Your Guide to the ‘Other’ Fashion Week
StyleAs the Milan and Paris men’s shows get underway, so does a parallel world of red-hot menswear.By Samuel HineJanuary 16, 2025Cris FragkouSave this storySaveSave this storySaveAnother season of menswear madness is upon us. I’m en route to Milan Fashion Week for the opening salvo of Fall-Winter 2025 runway shows, where on Sunday Prada will play its traditional role as a closely-watched vibe-setter for the spectacles to come in Paris and beyond. But so far, fashion people have been talking more about what’s not going to hit the European catwalks than what will. Remember: the industry is in the midst of an unprecedented creative transition, with over a dozen designer shakeups going down last year, and yet more to come—just see Wednesday’s news that Proenza Schouler founders Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez are stepping down. All signs point to their imminent appointment at Loewe.For now, the industry is impatiently waiting for the change agents (Haider Ackermann at Tom Ford, Michael Rider at Celine, Matthieu Blazy at Chanel, and presumably Jonathan Anderson at a new yet-to-be-confirmed luxury house) to make their grand entrances, most of which are pegged for the fall. (Helpfully, Bryanboy sketched out a full rundown of the upcoming debuts here.) Meanwhile, mainstays of the men’s calendar like Gucci and Loewe are sitting out the men’s shows in favor of co-ed formats.There’s plenty on the schedule to look forward to: rising American superstar Willy Chavarria is making his Paris debut, for one, and Peter Copping will raise the curtains on his highly-anticipated vision for Lanvin. S.S.Daley has also joined the Paris fray, and Jacquemus has returned from the sun-drenched isles of Southern Europe. And yet you can still hear the grumbles about a diminished calendar as the men’s fashion crowd pack their suits and coats and prepare to preen for the street style cameras.I say: great! All the more time to hit the “other” fashion week.For the next ten days or so, your social feeds (including RedNote for all the new converts) will be flooded with content from the celeb-fueled mega-brand productions that dominate Milan and Paris fashion weeks. But what we call fashion week is so much bigger than it might look. Because just outside the gates of Clothes-chella, a lush world of independent showcases is also about to get underway. Every season, countless brands flock to Milan and Paris during the official fashion weeks to hawk their wares off the beaten path, typically in modest showrooms, but also in off-calendar presentations and even the odd runway show.A year ago, Noah Johnson hit as much of the Paris fashion week counter-programming he could handle for a definitive exploration of a thriving underground brand ecosystem. What he found was that some of the most compelling clothes of the moment were not on the catwalks but instead in Marais Airbnbs, where designers like New York’s Connor McKnight and London’s Hannah Cawley spent the week meeting with buyers, clients, and the occasional editor.McKnight and Cawley, like many designers who participate in the unofficial anti-fashion-week fashion week, run small businesses selling artisanal menswear that is best appreciated up close, where you can feel the thoughtfulness they put into their fabrics and shapes. Same with Australian purveyors of ballistic outerwear Man-tle and shaman of earthy wool trousers Evan Kinori. And though there isn’t a phalanx of street style photographers lining the alleyway where you’ll find Antwerp menswear wizard Jan-Jan Van Essche, I would argue that if you want to see where menswear is really headed, you’d be better off visiting these quality-obsessed, off-piste designers than hitting every big runway show. What they all lack in VIP wattage and institutional buzz they more than make up for in their fresh approaches to how clothing should be made today. Just look at the success of Japanese menswear label Auralee, which rode a wave of excitement for designer Ryota Iwai’s meticulous fabrications and exhilaratingly natural styling all the way to the actual Paris Fashion Week calendar.This season, there’s more going down at the other fashion week than ever before. (Or so I think: since there’s no schedule, it’s hard to definitively tell.) But anecdotal evidence abounds in my inbox crowded with invites. Several big names are also going off-calendar this season: in Paris, The Row and a post-Hedi Celine are both showing in DL formats. In fact there are so many off-book showrooms and presentations and cocktails and parties that several fashion-adjacent friends from NYC are flying to Paris next week to hang out because, as one told me, Everyone is going to be there. And by there they meant, of course, the other fashion week.Without further ado, here’s a subjective guide to the other fashion week, courtesy of the intrepid global GQ team who will be covering all the action on the ground.Federico SaricaHead of Editorial Content, GQ ItaliaMilan Fashion Week w
Another season of menswear madness is upon us. I’m en route to Milan Fashion Week for the opening salvo of Fall-Winter 2025 runway shows, where on Sunday Prada will play its traditional role as a closely-watched vibe-setter for the spectacles to come in Paris and beyond. But so far, fashion people have been talking more about what’s not going to hit the European catwalks than what will. Remember: the industry is in the midst of an unprecedented creative transition, with over a dozen designer shakeups going down last year, and yet more to come—just see Wednesday’s news that Proenza Schouler founders Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez are stepping down. All signs point to their imminent appointment at Loewe.
