Paris and Milan gave us our first breeze of SS27 menswear, and the season’s strongest trends are already in the air. As I filtered through dozens of shows and lookbooks, my overarching observation of the season was that the latest collections appear far more dialed into summer than what was presented in SS26, when some of our top trends included regiment coats, leather pants, and “granny knits.” While those holdovers continued to influence design, far more SS27 numbers feel true to the season, primarily through design choices that keep the body cool in hot, humid weather.
The extreme heat that began to take over Europe in late June made Charli XCX’s “SS26” lyric, “We’re walkin’ on a runway that goes straight to hell,” sound less like hyperbole and more like a live report from Paris’s catwalks. Indeed, June 25 was the hottest day ever recorded in France — the same day that Sarah Burton presented her first Givenchy Menswear collection, and standout shows like Dries Van Noten, Yohji Yamamoto, Issey Miyake Man, and Feng Chen Wang took the stage.
The extreme heat that began to take over Europe in late June made Charli XCX’s “SS26” lyric, “We’re walkin’ on a runway that goes straight to hell,” sound less like hyperbole and more like a live report from Paris’s catwalks.
Though SS27 still has more to offer in Copenhagen, New York City, and beyond, consistent signals emanating from Milan and Paris set a clear tone. What I felt most was freedom — something the last few seasons, weighed down by tailoring and furs, never quite offered. While sheer looks, satin fabrics, exposed boxers, and extra-cropped silhouettes rewired traditional codes, garments were adorned with eye-catching additions like avian motifs, metal studs, and full-bleed photographic prints. In color, an energetic dynamic between blue and orange hues unfolded, bringing to mind not only the Knicks’ historic victory, but also the call of seaside sunsets. This is fluid, joy-driven dressing for longer, hotter days — and if this summer is teaching us anything, it’s that more of them are coming our way.
Read on to dive into the top SS27 trends, from unconventional fabrics to shrunken silhouettes and the personality-packed details that dominated the runways.
Sheer as Can Be
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Image 1: Dior/Image 2: Prada/Image 3: Feng Chen Wang/Image 4: Im Man/Image 5: Dries Van Noten/Image 6: Jacquemus/ Image 7 & 8: Hed Mayner/Image 9: Kiko Kostadinov/Image 10: Shinyakozuka/Image 11: Saint Laurent/Image 12: Paf/Vogue Runway
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Image 1: Dior/Image 2: Prada/Image 3: Feng Chen Wang/Image 4: Im Man/Image 5: Dries Van Noten/Image 6: Jacquemus/ Image 7 & 8: Hed Mayner/Image 9: Kiko Kostadinov/Image 10: Shinyakozuka/Image 11: Saint Laurent/Image 12: Paf/Vogue Runway
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Image 1: Dior/Image 2: Prada/Image 3: Feng Chen Wang/Image 4: Im Man/Image 5: Dries Van Noten/Image 6: Jacquemus/ Image 7 & 8: Hed Mayner/Image 9: Kiko Kostadinov/Image 10: Shinyakozuka/Image 11: Saint Laurent/Image 12: Paf/Vogue Runway
