Paris Men’s Fashion Week is no longer just about runway shows, it’s about collaboration, collective effort, and new dialogues. From emerging labels to car manufacturers, the boundaries keep blurring. Here’s a round-up of the most memorable team-ups this season.
Y-3: Wales Bonner’s new playground
For her SS26 collection, Grace Wales Bonner deepened her ties with adidas by opening a new chapter through a first collaboration with Y-3, the line created in partnership with Yohji Yamamoto. Unveiled during the show, the Y-3 Field, a sleek, flat, hybrid sneaker embodies the encounter between athletic heritage and British elegance. A logical step after her successful reimagining of the Samba, which she brought back in numerous variations. Wales Bonner continues to reconcile heritage, functionality, and sportswear, while redefining the rules of the game.
Kiko Kostadinov extends his journey with Asics
You can’t talk about longevity without mentioning the duo Kiko Kostadinov x Asics, who push the boundaries of footwear design every season. For SS26, the Bulgarian designer reinterprets the tabi silhouette, the shoe that separates the big toe from the rest in an even bolder model available in gradients of green, all-black, and a turquoise-brown combo. True to his DNA, Kostadinov continues his pursuit of hybridization, far from passing trends.
A Mercedes-Benz at the KidSuper Show
In a highly symbolic setting, the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Colm Dillane (KidSuper) offered more than just a fashion show: he delivered an artistic manifesto. In collaboration with Mercedes-Benz, he unveiled a fully transformed CLA. The car served as a central piece of the show and was integrated into a broader proposal, especially a 15-piece capsule collection inspired by rally aesthetics. It was a meeting point between fashion, automotive design, and personal storytelling, perfectly capturing KidSuper’s taste for unexpected mashups and unforgettable happenings.
adidas strengthens its commitment alongside Willy Chavarria
Inside the solemn Salle Pleyel, Willy Chavarria structured his show as a narrative diptych. First, a powerful staging evoking Salvadoran prisons, denouncing inhumane detention conditions; a bold gesture in line with his activism. Then came a collection where feminine silhouettes gained ground, without ever betraying his signature style blending 70s and 80s influences. Two pillars remained: his commitment to marginalized communities and his ongoing collaboration with adidas. This season, the three-stripe brand appeared directly on the runway, worn by several of its ambassadors, including NBA superstar James Harden. A partnership that enters a new phase, fusing elegance more deeply with a sportswear DNA.
Graphpaper x ILL-Studio: Radical minimalism and Sonic fiction
To mark its 10th anniversary, Graphpaper made a notable Paris appearance by inviting ILL-Studio to design a unique immersive experience. The “FORM FOLLOWS FICTION” project, presented as a three-day pop-up, transformed the venue into a sensory installation. Massive monochrome panels, black monolith-like structures and a hypnotic quadrophonic soundtrack designed with Pierre Rousseau set the tone. Within this sharply curated environment, Graphpaper’s collection of signature basics took on new meaning, bridging pure lines and white noise, as if clothing became an extension of the set. A conceptual Paris debut, reflecting the radical minimalism the Japanese label has mastered.
More than ever, collaborations are proving to be powerful storytelling tools during Men’s Fashion Week. They go beyond simple logo pairings, weaving together intersecting narratives: between brands and artists, sport and luxury, design and memory. Some (like Kiko Kostadinov x Asics) highlight long-term creative fidelity, while others (like Graphpaper x ILL-Studio or Mercedes x KidSuper) deliver total performance experiences. Through these alliances, a new grammar of fashion presentation is emerging, more collective, more immersive, more open to outside disciplines. A strong sign that men’s fashion is increasingly responding to the world around it.
Article by Julie Boone.
