PARIS (Reuters) – Young, hip, urban, and male … meet the fashion world’s new best friend.
Luxury brands are raising their game in menswear, which is expanding at a faster clip than women’s clothing as styles loosen up and streetwear like hoodies find a new audience.
Big fashion houses including French conglomerates LVMH and Kering are among those hiring eye-catching designers and investing in male attire.
LVMH’s Paris-based Louis Vuitton summed up the zeitgeist at the latest run of men’s fashion shows that closed last week with a collection by its new DJ-turned-designer Virgil Abloh.
This mixed casual anoraks, holster-style accessories and sleek trench coats, and drew hip hop royalty.
“It’s more than a buzz. It’s a deeper trend,” Sidney Toledano, head of LVMH’s fashion group, said on the sidelines of a fashion show.
“There’s strong demand across the men’s fashion industry, in all its shapes and forms, and which comes in part from a younger clientele. We see it very clearly in the sales.”
LVMH brands do not detail earnings, though analysts estimate that menswear at top money-spinner Vuitton is 5 to 7 percent of revenue. Vuitton did not respond to a request for comment.