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Image 1: Dior/Image 2: Prada/Image 3: Feng Chen Wang/Image 4: Im Man/Image 5: Dries Van Noten/Image 6: Jacquemus/ Image 7 & 8: Hed Mayner/Image 9: Kiko Kostadinov/Image 10: Shinyakozuka/Image 11: Saint Laurent/Image 12: Paf/Vogue Runway
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Image 1: Dior/Image 2: Prada/Image 3: Feng Chen Wang/Image 4: Im Man/Image 5: Dries Van Noten/Image 6: Jacquemus/ Image 7 & 8: Hed Mayner/Image 9: Kiko Kostadinov/Image 10: Shinyakozuka/Image 11: Saint Laurent/Image 12: Paf/Vogue Runway
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Image 1: Dior/Image 2: Prada/Image 3: Feng Chen Wang/Image 4: Im Man/Image 5: Dries Van Noten/Image 6: Jacquemus/ Image 7 & 8: Hed Mayner/Image 9: Kiko Kostadinov/Image 10: Shinyakozuka/Image 11: Saint Laurent/Image 12: Paf/Vogue Runway
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Image 1: Dior/Image 2: Prada/Image 3: Feng Chen Wang/Image 4: Im Man/Image 5: Dries Van Noten/Image 6: Jacquemus/ Image 7 & 8: Hed Mayner/Image 9: Kiko Kostadinov/Image 10: Shinyakozuka/Image 11: Saint Laurent/Image 12: Paf/Vogue Runway
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Image 1: Dior/Image 2: Prada/Image 3: Feng Chen Wang/Image 4: Im Man/Image 5: Dries Van Noten/Image 6: Jacquemus/ Image 7 & 8: Hed Mayner/Image 9: Kiko Kostadinov/Image 10: Shinyakozuka/Image 11: Saint Laurent/Image 12: Paf/Vogue Runway
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Image 1: Dior/Image 2: Prada/Image 3: Feng Chen Wang/Image 4: Im Man/Image 5: Dries Van Noten/Image 6: Jacquemus/ Image 7 & 8: Hed Mayner/Image 9: Kiko Kostadinov/Image 10: Shinyakozuka/Image 11: Saint Laurent/Image 12: Paf/Vogue Runway
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Image 1: Dior/Image 2: Prada/Image 3: Feng Chen Wang/Image 4: Im Man/Image 5: Dries Van Noten/Image 6: Jacquemus/ Image 7 & 8: Hed Mayner/Image 9: Kiko Kostadinov/Image 10: Shinyakozuka/Image 11: Saint Laurent/Image 12: Paf/Vogue Runway
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Image 1: Dior/Image 2: Prada/Image 3: Feng Chen Wang/Image 4: Im Man/Image 5: Dries Van Noten/Image 6: Jacquemus/ Image 7 & 8: Hed Mayner/Image 9: Kiko Kostadinov/Image 10: Shinyakozuka/Image 11: Saint Laurent/Image 12: Paf/Vogue Runway
Look at the translucent fabrics on the SS27 runways, and it’s hard not to think of the barong — the traditional sheer men’s shirt worn for special occasions in the Philippines. Typically made from piña or abaca fibers, the formalwear staple is see-through because of its mesh-like construction, allowing cooling air to pass through. With the West’s weather increasingly resembling the tropical climates of Southeast Asia, it’s no surprise that this heat-friendly hack is being reinterpreted at Parisian maisons. Styles closer to the original barong silhouette were seen in shirts from Kiko Kostadinov and Feng Chen Wang, while interesting iterations also appeared in double-breasted suits at Dior and even in trousers at Hed Mayner. Unburdened by heavyweight yarns and heat-trapping constructions, sheer fabrics could offer more interesting layering opportunities in SS27, whether executed in subtle see-through or full transparency.
