This January’s French menswear catwalk season will feature 35 live shows, including two Paris debutantes, and at least 32 presentations, including a surprise return by Balenciaga
Scheduled to last six days from Tuesday, January 20 to Sunday evening, January 25, the season will welcome debut Paris shows by two noted young brands: Jeanne Friot and Magliano, according to the official calendar released Thursday by the Federation de la Haute Couture et de la Mode (FHCM), French high fashion’s governing body.
Though the season’s most anticipated shows will be the debut of Grace Wales Bonner at Hermès, the return of Jacquemus, and the second menswear collection by Jonathan Anderson for the house of Dior. However, the house of Saint Laurent, notorious for its erratic show dates, has gone missing again from the French calendar, after showing last June.
In terms of new arrivals, Jeanne Friot is a gender-neutral brand based in Paris founded by Friot in 2020. A graduate of the Duperré School and then the Institut Français de la Mode in 2018, Friot cut her teeth at several fashion houses, including Balenciaga. Her show will open the season on Tuesday morning, in a busy opening day which finishes with Pharrell Williams’ fifth runway collection for Louis Vuitton.
Luca Magliano is a Bologna-born creator who first received recognition at the Who Is On Next? menswear awards in 2017. Six years later, Magliano nabbed the coveted Karl Lagerfeld award at the 2023 LVMH Prize. Last January he staged a dramatic show in Florence as Pitti’s guest designer, in a skilful and dramatic display that cleverly combined gender fluidity and quirky Italian tailoring.
Though the season’s hottest ticket will be Wales Bonner’s opening act at Hermès with a Saturday evening show, where she succeeds Veronique Nichanian after a three-decade-plus tenure. Jacquemus will climax the menswear season with the final show on Sunday night.
Anderson’s second Dior Homme menswear show will be staged on Tuesday afternoon, which ends with an evening show by Alexandre Mattiussi for his line Ami.
Balenciaga, which had previously presented menswear mainly in co-ed shows under designer Demna, will try out a novel format under his successor Pierpaolo Piccioli. The house will unveil its menswear online on January 15, when most buyers and press will be attending the Pitti menswear salon in Florence, before physically unveiling the collection on January 20 in its historic Paris HQ.
Elsewhere, Paris will also welcome back inventive perennials like Yohji Yamamoto, Comme des Garçons, Junya Watanabe, and Rick Owens. And feature shows by happening labels such as Willy Chavarria, Kidsuper, Sacai, 3. Paradis, and Kolor.
As noted, the house of Loewe has decided not to stage a runway show in the next menswear season in Paris in January. Instead, it will combine menswear and womenswear into a co-ed show during the next women’s ready-to-wear season in the French capital in March. While J.W. Anderson, the house of Loewe’s former designer Jonathan Anderson, who decamped to Dior, will also not stage a runway event.
In a busy week, four fresh arrivals will hold presentations: ERL by Eli Russell Linnetz from Los Angeles; Saudi label Kml; eco-friendly brand Sonia Carrasco; and Japanese minimalist label ssstein. While three other labels return after brief hiatuses: Charles Jeffery Loverboy, Maison Kitsuné, and Post Archive Faction (PAF).
French company Arcads.ai, set up two years ago and specialised in software solutions producing AI-generated promotional videos for social media, has raised $16 million in a funding round designed to bolster its expansion.
Romain Torres and Dylan Fournier – Arcads.ai
Arcads.ai founders Dylan Fournier and Romain Torres carried out the funding round with Eurazeo, alongside Alpha Intelligence Capital and via the Sequoia investment fund’s Scout programme.
Arcads.ai offers digital solutions enabling users to produce videos entirely generated by AI in 35 languages. The videos appear to have been made by influencers, but instead feature “AI actors.” Arcads.ai is positioned within the fast-growing user-generated content sector, featuring myriad influencers creating videos that promote consumer brands, which in turn play an active role in disseminating such third-party-generated content.
The company’s solutions allow brands and content creators to produce videos (for example product tests, fittings and unboxing) much more quickly, skipping the shooting and editing phases and aligning the content with themes trending on social media, especially TikTok and Instagram.
Arcads.ai has seven employees, and claims to have over 6,000 client companies and to generate over 100,000 videos per month. Fournier has indicated on social media that Arcads.ai’s revenue has grown from zero to $13 million in 18 months, and it is set to reach the $100 million mark “in the coming months.”
