The new men’s collection by AMI: a romp across Paris’ rooftops

By

Dominique Muret

Translated by
Nicola Mira

Published
Jan 18, 2018

Paris sleeps. The light from one lone dormer window twinkles in the darkness. A young couple, timid and awe-struck, climbs out of the window, soon to be joined by a gang of friends roaming the French capital's zinc rooftops (obviously the favourite sport of young Parisians!). The show can begin. Alexandre Mattiussi presented the Autumn/Winter 2018-19 collection for his AMI label at the Paris Men's Fashion Week on Thursday, with a show which once more emphasised the designer's profound attachment to Paris.

"It's all a bit picture-postcard," said Mattiussi, talking to FashionNetwork backstage. "It's my story, I'm from Paris, I adore this city. It's the tale of a bunch of mates who get together in the name of friendship, solidarity and goodwill. There's a lot of love in what I do," added the designer, who for the first time took care of the show's styling single-handedly.

Alexandre Mattiussi's Parisian kids are clad with carefree grace in sneakers, thick white socks and short trousers, their striped shirts worn over turtleneck sweaters, hands in the pockets of their jackets and macs. And they are never without a hat, a woollen beanie or a scarf, to ward off the city's frosty drizzle.

Stockbrokers' suits combine with striped marine knitwear, corduroy jackets with jeans, overcoats with tracksuit bottoms. Leather trousers are matched with a check jacket, a skimpy green overcoat is worn over a black sweater, while a duffel coat or a leather jacket, with 'AMI Paris' inscribed on the back, combine with smart pleated woollen trousers.

All the items are interchangeable, and easy to combine, as well as being all made in Europe from French and Italian fabrics. "I make clothes for people to wear them! It's a wardrobe in which nothing is contrived," said Mattiussi, whose label is going from strength to strength. AMI currently claims nearly 330 multibrand clients and operates six monobrand stores, and its sales leapt 50% per year in the last two years.