Givenchy goes dapper as Margiela gets grungy in Paris

PARIS – There were some surprising turns in Friday’s installment of Paris Fashion Week’s menswear shows: Maison Margiela went slouchy under John Galliano, while Givenchy’s normally sports-obsessed Riccardo Tisci went the other way, buckling up and going dapper.

Here are the highlights of the fall-winter 2016-17 shows.

GIVENCHY CHANGES DIRECTION

In an intimate setting with neon lights and a snaking runway, Riccardo Tisci presented one of his most wearable — and dapper— Givenchy collections to date. There was less of a focus than normal in the creative pot and less intellectual musing — but this didn’t seem to matter. The clothes spoke for themselves.

The Italian-born designer mixed up and successfully merged styles as diverse as Texan shirts, boots and belt buckles, Savile Row-style tailored suits, sporty hoodies, croc insets, Arab stone inlay-effects, and the random image of a cobra that cropped up aggressively on stylish silken bomber jackets and sweaters.

The 54-look-display marks a welcome departure from the strong sport-esthetic Tisci has used in recent seasons.

It’s a decision perhaps to boost sales as Givenchy’s menswear line expands around the world.

Standout looks included a luxuriant multicolored fur coat with silver-white, brown, tan, blue and flecks of pinks, and a gorgeous woolen tan bomber worn to devastating effect with some classic grey marl pants.

___

MARGIELA GOES 1990s

It was a return to the era of grunge for Maison Margiela.

Shaggy-haired male adolescent-looking models stomped in boots with sweeping sleeveless duffel coats.

Then, the sleeves on a lace-effect brown knit sweater hung slouchily beyond the models’ hands, almost evoking the spirit of Kurt Cobain.

Ski salopettes made an unlikely appearance on the high fashion catwalk — worn with funky style, against pant details that included uber-’90s white denim insets and even a chain-mail effect knit sweater.

The collection also showcased some enviable long length, or luxuriant-looking, coats that cut a dashing figure and drew contrast with the grunge-musing.

It was a typically varied collection that was at times hard to pin down.

___

CERRUTI’S ELEGANT SOPHISTICATE

In a season of the slouchy, skinny adolescent — at last a collection for the elegant sophisticate!

For fall-winter, Cerruti made a welcome move in channeling sartorial elegance and grew up from last season’s rather young-looking display.

A teal blue silken suit was followed by a blue leather coat, a wine-colored shirt, a cobalt cable knit sweater, a sheeny silver plaid double breasted jacket and some beautiful loose burnt sienna pants.

It was — for most of the saleable 31-looks — a safe collection.

But who needs to be daring, when the clothes ooze comfort and luxury in a beautifully conceived palette?

___

Thomas Adamson can be followed at http://Twitter.com/ThomasAdamsonAP