Takeaway trends from Paris Fashion Week Menswear

Menswear designers including Off-White, Acne Studios, Louis Vuitton and Dior Homme unveiled their collections for the Fall/Winter 2019 season. While we saw many current trends such as streetwear, white sneakers and plaid patterns will stick around for at least another season, new elements like reptilian textures, fluorescent tones and fleece fabrics are making their way into popularity.

EDITED compiled a list of the most prominent takeaways that retailers should keep in mind. Self-expression is of key importance to consumers, so much so that outspoken slogans are going to be in large print on clothing, velvet is now a major factor to menswear, and prints are going strong.

Louis Vuitton AW19, Catwalkpictures.com

Themes: expression and utilitarianism

We’ve seen graphic slogans in clothing before, but for Fall/Winter 2019, this trend has surpassed brand logos and turned into impassioned slogans printed in large text. Olivier Rousteing’s phrase of choice was “You only show my name not my story.”

On a different note, functionality has moved beyond comfort in fit and pockets to utilitarian elements crafted into clothing. Designers used chains, clips and straps as bold detailing elements.

Loewe AW19, Catwalkpictures.com

Prints: stripes, camo and reptile textures

Menswear is all about prints this season, whether it was Issey Miyake’s large stripe details or Acne Studio’s mixed printed backgrounds. We also saw plenty of camo patterns, as well as animal prints or reptile textures reminiscent of current womenswear trends.

Berluti AW19, Catwalkpictures.com

Fabrics: velvet, fleece and corduroy

Along with the usual suspects like leather and wool, new players to the fabric game include textured materials, such as velvet or corduroy. Used in coats, Berluti’s velvet created a luxurious feel, quite contrasting to the functional appeal of corduroy used in trousers. Soft fabrics like fleece and satin were also prominent on the runways.

Colors: Neons, royal purple and crimson red

Menswear is embracing color, and lots of it. Multiple designers, including Raf Simons and Off-White opted for head-to-toe looks. Colors to pay attention to are neons like yellow, green and orange in outerwear, and rich tones such as royal purple and crimson read for daywear.

JW Anderson AW19, Catwalkpictures.com

Shapes: relaxed fits

Regardless of specific shape, trends all point to relaxed, oversized fits. Even down to detailing with double pockets, looser fits are key. Off-White and Sacai showed drop shoulder T-shirts, while others opted for oversized roll necks.

Off-White AW19, Catwalkpictures.com

Details: patches and contrast topstitching

Similarly to the exuberance in color palettes, detailing features point to prominent, noticeable aesthetics. Designers showed topstitching in contrasting colors and patches placed randomly onto T-shirts, creating a casual aesthetic that allowed for a somewhat loud, attention-grabbing result.

Main photo: MSGM all AW19 via Catwalkpictures