Male Order Pride

Véronique Nichanian, artistic director of Hermès menswear, reflects on how men's dressing has evolved to bring out his sex appeal. Navin Pillay reports from Tokyo.

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Wearing a warm smile and a casual yet chic denim-on-denim ensemble, Véronique Nichanian is the epitome of grace when Harper's BAZAAR Singapore met her for a cosy tête-àtête on a cold, rainy March afternoon at Hermès' Ginza boutique in Tokyo. The creative force behind the Hermès men's universe for an incredible 35 years, the 69-year-old artistic director's long tenure has surpassed that of her contemporaries at other storied Parisia Yet, she confesses, she still gets pre-show jitters. "I am always anxious before presenting a collection, ever since my first show in 1988 in Paris," she tells us on the eve of the Hermès men's spring/summer 2023 runway show in Tokyo.

Held at the Sea Forest Waterway, the Hermès Splash Tokyo show celebrated lightness and fun, themes associated with summer vacations. Located in the Tokyo Bay, the venue that was built for the 2020 Summer Olympics was transformed into a runway for the first time ever. Designed by Japanese multidisciplinary artist Yoshirotten, the venue featured a wavy check grid-reminiscent of tiles at the bottom of a swimming pool when viewed through the distorting effect of water-a motif that also appears on a Haut à courroies bag.

Alongside the models, Nichanian sent men from a diverse range of professions down the runway. They included pro surfer Soma Hirahara, actor Keita Machida, ballet dancer Shuntaro Miyao, and Olympic swimmer Ryosuke Irie. Her intention was to further drive home the point that there is no one singular definition of an Hermés man.