New year, new you, new fashion. While most people love to set a new year’s resolution, us fashion folk, forward-looking as we are, tend to opt for predictions instead. Who’s getting which job, which celebrity will wear what, and what, exactly, will people want to buy in order to embody that evolved version of themselves?
The fall 2025 menswear collections kick off tomorrow with Pitti Uomo in Florence, jump-starting a Fashion Week marathon that continues in Milan and Paris, with the spring couture collections and shows in Copenhagen, Berlin, and New York following one after the other. To mark the occasion, we reached out to some of our friends and contributors to hear about what they think—or hope—the men’s season will bring. A couple of things they all agree on: There’s a renewed appetite for elegance, which we expect will show up at the runway debuts of Haider Ackermann at Tom Ford, Peter Copping at Lanvin, and Sarah Burton at Givenchy. (Though don’t miss the one expert forecasting the return of sneakers to market dominance.) Auralee by Ryota Iwai, which will open the Paris men’s schedule on January 21, is the brand to watch. And, as for hopes and dreams, Matthieu Blazy should consider finally giving Chanel some menswear. Read through for more from eight menswear experts across editorial, styling, and retail.
I always remember a great quote that Christian Lacroix attributed to Jean-Jacques Picart about the relationship between fashion design and the moment. “Picart had a very good motto. He said fashion is like a banana. When it is green it is not good. And when it is black it is not good. But too early is even worse than too late. The skill is to be there at the right time.”
Mr. Fish in the 1960s was a menswear yellow banana. So too was Giorgio Armani in the 1980s, Hedi Slimane in the 2000s, and Virgil Abloh in the 2010s. What all these designers did in their different ways was to shift the aesthetic of menswear to such a popular extent that they inspired countless trend-chasing overripe bananas to dupe them. So where is our yellow banana in 2025? I think there’s a massive opportunity for the right menswear designer to grab this mixed-up decade by the scruff of its neck, shake it into shape, and define a look that defines the flavor of now. The time is ripe!
We’re heading into dark times and sadly I think fashion will be reflective of that. I think fashion’s fixation with workwear will continue and there will be elevated variations of everyday utilitarian and surplus essentials. More usage of technical fabrications will be embraced in more weatherproof outerwear options, but at the same time, that aged, worn-in effect will be applied too. As much as fashion enthusiasts yearn for more glamour and high-fashion on the runway, I still feel that more grounded, well-made clothes are what consumers will gravitate towards.
I think that menswear this year will fall into extremes—for example, opulent dressing consisting of tailoring, with a considered focus on textiles and cuts, but also, as my professional alma mater, GQ, coined on Instagram last week, “goofball swag.” Consumers, and the general fashion public today, are extremely informed, with so much “insider” knowledge democratized and disseminated via channels such as TikTok (RIP?), podcasts like Recho Omondi’s “The Cutting Room Floor,” and Substack. The fellas have studied up, and this year, I think we’ll see both a showcase or assertion of authority in said knowledge, as well as, on the other side, a blatant rejection of those codes in ironic dressing. In any case, I suspect there will be a playfulness and humor across both ends—as exemplified by the Golden Globes this past weekend—wherein Colman Domingo stunned in a lavish Valentino number with mixed polka dots, while Jeremy Strong goofed off in a pistachio Loro Piana suit complete with a matching bucket hat and custom Jacques Marie Mage specs.
With recent industry appointments such as Haider Ackermann at Tom Ford, Alessandro Michele at Valentino, and Matthieu Blazy at Chanel, I think we’re seeing an exciting shift in the landscape. You can already see Michele’s influence on the red carpet. I’ll also pose the question, will Blazy show menswear at Chanel?
With Haider Ackermann taking over the reins at Tom Ford, I predict a sense of heightened glamour will take over the runways.
At this time, with 1990s fashion being celebrated like never before, I can’t help reminiscing about the glamorous men’s shows of Versace and Dolce Gabbana back then, as well as Tom Ford’s Gucci era. I’ve also been thinking about Jean Paul Gaultier’s super stylized and rebellious “Le Mâle,” which paved the way for a new generation of chic male eccentrics, and the beautiful world of artisanal embroideries and lush colors of ’90 Dries Van Noten, when men s attitudes and confidence were at their utmost vibrant.
I feel this trend has begun trickling in as celebrity men’s style has gotten bolder and more experimental, but now we will see it really take off. Lately, men’s glamour has been expressed through subtly luxurious yet comfortable and practical clothes, which is great, but now it is time to take it to the next level. And it is really great that Haider is back!
As the tides shift from quiet luxury towards a focus on personal style, I predict a renewed emphasis on accessorizing. Think hats—not beanies or caps, but more unconventional shapes/materials— and scarves (silk? skinny and long? adorned with tassels?), plus cummerbunds, gloves in vibrant colors or with intricate detailing, and alternative neckties (gilded feathers?), brooches, pins, and the like.
For the past few seasons, accessories have been an afterthought, but I’m hoping to see interesting takes and real design intent placed behind these totems that help one represent oneself.
There is a lot of newness happening in menswear, and I hope we see something unexpected. Haider Ackermann’s Tom Ford, Sarah Burton’s Givenchy, Peter Copping’s Lanvin, Michael Rider’s Celine, Louise Trotter’s Bottega Veneta, and Matthieu Blazy’s Chanel...I want to see a little sex, some skin and a resurgence of glamour!Designers need to play with proportion, texture, and layering. We need something that shakes the system. Some brands to watch are Auralee, Commission, Margaret Howell, Our Legacy, and Magliano.
In menswear, there’s been a focus on discovery and subtle elegance in clothing, with an emphasis on premium fabrics and experimental silhouettes that play with proportion. The popularity of dressier knitwear and shaggy mohair in knit polos, along with a renewed interest in longline coats made from fabrics like cashmere and corduroy, speak to what defines a modern statement piece. This is also reflected in the kinds of brands men are gravitating toward now. Auralee, Lemaire, and Our Legacy are labels that don’t necessarily traffic in the realm of logos but have each honed a set of design codes that result in recognizable icons for a certain subset of plugged-in menswear enthusiasts. These are clothes meant to be worn and to bring joy to the wearer.
Nike will regain its magic and return to footwear dominance. Its share price will rebound to all-time highs. Do I have to disclose that I have Nike stock in my retirement portfolio, or no?
The fall 2025 menswear collections kick-off with Pitti Uomo on January 14 and wrap in Paris on January 26.
