collaborate with artists, but few could match the organic synergy of Jones and KAWS.
8.KIM JONES’S TRIBUTE TO PETER SAVILLE FOR DIOR (2019)
Image Credit: Filippo Fior / Gorunway.com
Let’s turn the page to 2019, shall we?
The fashion world was buzzing, and Kim Jones was about to drop a collection for Dior Men that would have both punk rockers and couture connoisseurs weak at the knees.
At the heart of this sartorial symphony?
The iconic designs of Peter Saville, graphic design god and the man behind those Joy Division and New Order album covers you’ve seen plastered across every hipster’s bedroom wall.
Jones didn’t just borrow from Saville’s playbook – he transformed it into a three-dimensional fashion fantasy.
Models strutted down the runway, their silhouettes a perfect blend of punk rebellion and Dior refinement.
Archival graphics that once adorned vinyl sleeves now danced across luxe fabrics, treated with techniques so innovative they’d make a NASA engineer swoon.
Image Credit: Filippo Fior / Gorunway.com
9.LOUIS VUITTON’S FINAL VIRGIL ABLOH COLLECTION (2022)
Image Credit: Corbis / Getty Images
As the lights dimmed on the Louis Vuitton runway in 2022, an electric hush fell over the audience.
This wasn’t just another fashion show; it was a farewell, a celebration, a poignant tribute to a visionary lost too soon.
Virgil Abloh’s final collection for Louis Vuitton unfolded like a dream, a bittersweet symphony of everything that made him a game-changer in the world of fashion.
The collection was pure Abloh – a kaleidoscope of ideas, a fusion of streetwear and haute couture that defied categorization.
Angelic figures with gossamer wings glided down the runway, their ethereal presence a stark reminder of Abloh’s untimely departure.
Yet, true to his spirit, the show was far from somber.
It pulsated with life, color, and the unbridled creativity that was Abloh’s hallmark.
Key looks spoke volumes about Abloh’s legacy.
Image Credit: Filippo Fior / Gorunway.com
Oversized tailoring paired with sneakers reminded us how he blurred the lines between formal and casual, high and low.
Each piece was a manifesto, a declaration of Abloh’s vision for a more inclusive, diverse fashion world.
The front row was a who’s who of cultural icons, each there to pay homage to a man who had transformed not just Louis Vuitton, but the entire fashion landscape.
Tears flowed freely, yet there was an undercurrent of joy – a celebration of a life lived in technicolor.
10.WALTER VAN BEIRENDONCK’S HALLOWEEN SHOW (2024)
Image Credit: Isidore Montag / Gorunway.com
In January 2024.
Walter van Beirendonck dropped a sartorial bombshell that got the whole industry buzzing.
Welcome to “Banana Wink Boom,” the mind-bending creation from the Belgian maestro of the avant-garde.
Imagine a world where Salvador Dalí and René Magritte decided to crash a rave in 2024, and you’re close to the vibe of van Beirendonck’s offering.
Van Beirendonck, never one to play it safe, took his decades of boundary-pushing experience and cranked it up to eleven.
“Banana Wink Boom” was a technicolor explosion that managed to be both a nostalgic nod to the past and a daring leap into the future.
It was as if someone had taken the entire history of fashion, thrown it in a blender with a dash of LSD, and served it up on a silver platter.
The runway was a riot of colors so bold they practically jumped off the models and slapped you in the face.
Patterns clashed and danced in a way that shouldn’t have worked but somehow did, like a visual jazz improvisation.
And the materials?
Image Credit: Isidore Montag / Gorunway.com
Let’s just say van Beirendonck could probably make haute couture out of your grandmother’s curtains and a roll of tin foil.
The presentation itself was pure theater.
Models didn’t just walk; they performed, turning the runway into a surrealist stage where anything could happen. It was less a fashion show and more a fever dream you never wanted to wake up from.
In a world that often takes itself too seriously, Walter van Beirendonck’s “Banana Wink Boom” was a much-needed reminder that fashion, at its core, should be fun.
It was a kaleidoscopic middle finger to the status quo, a celebration of creativity, and a tantalizing glimpse into a future where the only rule is that there are no rules.
