Paris Fashion Week 2014: Louis Vuitton, Balmain, and More

Day 2 of 5 Paris Men's Fashion Week

Vibe: The European Traveling Around America.

The Louis Vuitton man is an explorer who loves to travel around the world. Creative director, Kim Jones also has a devotion for traveling. It is all a perfect match to deliver an exciting and compelling collection that leaves the Vuitton man with the right clothes to travel the world with style. This season Jones' models were given the pleasure to experience the different styles of American culture that were translated to Vuitton's exquisite DNA.

He opened the show with a checked-windowpane suit that imbued a formal-preppy style with sleeves rolled up, colorful bandanas, and remarkable pins that said Vuitton. He only added two labeled varsity jackets - in caramel and red - that were a frat guy's version of luxury. Outerwear appeared quite competitive to other high-end brands. A series of inspirational scout boy outfits heightened the looks with parkas sewn with badges and elbows stitched with crocodile skin. This was not your average scout boy look. Blousons - printed in faded LV symbols - were interesting to watch, whilst his tie-dye numbers had a surpassingly expensive, tough street boy appeal that could be sure to be a great hit in menswear.

Suits were kept intact to the way a Vuitton man would like them to be; somewhat slim and fitted all together. They only thing that modified were his introduction of silver dress shoes young man are sure to emulate now. A final silk (the most expensive silk) LV jacquard suit sent a strong message across: Vuitton has become such a powerful international company in the luxury market, using its logo has an excuse to anything. 

Vibe: Mystical Floral Prints.

Dries Van Noten has become quite comfortable with his mien insets of color, texture, pattern, and signature tailoring. His spring 2014 men's wear collection felt much more stronger for the Van Noten man specifically in patterns. While most designers are going for more vibrant palettes of floral prints, he being the sort of rebel he infuses in his patterns, began with darker shades of metallic flowers that later turned into intense prints.

 The first model came out in a sheer floral print tank top etched with a visual number "9," vintage floral track shorts, and an usual silky overcoat - printed in ghostly faded flowers - that were present in several other looks. His new printed shirts looked confident enough to wear in the fashion world, but maybe not so much in reality. Trousers had that relaxed-fitted silhouette typical in Van Noten's design. While most of his blazers may have been somewhat tasteless, one silk jacquard floral blazer (shown above) was noteworthy. 

Van Noten's floral theme was his idea of giving it a unique tough and athletic look that has been so common in men's collection this season. Another mixture of inspirations common in Van Noten. He wanted to make his prints ones that said masculinity (perhaps that explains most of its color choice), but what may be agreeable to the Dries Van Noten man, may still be slowly digesting to the average man who may be fearing for the F word next season......Fashion.

Vibe: The Ideal "Men's" Closet.

Considering Oliver Rousteing's young age for a designer (27), his work at Balmain can be said with the most absolute affirmation, is the brand Real Man dress in. And it is also the brand with the highest price tag (one button-down shirt will retail around $700), but it so convincing you'd see it as an investment. It speaks a great amount of this designer to convince a man to pay such a price on other pieces of clothes that could simply turn into a DIY. He only designs what he'd wish were available in his wardrobe, which we'd wish we had a best friend like him.

For spring 2014, Mr. Rousteing was feeling a marine lifestyle the way Balmain would do it; much more edgier. There were still Balmain's classic signature Oliver has made presence of in newer versions: quilted leather jackets, pants, and boots (impressive); angular boxy jackets and suits in white and navy; and rich hand-painted denim numbers. He offered some fresh knits in marine stripes (white and navy), which were very gratifying. A newly marine suit resembled an original one, but in a much detailed and youthful version. He included some denim overalls that made you want to rescue yours from your basement to be on trend like the Balmain man. And if you didn't find it, Rousteing could easily convince you to get yours done by Balmain; expect a higher percentage. One final look - a lustrous blue leather suit with epaulets, and an intricate skinny-fitted denim/leather patchwork pants with a marine logo and zipper hems - were an executable record to the Balmain man. Sounds too perfect to be true, but it is.