First Dior Men, Now Thom Browne—The Gilets Jaunes Are Impacting the Fall ’19 Paris Men’s Shows

It’s hard to imagine how the scene would play out if the gilets jaunes—the “yellow vest” anti-government protesters throughout France—were to cross paths with all those who flaunt their street style A game during men’s Fashion Week in Paris. This much is clear, these two tribes have diametrically opposite reasons for congregating en masse: most simply, long-simmering frustrations over lack of purchasing power for everyday necessities, versus perpetuating the desire to purchase very expensive, discretionary things.

Given that the penultimate day of the show calendar coincides with what is poised to be Acte 10 of Saturday demonstrations, Dior Men has opted to avoid any possible confrontation. Yesterday, editors were notified that Kim Jones’s second Paris runway collection for the maison would be shifting from its 5:00 p.m. Saturday time slot to Friday at 6:00 p.m. Representatives declined further comment.

There was really nothing more to add, though; this was a wise decision—the only repercussion being a more condensed Friday lineup with Comme des Garçons Homme Plus, Dior Men, and Balmain now back-to-back. Like the old wives’ tale of a fever peaking towards late afternoon, the previous Actes have usually escalated in violence right around the time that guests would be making their way to Dior. This is not to suggest that protesters would consider targeting the show explicitly; just that the unpredictable nature of the movement, sometimes from one hour to the next, likely presented too many problematic scenarios that could affect logistics, safety, and image alike.

But what about the other shows in the afternoon on Saturday? Thom Browne seemed potentially risky at 2:00 p.m. Sure enough, when contacted earlier today, a representative confirmed that this show has now been bumped to a to-be-confirmed time. Wooyoungmi at 4:00 p.m. is considering its options, especially since its venue is within rioter range from the Champs-Élysées. A ripple effect of rescheduling is likely to continue as labels adjust to the new times. Swedish brand Lazoschmidl has pushed its Friday evening presentation back a half hour, for example, aware that people will prioritize Dior. Henrik Vibskov and White Mountaineering, which follow Dior’s original time, both settled on venues in the far stretches of the 5th Arrondissement, nowhere near any potential gilets jaunes activity. Taking place at 8:00 p.m., Hermès should be spared any drama.

But that’s assuming there will even be an Acte 10. Over this winter of discontent, what began as a relatively harmless socioeconomic movement quickly erupted with insurrection-level unrest and senseless vandalism caused by casseurs, then abated to lingering yet comparatively milder tensions that might or might not find new momentum. Fear of the unknown has given way to a certain fatigue. Stores, banks, and businesses on high-end thoroughfares that boarded up their windows on Friday nights as though preparing for wartime are no longer doing so—and are now hoping that the season’s sales will make up for the preholiday closures.

Meanwhile, this is not the first time that Paris fashion has faced unstable conditions beyond its control—be they taxi strikes, antifur protesters, or concerns over security following the 2015 attacks. Without making light of serious and legitimate issues, this volatility adds an interesting frisson to the week—it’s a necessary reality check that the fashion bubble is not just inspired by the world outside, but sometimes witnessing it firsthand.

Phil Oh’s Best Street Style Photos From Paris’s Spring 2019 Menswear Shows:

Phil Oh’s Best Street Style Photos From Paris’s Spring 2019 Menswear Shows

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