BEST OF THE BUNCH WHO STOOD OUT AT MEN’S FASHION WEEK

DUNHILL

Mark Weston at Dunhill hit his stride showcasing the house’s exacting tailoring and skill in leather craft. The cut on nipped-in jackets and trousers was sharp and lean, with supple leather in fawn and moss on jackets and trench coats, alongside the latter in silk that hit a spring note.

BALMAIN

Olivier Rousteing created a riotous tribute to Michael Jackson on the ninth anniversary of his death. Stars n stripes Americana, embroidery and fringing took Balmain’s signature high-shouldered jackets and tight trousers from Thriller red jackets to Moonwalking black ensembles.

HERMES

While other houses grapple with how to apply casualness to extreme luxury, Veronique Nichanian can rest easy. The designer showed this with drawstring trousers in rich, burnished tones and cashmere sweaters in a fragmented graphic print.

PAUL SMITH

Smith chose to highlight the fact that, for almost 50 years, he has been at the forefront of British tailoring. He married traditional plaids and windowpane checks with track tops and blousy trousers, alongside a series of pastel hued blazers and trousers that lightened the mood considerably for spring.

ALEXANDER MCQUEEN

This standout show contrasted exacting, severe tailoring with artistic exuberance. John Deakin’s images of sketched faces were rendered in beaded embroidery across a coat and suit, with a coat and blazer streaked with a “brush stroke” of hand-sewn 3D threads.

LANVIN

Lucas Ossendrijver used the term “blown up” to describe the lightness that infused his collection, with puffs and clouds of fabric. He adapted garments to form two kinds in one; T-shirts that ape the appearance of a shirt at the back, jackets with waistcoat inlays and beautiful, deliberately crumpled knitwear.