‘Essentials’ — and Other Fashion BFFs — Come to the Fore at Ami Paris
When Alexandre Mattiussi launched Ami in 2011 after working in the menswear studios of Dior and Givenchy, his brand hinged on making clothes that he and his friends would wear — and it still does.
Yet to hear him talk about his steadily growing fashion house today, which boasts 80 stores in the world and employs roughly 750 people, is to understand that he wants his clothes to become his expanding clientele’s best friends.
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During a preview of his fall 2025 collection, he singled out many pieces that will probably end up in his closet, including a black nylon parka with a shearling hood, a checkered wool coat, and some wide-leg black trousers.
More than ever, the designer seems insistent on building out chic, elegant wardrobes for men and women, relying less than ever on logos and resisting anything that smacks of fashion razzmatazz.
“I want to be more precise, more simple — less, blah, blah, blah,” Mattiussi said, waving his hands in the air at nothing in particular. “So it’s all about essentials… but with little details which makes the clothes a little different.
“I’m not a provocative designer. I’m not a revolutionary designer,” he said. “I’m here to make people happy.”
His barebones show on Wednesday night unfurled in a former postal station stripped back to its concrete structure, American saxophone player Caleb Arredondo conscripted to stir emotions and heighten the dignity of his handsomely turned-out, well-dressed, all-ages cast.
Classics seem to be making a comeback this fashion season, and Mattiussi’s roomy blazers, flannel trousers and hefty single- and double-breasted coats were among his forever propositions.
Meanwhile, those “little details” included raw edges on tailored wool garments, patches of satin on cotton shirts and coat lapels, and generous proportions — all of which had a slight perfume of the late Alber Elbaz, adored for his generous, soigné approach to fashion.
There was also a whiff of retro in the pointy collars on shirt jackets, the draped, scarf-like necklines on shirts, and earthy colors like anise green, harvest gold, olive and charcoal.
Liya Kebede, Karen Elson, Audrey Marney and Jessica Miller were among the seasoned models walking Mattiussi’s coed show, which seemed to put womenswear front and center as the category with the most expansion potential. It currently represents only about 20 percent of the business; ditto for accessories.
The designer’s latest proposal in the latter category is the new Mimi handbag, a top-handle style with an envelope flap whose magnetic hardware is engineered to give that satisfying, quality sound of closing the car door — perhaps for a dear friend.
Launch Gallery: A Preview Look of Ami Men’s Fall 2025 Collection
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