Paris Menswear Report

(PARIS) The last of the menswear has officially gone on parade-catch it quick before the ladies take the stage!

RAF SIMONS
There's already more than one way to play with proportion, but that didn't stop Raf Simons from cooking up a few more. Shifting focus to the waist? Don't cinch it; simply start your suit in a new fabric. Creating the illusion of short sleeves on a suit? Cover them up with slouchy leather gladiator gloves. This season, Simons paired his usual futurism with the most staid of menswear staples; skinny suits and double breasted coats in tweed took on a metallic sheen, while leather jackets seemed preternaturally glossy. Seamlessly fusing his own vision with the archetypical menswear, Simons managed to pull off a very tricky feat, making the originals seem like pale copies of future looks.

DIOR HOMME
Just when you thought his silhouette couldn't get any more elongated, Hedi went and pulled down the pants-rises on his black slacks grazed the models' knees. He also oversized the sleeves, letting a good several inches peek out from beneath the cuffs of his signature skinny suits. Not that the excess of fabric compromised his classic, pencil-slim shape as he splashed a host of indie Brit styles, from Teddy Boy (sharp-shouldered coats that flared from the waist) to mod (grey two-piecers) to punk (leather bomber jackets and combat boots), with black and white Pollack-esque paint splatters. But there was no denying the new swing in Slimane's step-even when skin-tight's no longer cutting edge, his aesthetic forges its own path two steps ahead.

HERMÈS
One could expect occasional excess from a luxury goods giant, but Hermès' men seem to adore the subtler things in life. Good thing, too-the sheen throughout this collection could easily have come off as ostentatious if not for this now-you-see-it, now-you-don't quality. As it stood, though, the tasteful, easy metropolitan pullovers paired with collared croc jackets and plus-pointy lapelled blazers in black, navy, and the occasional slate blue were right on target, the sort of thing that engenders an approving second glance-not a double-take.