4 minutes
Paris showcases Botter's Caribbean couture and Lemaire's chic, practical fashion
The second day of shows immediately set the tone for Paris Fashion Week for Men. Judging by the first collections for autumn-winter 2024/25 that were presented in the first few days, quality and creativity were on the agenda, redefining the codes of menswear. The playful inventiveness of the young Botter brand and Lemaire's passionate and meticulous work on cuts and silhouettes are just two examples.
Botter continues to enrich its design and evolve its "Caribbean Couture", as proclaimed by a slogan embroidered in white on a black shirt. Each season, the brand pushes its style a little further, modernising the great classics of men's clothing.
The wool suit jacket was transformed into a blouse or worn inside out, zipped all the way up the back. The white or black cotton overshirt, with tweed cuffs, replaced the jacket. It was tucked into trousers, superimposed on another shirt buttoned up to the neck and adorned with a tie. The back of the trench went up the back, hanging over the shoulders like a cape.
The collection was also brightened up with total looks in tapestry, composed of suits and shirts cut from the same floral fabric, as well as other playful details. For example, thick-knit mountain socks that double as elbow pads, or tweed patches on the knees of trousers, while a hybrid model featured a work jacket with large pockets on the chest, which extended at the bottom into a classic houndstooth check version with its own pockets.
The two Dutch designers at the helm of the brand, Lisi Herrebrugh, whose family hails from the island of Santo Domingo, and Rushemy Botter, who was born on the island of Curaçao, also brilliantly infused their collection with the many references of their culture, crafting coats and jackets in a patchwork of vertical strips of masculine fabrics with jaggered edges. The sporty thread was still present, with vibrantly coloured jerseys and sweatshirts and a new collaboration with Reebok.
The same goes for the theme of protecting the oceans, which is dear to the duo, who once again warned of the damage caused by pollution with a highly effective logo-slogan that hijacks the emblem of a major oil company. The word hell, dripping in red, was emblazoned beneath a yellow scallop shell edged in red on the front of a hoodie and a pair of grey-black jogging shorts with holes in them.
Lemaire organised its fashion show in-house, at its headquarters on Place des Vosges, in the heart of the Marais district. "It was the right time for us to welcome you where we work, because Lemaire is all about style. We wanted to focus on what we do with passion in clothing, and als this place, which presents a collective way of working in fashion. We're lucky enough to have everything on site - the workshop, offices and studio. This is important, because we believe that the process defines the result," explains Christophe Lemaire, who runs the label with Sarah-Linh Tran.
Women and men with long, loose hair invariably wore the same outfits. Multi-stratum total looks that freely combined different pieces and materials in a single, tone-on-tone hue. The show opened with a light palette of natural shades (beige, off-white, etc.), with knitwear taking centre stage, from second-skin silk knits to cosy woollen bodysuits and gaiter tights. Models in slippers or ballet pumps and pleated crepe tunics, accentuating the 'classical dance' spirit.
Playing on the contrast between the intimacy of the domestic sphere and the more unpredictable and sometimes hostile outside, the duo imagined versatile silhouettes in which silk or cotton pyjamas were slipped on under a coat, with big, warm, comfortable woollen socks, while the coat took on the appearance of a bathrobe. Inside and outside were skilfully blended, with great attention paid, as always, to pieces with sleeves. "We did a lot of work on the technical aspects, for example using a magnificent Japanese nylon that looks like silk," continues the designer.
It's all about attitude. The cardigan could be tied at the waist in yet another layer, or over the shoulder to fit the shape of a shoulder bag. The big khaki mackintosh went perfectly with the shirt and the rolled-up trousers in slightly worn denim. The large cable jumper worn over the shoulders became a protective scarf. A large woollen collar protruded from the leather jacket under the mackintosh, rising to just above the ears.
Tailoring and outewear came together harmoniously to form a single look in these monochrome, sophisticated and timeless looks, in which fantasy was banished, with a few exceptions. Silver pendants sparkled on a jumper or shirt, while laces were tightened around the neck of some shirts with a decorated metal buckle, in the manner of Western ties. A folkloric vein took hold of the collection at the end of the show, with thistle-print plaids with long fringes wrapped around the waist and ethnic embroidery decorating jackets and coats. A novelty at Lemaire.
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