POP 331 Tuesday 29 June 2010

Today's POP is Max who seems to be in quite good shape considering English defeats and all.

PARIS IS BURNING AND WE'RE WELL HOT.

POP continued its European fashion tour for Mens S/S 2011 last week, moving on from Milan to Paris. We sizzled in some proper foreign sunshine (it's just a more – refined – type of sunshine that here in Blightly you just don't get… don't you know?). We nodded our heads, crossed our legs, breathed in, breathed out, sweated A LOT, drank lots of water, drank more wine, drank less beer, ate very small things, ate lots of nice things, got the language very wrong again, nodded at taxi drivers, smiled at old ladies, shouted at a mugger, stared at youth on the metro, laughed a lot, almost cried once, stared into space more than once, missed all the football, stayed up late, woke up early, sat down and stood up more times than we care to remember and met LOTS of very nice people. Perfect.

SO, Paris was burning, and these are the designers who we thought were ON FIRE!!!

1. Dries Van Noten

Sometimes you forget how perfect the most straight-forward menswear can and should be. Dries Van Noten reminded everyone of that and then some, with ample helpings of bleached denim, cargo shorts, military boots and linen shooting jackets. The show was held in an underground car park space next to the Seine, and models charged through the damp graffiti filled setting with a purpose that matched their straight-up outfits. Following on from the re-see we can confirm we want to own the entire collection. Every single piece. Yep.

2. Adam Kimmel

Continuing the MALE vibe, we loved Adam Kimmel's piece-perfect Snoop Dogg homage, coming on straight-forward simplicity, more than perfect casting and TUUUNES, it all added up to a breath of FRESH air. Cue scene; enter courtyard after following the LOUD SOUND of Snoop resonating around the surrounding streets to a group of 10-12 guys standing in points around a PIMPED-OUT low-rider. Part pimp, part (American) sports casual the collection featured American football sweats, sleeveless hoodies, sharp pinstripe suits and silk paisley-print linings on denim jkts and jumpsuits. A sensual seduction!

3. Rick Owens

PUUUUUUUUUSSSSSSHHHHHHH! In case you didn't realise, that's the sound of cold jets of steam being violently pushed across the catwalk by machines suspended above the catwalk at Rick Owens. Dark and white, heavy and light, Owens blew more than cold air in his show as jackets and vests, then trainers and heels all fought for attention. Casting was very very very good too.

4. Dior Homme

Epic, monumental, clean, light and simple. Kris Van Assche got his contrasts just right for a Dior Homme collection that was dominated by the slate grays, navys, blacks and stone beige tones that are rapidly becoming his trademark colours. The music was from Wong Kar Wai's beautiful film 2046 and the collection was closed by six asian models, a trend in casting that was emerging in Milan and surfaced again here in Paris.

5. Raf Simons

Celebrating his 15 year anniversary, Raf Simons presented a beautifully challenging collection that featured wide-wide-wide trousers, zips in abundance, text from long time collaborator Peter de Potter, hospital gowns, strange latex twin-pieces and great casting as ever. Here's to 15 more years!

6.Walter Van Beirendonk

I know this is supposed to be a top 5, but we just can't ignore Walter. An ear-splitting soundtrack accompanied a brilliantly not-very-bonkers-and-actually-quite-commercial-collection, featuring flower power happy prints, corsets for men (commercial, see?), amazing backpacks, make-up and some unique casting. UGGA-UGGA!

OTHER highlights included Givenchy's leopard print vs white lace, the carnal vs the pure, with amazing models. BOOM! Louis Vuitton's light and airy military pieces and tattooed logo designs on the models. OUCH! Petar Petrov's whole collection, but especially the models being forced to smile the whole duration of their catwalk. FUNNY! The vintage rockabilly soundtrack at Yohji Yamamoto. SMOOTH. Facial hair in general, beards are in! PRICKLY! Pharrell's collaboration with Moncler, and launched at Colette, featuring a tree print. SWEET! Paul and Joe's linen patterned bomber jackets. BOMB! Comme des Garçons' skull skirts and painted back of heads feature. GOTHIC! Yves Saint Laurent's patterned jockstraps. ATHLETIC! John Galliano's Charlie Chaplin themed collection, with amazing make-up, fast paced modes and a brilliant catwalk stretch at the end by the master himself, par usual. STRUT! Balenciaga's yellow and orange paracute silk hues. SUMMER! Lanvin's sports tailoring and techno sandals. COMFORT! Ann Demeulemeester's white and dark fence collection with padded chest pieces and spray painted numerals. PROTECTION! Hermes' printed silk shirt and trousers. SMOOTH! Balmain's sexy silver boots amd even sexier treated denim. SMOOTH CRIMINAL! Kenzo's bright bright green. ALSO A TREND! And, finally, the BRITISH coming over and showcasing just a bit of talent in the showroom, forcing a whole floor to go ever so LANNNDAAAN for four days in the heart of Paris with collections from the likes of BLAAK, CHRISTOPHER RAEBURN, TIM SOAR, BOYO, KATIE EARY, CHRISTOPHER KANE and JAMES LONG. YES!