With the growth of the menswear market comes a newfound focus on men’s accessories. The fall 2020 runways in London, Florence, Milan, and Paris were loaded with outfit-plus-ones to want. They were big: Fendi’s mega shopping tote and Givenchy’s cowboy hat. They were small: Tom Ford’s zebra-print AirPods case and Alyx’s crystal barrettes. And they were pretty strange, see Dries Van Noten’s glam platforms and Raf Simons’s scribbled-on muff.
Men will have plenty to choose from should they choose to accessorize this fall—and women too. Kim Jones’s Judy Blame–inspired baubles will be hard for anyone to resist.
Single-Use Doodads
Economizing space—both mental and physical—is a keystone of wellness-branded minimalism, and to optimize one’s own life, one must optimize one’s accessories. That means a special holster, pouch, or case for every essential of a modern man’s life. Dior Men’s Kim Jones jump-started the trend with his leather AirPod cases—now both Bottega Veneta and Tom Ford make their own iterations. At Alyx, Matthew Williams has designed a sleek phone strap, while Ermenegildo Zegna’s Alessandro Sartori offered a more low-fi option in a Leica camera carrier. The award for most-likely-to-be-seen-at-Paris-Fashion-Week goes to Simon Porte Jacquemus, whose leather water-bottle holsters will be Insta bait.
Two Uncompromising Cowboy Hats
Cowboys are everywhere from the streets to the red carpet. And very soon designer cowboy hats from the likes of Etro and Givenchy will be coming to stores near you. Just one word of caution: Leave the leather chaps behind in favor of a more subtle yeehaw look.
Big-Time Boots
Women have been stomping around in lug-soled boots for several seasons; the trend is now catching up in menswear thanks to Prada’s re-issue of its fall 1999 boots for its fall 2020 show. Marni, Sacai, and Salvatore Ferragamo also showed big, black boots. Take a page from out trend report, if you dare, and pair yours with shorts.
A Little Sparkle, As a Treat
Not willing to commit to a full crystal coat? Fair enough. There are plenty of twinkling accessories from Gucci, Loewe, and Ludovic de Saint Sernin to add a touch of sheen to any outfit.
An Elegant Cold-Weather Solution
Beanies, mittens, and scarves are over. Just done. Raf Simons has declared that winter warmth shouldn’t come at the expense of Old World elegance. So his slim models were layered in fur wraps and mink muffs that evoked a dystopian Belle Époque. The look might just catch on; where Raf goes others soon follow.
Six Sneakers That Still Matter
The ticker-tape headline of the fall 2020 season might have read “streetwear is over,” but there were six sneakers to get excited about. Adidas debuted collaborations with Craig Green and Wales Bonner. Nike introduced the newest iteration of its ongoing Sacai partnership, while Junya Watanabe simplified his seasonal New Balances. Gucci didn’t need a collaboration to make an air-soled, knit shoe. Neither did Lanvin, whose skate shoe brought the middle school angst of your teenage crush to the runway.
Giant Bags to Replace Backpacks
Fanny packs and backpacks might have dominated the men’s accessories market in the 2010s, but the 2020s are shaping up to be all about a gigantic bag. The options are many, from JW Anderson’s David Wojnarowicz tote to Louis Vuitton’s curbed carryall in hot pink.
Two Pairs of Insanely Good Platform Boots
Rick Owens and Dries Van Noten said put on your platforms and perform. And so you will.
DIY-Inspired Bits and Bobs
Kim Jones paid homage to his friend and collaborator Judy Blame at Dior Men, using Blame’s famous DIY techniques to pin together fabulous brooches, keychains, and bobs. The idea radiated outward through Paris, where almost every pair of pants came with something jangling from a belt loop or a little extra lingering off a sleeve, pocket, or beret.
Three Pairs of Childish Shoes
If you thought platforms for boys was an unusual concept, consider the toddler-worthy buckle shoes from Gucci, Loewe, and Bode. A sweet naiveté permeates the designs. Indeed one Vogue editor said, “I wore these as a child in the ’70s.” Everything old—or in this case really young—is new again!