Harry Lambert on Elephants and Exposed Underwear at Men’s Fashion Week

Fashion week is back—and who better to give us the scoop on all the new men’s fashions than two veteran stylists who know exactly what to look for? To review the Fall/Winter ’22 menswear shows, we tapped Harry Lambert, the brains behind Harry Styles’ future-facing masculinity, and our very own market director, Alexa Lanza, to give us the scoop on exposed underwear, unexpected accessories, and celebrity airport style. We start in Milan with Prada, make a pit-stop in London for JW Anderson, and finish in Paris with Loewe, Kenzo, Dior, Dries Van Noten, Rick Owens, and Hermès.

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ALEXA LANZA: Harry. How are you? I’m really excited to go over these shows with you.

HARRY LAMBERT: I’m good! First time for everything. I’m not a super fashion nerd, so hopefully I’m not gonna embarrass myself.

LANZA: You just take it for what it is. You like the clothes, you enjoy them, you use them. Let’s start with JW Anderson.

LAMBERT: I’m fully obsessed with this show. The nod back to his groundbreaking collection with the shorts with the ruffles, the polo shirt dress, the coats that are basically like dresses even though they’re coats. It’s fun and a bit silly, but in the chicest way possible. 

LANZA: And the Mary Janes!

LAMBERT: We can always revisit the world of a Mary Janes on a man. I’ve known Jonathan for a long time, and I’ve always been a massive fan. In the last three seasons, he’s really having fun again. I have a few pieces from the current collection with all the strawberries, and I wear them all the time. It’s just so joyful.

LANZA: I agree. There’s an abundance of creativity in everything that he’s doing—everything’s really colorful, the shapes are super playful. I love the elephant accessory.

LAMBERT: Exactly. The elephant is the perfect elephant—it doesn’t feel like it’s for novelty’s sake. 

LANZA: Right! On first glance it may seem like a random hodgepodge, but every detail is meticulously chosen. Let’s segue into Loewe.

LAMBERT: Oh my god, another iconic show. I was really sad I couldn’t see it in real life—I watched it  hung over in my bed at Soho Farmhouse. It was so clever and fun, but also chic and surreal. There are things you want to shoot for editorial, and things you actually want to wear and own. You’re like, “Why didn’t I think of printing the model’s face on a t-shirt and styling it inside out?”

LANZA: That was such an apt commentary on what the world is going through today. We’re looking at ourselves more than ever. 

LAMBERT: I think we’re all craving some fun. 

LANZA: Okay, so this was Dior’s 75th anniversary collection. Kim Jones doing Kim Jones. 

LAMBERT: It was Kim’s strongest menswear collection for Dior so far. I was a big fan of Kim Jones at Louis Vuitton, the shows were always beautiful. This felt like a nod back to those presentations. It  was nice to see him collaborating with Stephen Jones, who is an icon—the hats are amazing. Look eight is my favorite by far. I’m a huge fan of the Stephen Jones leopard print.

LAMBERT: Now, Hermès. 

LANZA: What was the show giving you? Who’s the guy wearing these looks?

LAMBERT: He’s a rich fellow around town. It does feel much younger than typical Hermès, especially compared to last season. There’s an energetic approach to the silhouettes and the prints and the sportswear. Some of the boys have bleached or pink hair. There seems to be a conscious effort to appeal to a younger demographic.  

LANZA: Definitely. Let’s go to Prada.

LAMBERT: The styling really brings the collection together. I love a colored glove and a pop of color on the sock. Also, looks 38 and 39 with the shirts riding up—trend alert! Exposed underwear is back. It was at Louis Vuitton as well. Who did it first?

LANZA: Prada did it last season with those swim pants under paperbag shorts.

LAMBERT: Okay, so Prada is setting the trends. I think what Raf [Simons] is doing with outerwear is great. The big leather bombers from previous seasons and the nylon bombers…I wouldn’t mind one of those. Now we have furry lined blazers and coats. I don’t know if I could pull those off, but I would fully attempt to. 

LANZA: I see it for you.

LAMBERT: So many people said that the casting was the best part of the show. To finally see Jeff Goldbum walk a Prada runway—it’s been a long time coming. I loved the post-show imagery of all the actors in their looks. It was camp, we love it. I can’t wait for those long furry coats to be in stores.

LANZA: Will you be getting the robot earring from look 22?

LAMBERT: I don’t know if I can pull off a robot earring, but I will sure as hell try. Look out for me strutting down the streets in a fluffy long coat with a robot earring.

LANZA: Let’s do Vuitton.

LAMBERT: That was emotional. I was never lucky enough to see a Virgil show in person, which is really sad. They always seemed like such a spectacle. Did you ever see one?

LANZA: I didn’t, sadly. 

LAMBERT: I loved the tapestry-esque looks. They really sang to me, especially look 44. It’s this gorgeous hat with a matching bag, jacket and trousers. It’s my favorite look he’s ever done. 

LANZA: Look 57 is so insane.

LAMBERT: We love extra. Virgil was always good at giving amazing commercial pieces that people wanted to buy, but also giving us editorial moments too. I always enjoy designers who appeal to the customer and the stylist. I also loved those pieces with the brocade. Fun.

LANZA: They remind me of an old couch.

LAMBERT: A very chic old couch.

LANZA: Okay, to Rick we go.

LAMBERT: Rick Owens, a world I would love to be a part of, but one I could never pull off. The Rick fans are always the most interesting people. My boyfriend has worked for Michèle Lamy quite a few times, and I don’t know if I could be in her presence, because she’s far too cool for me. I wouldn’t be able to stop staring at her, I’d be so in awe.

LANZA: They give off that eternally cool vibe. I read that the lightbulbs headpieces can also be sculptures. You can just take them off your head and plop them on the floor. We love a functional headwear moment. 

LAMBERT: I wonder if they’ll send them out for editorial requests or not. It would be a nightmare to ship. Everyone will be requesting light helmets and no one will be getting them. I’m looking forward to the many airport appearances of Kanye West and Julia Fox in these looks.

LANZA: It’s coming.

LAMBERT: I can see Kanye in look 14. And for Julia, a simple and casual look nine. I was quite obsessed with that clip of them at the airport. Have you seen it? Kanye arrives and they’re walking around looking for his ticket. Then Kanye’s car gets towed, and he starts shouting at the man. It’s so amazingly weird. The video was recorded by his people, so someone must’ve released it. I’m fully obsessed.

LANZA: Kenzo seems to be getting all the hype this week.

LAMBERT: It felt like a nod to the past, yet it was new and fresh and fun. I like that [Nigo] hasn’t shied away from the history of Kenzo, he’s embraced it. Give me a hat in every look, in every show, and I’m happy. I love good tailoring—a lot of brands don’t do tailoring well, and there were so many cute little suiting moments, with these tweedy berets. They had a quite star studded front row of musicians and talent, and I can see them all in the clothes. There was something for everyone. Everyone can pick out a moment in the show and be like, “Oh that’s me.”

LANZA: What have we left out?

LAMBERT: I’m obsessed with the new Dries van Noten collection. I’ve always bought Dries, but for the past four or five seasons I just haven’t clicked with it.

LANZA: Most of the Dries I have are older men’s pieces. The outerwear is always great.

LAMBERT: Totally. I’m obsessed with this collection—especially look three, with the red sequin pants, the tight blue jumper, and the knitted scarf. It felt like a new direction for them. I’m like, “Oh fuck, I’m gonna be poor.”

 [Both laugh]