JULY 2019 — 89(Clockwise from
top) Hat Fishing:
A Guide, to
capture your
underwater
look; Silk Comics
for a lesson
in how to tie a
Hermès scarf;
Sketch Book, a
live experience;
(Below)
Constellations
surround The Tie
Observers boothwo years ago at the Spring/
Summer men’s collections
showcase in Paris, fashion’s
tastemakers were just beginning
to get a whiff of the style
blizzard about to envelop them:
Sneakers (not quite chunky yet)
were making their way to the
front row; logos were splashed
across T-shirts, catapulting their value from
basic to steep; street style was becoming as
prominent as the show itself. At Hermès, which
traditionally takes up an evening slot and
catches the sublime June twilight in an open-
air setting reminiscent of a Roman forum, the
mood was a stark contrast to the noise brewing
elsewhere. The Parisian house continued to
celebrate slower, languorous fashion, where
construction and form were still undisputable
heroes, as models walked down the runway
to the soundtrack of “All You Need Is Love”.
Hermès was in no hurry to capitalise on trends.
It went above and beyond hype (besides a few
subtle H-marked accessories and interweaves
you needed a magnifying glass to identify) and
believed there were enough men in the world
seeking the highest order of luxury it was very
willing to offer. This, in fact, is a trend in itself.
Fashion was, and still is, very much about
love, about having a party in your mind,
experiencing and indulging, never being taken
too seriously. Luxury is to be relished selfishly,
for a surge of pleasure only you will truly
understand. Véronique Nichanian, the long-
standing Hermès Men’s Artistic Director, who
isn’t on social media and doesn’t care for the
loud buzz some of her counterparts at mega
houses carry but is by far one of the most
respected in her game, is very much a believer.
In her words: “Beautiful things, beautifully
done, in nice materials... With a sense of
humour.” Strong statements that don’t need to
shout and scream.
This was evident again in London earlier
this year, where Hermès showcased its annual
men’s universe presentation, titled Step Into
The Frame, at Nine Elms – an old sorting office
that sounds like a Harry Potter landmark,
and resembled an adult funfair. First up was a
runway show with a 48-strong line-up of men
in all shapes and sizes (including the managing
director of Hermès UK Bertrand Michaud
giddily waving out to his team. Hermès prides
itself on being a big family, and employees
stay on for years. Nichanian is at 31 and
counting). U2’s Adam Clayton, superstar chef
Jackson Boxer and Oasis offspring Lennon
Gallagher were among the cast of men chosen,
as Benedict Cumberbatch and Jade Jagger
cheered from the front row.
Zesty lemon trousers, mandarin orange
joggers, delicious leather bombers, thigh-
skimming shorts and an oversized take on the
Birkin successfully managed to distract me
from supermodel and actor Andrés Velencoso
sitting in front of me. Nichanian, not one to
get left behind, even alluded to streetwear and
formed a new category of fashion altogether:
elegant luxury athleisure for the discerning
gentleman. Velencoso looked half ready to jump
onto the runway to try on the top threads.
The show was a precursor for a whimsical
fashion carnival you had to navigate like an
Alice In Wonderland-esque maze. A tunnel
with neon bright lights opened up to myriad