Another fashion szn is almost upon us. Hopefully, you’re well rested and amply prepared – because as of January 13th, things are about to get a little hectic. So, what can we expect this month? With this season’s Gucci collection marking their first without ex-spearhead Alessandro Michele, and a notably absent announcement of a replacement for Louis Vuitton‘s Creative Director following the tragic loss of Virgil Abloh, we are seemingly catapulting into a mysterious start to the fashion month.
Milan’s Menswear Fashion Week kicks off on the 13th with none other than Gucci. All eyes will be firmly on the historic house as it powers into the fashion season for the first time without its enigmatic former Creative Director, Alessandro Michele. Last year, Michele’s showstopping take on gender fluid silhouettes and surrealist elements delighted us all; now, as the iconic brand plunges into a new era, the fashion industry will have to wait with baited breath to see what comes next. In true Milanese fashion, the week will bolster on with shows from the likes of Charles Jeffrey (marking his eponymous brand Charles Jeffrey Loverboy’s MFW debut), JORDANLUCA and Magliano.
Heritage powerhouse Prada entered its January 2022 Milanese show with a splashing of superstardom; featured runway appearances from William Dafoe, Gary Oldman and Jeff Goldbum were a social media sensation. This year, we’re anticipating nothing less. Historic houses set to return to the runway once more include Fendi and Emporio Armani on the 14th followed by Etro and JW Anderson on the 15th, leading onto a glittering after party into the hours. But that’s not all for the parties – following the confirmation of their long rumoured collaboration, Carhartt WIP and Marni will join forces to end the second day of Milan Fashion Week with a bang, with the celebration of their iconic collection likely to stray long into the night.
Parisian-side, the race will be on to find the next standout collection of the season. From condom-filled gloves at Botter, to headless models at Doublet – the fashion gimmick dominated the runways in 2022. So, will it come up trumps again this year? Only time (and an audience armed with TikTok poised phones) will tell. Kicking off the Parisian season is last year’s Pitti Uomo guest designer Grace Wales Bonner, whose PFW debut will be sure to make a mark if her scope of renowned multidisciplinary, 70’s inspired work is anything to go by. Following on from Bonner on the 17th will include rulebreaker Egonlab and luxury giant Saint Lauren; on the 18th, Acne Studios, Hed Maynar, Givenchy, Feng Chen Wang and Y/Project (to name a few); the 19th will bring us the likes of Issey Miyake, Rick Owens, Isabel Marant and Yohji Yamamato; and on the 20th, Junya Watanabe Man, Dior Homme, Comme des Garçons and many more.
Perhaps most poignantly, Louis Vuitton will march on with their show set to debut on the 19th, as the world watches – eagle eyed – to spot movement in regards to their new leader, post-Virgil. With no rumours yet flying around about who will take the helm of the historic house, their January show will be one you won’t want to miss. What’s more, with Balenciaga’s season-dominating crown slipping further by the weeks, we’re anticipating a quick snatch from fan-favourites Loewe as they take the new lead as the fashion darlings of this coming year.
In what will no doubt be a triumphant finale for Men’s PFW, Maison Margiela will end the last day with a show on the 22nd, marking a successful end to a Parisian Menswear masterpiece. As the weeks loom closer, only time will tell what trends, trials and treasures the season will bring is – but we’ll be here to unpack it all.
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