Fashion!
Harry Lambert on Condom Clothes and Natural Wine at Men’s Fashion Week
Harry Lambert, Interview collaborator and the brains behind some of the biggest moments in celebrity fashion (hello, Harry Styles) takes us on a trip to Pitti Uomo and Paris Men’s Fashion Week, shedding light on some of SS23’s hottest trends. Below, the stylist and our senior editor Taylore Scarabelli sound off on the looks at Prada, Louis Vuitton, Y/Project, Rick Owens, Loewe, Kenzo, and Mowalola.
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HARRY LAMBERT: Hi.
TAYLORE SCARABELLI: Hi! Nice to see you. Thank you so much for doing this again.
LAMBERT: No worries. I have to admit, I’ve had the pages open to go through all the shows in depth, but I haven’t been able to get to it.
SCARABELLI: In a way that’s better, because we get your first take. Let’s start with Prada. Were you there IRL?
LAMBERT: No. I only went to Paris for two days.
SCARABELLI: Right. So you didn’t get a paper coat in the mail then?
LAMBERT: A paper coat?
SCARABELLI: Yeah. Prada sent out invites in the form of paper gingham coats. I guess it was some sort of commentary on disposability.
LAMBERT: Oh yeah, maybe. It was like those gingham curtains on the runway, right?
Prada SS23 Menswear.
SCARABELLI: Yeah.
LAMBERT: I actually really enjoyed the show. Some of the check prints reminded me of the Raf Simons Calvin Klein collections, like this brown checkerboard gingham-esque coat I just bought off Depop. There was something quite joyful and sexy about this Prada collection. There’s this one shirt that’s under a jacket that my friend and I have been texting about.
SCARABELLI: What look?
LAMBERT: Look 30. It’s this orange check gingham shirt with a squiggly applique on the chest and collar. I’m really into the bags as well. There’s a new jacquard they’re doing with the triangle logo, The Symbole.
Prada SS23 Menswear.
SCARABELLI: Yes. Their new monogram.
LAMBERT: I’ll be honest, at first I wasn’t super sure about the Raf Simons Prada combination. But now, when I go into the stores, there’s a lot of things I want to buy. I feel like they’re starting to nail the commerciality of the pieces. Like look 41, the graphic t-shirt with the bottles on it, and the denim shorts, and the cardigan.
SCARABELLI: An ode to the natural wine trend, perhaps?
LAMBERT: Yes!
SCARABELLI: It’s very twee, actually. It’s the hipster revival. Also, look 31, is that a onesie? Or a shirt tucked in?
LAMBERT: I think it must be tucked in. It’s quite low on the hips.
SCARABELLI: Right? Mel Ottenberg needs one of those.
LAMBERT: Yeah. Some of the looks were very Mel. Overall, it was a really good mashup of Raf and Prada. It felt a bit on the farm, but sexy. There’s really good knitwear, really good jumpers, and proper ’70s-esque colors. That against the leather makes it feel quite modern.
SCARABELLI: And wearable. Shall we move onto Y/Project?
LAMBERT: Yeah. Everyone was talking about the stone runway. I was waiting to go into a presentation, and I heard some other fashionistas gossiping about how the models were slightly struggling to walk on the rocks.
SCARABELLI: Oh.
LAMBERT: I don’t know if that’s true or not.
SCARABELLI: I was like, “You can really tell that Glenn’s been spending some time in the Diesel archive.” All the graphics are so nostalgic.
LAMBERT: Yeah. He’s bringing back the era of bad taste.
SCARABELLI Mm-hmm.
LAMBERT: Which I remember from the first time around, which is when it gets scary. But in Paris I saw loads of those Diesel bags all around, everyone was wearing them. I know we’re not talking about Diesel, but I think he’s created a bag that is affordable, and taps into that Depop resale, searching for your parents’ old Diesel clothes in the cupboard, kind of thing. The weird distressed embroidery—it’s bad taste, but it’s working.
SCARABELLI: Yeah. It’s actually really accessible. The whole resale thing reinforces the trend. I also love the tromp l’oeil illusion on these prints, it’s an ode to Gautier. Look six is so cute. The pants print on the skirt with the folded over waist.
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LAMBERT: It feels like Diesel’s expensive sister.
SCARABELLI: Also, pant boots aren’t going anywhere.
LAMBERT: They’re here forever, guys. Who actually wears pant boots though?
SCARABELLI: Julia Fox.
LAMBERT: Yes. She’s single-handedly keeping them going.
SCARABELLI: Okay, wait. What about look 14? Hot or not? The illusion tank with the nipples showing.
LAMBERT: I definitely could not pull that off, ever. But I mean, it’s really sexy. It’s very risque. I also just noticed these belts, they remind me of the skater belts from my childhood with the big buckles. I remember buying a pair of Diesel jeans, and they were £90, and it was all my money I had.
SCARABELLI: Also the “fuck you” earrings in look 22.
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LAMBERT: Oh my god, yes. They’re really good.
