First day of Paris Fashion Week was a breeze. Thank God, as the last Paris men’s edition in June was caught amidst Europe’s unprecedented heatwave. A breeze largely thanks to Hodakova’s maritime-inspired S/S 2027 collection. Walking into the outdoor show space, the guests were collectively transported back to August, back when our feet were still in the sand somewhere. Seagull squeals opened the show and down the runway came an array of nautical looks. It took the Swedish designer and 2024 LVMH Prize winner a mere two and a half months to react to the record-breaking heat wave, as this collection was a direct response to it.

Post-show, Hodakova spoke about her anxiety due to climate change, how there is no rain, no wind, and how overwhelmed she felt about it and still is. The right instincts for a designer in the first place. So we figure she found peace and inspiration in oceanic themes. There were lots of looks made from canvas with the type of large, fabric-strengthening stitching one finds on yacht sails, simple looks (dresses, suits) appearing to be drenched in water, or garments made from knitted heavy-duty Hawser ropes. Sprinkled throughout were her signature reconstructed trousers looks to fill shop floors and fulfill the commercial side of things, looking better than ever with the sailor suit design elements visible in the necklines and collar shapes.

What stood out were the opening looks, all made from a weathered, waxy fabric which she managed to make chic by rendering them in simple iterations like a trench coat, a slip dress or a single-breasted suit.