In Paris, the art of simplicity at Lemaire and Aliens by Walter Van Beirendonck

The second day of the shows set the tone for this Men’s Fashion Week in Paris. Judging by the first collections for fall-winter 2025/26, which were paraded in these first days, quality and creativity are there, redefining the codes of men’s clothing. As evidenced this Wednesday by the passionate and sought-after work of Lemaire on cuts and silhouettes, and the graphic and avant-garde fashion of Walter Van Beirendonck.

Lemaire is subtly evolving his wardrobe for next winter by invigorating it with stronger and more assertive pieces. “There is an idea of ​​a certain force, almost raw, a dynamism. We tried to find the balance between strong and utilitarian pieces, and a feeling of sensuality and intimacy. It is a new tailoring thought for everyday life”, explains Christophe Lemaire backstage with his partner Sarah-Linh Tran, who is about to give birth in March and shows off her round belly under a practical and elegant knitted skirt. “It will be in the next collection!”, she slips with a smile, noting that “many of the asymmetrical skirts and coats unveiled this Wednesday seem perfect for maternity”.

The couple has a knack for showcasing sophisticated everyday fashion without letting it show. The art of simplicity is exalted with concrete clothing, with worked constructions and subtle details, which when arranged together define an attitude. Suits with a two-button jacket, well cut, are worn with sports shoes over a basic t-shirt. Likewise, the raincoat, the vintage-looking leather jacket, the parka or the enveloping coat are combined with a simple undershirt.

The wardrobe gradually expands with other “robust” pieces, such as these beautiful leather jackets and jackets which are worn over shirts or zipped sweaters with wide collars, mixed in yak, alpaca and merino sometimes with a hood, with loose pants or balloon dresses, which create movement. Wool alternates with lacquered textures, coated fabrics and cotton canvases in a dark palette of natural tones crossed by flashes of red, via a shirt or this asymmetrical scarlet dress with pleats in silk, viscose and twill. A breath of summer sometimes runs through the collection with light dresses in crepe de chine or viscose twill and impalpable tops and shorts in vanilla-colored silk.

“We redefine luxury by giving clothing a sense of elevation. This sensation of clothing which allows you to feel better about yourself is our obsession,” summarizes Christophe Lemaire. The house also places emphasis on accessories, which heighten desire this season with handbags adorned with a surrealist eye and pendants transforming everyday objects (magnifying glass, key ring, Swiss army knife, pen, etc.) in designer jewelry thanks to a collaboration with the Austrian workshop Carl Auböck.

Walter Van Bereindonck invites his happy Alien friends around a spaceship-looking scene. Accompanied by a galactico-futuristic soundtrack, the models arrive in checked suits, in rubber shoes with giant spikes, wearing slightly oversized bowler hats (the headgear is by English milliner Stephen Jones). From the outset, they surprise with their tentacled hands. And for good reason, their fingers are extended by silicone prostheses giving them the appearance of larger-than-life extra-terrestrials!
Apart from a few neon details here and there, like these orange eyes with furrowed eyebrows, which observe you from the pocket of a jacket or playful but chic leather bags, the Belgian designer is focusing for next winter on tailored pieces with a series of suits cut from beautiful checked tweeds in all sizes to match the hat. The proportions were revised, particularly in the pants, by multiplying the pleats and lowering the crotch level, while certain jackets were cut and reshaped into vests.
Our humanoid does not, however, renounce color and fantasy by combining his elegant pleated pants with jacquard sweaters decorated with graphic patterns, or by whipping up his outfits with shirts in intense green or electric blue. Without forgetting the vibrant orange of a floral shirt to match the tie. He also sometimes likes to tie a scarf of silk over his cap.
And also let yourself be tempted by more “wild” outfits in total black looks, wearing your choice of a long-haired jacket and pants from Yeti or this plush-style curly wool set that you can see under the long fringes that fall from his hat down to his feet. Once he has finished his lap, he sits down on one of the fabric armchairs (the one that matches his costume, of course) in the shape of a strange creature, which literally welcomes him into its arms. At the end of the show, the Aliens raise their two fingers in a V shape as a sign of peace.