BEAUTY: Clothing--LGN Louis Gabriel Nouchi

Louis Gabriel Nouchi, founder of his eponymous brand, relies on books and their narratives to provide inspiration for his collections and this SS '26 lookbook released during Paris Fashion Week was based on the Philip K. Dick short story "Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep?" which was in turn made into the classic 1982 Ridley Scott film "Blade Runner." I am not sure how much the book influenced Nouchi because these garments seem to visually borrow from the film as well. Suiting has certainly made a triumphant return to the fashion world (seen this season!), a move I applaud; enough with insipid "athleisure" wear. And here Nouchi presents some amazing looks cut in 1940s-esque silhouettes possibly via the retro-future costumes from "Blade Runner" (I am thinking of Rachel's shoulder pads in her first appearance). And I think the idea of a "replicant" is at play here as well.

I really like the limited color palette he employs here: black, tan, brown, with a bit of white. And the additional skirt elements are fantastic.

https://www.louisgabrielnouchi.com/

BEAUTY: Clothing--Misc. Paris Fashion Week

Men's Fashion Month in Europe draws to a close with the end of Paris Fashion Week. Here are some interesting details that hit me right from the Spring Summer '25 shows:

J.W. Anderson showed some fascinating pants at Loewe: voluminous and gathered trousers, harem pants out of cable knit, or gathered with an attached semi-skirt (reminiscent of the look of tying a shirt around one's waist and letting it trail behind), or slim with a double wrap belt which loops at the shirt as well as at the waist.

Jeanne Friot continues her fun graphic of belts and buckles printed on tops and sheaths. She also continues her enthusiasm for genderless garments!

Jonny Johansson's label Acne Studios continues their own similar idea with a lookbook featuring trompe l’oeil printed jeans...stacks of belts, frayed fronts, and long chains hanging from belt loops are not really there...they just look like it!

But then in the same collection, Acne showed some sharp tailored looks with some amazing tall boots with very wide shafts. I am in love.

Speaking of shoes, this is a nice segue to Feng Chen Wang's sci-fi inspired suction cupped soles, topping last season's shoes that had giant rubber covers that looked like the facehugger from the ALIEN films (seen here)...

Walter Van Beirendonck's collection was inspired by circus clowns and not in a good way... clowns are running the world, says he...and the Lego shoes were worth the price of admission.

And even more shoes from LGN Louis Gabriel Nouchi. His collaboration with Puma resulted in a rubber molded slip-on featuring soles of gripping teeth.

Songzio showed what appear to be wrestling boots but transformed into summer sandals. They are fantastic. In black, white, grey, or blue and pink!

https://www.loewe.com/
https://www.jeannefriot.com/
https://www.acnestudios.com/
https://fengchenwang.com/
https://www.louisgabrielnouchi.com/

https://songzio.com/