SCARABELLI: Someone was saying to me the other day that Y2K is like the ’80s for Gen Z.
LAMBERT: Totally. I’m at that age now where I’ve seen it come back around again, so it’s scary.
SCARABELLI: It sure is. All right. Shall we move on to Rick?
LAMBERT: Yes.
SCARABELLI: I have to say, this first look is giving condom.
LAMBERT: Oh yeah. Full sex club, basement, condom. The guy that opened—that’s Rick’s muse, right?
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SCARABELLI: Yeah. Tyrone Dylan.
LAMBERT: It’s all about statement shoulders. Extreme shoulder pads. The set looked amazing, those big fireballs that then fell into the water.
SCARABELLI: Very wild.
LAMBERT: I applied for tickets the day before the show, knowing there was no chance in a million years I’d get a ticket. I was kind of devastated to miss it.
SCARABELLI: This runway seemed much more dangerous than the one at Y/Project. Especially witnh these long pants. Every Rick Owens runway, I’m like, “How was no one falling?” It’s a whole vibe.
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LAMBERT: I know. There’s a lot of stairs, there’s fire, and there’s baggy, long pants. By the way, I’m intrigued, is there something deeper with Ludovic Saint Sernin closing the show?
SCARABELLI: Maybe they’re working on a collaboration.
LAMBERT: Who knows? I think they have similar DNA through the sexual power of some of the clothes, and they probably have a similar energy and interests. I’m sure they’ve met at a party and bonded over dark rooms and bondage.
SCARABELLI: Bonded over bondage.
LAMBERT: Exactly.
SCARABELLI: On to Vuitton.
LAMBERT: Vuitton was hot, hot, hot. But it was worth the heat. It was my first ever Vuitton show, and it felt like such a special one to go to. We were right in the middle of the runway. It started off with a band and flag dancers. They were spinning and twirling these flags, and they came and stopped right in front of us. It was just magical.
SCARABELLI: And then there was Kendrick Lamar.
LAMBERT: Yeah, the way the runway was laid out, what you could see depended on where you sat. So we couldn’t actually see Kendrick.
SCARABELLI: Well, he was performing from his seat on the runway, next to Naomi, which I thought was an interesting commentary on the spectacle of it all—the front row being part of the show.
LAMBERT: I loved it.
SCARABELLI: Also his diamond crown of thorns from Tiffany…
LAMBERT: It felt like a really fun and joyous collection, and for the first time, there were a lot of pieces that I could see myself buying and wearing. It felt really confident and fun. It’s beautiful to see the show in person, actually, because you see how much detail is in each look.
SCARABELLI: Yeah.
LAMBERT: When they walk past you, you’re like, “Oh, fuck.” This is hardcore design, this isn’t just little truck bags and stuff. Plus seeing everyone decked head-to-toe in Vuitton—before Virgil, you didn’t really see many people wearing it out and about, he really brought it to people’s bodies.
SCARABELLI: I think it’s so amazing how he’s living on. Looking at this collection, it’s just so Virgil. It’s really cool how he was able to create this new vibe for Vuitton that is so easily replicated by his team, who are still there now. We’re talking a lot about AI and things like that, it’s almost like he’s posthumously designing for the brand. Watching the video last night, I was blown away by the spectacle, only a brand like Louis Vuitton can pull that off. They’re able to execute what other people wish they could.
LAMBERT: Yeah. It’s going to be interesting to see the next chapter. I know the three people they’re talking to about replacing him for next season. There are a few different paths, but each of them are more than qualified to take over.
SCARABELLI: I can’t wait to find out.
LAMBERT: It’d be interesting to have a female designer there, but who knows? But yeah, it wasn’t a sad show, it was very happy and joyous. I’m sure everyone’s going to be trying to call in look 22, the suit with all the paper airplanes on it.
SCARABELLI: Oh yeah. The meme moment. Also that speaker backpack was so crazy.
LAMBERT: I know, and it actually played music.
SCARABELLI: Amazing. All right, should we look at Dries?
LAMBERT: Yeah. So this was my first ever Dries show, and I’m a big shopper of Dries. Just seeing it in real life, I was like, “Oh, I love this so much.” These apron-esque skirts over pinstripe trousers and shirts. Dries just does great tailoring that just feels classic, but not at the same time. Every look I was just like, “I want to see boys dressed like that.” It was sexy, but soft, but fetishy, but not.
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SCARABELLI: Yeah, you’ve sold me. I’m just looking through it for the first time, and it’s really beautiful. Let’s look at Loewe.
LAMBERT: This was one of the shows I really wish I was there to see in person.
SCARABELLI: It was a crazy runway. Also those Chia pets for the feet.
LAMBERT: Grow your own shoes. I mean, it hearkens back to some of Jonathan’s really early collections under J.W. Anderson where he tied flowers to shoes.
SCARABELLI: Right.
