5 Paris Fashion Week Men's SS26 shows you missed

Yes, we’re still thinking about Jonathan Anderson’s first show for Dior Men. With colors and silhouette experimentation, a self-ironic flair and stylistic intellectualism, the designer announced his entrance into the French maison in grand style, earning the approval of the entire industry. But while all eyes were on that collection, the rest of the Paris Fashion Week carried on. Between political shows (thank you, Willy Chevarria) and museum inaugurations (merci, Rick Owens and Demna), the French menswear fashion calendar didn’t disappoint the expectations of a demanding audience coming from a creatively lacking Milan. Many brands and designers managed to embody the style of 2025 on the runway this summer, but unfortunately, our column calls for a rather narrow selection.

So here are the 5 shows from Paris Fashion Week Men’s SS26 you missed and should definitely catch up on.

Dries Van Noten

Anxiety and fear of failure didn’t stop Dries Van Noten’s new creative director, Julian Klusner, from delivering a majestic collection. His first solo outing after years of working alongside the maison’s founder, and his first menswear collection, a crucial milestone for a brand that began with menswear back in 1986. What stood out in this collection was how Klausner didn’t try to mimic the imagination, prints, and masterful color selection of Van Noten. Perhaps because he grew up in the Belgian designer’s ateliers, Klausner’s touch hinted at - but didn’t replicate - his predecessor’s designs. Explosive color combinations, color-blocking, and graphic flourishes were still present, but with a less romantic, more sporty feel than Dries Van Noten fans might expect.

Hermès

When you need the perfect summer capsule, just leave it to Véronique Nichanian. The designer, artistic director of Hermès menswear since 1988, said with a big smile after the show that the collection was designed for «just a nice, cool guy in the city.» With a muted yet clearly luxurious color palette and a carefully studied play on proportions (oversized jacket–tight trousers and vice versa), Nichanian really illustrated what a chic, wealthy, but down-to-earth guy would wear around town. Cream-colored bombers, glossy brown leather jackets, crumpled linen suits, and silk and satin tops made the collection sensual, with the addition of playful fringed scarves around the neck. The bags - which were many - were all oversized and packed with innovative stylistic details, adding practicality to the refined but relaxed looks. After all, he’s just a chill guy.

KidSuper

Right now, fashion is all about practicality, functional garments, and tangible results (money, revenue, recovery). But even in the darkest moments, we need a little escape. In Paris, there's Colm Dillane, who brought a good dose of fantasy and escapism to the runway with KidSuper SS26, along with the soccer stars so beloved by the American designer (hi, Mario Balotelli). For this collection, Dillane wrote and published The Boy Who Jumped the Moon, a children's book telling his own story, childhood dreams, and how he made them come true. But what truly left a mark in this show wasn’t the space-themed inspiration of the garments, it was their delightful humor. It’s a rich collection in every sense: full of prints, embroidery, textures, and surprising details, like a necktie made of pencils or a belt inspired by The Little Prince. What’s even better is that, aside from the primary-colored geometric tops and book-shaped bags, everything looks incredibly wearable, even the yellow astronaut jumpsuit.

Craig Green

If we talk about gorpcore today, it’s thanks in part to Craig Green, who blends sportswear and tailoring, grace and practicality with exceptional skill. A year after his last show (then presented in London), the British designer brought a collection to the runway that was extremely springlike, nostalgic in its inspiration - the Beatles and the 1960s - but not in execution. With LED-lit eyes, handkerchiefs clenched between teeth, and other vague references to the psychedelic effects of LSD, Green presented concept-driven garments that still feel of their time. All conventional items - parkas, knits, t-shirts, polos, and technical jackets - were stripped of their conventionality. Every element in the collection had something odd, ambiguous, just as if seen through someone’s altered perception. Floral prints and vibrant colors really evoked the ‘60s, but the use of technical fabrics, layering, and the reinterpretation of classics like the polo (a staple of menswear and the brand’s DNA) made SS26 a snapshot of now, of today, and of our need to romanticize even the most ordinary days.

Wales Bonner

In 2025, you can’t talk about menswear without mentioning Grace Wales Bonner, the British designer who has managed to formalize sneakers without compromising them, all while centering Black culture in contemporary fashion. Wales Bonner’s SS26 drew inspiration from garments of the past - those inherited from grandparents and great-grandparents - elevated and reinterpreted through the hands of a skilled tailor. Details of a tuxedo were woven into everyday pieces, from jeans to workwear suits, and each of the more dramatic garments was toned down with sporty pairings, like striped tracksuits, fleece jackets, technical shorts, or baggy jeans (a distinctly British move that calls to mind the golden years of Glastonbury). Special mention goes to the footwear, which once again risked stealing the spotlight from an equally brilliant collection: suede snoafer, leather fringes, shiny ballerina flats, and slim sneakers in collaboration with Y3 added all the color missing from the black-and-white looks, with bold mix-and-match palettes and reflective dark leather that brought charm to even the most solemn outfits.