Paris Men's Fashion Week: Bold Statements, A$AP Rocky's Surprise Debut and Dries Van Notens' Farewell

Editor's note: CNN Style is one of the official media partners ofParis Fashion Week. See all coverage here.

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Paris may be gearing up for the Summer Olympics, but sporting events aren't the only bustling events happening in the French capital. Last week, fashion designers converged on the city for Paris Fashion Week's Spring/Summer 2025 menswear collections, but nothing was business as usual. The menswear and couture shows (now in full swing) were brought forward a week to avoid interfering with the most famous sporting event, and the simmering political tensions ahead of the surprise early elections of the country, summoned by President Emmanuel Macron, invaded the streets. with almost daily demonstrations in recent weeks.

In this climate, there was no shortage of political commentary on the menswear shows, but perhaps the loudest was that of American designers parading through the city. At Rick Owens' grandiose exhibition at the Palais de Tokyo, which featured an almost all-white collection blending biblical and Art Deco references, he sent out a diverse group of models he called his army of love in white satin and called for solidarity with each other.

Expressing our individuality is great, but sometimes expressing our unity and dependence on each other is also a good thing to remember, especially in the face of the maximum intolerance we currently experience in the world, he wrote in the show notes.

Rapper A$AP Rocky also made a statement at his Paris Fashion Week debut, a secret show for his brand AWGE, which launched earlier this year. Called American Sabotage, the presentation took place at Karl Lagerfeld's former home, the 18th-century mansion Hôtel de Maisons, attended, of course, by Rihanna, as well as Pusha T, Casey Affleck and designers Jonathan Anderson and Willy Chavarria.

Guests were greeted with invitations bearing an anti-war sign and cakes resembling guns and bags of cocaine, for an air of dystopia. On the catwalk, models paraded with their heads covered in American flags, displayed slogans like Dont be Dumb and carried plastic bags filled with cash. In the show notes, the rapper said his label is more than just a brand, it's a movement.

We break down boundaries and make statements through every piece, reflecting the spirit and resilience of our communities. It’s fashion with a purpose, where art meets activism, he explained.

For his fourth presentation with Louis Vuitton, Pharrell also played on military symbols, combining camouflage and checkerboard, the emblematic checkerboard of the luxury house in damoflage. The show, hosted at UNESCO headquarters, featured map graphics and military berets, and highlighted travel, aviation, international diplomacy and creative dialogue, including through a collaboration with the creative collective Air Africa on graphics.

And then there was KidSuper, another majestic spectacle with giant puppet hands that the models staggered towards like marionettes. Designer Colm Dillane wanted to explore the interconnectivity and invisible forces that shape our world, he wrote in the exhibition notes, inviting the audience to think about autonomy and the narratives that each person constructs for themselves- even.

Elsewhere on the runways, designers brought subculture styles to the forefront. German magazine 032C showed something akin to techno couture, which bridges a party and office lifestyle. Minimalist and functional, the clothes ranged from neon orange workwear to faux vintage sportswear to choker necklaces and XXL cargo pants, all reminiscent of the legendary style of Berlin nightlife.

Junya Watanabe, meanwhile, presented a mix of tartan and heavy metal with ACDC, Skorpions and Black Sabbath t-shirts reworked onto a bespoke wardrobe; and Doublet mixed the club-kid aesthetic with high suits and graffiti. Models wore gold and silver pom poms, some as accessories, others as clutches, adding an unexpected accessory to both casual and more formal looks.

And of course, there was queer fashion brand Jeanne Friot, with feather-adorned denim pants and belted bandeau skirts for all genders, made entirely from animal corpses. The designer wants to offer a wider range of expressions for men. To me, punk today means doing things locally, responsibly as well as challenging gender norms, Friot explained in an interview after the show.

Throughout the menswear shows, other designers joined Friot in redefining what menswear looks like. Historic luxury house Comme des Garons played with bright fuchsia skirt suits and pants, blending old gender distinctions. The layered, maximalist collection featured ruffles, giant lapels and tulle, evoking the elaborate, delicate court attire of the ancient French monarchy rather than functional fashion.

Japanese brand Sacai, meanwhile, brought tailoring to everyday clothing with a collection focused on joy and the freedom to discover, featuring skorts, layered suits and giant puff sleeves. The Taakk brand also offered romantic lines, transparent shirts, floral patterns. and a sense of delicacy, with candy-colored silk and satin, as well as curled pin curls worn by the models.

Finally, Etudes Studio focused its work on what artists might need, citing Andy Warhol and notably Jean-Michel Basquiat as inspiration for its casual, nonchalant sense of elegance, such as designer trio Jrmie Egry, Aurlien Arnet and Jos Lamali described behind the scenes.

Belgian designer Dries Van Noten presented his latest and 150th collection, stepping down from his eponymous brand after 38 years. Presented on a silver foil runway, the shimmering and delicate pieces were not a best-of or retrospective, but a final collection that will undoubtedly sell out.

The show received a standing ovation as Donna Summers I Feel Love created an exuberant ambiance. A giant disco ball appeared at the end of the floor, inviting guests to join in the fun, a celebration for Van Noten to take his final bow.