Ludovic de Saint Sernin Spring 2020 Menswear

The expanding spectrum of masculine self-expression—the ongoing runway story du saison—needs to be pushed a couple of shades wider, according to Ludovic de Saint Sernin. The young Parisian is a libertarian in a way that is both young—he is outraged that social media censors sexual content—and traditionally French. The reason he called his collection “Wet’n’Wild” was transparently obvious at first sight: first out, walking alongside a conceptual pool atop the Pompidou Centre was a completely see-through white organza suit, shown on a boy. 

Second, a lissome latter-day Kate Moss–alike in a white water-dampened spaghetti-strap slip dress. He then broke the Internet by giving a youth nothing but a beige towel to wear to make his turn around the pool. “Oh, my goodness,” breathed a lady in the audience.

Sander Lak talked to Vogue Runway’s Amy Verner at Sies Marjan about designing knit clothes to give the illusion of nakedness; de Saint Sernin just went for as much actual nakedness as possible. “They’re healthy, beautiful, sexy people,” he said. “Why shouldn’t they show it?”

That’s not to say it was all gimmick. The weather in Paris was sticky, but the clinging white sweaters actually had dégradé trompe l’oeil sweat patches knitted in. He has skills, which he honed at his time at Balmain, in cutting pieces like skimpy taffeta shorts and draping barely there silk dresses without mishap. Only the boy in the heavy Swarovski-crystal mesh bumsters had trouble keeping his modesty covered.

He has some quite impressive fans, too. Rick Owens showed up, so did his former boss Olivier Rousteing. Backstage, de Saint Sernin was telling them that the bath towel was actually knitwear, and that “the underwear has really taken off.”

Well, that makes sense. From the pink man-briefs that were the center of attention under that see-through suit to the satin pajama shorts sets, you could see the attraction—and the affordability for boys and girls alike. It’s an unexpected way to build a fashion brand, from foundations up. But then again, there are no rules anymore. And if there are, young designers like him should be perfectly free to try to break them.