The Bezos bonanza has officially begun.
Today, festivities kicked off for the Venetian nuptials of billionaire Jeff Bezos and his bride-to-be Lauren Sanchez, a kind of royal wedding in the era of Trump, replete with protests, Kardashians, and a foam party on a yacht. We’re living in what trend forecaster Sean Monahan has dubbed the “Boom Boom era,” a period in which wealth is celebrated and revered—a kind of throwback to the 1980s in all of its power-suited, gilded-toilet glory. This wedding will no doubt be a flashy testament to this moment, complete with ultra-glammed-out gowns, lavish jewelry, big hair and makeup, and ostentatious decor. But looking beyond Venice to Paris, there’s a different kind of celebration happening—one that feels decidedly, deliciously rebellious. At Men’s Fashion Week, a gentler, more sensitive (though no less powerful) approach to dress has triumphed over those structured “greed is good” suits and red ties, over the tech bro t-shirts and rare sneakers to match.
The best Spring 2026 collections thus far have been rooted in a radical optimism, a shared sense of wanting to break free from some of the darkness in the world, if only by way of a brightly colored crewneck sweater. There’s a softening of silhouettes and a fluidity to the styling of the clothes that offers a more thoughtful, sweeter alternative to power dressing. These are softboys: men who are sensitive and stylish, but no less powerful than their Boom Boom counterparts. In fact, there has been a throughline of strength in this season’s menswear collections, a vibe shift towards looks that project self-assurance with grace and grit. Take, for instance, Prada’s guys in their bloomers, stomping over shaggy floral rugs wearing tube socks and loafers, pastel-hued buttondowns and tracksuits. Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons titled their collection “A Change of Tone,” and noted that they were aiming for “a shift of attitude—dismantling of meaning, and dismantling power.”
The clothes felt impulsive and enlightened: suit trousers worn with loosely cut trenches and tees that came down to the knee, button-downs worn as shirt-dresses, and daring, delightfully odd prints made for only the most confident men in the room. Confidence was felt throughout this collection, as it was in the first menswear outing for Julian Klausner at Dries Van Noten. His were truly spectacular clothes, designed with an ecstatic palette and aimed not at what men are asking for, but what they didn’t know they wanted to wear until now. Sarongs worn over tailored trousers (and in one beautiful instance, a tuxedo jacket with no shirt beneath) felt fresh and defiantly anti-corpcore. So did the beaded skirt and tank set and the abstract floral print coats in electric oranges, purples, and green. It was perhaps the brightest collection of the week so far, not only by way of hue but also of promise for the future of every fashion purist’s favorite brand.
Dries Van Noten
Color has been a key element in this season’s most invigorating collections, beginning earlier this week with Sander Lak’s rainbow-y debut line and continuing through Prada, Dries Van Noten, and Armani. In the latter collection, Mr. Armani’s dudes were decked out in shades of purple and ocean blue and swathed in breezy fabrics that were sophisticated and dressy despite their leisure-minded styling. Relaxed suits ruled at The Row and Louis Vuitton, while Grace Wales Bonner showed a lineup of gorgeous men’s blouses paired with denim and preppy-ish shorts worn with cool knits (and more socks and loafers!). Wales Bonner always walks a perfect line between strength and beauty, softness and hardness. Her clothes this season were as entrancing as ever in their refinement and charm, a la an ivory suit that was styled with a striped cotton Breton-esque shirt, white ballet flats, and a pair of white gloves. Hers are the unstuffiest of gentlemen’s clothes.
Elsewhere, Saint Laurent was where staid business casual went to die. This season, Anthony Vaccarello drew upon the vibes and culture of Fire Island in the summer, the elation of being gay, and the uninhibited feeling of being in love with one’s self. In the collection notes, he wrote that the inspiration came from “a time when desire was style, when beauty served as a shield against emptiness. The collection explores the subtle sensuality, that fragile moment when one dresses as much to reveal oneself as to conceal.” Vaccarello achieved this sensation through jewel-toned shirts and ties, the ties tucked into the front of the shirt with models’ legs exposed in short shorts (so many great shorts this season). Trenches were tied with pretty obi belts and turtlenecks had a dreamy feather-like weight to them.
Wales Bonner
So much of this season’s greatest hits felt right in tune with what’s been happening with men’s fashion on the red carpet. Men are going balls to the wall with what they wear, dressing in things like thigh-high boots, flip-flops, pink Chanel purses, sequin trousers and Zoot suits. But none of them are actually peacocks, they’re just fashion heads. They understand the messages that clothing can convey. They don’t care about labels like gay or straight. They appreciate both a Dries Van Noten open-weave knit and a Grace Wales Bonner tailcoat. Nuance, thoughtfulness, sensitivity are all part of the package when it comes to this softer, easier approach to men and dressing.
Saint Laurent
So while we await the Bezos wedding extravaganza to take over our social media feeds through the weekend, remember that the glitz is tainted. What’s much more appealing—and hopeful—is the thought of men dressing not like titans, but like they give a shit about the good fight, men like New York’s democratic socialist mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani. He may wear traditional suits and ties but will also don a traditional Kurta. He accessorizes with rings on his fingers but isn’t afraid to stand up to a bully on a debate stage. As this season’s most intelligent collections have underscored, it’s not about being the loudest in the room or the most expensive-looking. It’s not about throwing a foam party on a yacht. It’s about being a quiet storm—and an unapologetically stylish one at that. Bon voyage, Boom Boom.
