The men’s runway season casts an uneasy mood, and long shadow of Valentino

This season’s official rotation, beginning with Pitti Uomo in Florence and followed by Milan and Paris, arrived fragmented. Major houses including Gucci and Fendi opted out of Milan’s menswear calendar entirely, choosing instead to present co-ed collections during the women’s season or via alternative formats. JW Anderson was also notably absent, as Jonathan Anderson shifts his focus to Dior.

The result was a pared-back Milan, heavy on presentations and satellite moments but light on the kinds of runway statements that typically anchor the week. Editors and buyers expressed frustration at the dilution of impact, particularly with the international contingent already in Italy for Pitti Uomo.

Valentino’s passing cast a long shadow

Mid-season, the fashion world came to a standstill with the death of Valentino Garavani at the age of 93. His passing triggered an outpouring of tributes, culminating in a funeral in Rome attended by industry leaders, cultural figures and longtime collaborators. It was a rare collective pause in an otherwise relentless fashion cycle.

Valentino was a founder-designer who never relinquished control of his vision, nor deviated from his lifelong pursuit of beauty, elegance and refinement. In a period dominated by creative churn and brand repositioning, his legacy feels increasingly singular.

Market context: Growth amid uneven demand

Against this backdrop of calendar shifts and creative tension, the larger luxury menswear market continues to grow, even if unevenly. According to recent industry projections, the global luxury menswear segment is expected to have reached approximately 48.6 billion dollars in 2025, with a compound annual growth rate of around 4.3 percent from 2022 to 2025. Demand is being fuelled by increased digital penetration and heightened consumer interest in personalised and exclusive fashion experiences.

Separate data on the broader luxury apparel sector shows that men’s luxury apparel accounted for more than half of total revenue in 2025, reinforcing the strategic importance of the male consumer to the high-end fashion ecosystem.

Paris: Creativity meets uncertainty

Against this economic and emotional backdrop, Paris Men’s Fashion Week unfolded with ambition but also tension, as houses grappled openly with questions of identity, relevance and commercial reality.

At Dior, Jonathan Anderson’s second menswear outing sharply divided opinion. Conceptual and highly styled, the collection underscored Anderson’s intellectual approach, yet left some critics and clients questioning what Dior menswear now fundamentally represents. Online commentators rated the show unevenly, reflecting a widening disconnect between fashion’s internal discourse and broader market sentiment. Blame it on the yellow wigs.

Industry insiders note the mounting pressure on houses to balance creative expression with commercial performance, especially as logo-driven and ready-to-wear categories continue to underpin revenue in a luxury market where apparel and accessories remain core drivers of growth.

Milan’s missed opportunity

In Milan, Prada stood out as one of the few houses injecting genuine excitement into the week. Elsewhere, the absence of major players and the migration of co-ed collections to the womenswear season left the week feeling underwhelmed.

With editors, buyers and international press already in Italy for Pitti Uomo, many questioned why Milan has not capitalised more effectively on that momentum.

Casting, backlash and cultural blind spots

At Dolce & Gabbana, a parade of exclusively white models provoked immediate backlash, reigniting debates around representation and cultural awareness. In an industry increasingly attentive to diversity, such casting decisions now land as dissonance rather than provocation.

Clothes for real lives

In Paris, designers such as Dries Van Noten, Lemaire and Rick Owens delivered precisely what their respective audiences expect: collections rooted in clear identity and wearability. Lemaire, in particular, continues to excel with garments grounded in real-world needs, creating an ongoing counterpoint to more theatrical runway moments.

Where menswear stands now

In an era shaped by political pressure, economic unevenness and creative fatigue, the appetite for merely fantasy garments appears to be waning. Buyers and consumers alike are signalling a renewed emphasis on clarity, longevity and relevance in menswear, priorities that align with broader luxury market dynamics where apparel demand remains a stabilising force.

This season has underscored a quiet shift: concept alone is no longer enough. As the industry reflects on the life and legacy of Valentino Garavani, a designer who never needed disruption to remain relevant, menswear finds itself at a crossroads. The rhythm is uneven, the mood cautious, and the question lingering over every runway is no longer what is new, but what is worth making and wearing now.