Paris Kicks Off, With a Nod to a New York Artist

Valerio Mezzanotti for The New York TimesLouis Vuitton men’s fall 2012 in Paris.

Once I got past the security checkpoint at the Louis Vuitton show (“You want to go WHERE?”), I found Kim Jones, the men’s style director mexico Soccer Jersey,

Paris Men’s Fashion

Cathy Horyn reports on the runway shows.

in the backstage area. He was surrounded by models wearing plastic covers, like tea cozies, over their suits and vicuna coats to keep them spotless for the runway. I snapped a few pictures because they looked at once so manly and ridiculous.

Mr. Jones, now in his second season at Vuitton, explained — gushed is more like it — that the late fashion illustrator Antonio Lopez was his primary source of inspiration.

“His drawings or his life?” I asked.

“Both.”

Mr. Jones chose well in choosing to think about Mr. Lopez and how his fashion wingspan — the ’70s and ’80s of New York, Paris, Tokyo — related to Louis Vuitton and today. Besides being a marvelous illustrator, Mr. Lopez was a catalyst who brought people and ideas together. And the Japanese influence on Paris is alone worth thinking about. In the collection, shown against a huge silver sphere, the Japanese elements were subtle and included ’80s volumes, bossy-looking parkas in reflective fabrics and graphic sweaters with blanket scarves.

Some of the models had berets or a silver spear in their lapels tipped with a brightly colored feather.

Valerio Mezzanotti for The New York TimesRick Owens men’s fall 2012 in Paris.

Obviously a lot of contemporary customers want stuff they can mix and match, and they want handsome pieces for traveling, whether it’s a one-handle steamer bag (reborn from the Vuitton archive) or a waxed cotton jacket with crocodile elbow patches. But Mr. Jones brings a great sense of direction to these rather vague considerations. The slim-fitting suits, the elements of shine, the no-nonsense coats with worth-the-money details — these things compel you to pay attention.

Rick Owens also had an excellent show this afternoon. He seemed almost sheepish when he said afterward that Fred Astaire had given him inspiration for the shapes. Fred and Rick? Not the most obvious dance partners, but I loved the look of new trousers with a small natural waist, a bit of droopiness around the hips and then a slim leg. Mr. Owens showed them with filmy white turtlenecks (over undershirts) and sneakers, and later with cropped jackets. This is a new shape for him, with more street attitude but also a sense of gracefulness.