Like a true surfer and skater, Doni Nahmias took a laid-back approach to his return to showing in Paris; it had been three years. He has been building his cult following — as witnessed by recent buzzy collaborations with Timothée Chalamet — and honing his aesthetic, and felt the time was right.
The inner California teenager was clearly at ease in his skin. His unfussy, easy-to-read pieces were elevated and lightly oversized, but designed to fit just so, with lots of fun touches thrown in, like a series of cartoon-character headpieces worn by several models and one front-row guest. Lightly distressed fabric treatments were intended to evoke the notion of riders repeatedly falling and getting back up again, their garments abraded by concrete or the elements. One model sported a bandaged wrist, another a crown of crochet stars symbolizing a knock to the head.
Patchwork bombers with star motifs and wide, below-the-knee Bermudas were done in contrasting shades of suede. Tracksuits with piping details had ballooning cuffs at the wrist and ankle. A collaboration with Puma saw that aesthetic worked into a co-branded capsule, and there were flattened versions of the sportswear brand’s Speedcat sneakers, which continue to see a new lease of life.
Sweaters were outsized and a little distressed, comfortably so, and further references to the lifestyle included Hawaiian prints and checkered shirting. For a more grown-up look as the brand expands its repertoire, there was soft and loose tailoring, accompanied by leather barrel bags, but even here, the pants were tucked into sport socks and worn with platform Vans. Among the more extravagant looks, Nahmias embroidered crystals onto a denim bomber to symbolize sea spray.
For the soundtrack, he channeled the vibe of buskers on the boardwalks of Venice Beach, with a performance from street drummer David D’Amato.