Sleek Satins
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Image 1: Willy Chavarria/Image 2: Celine/Image 3: Ralph Lauren/Image 4: Givenchy/Image 5: Doublet/Image 6: Y-3/Image 7: Ami Paris/Image 8: Sunflower/Image 9: Dries Van Noten/Image 10: Gmbh/Vogue Runway
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Image 1: Willy Chavarria/Image 2: Celine/Image 3: Ralph Lauren/Image 4: Givenchy/Image 5: Doublet/Image 6: Y-3/Image 7: Ami Paris/Image 8: Sunflower/Image 9: Dries Van Noten/Image 10: Gmbh/Vogue Runway
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Image 1: Willy Chavarria/Image 2: Celine/Image 3: Ralph Lauren/Image 4: Givenchy/Image 5: Doublet/Image 6: Y-3/Image 7: Ami Paris/Image 8: Sunflower/Image 9: Dries Van Noten/Image 10: Gmbh/Vogue Runway
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Image 1: Willy Chavarria/Image 2: Celine/Image 3: Ralph Lauren/Image 4: Givenchy/Image 5: Doublet/Image 6: Y-3/Image 7: Ami Paris/Image 8: Sunflower/Image 9: Dries Van Noten/Image 10: Gmbh/Vogue Runway
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Image 1: Willy Chavarria/Image 2: Celine/Image 3: Ralph Lauren/Image 4: Givenchy/Image 5: Doublet/Image 6: Y-3/Image 7: Ami Paris/Image 8: Sunflower/Image 9: Dries Van Noten/Image 10: Gmbh/Vogue Runway
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Image 1: Willy Chavarria/Image 2: Celine/Image 3: Ralph Lauren/Image 4: Givenchy/Image 5: Doublet/Image 6: Y-3/Image 7: Ami Paris/Image 8: Sunflower/Image 9: Dries Van Noten/Image 10: Gmbh/Vogue Runway
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Image 1: Willy Chavarria/Image 2: Celine/Image 3: Ralph Lauren/Image 4: Givenchy/Image 5: Doublet/Image 6: Y-3/Image 7: Ami Paris/Image 8: Sunflower/Image 9: Dries Van Noten/Image 10: Gmbh/Vogue Runway
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Image 1: Willy Chavarria/Image 2: Celine/Image 3: Ralph Lauren/Image 4: Givenchy/Image 5: Doublet/Image 6: Y-3/Image 7: Ami Paris/Image 8: Sunflower/Image 9: Dries Van Noten/Image 10: Gmbh/Vogue Runway
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Image 1: Willy Chavarria/Image 2: Celine/Image 3: Ralph Lauren/Image 4: Givenchy/Image 5: Doublet/Image 6: Y-3/Image 7: Ami Paris/Image 8: Sunflower/Image 9: Dries Van Noten/Image 10: Gmbh/Vogue Runway
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Image 1: Willy Chavarria/Image 2: Celine/Image 3: Ralph Lauren/Image 4: Givenchy/Image 5: Doublet/Image 6: Y-3/Image 7: Ami Paris/Image 8: Sunflower/Image 9: Dries Van Noten/Image 10: Gmbh/Vogue Runway
Satin has always read as ornamental in menswear — a fabric relegated to handkerchiefs and neckties while the rest of the wardrobe leaned on tailoring and utilitarian durability. This season, however, satin fabrics (whether synthetic or silk) gave looks a billowing quality and delicate feel. While Willy Chavarria opted for a full set in floral satin, Celine leaned into the pure sheen of white satin for shirts and trousers. More unconventional applications were seen in a golden V-neck at GmBH and a silky brown overcoat at Ami Paris. But why now? Not only are satins typically lightweight and breathable, silk satins, in particular, have also long been known for their cooling properties. Pajama dressing is the obvious landing point — a satin shirt or shorts against the rest of an everyday wardrobe. A scarf tied at the hip is the quieter version of the same idea.
