Paris Men's Fashion Week went virtual for the first time from July 9-13, exchanging runway shows for fashion films. Some of the brands stepped up to the challenge and came up with creative ways to present their collections, finding freedom in limitations.
Here are our favorites:
Wooyoungmi
Wooyoungmi shows the fluidity of the brand's Spring/Summer 2021 collection through a dance-inspired short, which is based on the documentary of German choreographer Pina Bausch. While a dance performance is nothing revolutionary in a fashion film, Wooyoungmi wants to show "a virtual dance of unity" that is shared by the world today. "Now, we join hands and dance our way into the future, unified by the power of diversity, inclusivity and hope. We are all connected," says the statement in the beginning of the film.
Sulvam
Faced with the challenge of creating fashion films of their own, designers and brands take to the streets to showcase their pieces. As a result, they give the viewers and potential buyers a better idea of what the clothes will look like when worn in real-life surroundings. Japanese brand Sulvam, too, takes advantage of this to film their short outdoor. Brand's founder Teppei Fujita also acts as a narrator to give his insights into the designs, offering more understanding of the collection.
GmbH
Designers Benjamin Huseby and Serhat Isik use this rare opportunity to not only unveil GmbH's Spring/Summer 2021 collection, but also delve deeper into the topics of human connection, politics and sexual identity. The two were sick from COVID-19 when they were preparing for the new collection, and it got them wondering about the value of human lives. Their thoughts are reflected on the fashion film, Guest on Earth, which features dancer M.J. Harper meeting various residents in Berlin, including DJ Honey Dijon.
Kolor
For some designers, the virtual fashion week becomes a chance for them to fulfill their filmmaking desires. But Kolor's Junichi Abe forgoes any storyline and symbolization, and picks the straightforward route instead. He makes use of the brand's fashion film to allow his audience a much closer look at his designs through stop motion technology.
Dior Homme
The protagonist in Dior Homme's fashion film is not the brand's creative director Kim Jones, but the Ghanaian artist Amoako Boafo whose works inspire the Spring/Summer 2021 offering. In the short, Amoako talks at length about transferring his finger-painting technique into the clothes. Kim also lends his voice as a narrator to explain why he wants to work with Amoako, who is known for works that focus on the black culture and breaking masculine stereotypes. The film ends with shots of models in the latest collection.
