“Flawless show. Want to wear everything,” commented one industry colleague via social media following the Hermès Fall 2019 finale. And who could blame him. Here is a lineup of clothes that manages to simultaneously appear exceptionally soigné while emitting a nonchalance à la Ian Curtis of the tragically-terminated band Joy Division. The show was exceptionally showcased inside France’s national furniture archives. Among rows of chairs and footstools dating from the past few decades, a line-up of models showcased a wardrobe that oozed the sort of inimitable cool money can (rarely) buy.
Exceptional skins that called out to be touched—shearling, leather—came in an array of muted colors that side-stepped any off-putting flash. Midnight and Prussian blues, mingled with saffron, cigar, burnt orange, and duck green. The hues evoked a mint aftershave that one couldn’t smell but could certainly imagine. Naturally, it is the cut and lines of the clothes that make this Hermès Men’s collection, once again, timeless and so contemporary. Pants hugged the waistline (sometimes with an elastic band) and then fell loosely to a tapered V—a Victory for men who never got a leg in the skinny pant trend. The trousers came in all textures imaginable: cotton gabardine, wool flannel, mohair canvas, crispy silk, and of course, leather.
Tapered shirts featured dragon prints, also showcased on an array of monochrome bags while cashmere pullovers featured industrial zips—a sporty accent for the man on the go. Meanwhile the outerwear, blousons, overcoats, pea coats, rain coats, and trenches are proposed with detachable collars and smart fabrics like rubberized lambskin and quilted parkas to face the elements. As one exited the venue, the furniture exalted upon entry now appeared drab in comparison. Indeed, the world would be a more beautiful place if only there could be more Hermès in it.
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