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LAMBERT: I honestly think Loewe is the next megabrand. Whatever Jonathan’s doing is really working. You notice a brand is making an impact when, in the U.K., the Essex boys are going into the stores and buying the logo jumpers, but they don’t know how to pronounce the name.
SCARABELLI: The British fuckboys.
LAMBERT: Exactly. I always see that as a sign. Some people don’t get it, but he’s making a really good product, the stores are beautiful, and the campaigns are really clever. I feel like I’m not meant to necessarily understand it all—it’s like art, you know? I appreciate it.
SCARABELLI: Right. As for the bigger picture, we’ve been talking a lot about shifting norms around masculinity, and we see it in fashion—menswear is so much more exciting than it used to be. Do you think that’s finally trickling down to the masses?
LAMBERT: Yeah. I don’t think they’re shopping for a lot of the big, creative, runway, conceptual pieces.
SCARABELLI: No, but they’re buying into it.
LAMBERT: I think at the end of the day, that’s what most brands make their money from. So it’s fine. But there’s a sportiness to this collection mixed in with all that intellectuality that is really great.
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SCARABELLI: If there’s anything he’s good at, it’s memetic fashion. Look at number 13 with the pants that have been freshly watered. It looks like the model peed themselves.
LAMBERT: Yeah. It’s so good. There’s enough elements of performance that really excite you, and then underneath all that there are just really good clothes.
SCARABELLI: Yeah. It’s a great collection. Moving on. Kenzo. Let me know when you have it up.
LAMBERT: Okay, Kenzo. So this kind of nautical school boy world. I really liked the collection. There was a lot of fun tailoring. He’s very quickly refreshed the DNA of the brand. It still feels Kenzo, but it appeals to different people. There’s lots of different elements to it that I think hit loads of different wearers. Again, I appreciate a layered show, I appreciate hats, and accessories, and all the trinkets that build up the narrative.
SCARABELLI: Yeah. As a stylist, there’s so much you can pull from.
LAMBERT: Exactly. I think for some people, it might look a bit intimidating at first glance, but when you break down these looks, they’re actually really great clothes. Everything is styled in a really fun and unexpected way that makes it feel fresh and a bit camp. I love these knitted hats.
SCARABELLI: Yeah. It’s a fun, unique way to sell logomania, too.
LAMBERT: And it fits—the way it’s mixed into everything. I love a sailor-inspired look, and I think these collars on some of these tops are really beautiful.
SCARABELLI: Oh my god, this elephant trunk tie, I’m screaming.
Kenzo Men SS 23
LAMBERT: So adorable.
SCARABELLI: Ok, onto Celine. I love look two.
LAMBERT: Yeah. It’s cute. It’s very boy in his father’s attic, pulling out his old military jacket and playing dress up.
SCARABELLI: And his grandmother’s brooches. Check out this see-thru button up.
LAMBERT: The condom-esque one? Trend alert: protective sex wear.
SCARABELLI: Oh my god. Yes. We’re staying safe for Pride.
LAMBERT: And the plastic fringed jacket in look 39.
SCARABELLI: Oh wow! We love the glam rock glamor, and this little crop top moment. Look 29.
LAMBERT: Oh yeah. Little crop tops are very TikTok friendly for guys these days. They’re much more adventurous with the fashions on there. Belly buttons are in.
SCARABELLI: And what about look seven? Is that the skinniest tie that’s ever been made?
LAMBERT: It definitely could be.
SCARABELLI: Is there anything else you want to look at?
LAMBERT: We should talk about Mowalola.
SCARABELLI: I was wondering if we should throw that in even though it’s not technically Mens.
LAMBERT: I was really interested in Lotta Volkova styling it.
SCARABELLI: It makes perfect sense.
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LAMBERT: There were some elements of Alexander McQueen in this collection, with the very low pants and the binding of the arms. I mean, there was even an element of Fendi in the denim jacket with the eyes on the chest? Look 21. Remember when Fendi did all those little button faces?
SCARABELLI: Totally. What about this look with the nipples being cut out—the Mean Girls moment?
LAMBERT: It’s great, like look eight. I’m fully into this nipple vagina dress.
SCARABELLI: Ah yes, the vagina skirt.
LAMBERT: Vagina skirts are in.
SCARABELLI: These low-rise pants are going to sell crazy.
LAMBERT: Yeah. I think Mowalola has really captured an audience. I see a lot of people wearing her stuff out and about in London and Paris. And she makes these ready-to-wear—I hate to say the word, but commercial pieces, which are instantly, recognizably her. So, I think she has a strong DNA and brand aesthetic.
SCARABELLI: Yeah, and I think that this collection, with the McQueen references, makes sense for the current generation of fashion fans who are obsessed with archival fashion. Even look 37 is almost like a nod to that Rose McGowan VMA look, the chainmail dress. It’s an Easter egg hunt for fashion nerds who are incredibly online, and I think that’s really compelling and fun.
LAMBERT: Yeah. It’s an interesting little treat to end Fashion Week.