Aquatic Blues
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Image 1: Auralee/Image 2: Prada/Image 3: Zegna/Image 4: Celine/Image 5: Willy Chavarria/Image 6: Kolor/Image 7: Kiko Kostadinov/Image 8: Shinyakozuka/Image 9: Hyacn/Vogue Runway
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Image 1: Auralee/Image 2: Prada/Image 3: Zegna/Image 4: Celine/Image 5: Willy Chavarria/Image 6: Kolor/Image 7: Kiko Kostadinov/Image 8: Shinyakozuka/Image 9: Hyacn/Vogue Runway
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Image 1: Auralee/Image 2: Prada/Image 3: Zegna/Image 4: Celine/Image 5: Willy Chavarria/Image 6: Kolor/Image 7: Kiko Kostadinov/Image 8: Shinyakozuka/Image 9: Hyacn/Vogue Runway
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Image 1: Auralee/Image 2: Prada/Image 3: Zegna/Image 4: Celine/Image 5: Willy Chavarria/Image 6: Kolor/Image 7: Kiko Kostadinov/Image 8: Shinyakozuka/Image 9: Hyacn/Vogue Runway
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Image 1: Auralee/Image 2: Prada/Image 3: Zegna/Image 4: Celine/Image 5: Willy Chavarria/Image 6: Kolor/Image 7: Kiko Kostadinov/Image 8: Shinyakozuka/Image 9: Hyacn/Vogue Runway
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Image 1: Auralee/Image 2: Prada/Image 3: Zegna/Image 4: Celine/Image 5: Willy Chavarria/Image 6: Kolor/Image 7: Kiko Kostadinov/Image 8: Shinyakozuka/Image 9: Hyacn/Vogue Runway
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Image 1: Auralee/Image 2: Prada/Image 3: Zegna/Image 4: Celine/Image 5: Willy Chavarria/Image 6: Kolor/Image 7: Kiko Kostadinov/Image 8: Shinyakozuka/Image 9: Hyacn/Vogue Runway
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Image 1: Auralee/Image 2: Prada/Image 3: Zegna/Image 4: Celine/Image 5: Willy Chavarria/Image 6: Kolor/Image 7: Kiko Kostadinov/Image 8: Shinyakozuka/Image 9: Hyacn/Vogue Runway
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Image 1: Auralee/Image 2: Prada/Image 3: Zegna/Image 4: Celine/Image 5: Willy Chavarria/Image 6: Kolor/Image 7: Kiko Kostadinov/Image 8: Shinyakozuka/Image 9: Hyacn/Vogue Runway
Per our FW26 report, crimson absolutely took over last season’s runways with blazing red fabrics being used everywhere from outerwear to knitwear. It’s only natural that as the temperatures rise like never before, the hues on the opposite side of the spectrum are calling our attention, representing a yearning for azure seas and the open horizons of the coast. Turquoise was the definitive color of standout shows, like SHINYAKOZUKA’s, whose high-craft creations glimmered with turquoise embellishments, or even Kiko Kostadinov, who chose a blue carpet color for his runway presentation to complement his palette. Similar hues of sky blue and electric blue also showed up at Auralee, with leather jackets and shorts, as well as Zegna, through loafers, linen shirts, and pants. While aquatic blues may not read as neutral as baby blue or indigo, they can make for a strong accent to an otherwise neutral look — whether it be in oversized button-ups, footwear (like the Jacquemus x Timberland Boat Shoe), or even socks.
Orange Energy
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Image 1: Dries Van Noten/Image 2: Ralph Lauren/Image 3: Auralee/Image 4: Jacquemus/Image 5: Doublet/Image 6: Saint Laurent/Image 7: Willy Chavarria/Image 8: Junya Watanabe/Image 9: Engineered Garments/Vogue Runway
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Image 1: Dries Van Noten/Image 2: Ralph Lauren/Image 3: Auralee/Image 4: Jacquemus/Image 5: Doublet/Image 6: Saint Laurent/Image 7: Willy Chavarria/Image 8: Junya Watanabe/Image 9: Engineered Garments/Vogue Runway
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Image 1: Dries Van Noten/Image 2: Ralph Lauren/Image 3: Auralee/Image 4: Jacquemus/Image 5: Doublet/Image 6: Saint Laurent/Image 7: Willy Chavarria/Image 8: Junya Watanabe/Image 9: Engineered Garments/Vogue Runway
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Image 1: Dries Van Noten/Image 2: Ralph Lauren/Image 3: Auralee/Image 4: Jacquemus/Image 5: Doublet/Image 6: Saint Laurent/Image 7: Willy Chavarria/Image 8: Junya Watanabe/Image 9: Engineered Garments/Vogue Runway
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Image 1: Dries Van Noten/Image 2: Ralph Lauren/Image 3: Auralee/Image 4: Jacquemus/Image 5: Doublet/Image 6: Saint Laurent/Image 7: Willy Chavarria/Image 8: Junya Watanabe/Image 9: Engineered Garments/Vogue Runway
