At Hermès, woven leather and quiet confidence set the tone for Paris menswear

PARIS (AP) – While much of Paris Fashion Week chased spectacle, Hermès chose a different path.

On Saturday, artistic director Véronique Nichanian unveiled a Summer 2026 men’s collection that spoke in a language of quiet strength, deep craft and calm luxury.

Models walked beneath soaring mirrors in sharply cut jackets, high-waisted woven leather trousers, and sleeveless tops – pieces that fused house tradition with a modern, easy sensuality.

Nichanian’s colors were cool and exact: coffee, slate, taupe and beige, each one a lesson in subtlety. There was no shouting here, only precision.

What made the collection powerful was its restraint. Where others go wide, Hermès goes narrow -offering tailored silhouettes and a sense of order when the rest of fashion is busy making noise. Fine leather, featherlight silks, and bandanas with a whisper of fringe reminded the crowd that true luxury is about touch, not flash.

Nichanian’s playful touches – zigzag motifs, the wink of an unbuttoned shirt, a glint of silver hardware – kept things human, not stiff. It was a masterclass in how to make classic codes feel new, even radical, simply by refusing to chase trends.

In a season marked by designer shake-ups and economic jitters, Hermès stood alone: confident, focused, and unwilling to compromise. As Nichanian took her bow to cheers, she sent a clear message – at Hermès, luxury is about the pleasure of the wearer, not the applause of the crowd.