Menswear doesn’t get more luxe than in the hands of Véronique Nichanian and all the artisans who help make Hermès a reality. In the case of AW20, the purity of lines allowed the excellence of make sing on the clothes, and that’s exactly what the customer of this brand is looking for in their wardrobe. You don’t need a signature detail or a logo emblazoned over the garment – at Hermès, it’s the outstanding quality that represents the brand behind the piece.
This season, Nichanian and her atelier turned towards a slightly more radical direction than usual. The tailoring looked more louche, as the proportions became oversized and relaxed in that 1990s minimalism kind of way. Shirt collars turned into neckties, adding a bit of wink-wink charm to the whole story. The colour palette, as always, focused on the warm earthy tones which played even further into the comforting spirit of these garments. You just want to wear one of the big shiny parkas and lose yourself in it. The immaculate use of leather was not only demonstrated in the clean-cut jackets and slouchy trench coats, but also came as colourful patchwork atop knitted cardigans. This is Hermès after all…
There is nothing wrong with creating a fantasy of a collection, introducing wild ideas that create aspirations of a life somewhere else in the world. But when realism looks this good, why dream at all?
Photographs by Jason Lloyd-Evans.
