Shorts a big hit at Paris men's fashion week
Thigh was the trend at Paris men's fashion week
As Paris men's fashion week came to a close on Sunday, one trend for Spring/Summer 2018 could not be clearer - bare legs.
Fashion clearly feels that it is the right time for men to get their legs out for the girls - or for other men who admire a well-sculpted calf.
In a week in which a heatwave across Europe saw British schoolchildren and French bus drivers don skirts in protest at not being allowed to wear shorts, the momentum behind taking the trouser above the knee - or even further - seems unstoppable.
While some have long looked down at men in shorts, bare legs may soon be the least of their worries - socks paired with sandals, which many thought is safely confined to the style wilderness, is also back.
Here are the top three trends at the Paris men's catwalks.
SHORTS SUIT YOU, SIR
Legs - including hairy ones -dominated the catwalks, from Thom Browne, with its business suits with shorts, to Dior, where Kris Van Assche matched micro shorts with suit jackets to show the maximum of thigh.
Browne, clearly enjoying himself, cheekily slipped a few of his models into skirts for good measure.
"They almost look more masculine (in skirts) than if they were wearing just normal clothes. Why not put men in what is traditionally considered women's attire? We are all dressed alike as infants. The rest is an elaboration," Browne said.
Rick Owens led out his collection with a model wearing only short shorts and boots, a leather saddlebag strapped to one thigh for extra he-man effect.
So high was Paris on thigh that it is almost easier to list the labels which did not include shorts, as Louis Vuitton (leather scuba shorts and jersey surf pants), Dries Van Noten (formal and boxy) and Yohji Yamamoto (three-quarter length) all succumbed to the trend.
Lengths varied widely, with Loewe going daringly high with micro shorts and Speedo-like pouches, while Taiwanese label Angus Chiang and Japanese label Facetasm swung between kilts, tube shorts and culottes.
But for glamour, nothing compared to the glittering red, yellow and purple and golden pink evening shorts offered by Comme des Garcons.
SANDALS WITH SOCKS
Socks with sandals are no longer an abomination, if the shows are anything to go by.
Louis Vuitton, which with Paul Smith and Vetements also tried to smuggle Hawaiian shirts back from the wardrobe that taste forgot, sent out nearly 20 models in sandals and socks, while 22/4 matched every one of its 30 looks with socks and slipper sandals.
Vetements had socks with sauna sandals, while Haider Ackermann (who also designs for Berluti) dared socks and flip-flops, which looked classier than it sounds.
Ami, Wooyoungmi and Etudes even went into total taboo territory with white socks and sandals.
SPORTS HOSIERY
Tennis, baseball and all kinds of sporty socks worn mostly halfway up the shin was the other big takeaway.
The rise in sportswear has been the biggest creeping trend on the men's catwalks for some time, and it really gripped Paris by the ankles this year.
Sporty socks were often combined with more traditional tailored jackets, per Facetasm's Hiromichi Ochiai. But when it came to statement socks, Danish maverick Henrik Vibskov left the others standing.
It was hard to take your eyes off his colourful pairs, which combined comforting Scandinavian "hygge" and high-concept design with playful Japanese-style motifs. - AFP
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