In Paris, Bianca Saunders and Hed Mayner present their idea of the man's suit

On Wednesday, the menswear collections showed at Paris Fashion Week unveiled just how much men's fashion is evolving. On the second day of the shows, the fashion houses played with cuts and construction, like Bianca Saunders and Hed Mayner, who, for Autumn-Winter 2023/24, revisited tailoring in depth with an ultra-contemporary approach.

The British designer of Jamaican origin has been showing on the Parisian catwalks for several seasons now, and has established herself as one of today's most interesting designers, skilfully revisiting the codes of menswear through looks that can be adapted to both men and women.

In one corner, the models were leaning at a small blue wooden bar. Jamaican music and laughter all around. The place gave off a relaxed atmosphere right from the start, as elegant-looking men and women walked nonchalantly through the space. Underneath a classic appearance, their suits, trench coats and shirts are revealed in a new light, reconstructed with a contemporary twist.

Without buttons, the sleeved pieces were closed asymmetrically with a triangular piece of fabric folded over the front and pinched like the flap of an envelope. Some traditional grey flannel jackets looked like tops. Even some cozy knitwear with a chunky waistband had a flap at the front, giving a new dynamic to the silhouette. Elsewhere, some jackets had no collar, but still had lapels, or in another look, the lapel of a white leather mackintosh was folded over the front like a large ribbon.

Through subtle touches, Martine Rose continues to reinterpret the codes of menswear with precision, curiosity and delicacy. This season, she worked on blurred or photo prints. She also offered total look outfits, trousers, shirts, cut in printed silks, or even dark denim outfits, carefully fraying at all the seams in white thread, for a cool look.

At Hed Mayner's, the suit has been blown to smithereens. Everything is feverishly cut. Some pieces, such as straight cut jackets were choped shorter, while loose, flowing trousers were lengthened and inflated. Double-breasted jackets, in grey flannel or black dinner jackets, were tightened at the waist, adopting a clepsydra shape.

The pea coat with drooping shoulders became more rounded. The puffy parkas took on an oval shape. Skirts replaced trousers. Coats, fell to the ground and were just as wide. The accessories, in giant format played the protagonists, like the enormous pouches that hung on belts or were worn as shoulder straps, or the removable maxi pockets attached to the bottom of jeans.

The Israeli designer, who draws on the world of workwear to build his protective and practical unisex style, played with contrasts by completing his collection with flesh-coloured bonnets and transparent tops and trousers in powdered tulle to be slipped on under oversized down jackets and coats for a bare skin effect.

In Paris, Bianca Saunders and Hed Mayner present their idea of the man's suit

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