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Image 1: Dries Van Noten/Image 2: Ralph Lauren/Image 3: Auralee/Image 4: Jacquemus/Image 5: Doublet/Image 6: Saint Laurent/Image 7: Willy Chavarria/Image 8: Junya Watanabe/Image 9: Engineered Garments/Vogue Runway
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Image 1: Dries Van Noten/Image 2: Ralph Lauren/Image 3: Auralee/Image 4: Jacquemus/Image 5: Doublet/Image 6: Saint Laurent/Image 7: Willy Chavarria/Image 8: Junya Watanabe/Image 9: Engineered Garments/Vogue Runway
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Image 1: Dries Van Noten/Image 2: Ralph Lauren/Image 3: Auralee/Image 4: Jacquemus/Image 5: Doublet/Image 6: Saint Laurent/Image 7: Willy Chavarria/Image 8: Junya Watanabe/Image 9: Engineered Garments/Vogue Runway
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Image 1: Dries Van Noten/Image 2: Ralph Lauren/Image 3: Auralee/Image 4: Jacquemus/Image 5: Doublet/Image 6: Saint Laurent/Image 7: Willy Chavarria/Image 8: Junya Watanabe/Image 9: Engineered Garments/Vogue Runway
As the complementary hue to blue, orange arrived in equal measure and frequently in the same look. At Dries Van Noten, blood orange was a restrained yet bold accent, appearing at the base of a sunset-gradient overcoat and dousing an oversized weekender bag. Brighter oranges were seen in a cropped tangerine blouson from Willy Chavarria and a true orange V-neck sweater from Saint Laurent. Let’s be frank: the color isn’t as widely loved or as easy to style as blue. Opting for a rust-orange hue like Jacquemus can help neutralize the color, and saving bright oranges for a singular accessory, like a bag or cap, can keep the shade from overwhelming the look. Regardless of which shade or tint, the rise of orange is a subtle signal that the beating sun is the true main character of SS27.
The Micro Jacket
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Image 1: Sacai/Image 2: Willy Chavarria/Image 3: Celine/Image 4: Junya Watanabe/Image 5: Paz Normal/Image 6: Prada/Image 7: Kenzo/Image 8: Egonlab/Vogue Runway
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Image 1: Sacai/Image 2: Willy Chavarria/Image 3: Celine/Image 4: Junya Watanabe/Image 5: Paz Normal/Image 6: Prada/Image 7: Kenzo/Image 8: Egonlab/Vogue Runway
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Image 1: Sacai/Image 2: Willy Chavarria/Image 3: Celine/Image 4: Junya Watanabe/Image 5: Paz Normal/Image 6: Prada/Image 7: Kenzo/Image 8: Egonlab/Vogue Runway
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Image 1: Sacai/Image 2: Willy Chavarria/Image 3: Celine/Image 4: Junya Watanabe/Image 5: Paz Normal/Image 6: Prada/Image 7: Kenzo/Image 8: Egonlab/Vogue Runway
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Image 1: Sacai/Image 2: Willy Chavarria/Image 3: Celine/Image 4: Junya Watanabe/Image 5: Paz Normal/Image 6: Prada/Image 7: Kenzo/Image 8: Egonlab/Vogue Runway
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Image 1: Sacai/Image 2: Willy Chavarria/Image 3: Celine/Image 4: Junya Watanabe/Image 5: Paz Normal/Image 6: Prada/Image 7: Kenzo/Image 8: Egonlab/Vogue Runway
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Image 1: Sacai/Image 2: Willy Chavarria/Image 3: Celine/Image 4: Junya Watanabe/Image 5: Paz Normal/Image 6: Prada/Image 7: Kenzo/Image 8: Egonlab/Vogue Runway
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Image 1: Sacai/Image 2: Willy Chavarria/Image 3: Celine/Image 4: Junya Watanabe/Image 5: Paz Normal/Image 6: Prada/Image 7: Kenzo/Image 8: Egonlab/Vogue Runway
Speaking of Willy Chavarria’s cropped tangerine blouson, the season also saw the proliferation of shrunken jacket silhouettes, like the bright red micro peacoat from Celine, a raw-edged, collarless denim trucker from Junya Watanabe, and the range of body-hugging jackets from Prada in an array of colors and styles (truckers, bombers, and blousons). Is this shrinkflation or an intentional design choice? Aside from the practical aspects of shedding excess weight and material in the summer, the shortening of jackets begins to make sense when we consider how much more attention has been paid to bold belt buckles and hip accessories like scarves in recent seasons. The shortened micro jacket shift also welcomes the next SS27 silhouette: boxer shorts.
