7 Hot Takes From 2026 Men’s Fashion Weeks
Every season, as shows unfold across Florence, Milan and Paris during men’s fashion week, there’s a consensus that builds: which brands are hot, which brands are not, which designers managed to tap into the zeitgeist and which managed to create the next it sneaker or must-have jacket.
But what about the opinions that are whispered, after shows, in the caffès and the bistros? This season, we’re airing those out — our hottest takes from two weeks of menswear shows.
1. Italian Menswear Has Some Serious Competition
I had the distinct impression in Florence and Milan that the Italian menswear industry was running on fumes. In Florence, SOSHIOTSUKI was one of three guest designers and while the recent LVMH Prize winner brought some energy and excitement, it was a reminder that Italy currently has to import the type of clothing and design philosophy that once made it famous. In Milan, there were fewer important shows than any season in recent memory; even the upstart Bolognese brand Magliano decamped from Milan to Paris for their show. Do I think Pitti Uomo and Milan Fashion Week are going to cease to exist? No. But they need to find ways to bring a bit more energy and excitement back.
2. The Best Collections of the Season Weren’t on the Runway
Michael Rider’s Celine collection was shown at the brand’s Parisian headquarters and offered a sumptuous glimpse at an impeccably styled and designed collection. It was fun, chic, colourful, luxurious, stylish and incredibly wearable. I heard the words “delicious” used to describe it, which was a new addition to the menswear lexicon, but an apt one as there was a candy shop vibe inside the showroom, which Rider opting for sensory overload. Another standout was SALON C. LUNDMAN, which wowed with perfectly executed staples that every man could use in their wardrobe. Many an editor and journalist waxed poetic about the brand, so don’t be surprised to hear more about them in the next 18 months.
3. The End of Relying on Star Power is Over
This kind of goes hand in hand with our previous hot take. At shows, there was a palpable lack of A-listers compared to previous men’s seasons. The June shows are always a touch more star-studded, with most sports leagues in the off-season, affording star athletes the chance to attend, but even by January standards, it felt like brands were focusing less on having the big current name and instead having good, authentic fits. Even Travis Scott’s attendance at Hermès was low-key by his standards — he was just there to appreciate Véronique Nichanian’s last collection. Perhaps the price tag of lining front rows with dozens of celebrities became too much to bear, but brands seem to want to focus on authenticity over virality now.
4. Willy Chavarria’s Hype Is off the Rails
Willy Chavarria is a showman, but perhaps it’s best to think of his eponymous brand as a vehicle for making a statement, or putting on performance art. Once again, his collection left me feeling a touch underwhelmed, especially when compared to the grandeur of the show, with multiple musical acts and a sprawling show space where guests were far from the clothes. There is plenty special about how Chavarria has turned his shows into sociopolitical and cultural messaging, but is there anything special about the clothes? I’m unconvinced. Collaborations are undoubtedly selling well and are probably quite lucrative for the designer, but how about the main collection? It brings back memories of Pyer Moss, a brand whose hype eventually petered out. I hope I’m wrong.
5. Comme des Garçons Is the Most Influential Brand in Fashion
Perhaps brand isn’t the right word, as I’m talking about both the Rei Kawakubo-designed Comme des Garçons Homme Plus line and Junya Watanabe’s eponymous Junya Watanabe MAN line, as well as Dover Street Market. As a conglomerate, Comme des Garçons LTD., sets the tone for the rest of the fashion industry. On any given day during Paris Fashion Week, DSM is packed, with clients, buyers from other stores, reps from other brands, designers, journalists, stylists, photographers, models… basically everybody makes at least one stop, just to see, if not buy. Add to that the fact that, in the last year, both Homme Plus and Junya Watanabe showed dark, grungy, angst-ridden collections that were largely emulated by others this season. It’s a quiet, understated influence, but once you pick up on it, it’s undeniable.
6. Dolce & Gabbana Are Going to Get Away With It Again
100 looks. 100 white, brown-haired men. Demographically, it’s just not possible. Yet Dolce & Gabbana managed to cast exactly that for their show. This, in the year 2026, after being called out for racist statements and behaviour in the past. They know what they’re doing and they know they can get away with it, even if Bella Hadid calls them out and there are lines like these written. Next season there will be fewer guests at the show and the season after that, and then people will start coming back, slowly at first; then, once the taboo is broken, more will return, until the room is packed enough for them to do something like this again. They’ll get away with it, again and again, unless people decide enough is enough.
7. Canada is a Low-Key Fashion Powerhouse
If you don’t know where to look, you don’t see us, but there’s a cast of Canadians who are legitimately shaping fashion behind the scenes. There are, of course, well-known brands like Arc’teryx and Daniel and Arthur Chmielewski have turned HAVEN into one of the more influential retailers in the world, and then there are designers like Colin Meredith, who’s building a small, independent but hugely influential brand, or Danny Demers, who serves as Pharrell’s personal creative director, assists him at Louis Vuitton, heads the art and image direction for Sacai and is now also working with Nigo at Kenzo. That’s not to mention 3.Paradis’ designer Emeric Tchatchoua’s ties to Montreal, where he studied fashion and originally launched the brand.
FEATURE PHOTO COURTESY OF HERMÈS.
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