Emerging talents in spotlight at hybrid Paris Fashion Week

PARIS (AP) — A spattering of Paris Fashion Week menswear shows began in earnest this week for the fall-winter season, as French government restrictions have seen many relegated to an online-only presence.

Those brands which chose to maintain physical shows — like AMI on Wednesday — may not end up regretting it, benefiting as they seem to be from a relative boost in coverage. As ever, the start of collections principally showcase emerging talents, before the week leads to industry big hitters such as Dior, Louis Vuitton and Hermes.

Here are some highlights of fall-winter 2022 shows.

CHRISTOPHE LEMAIRE

Tasteful and deceptively simple designs graced the Lemaire runway in a sublime collection. The 56-year-old designer, whose full name is Christophe Lemaire, is a master on the Paris calendar boasting a CV second to none and included a four-year stint as the head of Hermes from 2010.

These talents were on abundant display for his fall-winter show that employed fastidious detailing, pre-War styles in muted hues and plays on proportion for a thought-provoking statement.

Men’s and women’s designs fused effortlessly. Block heels of the 1970s mixed with the loose or dropped waists of the 1920s, while oversized coats looked at once 1930s and fashion forward.

The low energy of the restricted color palette of autumnal taupes, beiges, blue-grays was effective in giving this funky collection a classicism. Even the humble denim jacket evoked a timeless vibe, rendered loose and clean lined, with the feel of a young, optimistic 1950s United States.

STEVEN PASSARO

The pandemic has had a devastating impact on numerous fashion houses, forcing the cancellation of big budget, highly mediatized collections over government restrictions in favor of digital videos showcasing new designs.

Though...