Japanese fashion brand Onitsuka Tiger loves entertaining. Having taken over a pub in London’s Covent Garden this summer to celebrate the flagship store opening on nearby Neal Street, the fashion, sports and heritage brand continues along its “path of innovation” with the opening a pop-up outdoor café to promote its first-ever fragrance launch.
Onitsuka Tiger
Café Onitsuka Tiger One Two Three Four has opened in front of the same Covent Garden store until 21 December offering complimentary drinks (created by espresso and tea bar Café Vins) inspired by its quartet of new perfumes. Of course, afterwards visitors are “welcome to head to our store to experience the perfume range”.
As for the four “distinctive scents”, the collection “symbolises the beauty of contrast” under the theme ‘Wearing Quiet Radiance’.
The line, we’re told, draws inspiration from the “harmonious blend of heritage and modern innovation, merging craftsmanship with contemporary design, contrasting vibrant dynamism with structured order, and showcasing a refined sensibility towards materials, essential elements that have defined Onitsuka Tiger’s legacy”.
Specifically, Onitsuka Tiger One has a “multi-dimensional radiance” featuring green notes and mint, lemon and mandarin, white florals including jasmine, enhanced with while patchouli, leather, and guaiac wood; Onitsuka Tiger Two has a “mysterious clarity” combining bergamot, lemon, geranium, powdery musk and sandalwood; Onitsuka Tiger Three is a “warm, textured scent rich with depth” featuring orange, spicy Angelica, violet and sea accords; and Onitsuka Tiger Four has an “awakening freshness [leading to] a spicy, sensual finish” with peppermint, bergamot, absinthe, nutmeg, vanilla and vetiver.
Bulgari has named Laura Burdese, a 10-year veteran of LVMH, to be the famed jewellery brand’s CEO, though her appointment is only effective from July 1, 2026. Burdese succeeds Jean-Christophe Babin and will report to Stéphane Bianchi.
Laura Burdese is Bulgari’s new CEO – Bulgari
“I am very proud of this smooth transition from one great leader to another. For the past three years, Laura and Jean- Christophe have worked side by side to sustain and orchestrate the brand elevation of the iconic Roman jewellery Maison. The nomination of Laura, while opening a new chapter for Bulgari, is a tribute to her strong contribution and accomplishments,” said Stéphane Bianchi, LVMH group managing director and CEO of LVMH watches and jewellery, in a release.
Burdese began her career in the LVMH Group as CEO for Acqua di Parma, before joining Bulgari in 2022 as chief marketing officer. After leading the brand transformation and elevation over recent years, she was promoted to deputy CEO in July 2024.
“Jean-Christophe has shaped the success of TAG Heuer and Bulgari while creating unique paths within their respective industries. I am confident that in his new missions, he will bring the same energy and keep on supporting LVMH and its maisons thanks to his extraordinary vision,” Bianchi added in a release.
Babin will step down as CEO of Bulgari after more than 25 years in the giant luxury group, first at TAG Heuer and then at Bulgari. Under his leadership, the maison underwent a profound transformation, reclaiming its unique position as the quintessential Roman high jeweller. He also spearheaded Bulgari’s advancements in watchmaking and expanded Bulgari into the luxury hospitality industry with new hotels in major global cities.
Babin also demonstrated a strong commitment to Italian craftsmanship, evidenced by the inauguration of a new factory extension in Valenza and the launch of the Scuola Bulgari. Babin will continue to serve as chairman of the Bulgari Board, CEO of the Bulgari Hotel Business Unit, and president of the Bulgari Foundation. He will also report to Bianchi.
Burdese started her career in the beauty industry, holding brand management positions at Beiersdorf and L’Oréal. In 1999, she joined the Swatch Group as marketing director Italy, before doing management stints at Klein Watch and Jewelry and Swatch Group’s Italian subsidiary. In addition to this role in 2012, she was named president and CEO of Calvin Klein Watch & Jewelry Co. Ltd.
In October 2016, she joined LVMH as president and CEO of Acqua di Parma. In 2022, Burdese was appointed vice president of marketing and communications at Bulgari, before being appointed deputy CEO in 2024. She holds a degree in International Economics from the University of Trieste and a Master’s degree in Marketing and Communication.
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