The surroundings of the Palais de Tokyo, where the show took place, were taken over by "fashionistas" to celebrate the long-awaited return of the stylist who revolutionized the men's wardrobe, to the point of becoming one of the creators most influential of the last two decades.

On the catwalk, an abundance of sequins, fringe and gold and silver jackets, worn by androgynous models.

Celine show by Hedi Slimane in Paris, June 26, 2022 JULIEN DE ROSA AFP

True to his sharp cut, Hedi Slimane has designed a number of narrow, straight or slightly flared trousers for this collection which can be combined with jackets and bombers with broad shoulders.

Shorts and skirts were also featured in this exclusively men's collection.

Celine, house of the luxury group LVMH whose last show dates back to February 2020, had left the official fashion calendar, deeming it "obsolete".

Celine show by Hedi Slimane in Paris, June 26, 2022 JULIEN DE ROSA AFP

Since then, Hedi Slimane presented his men's and women's collections at his own pace, through films shot in Nice or in castles.

He directs all of Celine's creation but admitted, in a rare interview to Le Monde, that he preferred "without hesitation" to design menswear where "there was everything to do" when he started out more than 20 years ago.

Radically new proposal

It was he who opened up the field of the possible that brands have continued to exploit ever since, with a wealth displayed this week in Paris.

Marine Serre parade in Vanves, near Paris, June 25, 2022 JULIEN DE ROSA AFP

"It really started with Hedi Slimane at Dior, it was a pivotal moment in men's ready-to-wear," Serge Carreira, lecturer at Sciences Po Paris, fashion specialist, told AFP.

He created "a radically new proposal, a representation of masculinity which was on the border with androgyny and which then became the figure of the metrosexual in the 2000s", continues Serge Carreira.

"It's from there that we saw the creative proposals explode in different fields, with aesthetics that can go through extremely sexy or extremely austere, but in any case with a field of expression that widens with each season."

After the proliferation of mixed collections, many houses want to separate the two to better defend their point about the new masculinity.

"It's good to give space to the man and the woman to tell a story," said American Matthew Williams, artistic director of Givenchy.

Givenchy show in Paris, June 22, 2022 JULIEN DE ROSA AFP

After several seasons of mixed collections, he presented during this Fashion week an exclusively masculine collection with balaclavas and rain boots tinged with sensuality.

The "upcycled" man

Putting people in the spotlight has commercial advantages.

According to Givenchy chief executive Renaud de Lesquen, demand for menswear "has grown steadily" over the past two years.

"Commercially, menswear is a market that has developed a lot and a very strong dynamic in Asia has brought considerable growth to designer men's ready-to-wear," agrees Serge Carreira.

French designer Marine Serre, who places the environment and "upcycling" -consisting of giving a second life to clothes and materials-- at the center of her collections, returned to the physical parade on the occasion of Fashion men's week with a mixed collection.

"We have 30% more men's sales in the latest collections. We are not at 50/50, but we do a lot of men and we have no intention of doing less," said she explained to AFP on Saturday evening.

Marine Serre parade in Vanve, near Paris, June 25, 2022 JULIEN DE ROSA AFP

"Upcycling", which means pulling from the top by creating new with old, like her costumes made from towels, "is quite rare in men", underlines the designer.

However, the men's locker room "lends itself very well too", she says.

"These are shapes that are less complex: it's easier, we can have better prices, more accessible so that everyone can wear upcycling pieces".

© 2022 AFP