Political, quiet or extravagant: the menswear trends for FW24 from Paris and Milan

While 'quiet luxury' has gained increasing momentum in menswear and brands such as Amiri and Gucci now send much subdued menswear creations down the runway, a few outliers stand out from the crowd. Rather than chunky knits in shades of brown and black and streamlined suits, these brands have added colour and a touch of glitter to their collections for FW24.

FashionUnited took a closer look at the hottest trends from the men's fashion weeks in Paris and Milan.

Fair Isle knitwear

Even so, it's a cosy start to the season, as fair isle jumpers are making a comeback. The colourful patterned knitwear pieces have been given an update this season, rather than being limited to their classic form as seen at Kolor. Loewe transfers the style to a long-sleeved shirt for FW24 and pairs it with loose beige baggy cargo trousers.

Sacai takes it one step further and integrates its pattern, which the Japanese luxury brand uses for fluffy jumpers, across the entire collection: from denim two-pieces consisting of skirts and trousers to oversized cardigans and outerwear. The collection also features slashed slipovers and floor-length dresses, worn by models of all genders.

Leggings

Whilst trousers have become wider again in menswear in recent seasons, some brands now seem to be headed in the complete opposite direction and defying gender stereotypes. Instead of jeans and suit trousers, leggings and tights are also making an appearance on the runway. Leggings are combined with boots into which they disappear. Doublet uses the tight-fitting trousers in contrast to an oversized jumper and thus plays with the silhouette. Loewe, on the other hand, opts for a tight-fitting shirt, creating a very linear look. Meanwhile, JW Anderson makes use of dark, transparent tights, although the length of them doesn't exceed that of biker shorts. The British designer pairs the piece with loose-fitting shirts and jumpers but also sends his models out on the runway in nothing but the tights.

Glitz and glamour

For the next party, designers turned to womenswear and added a little glitz and glamour to the otherwise rather demure menswear. There were various tops decorated with silver, sparkling rhinestones. From muscle shirts to turtlenecks, styles catered to a wide range of preferences. These sparkling pieces took centre stage and were combined with understated suit trousers or even the occasional dark skirt..

A political message

Fashion is often used to reflect society. At a time when wars are still waging in Ukraine and the Middle East and climate change is showing its increasing effects, designers are highlighting the importance of these issues in their collections.

Bluemarble and 3.Paradis made a stand for peace in the form of the peace symbol and a white dove print respectively. Emeric Tchatchoua, designer behind the Paris-based label 3.Paradis, additionally showcased a bag with the words "The World needs more Love". The bag is part of a look that features the face of Cuban revolutionary Che Guevara on a red hoodie. A political statement - albeit a controversial one - coincides with the return of a print that was particularly popular on tees in the early 2000s, regardless of the wearer's prior knowledge of the person depicted.

The Berlin label GmbH also took a stance and spoke out against discrimination not only, but also during their fashion show. Serhat Işık and Benjamin Huseby, the duo behind the brand, emphasised their solidarity with Palestine in a speech after the show. The collection emphasises this by means of a watermelon print - the fruit became a symbol of protest as it features the colours of the Palestinian flag - and kufiya, also known colloquially as "pali cloth".

Understated leather jackets

Somewhat more understated were the styles presented by Fendi, Jordanluca and Valentino. All three brands sent rather minimalistic "leather" jackets and coats onto the catwalk. Without logos or patch pockets and in some cases even without collars, they showed the Quiet Luxury's take on leather jackets from the world of motorsport and aviation. While Jordanluca toyed with red, Fendi and Valentino showed restraint with colour.

Cats

Some designers got their claws out to make themselves heard, while others focussed on actual cats. The feline was one of the most popular prints of the season and could be seen at brands such as JW Anderson, Acne Studios and Givenchy.

Picturesque

However, it wasn't just cats that made their mark on the collections; picturesque scenarios depicting a wide variety of situations were also conveyed in pastel colours on pieces such as suits and jumpers. Styles similar to those now on show at MSGM, JW Anderson and Balmain have already been seen in previous seasons by Casablanca Paris and Kid Super.

This article originally appeared on FashionUnited.DE.