For now, the industry is impatiently waiting for the change agents (Haider Ackermann at Tom Ford, Michael Rider at Celine, Matthieu Blazy at Chanel, and presumably Jonathan Anderson at a new yet-to-be-confirmed luxury house) to make their grand entrances, most of which are pegged for the fall. (Helpfully, Bryanboy sketched out a full rundown of the upcoming debuts here.) Meanwhile, mainstays of the men’s calendar like Gucci and Loewe are sitting out the men’s shows in favor of co-ed formats.
There’s plenty on the schedule to look forward to: rising American superstar Willy Chavarria is making his Paris debut, for one, and Peter Copping will raise the curtains on his highly-anticipated vision for Lanvin. S.S.Daley has also joined the Paris fray, and Jacquemus has returned from the sun-drenched isles of Southern Europe. And yet you can still hear the grumbles about a diminished calendar as the men’s fashion crowd pack their suits and coats and prepare to preen for the street style cameras.
I say: great! All the more time to hit the “other” fashion week.
For the next ten days or so, your social feeds (including RedNote for all the new converts) will be flooded with content from the celeb-fueled mega-brand productions that dominate Milan and Paris fashion weeks. But what we call fashion week is so much bigger than it might look. Because just outside the gates of Clothes-chella, a lush world of independent showcases is also about to get underway. Every season, countless brands flock to Milan and Paris during the official fashion weeks to hawk their wares off the beaten path, typically in modest showrooms, but also in off-calendar presentations and even the odd runway show.
A year ago, Noah Johnson hit as much of the Paris fashion week counter-programming he could handle for a definitive exploration of a thriving underground brand ecosystem. What he found was that some of the most compelling clothes of the moment were not on the catwalks but instead in Marais Airbnbs, where designers like New York’s Connor McKnight and London’s Hannah Cawley spent the week meeting with buyers, clients, and the occasional editor.
McKnight and Cawley, like many designers who participate in the unofficial anti-fashion-week fashion week, run small businesses selling artisanal menswear that is best appreciated up close, where you can feel the thoughtfulness they put into their fabrics and shapes. Same with Australian purveyors of ballistic outerwear Man-tle and shaman of earthy wool trousers Evan Kinori. And though there isn’t a phalanx of street style photographers lining the alleyway where you’ll find Antwerp menswear wizard Jan-Jan Van Essche, I would argue that if you want to see where menswear is really headed, you’d be better off visiting these quality-obsessed, off-piste designers than hitting every big runway show. What they all lack in VIP wattage and institutional buzz they more than make up for in their fresh approaches to how clothing should be made today. Just look at the success of Japanese menswear label Auralee, which rode a wave of excitement for designer Ryota Iwai’s meticulous fabrications and exhilaratingly natural styling all the way to the actual Paris Fashion Week calendar.
This season, there’s more going down at the other fashion week than ever before. (Or so I think: since there’s no schedule, it’s hard to definitively tell.) But anecdotal evidence abounds in my inbox crowded with invites. Several big names are also going off-calendar this season: in Paris, The Row and a post-Hedi Celine are both showing in DL formats. In fact there are so many off-book showrooms and presentations and cocktails and parties that several fashion-adjacent friends from NYC are flying to Paris next week to hang out because, as one told me, Everyone is going to be there. And by there they meant, of course, the other fashion week.