Boxer Shorts
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Image 1: Lgn/Image 2: Doublet/Image 3: Simone Rocha/Image 4: Charles Jeffrey Loverboy/Image 5: Dries Van Noten/Image 6: Jw Anderson/Image 7: Gmbh/Vogue Runway
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Image 1: Lgn/Image 2: Doublet/Image 3: Simone Rocha/Image 4: Charles Jeffrey Loverboy/Image 5: Dries Van Noten/Image 6: Jw Anderson/Image 7: Gmbh/Vogue Runway
In our SS26 runway report, we locked in roomy, loose “mega shorts” as the key bottoms of the season. While the style continues to show its influence this season, its diametrical opposite, the boxer short, is rising in tandem. Whether riding above the waistline or flaunted completely outerwear-style, boxer shorts may very well be the emergent shift in bottoms for SS27. A solid roster of designers defining the now of menswear, like JW Anderson, Willy Chavarria, and Dries Van Noten, all brought bare boxer shorts into the mix. Whereas labels like GmbH and Charles Jeffrey Loverboy played with classic gingham and striped boxer patterns, Anderson and Simone Rocha gave the silhouette a premium feel with floral satin brocades. Take this as the signal that your boxer briefs are also part of your outfit in 2026 and beyond – whether or not anyone else sees them.
Studded Denim
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Image 1: Dolce & Gabana/Image 2: Acne Studios/Image 3: Amiri/Image 4: Bluemarble/Image 5: Louis Vuitton/Image 6: Kidsuper/Vogue Runway
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Image 1: Dolce & Gabana/Image 2: Acne Studios/Image 3: Amiri/Image 4: Bluemarble/Image 5: Louis Vuitton/Image 6: Kidsuper/Vogue Runway
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Image 1: Dolce & Gabana/Image 2: Acne Studios/Image 3: Amiri/Image 4: Bluemarble/Image 5: Louis Vuitton/Image 6: Kidsuper/Vogue Runway
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Image 1: Dolce & Gabana/Image 2: Acne Studios/Image 3: Amiri/Image 4: Bluemarble/Image 5: Louis Vuitton/Image 6: Kidsuper/Vogue Runway
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Image 1: Dolce & Gabana/Image 2: Acne Studios/Image 3: Amiri/Image 4: Bluemarble/Image 5: Louis Vuitton/Image 6: Kidsuper/Vogue Runway
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Image 1: Dolce & Gabana/Image 2: Acne Studios/Image 3: Amiri/Image 4: Bluemarble/Image 5: Louis Vuitton/Image 6: Kidsuper/Vogue Runway
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Image 1: Dolce & Gabana/Image 2: Acne Studios/Image 3: Amiri/Image 4: Bluemarble/Image 5: Louis Vuitton/Image 6: Kidsuper/Vogue Runway
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Image 1: Dolce & Gabana/Image 2: Acne Studios/Image 3: Amiri/Image 4: Bluemarble/Image 5: Louis Vuitton/Image 6: Kidsuper/Vogue Runway
In the lead-up to the SS27 presentations, the pairing of decorative embellishments with utility-geared garments was already in the air. For example, emerging label Satoshi Nakamoto’s signature aesthetic is defined by the use of intricate rhinestones and studs, famously seen on the Vans Era 95 Gems shoe. A similar sensibility was echoed in a range of SS27 pieces from Dolce & Gabbana, where oversized stones were embedded into jeans and sweaters. Elsewhere, Louis Vuitton lightly decorated its jeans with monogram shapes, calling to mind Chrome Hearts’ motifs and all the online discourse the LA-based label has attracted in the last year. These embellished jeans illustrate how versatile studded denim can really be, ranging from a simple outline of the seams, as at Acne Studios, to more ornate uses like the studded swirl designs at Bluemarble.
