Paris Fashion Week: Highlights from the Fall-Winter 2023 Menswear Shows

The Paris menswear shows have wrapped for another season, giving way to a run of haute couture presentations. Despite the freezing cold and poor runway strike, the fashion community came out in earnest to see the latest collections from some of the world’s leading menswear designers.

This season’s event, which ended on Sunday, featured several firsts, including Usher’s unexpected bright-colored hair and a KidSuper collaboration between Louis Vuitton and American designer Colm Dillane.

From celebrity sightings to whimsical looks and – of course – iconic collections, read our insights on the Fall-Winter 2023 shows.

Make Usher’s New Neon

Usher with blood orange hair. Credit: Pierre Sue/Getty Images

The Grammy Award-winning artist lit up the front row with a new head of bright orange hair. Usher rocked a neon and ombre-influenced look at Wells Bonner’s first day of the show and Bianca Saunders showed up again the following day. Dressed in a full opening look from last season’s runway, his audience had photographers clamoring for shots.

The geometry class by Issey Miyake

A dance interlude showed clothing movement on Issey Miyake’s catwalk. Credit: Victor Virgil/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images

Geometric shapes, with a strong emphasis on triangles, were the starting point and inspiration for this season’s Homme Plus Issey Miyake collection, showing many iterations of how triangles and other angular elements can be twisted and ordered into complex shapes and patterns.

Of course, signature ties were the large, soft pleats that fell from heavily embellished pants to sleeveless shirts and coats, and off the shoulders on nylon outerwear.

The show was punctuated by dance performances that showcased how well the costumes moved, as artists weaved around and around the light show in – you guessed it – more geometric shapes.

Jenna Ortega channels Grace Jones in Saint Laurent.

Jenna Ortega attends the Saint Laurent menswear show in Paris. Credit: Stefan Cardinal / Corbis / Getty

Jenna Ortega, star of the Netflix series “Wednesday,” stepped out in a black hoodie and backless dress for Anthony Vaccarello’s first menswear show in Paris for Saint Laurent. A halter-style dress from the brand’s Spring-Summer 2023 collection was reminiscent of Grace Jones’ iconic signature look. Seated in the front row, the actor closed the show with a piano recital by Charlotte Gainsbourg.

Rick Owens Orthopedic Boots

Rick Owens took chunky boots to the extreme at the menswear show. Credit: Victor Virgil/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images

Rick Owens is no stranger to describing shoes – his actual kissing scenes have become cult classics. This season, the American designer takes orthopedic glam up a notch with a pair of booties that feature thick soles stitched together with leather-lined ankles. The best way to recover from a broken leg?

Rosalia rocked Louis Vuitton.

Rosalia stole the show at Louis Vuitton Airport. Credit: Stefan Cardinale/Corbis via Getty Images

Spanish popstar Rosalia rocked the roof at the Louvre with her stunning performance at the fashion show for Louis Vuitton, which unveiled a new collection with first-time guest creative director Colm Dillane of Kid Super. The artist opened the show wearing an all-white ensemble and walked the runway with a torch flashing the French brand’s famous monogram, before climbing into a yellow car and rocking her favorite “Candy.”

The Autumn-Winter 2023 collection showcased a mix of elegant tailoring, utility suits, sports-inspired labels and patchwork coats.

Culture developed by Dries Van Noten

Belgian duo Lander and Adrian recorded a performance by Dries van Noten on drums. Credit: Peter White/Getty Images

Music has always been important to Dries van Noten. Keane’s followers will remember his Autumn-Winter 2011 show, composed by David Bowie Masters of Special Mix. This season, the Belgian designer explored the 90s edgy culture with more sophistication. Guests made their way to a multi-level parking garage for the show, stacked with experimental musicians to a mellow techno beat, while beer was served from a metal cart. Above, Belgium’s Du Lander and Adrienne perform the show’s note “Sophisti-Rave” on drums and synthesizers. A hypnotic soundtrack sets the tone for the new collection, featuring flora and fauna motifs, furry cloaks, outerwear from trench coats to cinched waists to oversized puffer jackets and abstract patterned and wide 90s-era cargo pants.

Junya Watanabe Palace collaboration announced

Junya Wantanabe has collaborated with London-based skatewear brand Palace. Credit: Estrup/Getty Images

Known for his extensive list of fashion collaborations, Junya Watanabe chose to celebrate the many brands he’s worked with over the years – including New Balance, Oakley, North Face and Timberland – in a mostly one-off collection. Also seen on the runway was London-based skatewear brand Palace’s iconic Tri-Ferg logo on a black section puffer parka jacket. Another first.

The Swinging Sixties by Kenzo

Nigo’s third collection, Kenzo’s collection, was inspired by the Beatles, and recorded covers of the bands most famous songs. Credit: Victor Virgil/Gamma-Rapho/Gamma-Rapho/Getty Images

Kenzo’s artistic director, Nigo, has long been an Anglophile, and his love for The Beatles goes back at least to 1999 – when he starred in a cover shoot for Relax magazine, centered on Abbey Road. In a show note for his third collection for the brand, the Japanese designer compared the clothes to the series “The White Album,” citing cultural and stylistic references from the British, American and, of course, Japanese. The performance at the Paris Concert Hall featured the 1966 quartet’s four-piece Japanese-style “Can’t Buy Love” and “I Want to Hold Your Hand.” The models walk around their two violins, cello and piano as the new Fab Four fills the concert hall with song and excitement.

KidSuper got the funny bone of fashion

The KidSuper fashion comedy show featured comedians dressed in their latest collection. Credit: I didn’t

Outside the Casino de Paris, hosts, guests and fashion denizens packed in like sardines trying to get into KidSuper’s “Funny Business” fashion comedy show hosted by supermodel Tyra Banks. Inspired by the Netflix comedy special, Jeff Ross, Emmy-nominated actress Yvonne Orgy, and French comedian Farry toasted the brand’s founder, Colm Dillane, wearing the new collection of the amazing comedian line-up. The theme was customization with a twist, from embroidery with stitch chalk marks to colorful ticos with watercolor brush strokes.

In a rare backstage appearance for CNN Style, Delaney said he wanted “something that would last longer than those 15 minutes.”

“I’ve always thought it’s such a waste of money for something. So, I come up with concepts that have legs, and for this show, I thought how great it would be to do this comedy show that I can keep. I’m doing – what if I do this in New York next year? And the year after that.” Later, somewhere else?”

Sakai and Carhartt work twice

For Sakai’s Fall-Winter 2023 collection, Japanese designer Chitose Abe has collaborated with workwear brand Carhartt. Credit: Victor Virgil/Gamma-Rapho/Getty Images

Japanese designer Chitose Abe has partnered with workwear brand Carhartt WIP for her Fall-Winter 2023 collection. It was an interesting exploration of Carhartt’s typically straightforward style, infused with Abe’s romantic and unique vision. Pockets are doubled and proportions are skewed as Abe breaks down the brand’s signature offerings — from inside-out-looking parkas with striped panels and shearling panels to Carhartt’s iconic Michigan coat to soft knit jackets accented with gold buttons.