Without further ado, here’s a subjective guide to the other fashion week, courtesy of the intrepid global GQ team who will be covering all the action on the ground.
Head of Editorial Content, GQ Italia
Milan Fashion Week will unofficially kick off on Friday with GR10K’s presentation. GR10K is the ultimate post-gorpcore-meets-Italian-craftmanship-and-textile-know-how brand. Plus, they have the best creative community in town around them. Also on Friday, Dorian Tarantini will unveil his new project, Santamaria Sound Studio, a music design studio for brands and fashion shows.
Dorian is a true Milanese legend: fashion designer, deejay, and many many more creative jobs. Plus, he knows how to throw a party!
On Saturday, Our Legacy is holding an aperitivo in their showroom, and the best way to understand why Our Legacy became one of the coolest brands in the world is to meet the people behind it and have a drink with them.
Style Editor, GQ Italia
Milan Fashion Week has a few aces up its sleeve, well hidden among the noise of the calendar's big names. Many brands have now hacked the system, opting not to put on a real show, but to create installations or presentations that would be the envy of the best fashion shows. Two of them are GR10K and Rold Skov. The first is Anna Grassi's brand, which, inspired by the family business specialising in workwear and protective equipment, has reinvented gorpcore, taking it in the direction of a certain idea of almost formal fashion. Last season, GR10K organised a presentation in a theatre where an orchestra dressed in the brand's clothes played continuously while some elements changed places. The whole thing was streamed live—a different approach to the classic presentation.
And then there’s Rold Skov by Luca Rossini, which I think of as a third brother in a family made up of Mfpen and Our Legacy. Luca brings his passion and a past (but also a present) in the world of music to the brand. His last collection was inspired by Primal Scream and was very modern and wearable. At the moment Rold Skov sells mainly in Japan and Northern Europe, but success in the rest of the world may only be a matter of time.
Last but not least is Bally's new capsule in collaboration with Leo Mas. It is incredible to think how Simone Bellotti has not only made the Swiss brand his own in a very short time, but has also managed to make it one of the most exciting things on the entire Milan schedule. This time, Bally is presenting a capsule collection created in collaboration with Leo Mas, composer of almost all the soundtracks for the brand's shows and a keen collector of vintage prints. An excellent aperitif before returning to the catwalk.
Global Fashion Director, GQ
I’m looking forward to stopping by Fear Of God’s “residence” in Paris. Celine is also showing a studio collection this season—I wonder if they will keep Hedi Slimane’s brand codes. And then of course the showroom for NYC’s Commission is a must.
Head of Editorial Content, GQ France
I’ll make my way to the showroom for Pièces Uniques, an up-and-coming Parisian menswear label who won the Pierre Bergé Prize last year at Andam. Everything they put out creatively—style, image, community building—is so strongly cohesive and visually impactful, it’s impressive.
The French GQ team is always on the watch for Jeanne Friot’s latest moves and genderless vision—remember the iconic silver Seine river-rider from The Olympics ceremony? That’s her work! You’ll spot more than one of us at her show and after-party at café La Perle.
Speaking of after parties, I won't miss Nikita Vlassenko's Goth ball on the 23rd.
Barbès in the 18th district may not be on your traditional fashion roadmap but something is always on at creative hub Union de la jeunesse Internationale, hosted by Youssouf Fofana from Maison Château Rouge. I’ll check their tight curation of local and international alternative brands with a special attention to local craftsmanship and new social narratives.
Senior Fashion Writer, GQ
The super-talented Zane Li of Lii Studio is debuting menswear in Paris on January 24—I can’t wait to see how he’ll translate his crisp, artful womenswear shapes for men. Fashion week dinners are tough, but I’m going to try to swing by a dinner party hosted by the plugged-in downtown creative Marc Kalman of Still Kelly, his new ’90s-esque street-fashion label that has officially given capris a new lease on life. Finally, I love brands that focus on redefining one thing and one thing only. Celine Eriksen of underground denim brand Olga Basha will be in town holding appointments and I’m excited for her to show me what the future of blue jeans looks like.
