Paris Men's Fashion Week kicked off with a bang on Tuesday, with the long-awaited Louis Vuitton show. But alongside this heavyweight, the first day was also an opportunity to discover some smaller brands, including the Japanese Auralee, which makes its second appearance on the Parisian calendar, and the young French fashion house Valette Studio, which was part of the presentation program. Both presented their collections for Spring/Summer 2025, both for men and women. The day also saw the return of trio Etudes Studio, who performed at the Tokyo Palace after taking a break last season.
Auralee: simple and in the right place
This second show in Paris showcased the talent of Ryota Iwai, whose brand is quickly becoming one of the coolest on the Parisian scene. Elegant or relaxed, utilitarian or formal, essential and sophisticated at the same time, Auralee clothing always seems to be in the right place at the right time, perfect in its simplicity.
To present his new work, the Japanese designer invited the public to a private mansion in the 7th district, where Karl Lagerfeld once lived. A series of lounges with chandeliers and golden furniture, overlooking a green garden. The glass doors opened to reveal a maple tree, its bright green leaves trembling in the gentle breeze. The perfect backdrop for this collection, inspired by the different types of people you can find in a park.
When the first models passed in front of this poetic landscape, it is as if we had been transported to the film. Perfect days, shot by Wim Wenders in Tokyo, where the protagonist, playing an ordinary man, often stops in the city's urban parks to savor the beauty, sometimes taking a photo, sometimes picking a flower. It is this same praise of everyday life and its beauty that was also on the runway.
In this park we met the dreamer who seemed to have just gotten out of bed, with his big coat on top of his soft wool pajamas with small checks, the businessman in a blue shirt and black suit, pen in his pocket, newspapers under his arm. and his female counterpart in a strict trouser suit, tie and patchwork striped shirt. The jock in shorts and an aqua green nylon windbreaker or a bright red parka. The student, wearing shorts and a plaid shirt, with a ribbed sweater around his neck, held a book in his hand, while the romantic young man wore a thick cotton knit and chinos, one of the key pieces of the collection. .
Various leather items have appeared this season, such as loose shorts, a small suede jacket over a classic suit, comfortable chocolate-colored leather jackets with large pockets and, above all, these magnificent, practically seamless, slouchy bags that can be carried hanging on the back or carried in the hand.
“To ride my bike to work, I passed through Yoyogi Park in Tokyo, and as I was taking note of the people who frequented it, I came up with the idea of exploring all these personalities, each one different, but all gathered in the same place “I tried to find the right balance between the businessman's uniform and a more relaxed attitude, and I was quite influenced by the preppy and vintage style,” explains Ryota Iwai, who, as always, took textile research very far.
The company, which manufactures its own fabrics by sourcing threads and fibers from the best suppliers in the world, from Peru for alpaca, to New Zealand and Scotland for wool, and Mongolia for cashmere, wanted to challenge the fibers with which it usually works. to find ways to use them in your summer wardrobe. The result is a series of fine, ultra-soft wool garments that look almost like cotton from afar.
The Spencer by Valette Studio
Valette Studio also hosted an elegant lounge at the Normandy Hotel, but in a different tone. The brand returns to its fundamentals: informal tailoring. Designer Pierre-François Valette focused on an iconic piece of men's fashion, the Spencer and, more generally, the jacket, which he reinvented through a series of details and inventions.
The black tuxedo jacket was shortened and paired with damask printed velvet pants. The white Spencer was simple, buttonless, and worn with cotton gauze shorts. There was also a metallic jacket, as if bathed in liquid silver, light and fluid in jersey. And let's not forget the navy blue blazer, with new proportions. All of these stylish jackets from the traditional men's wardrobe can be worn over a tank top or shirt for the coming summer. The t-shirts come out this season.
A wrinkle-free wool Spencer stretched into two long panels that tied or crossed majestically at the waist, or rose over the shoulders like a stole, redefining the silhouette. Other jackets were available as vests, sleeveless or with short sleeves. The Spencer short highlighted the high-waisted pants. In particular, the designer proposed a new version of the sailor jumper pants, with the front folded down and keeping the pants closed at the waist.
There were also oversized double-breasted jackets for women, which were worn over draped dresses. The women did not hesitate to steal the belt from their man's tuxedo and use it as a top. A chic and simple piece, which should be all the rage next summer. “This season, men and women are different,” explains Pierre-François Valette. “I have taken all the volumes of the Valette jackets and defined them well, modernizing the tailoring fabrics. Making something beautiful but simple is the most complicated part,” he says.
The New York inspirations of Etudes Studio
Etudes is once again present at Paris Fashion Week. After a break last season, the French label, led by the trio formed by Jérémie Egry, Aurélien Arbet and José Lamali, presented a double bill on Tuesday at the Palais de Tokyo. After a pause during which the universe of the brand and some of its identity codes were reviewed, and its name was confirmed as Etudes Studio, the label presented its collections N°24 and N°25 in a show that combines music in alive (performed by Pierre Brujeau Megabasse), fashion show and dance. “We affirm our practice of being multidisciplinary, using various media and collaborating with other entities, brands and creatives. In the end, affirming this name is the correct way to define ourselves,” explains Aurélien Arbet, who points out that the pause It was necessary to take the time to do things correctly. What is specific about this presentation is the idea of offering an artist's garment. “To offer a wardrobe that a creative person might want to wear on a daily basis.”
For this collection, the result of two seasons of exploration, the trio, which has played with different creative universes since its beginnings, proposes wardrobe for artists. The collection is largely inspired by American references, both in the silhouettes that clearly play with the codes of American streetwear, and through two collaborations. The first is The Kitchen, a place of artistic experimentation in New York, expressed in prints of frosted images and details of black and white artworks. The second is an exploitation of Andy Warhol's iconography. Half a dozen pieces feature reproductions of Polaroids made by the pop art genius. “For us, the Factory has always been a reference point and an inspiration in our creative approach, bringing together various mediums. It also inspired us to mix art and commerce.” It is a fitting tribute to Etudes Studio's role as an artists' dressing room.
The label explores the boundaries between sartorial inspirations and utilitarian garments. Classic workwear is made from noble materials, blurring the lines between formal and artistic wear. Some pieces, such as a sleeveless sweater and cargo pants, have had the collar removed or the legs marked, as if they had been subjected to artistic experimentation.
The creative dressers at Etudes Studio choose everything from satin bombers and long wool coats with a huge scarf, to large sleeveless jackets worn over a hoodie and flared pants, adorned with the Etudes E and paired with a pair of Keen hiking boots. The play of dyes and washes, in browns, greys, blues and blacks, and the layers, give the collection a strong streetwear connotation, offset by some button-down shirts under the denim jackets.
Denim is an essential part of this collection. Etudes Studio strives to avoid the classics: jackets over hoodies have been approached with roomy cuts, and practical pockets in original locations add an interesting detail to the construction of the silhouette. Meanwhile, the cut and construction of the bottom (again using cutouts and layers) explored possibilities, away from 5 pockets. At the end of an elliptical collective dance, the only person left in the large open studio was a young man wearing a tie-dyed pink jacket and jeans. He is a power piece that could easily be seen on a hip-hop star.
The French brand founded in 2012, still majority owned by its management trio, has more than a hundred retailers around the world, especially in Europe, but also in Asia. In China, after opening two stores with its partner DF360, Etudes Studio will open several new boutiques by the end of the year and will have half a dozen points of sale within a year. The brand is also looking to South Korea to accelerate its international expansion. The collection presented on Tuesday should attract South Korean customers.
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