Birds Flock to Fashion
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Image 1: Y-3/Image 2: 3.paradis/Image 3: Wooyoungmi/Image 4: Shinyakozuka/Image 5: Kidsuper/Image 6: Amiri/Image 7: Jw Anderson/Image 8: Lemaire/Vogue Runway
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Image 1: Y-3/Image 2: 3.paradis/Image 3: Wooyoungmi/Image 4: Shinyakozuka/Image 5: Kidsuper/Image 6: Amiri/Image 7: Jw Anderson/Image 8: Lemaire/Vogue Runway
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Image 1: Y-3/Image 2: 3.paradis/Image 3: Wooyoungmi/Image 4: Shinyakozuka/Image 5: Kidsuper/Image 6: Amiri/Image 7: Jw Anderson/Image 8: Lemaire/Vogue Runway
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Image 1: Y-3/Image 2: 3.paradis/Image 3: Wooyoungmi/Image 4: Shinyakozuka/Image 5: Kidsuper/Image 6: Amiri/Image 7: Jw Anderson/Image 8: Lemaire/Vogue Runway
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Image 1: Y-3/Image 2: 3.paradis/Image 3: Wooyoungmi/Image 4: Shinyakozuka/Image 5: Kidsuper/Image 6: Amiri/Image 7: Jw Anderson/Image 8: Lemaire/Vogue Runway
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Image 1: Y-3/Image 2: 3.paradis/Image 3: Wooyoungmi/Image 4: Shinyakozuka/Image 5: Kidsuper/Image 6: Amiri/Image 7: Jw Anderson/Image 8: Lemaire/Vogue Runway
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Image 1: Y-3/Image 2: 3.paradis/Image 3: Wooyoungmi/Image 4: Shinyakozuka/Image 5: Kidsuper/Image 6: Amiri/Image 7: Jw Anderson/Image 8: Lemaire/Vogue Runway
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Image 1: Y-3/Image 2: 3.paradis/Image 3: Wooyoungmi/Image 4: Shinyakozuka/Image 5: Kidsuper/Image 6: Amiri/Image 7: Jw Anderson/Image 8: Lemaire/Vogue Runway
From peace-bearing doves to ethereal Japanese cranes, the unexpected star of SS27 prints and graphics was birds. Revered across global cultures in their innumerable forms, the birds were rendered in a spectrum of styles, including a hand-illustrated bird t-shirt at Yohji Yamamoto, Wooyoungmi’s East Asian-inspired crane prints, and SHINYAKOZUKA’s mid-flight avian silhouettes. Symbolizing ideals like peace, freedom, wisdom, and longevity, birds are a welcome adornment for tumultuous and unpredictable times. The motif is ancient, but the range is the story: hand-drawn, embroidered, printed, silhouetted, each house finding a different bird in the same idea.
