The Paris men’s shows for Spring and Summer 2026 happened almost two weeks ago – fresh enough still for a quick flash back:

■ ISSEY MIYAKE’s IM MEN show was so delightfully bonkers. Such good and peculiar clothes. Quite different from the brand’s popular HOMME PLISSÉ line, but equally exciting. More men should dress like this (who needs a comfort zone?) and the world will be a better place.

■ KIKO KOSTADINOV unveiled a pleasantly wearable side of his wonderful, singular universe. Lots of clothes we long to see on ourselves next spring.

■ SAINT LAURENT (above) has an exclusive on the most spectacular venue of Paris, Kering’s Bourse de commerce. And superb clothes that embody an even grander version of what you long to look like in your dreams.

■ JONATHAN ANDERSON’s debut at DIOR was the men’s show that’s been discussed everywhere at length, and for good reasons. Both magnificent (ballgown silhouettes for men, couture, crazy expensive) and mundane (jeans, simplicity), providing us fashion to talk and argue about, as any good presentation should.

■ Also really enjoyed WALES BONNER.

■ RIER, not a show, just a showroom (see above), which works even better for the label’s sumptuously simple, chunky garments. The ideal wardrobe.

■ GMBH, not shown in Paris but in Berlin, and not attended in-person by yours truly, but, from a digital distance, what an amazing collection. So chic and radical. Mega-elegant partywear even when there’s nothing worth partying for.

No worries if you missed last week’s Paris launch of ‘MANIA’, a fabulous photo book by BRUNO STAUB and JULIAN GANIO that is the first volume appearing through our new imprint, DROP BOOKS. ■ Edited by JOP VAN BENNEKOM, this is a smashing handbook full of men, young and old, big and small, sexy and even sexier. With some tasteful nudity, at least twelve hot pages featuring a polo shirt, and 100% eye contact. ■ At the aforementioned event copies of ‘MANIA’ flew off the shelves (as well as the merch: T-shirts, posters, cigarette lighters…), but if you’re quick you might still be able to acquire one of the 500 numbered, limited, highly-collectible copies via our shop.

You know that funny calculation 1+1=3? On page 52 of the current issue of Fantastic Man we did a piece about the magic of wearing two similar garments over each other – read here if you fancy trying it out for yourself. It works! ■ I thought of it this week when the CELINE show streamed in – MICHAEL RIDER’s debut collection, brilliantly styled by BRIAN MOLLOY, see above, cheers.

From our local correspondent GIJS VEENING: right behind Dam Square, a new vintage fashion pop-up has opened called STIL ARCHIVES. ■ While Amsterdam isn’t shy of curated vintage shops, more specialised ones have started cropping up as of late. What sets this one apart is the curation of paint splattered CARHARTT trousers (made in the USA, now around €100), pop cultural T-shirts and modern menswear favourites, like LEMAIRE and OUR LEGACY. ■ The decor is gallery-like empty, albeit with an assortment of old-but-not-that-old Japanese fashion magazines that come hand-in-hand with curated vintage shops. ■ STIL is open until September and also recently launched an online store, for fun browsing.

And while we’re in the midst of making the next issue of Fantastic Man, we briefly returned to Paris for this week’s debut ‘Artisanale’ show of GLENN MARTENS for MAISON MARGIELA. ■ The designer (pictured post-show with his proud dad) has some giant shoes to fill (MARTENS succeeds JOHN GALLIANO who succeeded MARTIN MARGIELA), but he’s fearless – and very funny – which is of course a magic combination. ■ His opulent designs for this couture collection were often made of everyday materials (paper, plastic, paint, flea market finds – very MARGIELA). He even managed to sneak in a DIESEL jacket, the other brand that he creatively directs. ■ A great debut! Looking forward to see where GLENN takes MARGIELA ready-to-wear next.