^^^ Hermes men’s-- unlike so many other menswear labels, and even more so in 2024, serves their customer with respect and assurance, rather than desperately pandering to children. You can say that brands like Armani and Ralph Lauren also serve their male customers faithfully; although, I find Armani just too dusty and dated, and Ralph just too uniform by this point. The majority of the look offered here, even the separates, aren’t my preference (because I loathe argyle and tie-dye). But, the handful of modern and refined leather coats/jackets and that leather pant, they’d be all mine if money were no object. Great coats/jackets/suit jackets over a t-shirt is my uniform; and there are such great leather coats/jackets here. But their typical male customer, and likely it’s also their loyal female clientele shopping for their husbands (...aren't you tempted to snacth up a few of the leather pieces for your husband???), will snatch up the majority of the looks because the men that wear this label have more important things on their minds than being a walking billboard for groundbreaking fashions of the Season, only to be discarded for the next fashion fix. Thankfully that’s not the Hermes male customer— and I hope it never will be.
It’s a shame that Gaultier never did design for the menswear when he was with Hermes. I do believe that it would have been supreme going by his womenswear— which was Gaultier at his very best.
I mean…
I like the idea of Hermes menswear and I always think that style triumph fashion, even more in menswear.
But, in my household I can’t say that Hermes is the go-to-brand. I have a man who has total loyalty to some brands: Tom Ford, Husbands Paris, Ami Paris, Dries Van Noten and Aime Leon Doré. The rest is either treasures found randomly on Mr Porter or in random shopping sprees.
Hermes does those quite chic and fabulous crewneck tshirts with rib trim cuffs and bottom, the etriviere belt and some shoes that are also appreciated by my husband (apparently their watches are good too!). Their accessories are good too.
Men that are busy don't have necessarily time for fashion and even if they do like to dress and the whole thing, there's also that comfort in going to places they like and understand.
When I look at this collection, except for the Plume travel bag and the last part with the pony hair, I don’t see many things I would buy for my husband for example. But I’m not a woman who liked Birkin and Kelly and who goes everyday in the boutiques to buy things for the quotas in hopes to be offered a bag. So in my case, there are more chances that I will comeback with a Loewe wool overshirt , a Lucien Pellat Finet cashmere hoodie, a Printed Dries or Polo Ralph Lauren shirt than a piece from Hermes.
And as I said, Hermes colors are so weird sometimes. For the colors, you can’t hardly do better than Dries. And some designs have some superflu details.
The reason why Haider for Berluti was great was because it had that interesting cut, very simple and modern allure but also the pieces were just essentials and timeless.
And the issue with Hermes menswear is the same with the womenswear. I loved the Gaultier era. I’m still mad that I wasn’t into it enough to buy more… I loved Lemaire less but he had that fabulous collection where Mariacarla opened! And now with Nadege…What can I say!?
Veronique is a fantastic designer but it’s been a couple of seasons where despite the great styling, it’s less desirable if we remove the « c’est Hermès » factor.