Big Picture Prints
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Image 1: Sacai/Image 2: Shinyakozuka/Image 3: Dries Van Noten/Image 4: Undercover/Image 5: Hyacn/Image 6: Kidsuper/Image 7: Simone Rocha/Vogue Runway
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Image 1: Sacai/Image 2: Shinyakozuka/Image 3: Dries Van Noten/Image 4: Undercover/Image 5: Hyacn/Image 6: Kidsuper/Image 7: Simone Rocha/Vogue Runway
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Image 1: Sacai/Image 2: Shinyakozuka/Image 3: Dries Van Noten/Image 4: Undercover/Image 5: Hyacn/Image 6: Kidsuper/Image 7: Simone Rocha/Vogue Runway
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Image 1: Sacai/Image 2: Shinyakozuka/Image 3: Dries Van Noten/Image 4: Undercover/Image 5: Hyacn/Image 6: Kidsuper/Image 7: Simone Rocha/Vogue Runway
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Image 1: Sacai/Image 2: Shinyakozuka/Image 3: Dries Van Noten/Image 4: Undercover/Image 5: Hyacn/Image 6: Kidsuper/Image 7: Simone Rocha/Vogue Runway
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Image 1: Sacai/Image 2: Shinyakozuka/Image 3: Dries Van Noten/Image 4: Undercover/Image 5: Hyacn/Image 6: Kidsuper/Image 7: Simone Rocha/Vogue Runway
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Image 1: Sacai/Image 2: Shinyakozuka/Image 3: Dries Van Noten/Image 4: Undercover/Image 5: Hyacn/Image 6: Kidsuper/Image 7: Simone Rocha/Vogue Runway
Prints are getting bigger, full stop. This season, photographic and art-inspired prints were blown up to excessive proportions, with some covering the entire look from head to toe. In Paris, two Japanese designers took a similar approach: sacai’s Chitose Abe showed a two-piece suit with a vintage nightclub photo woven into the fabric, whereas at SHINYAKOZUKA, it was a green-tinted urban skyline rendered into a jacket and then printed on translucent capri pants. Elsewhere, Hyacn and Simone Rocha’s subtler approach isolated full-bleed photo prints (a blue portrait and a tree canopy, respectively) to their classic application on long-sleeve crewnecks — a more practical gateway to the shift. What’s still unexplored is the bottom half — the fully printed trouser or short, the graphic relocated to a part of the outfit that seldom holds it.
Looking Ahead
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Though Paris and Milan’s SS27 Fashion Weeks have concluded, there’s more yet to unfold in Copenhagen and New York City. And though the season is still a year ahead of us, design decisions about fabrics, colors, and silhouettes are likely to continue to be impacted by consistently rising temperatures. This doesn’t mean no trousers or long sleeves, but it does mean rethinking staples with the season top of mind.
While rooted in the practical need to free up the body in the heat, the SS27 trends also result in pieces that stretch our classic menswear conventions. The overarching sense of freedom — powered by the season’s high-exposure garments and lightweight materials — serves as an ideal counterweight to the tailored tweeds and leathers that dominated previous seasons. However, I’ll be interested to see if sheer, lustrous looks continue to mingle with menswear, and whether consumers are really down to bear it all down to their boxers or stick to the oversized silhouettes of SS26.
SS27 isn’t so much a great schism from what menswear has previously offered, but a loosening of age-old codes in adjustment to our new reality.
In theory, this liberation of the body seems within reason. But in practice, menswear’s restrained history signals that a fusion of these opposing sensibilities is more likely than a clean break. SS27 isn’t so much a great schism from what menswear has previously offered, but a loosening of age-old codes in adjustment to our new reality. Fashion is catching up to the fact that there’s less room to dress for fantasy and idealism in extreme conditions — as are consumers, who’ve become increasingly educated about what fabrics to wear through brand-led education and digital influencers like the Fabricatuerialist.
Finally, you may be wondering what role studded jeans, avian motifs, and full-bleed prints play in this story driven by practicality. While they won’t save you from the heat, these details represent the notion that sheerer and shorter aren’t mutually exclusive with bold expression. The final three trends, which may initially feel like a departure, actually play an important role, demonstrating that there’s still room to build original looks despite the heat. The way we dress may increasingly be driven by function over fads, but style driven by individuality and edge isn’t going anywhere soon.
