It takes a lot to get the fashion set to brave an historic heatwave – 35°C temperatures, aging Parisian insfrastructure, and stiletto heels do not, after all, make great bedfellows – but, happily, new collections from Jonathan Anderson, Pharrell Williams, Sarah Burton et al are one of them. (It helps, one suspects, that some designers did make enough of a concession to move their shows from mid-afternoon to early morning.)

So, was it worth it? And what will men everywhere be tackling next summer’s heatwave in? Read on for my guide to the best of SS27 menswear collections.

Dior

Set to a custom soundtrack by British DJ and producer Fred Again…, featuring samples and original vocals from, among others, Christine and the Queens, Jamie T, and KTNA, this idea of mixing and reworking was an apt refelction of Jonathan Anderson’s latest collection for Dior.

While the overall vibe was one of louche dandyism, Anderson played with historical references to create looks which spliced silhouettes, prints and details from across the spectrum of menswear past. Houndstooth double-breasted suits were rendered in an unstructured ’90s style, early 20^th century pyjama shirts were elongated into statement jackets alongside Regency-era riding jackets. Even the Noughties even made themselves known in distressed denim and sequins. As ever, Anderson’s journey into the Dior archives dug up a trompe l’oeil scarf motif, replicated across silk shirts, while classic Oxfords were updated with floral embroidery for the modern dandy. There’s truly much to love in this solid and accomplished collection.

Louis Vuitton

Pharrell Williams, seemingly, doesn’t head to the beach in anything so mundane as a T-shirt and shorts. Presented at the Cité Internationale Universitaire de Paris, on a set that recreated a beach replete with giant wave, models in palm-tree printed suits, puffer jackets and even full leathers walked the runway with LV monogrammed surfboards tucked beneath their arms. Perfect for Cornwall in the dead of winter but one must feel for the models forced to walk in cashmere turtlenecks in the height of a European heatwave.

Explaining that he was inspired by “surfing as a worldwide way of life that transcends culture and creed,” Pharrell infused the surfer’s stereotypically bohemian style codes onto the more formal, decorative signatures of the European dandy. At one end of the scale, see a floor-length check cape reminiscent of the surfer’s dryrobe or the hues of sea and sky contrasted on a lemon yellow sweater and a suede jacket. At the other? Technical wetsuits in Louis Vuitton’s all-over monogram, of course. In a lovely touch, the house has also committed to support the Coral Gardeners as part of its Regeneration 2030 project; an initiative that will see the planting of 1,000 corals and the regeneration of 250 square metres of reef habitat in French Polynesia. More of this please.

Ralph Lauren

“I loved the oldness, the craftsmanship, the utility that wove together an individuality of ease, eclectic mystique, and romantic sophistication,” read the show notes penned by Ralph Lauren, explaining his endless fascination with the codes of collegiate dressing. SS27 stayed very much true to the theme, with the Purple Lable portion of the show offering up mid-century style pinstripe suiting, 'off duty' pleat-fronted trousers, sports coats, and knits. There was also very much on-duty white-tie tuxes, mandarin collar jackets and dress scarves.

For Polo Ralph Lauren, meanwhile, Lauren's inner sportsman came out in full force, with specialist designs for every outdoor pursuit. Leathers for biking, bateau necks and Breton stripes for yachting, baseball jackets and bombers for wearing off-field, heavily emblazoned shirts for lacrosse and polo, and even an upscale take on the lumberjack shirt for hiking. It was all very much the Ralph Lauren we have come to know and love. If it ain't broke...

Paul Smith

Inspired by memories of his grandfather on holiday, standing knee deep in the ocean wearing a full suit with rolled-up trousers, and his own experiences as a lifelong suit lover, Paul Smith's SS27 collection was titled Suits in Unsuitable Situations. Starting with idea of clothing not as static, but as pieces which transform and build character over time as they are worn, used and loved, these suits took on a softness and lightness harking back to the Eighties tailoring revolution to which Paul Smith was integral.

While the suits themselves were offered in a largely traditional palette of grey, navy, cream and black, a playfulness was imparted via pops of mint green knitwear, patterned pocket squares, lemon yellow socks and accessories with a distinctly Western feel, all of which kept things feeling far from staid. Ready to enter your grown-up tailoring era? Paul Smith has you covered.

Zegna

I'd wager there are few things that will have you hankering after a summer spent in Portofino faster that Zegna's SS27 collection. Named La Villeggiatura, after the traditional Italian concept of taking a prolonged summer holiday in one single rural or coastal location in order to regenerate both mind and body, what followed was a collection designed for a life lived, even if temporarily, in the most dreamlike of summer coastal idylls.

"In this collection, I wanted to express a Zegna take on summer, our vision of leisure dressing as something that’s drenched in a cultivated attitude, in a discerning gaze that's profoundly Italian," said artistic director Alessandro Sartori, explaining that this collection also very much represented a moment of experimentation for the brand. Hues are colourful rather than classic, cuts oversized and fluid rather than neatly tailored, and fabrics used in playful and unexpected ways. A series of standout seersucker suits is a case in point. After all, is that not the point of a holiday? To try on different versions of yourself for size, away from the pressures of everyday life, and to come back renewed and with a fresh perspective? A hopeful notion we could all do with a little more of in our wardrobes.

Givenchy

For her first menswear presentation as creative director of Givenchy, Sarah Burton chose not to host a big splashy show guaranteed to draw headlines, but instead offered a closed-doors event at the brand's Avenue George V salon in Paris. “I wanted this to feel very personal and intimate, and to reflect the conversations that I have with the friends of the house,” she explained of the choice; one reflected in a compact, and in many ways classic, debut collection.

Staying true to Givenchy's house codes when it came to silhouette – double-breasted jackets with wide-legged trousers, classic cotton shirts, clean bomber jackets – Burton instead imparted her own unique spin in fabrication. Buttery leather ran throughout, giving unexpected elevation to sportswear staples including striped rugby jerseys, fuschia shell suits and crisp overalls. Embroidery, meanwhile, leant a darkly romantic edge to silk jackets, knitted sweaters, and longline overcoats. Layered over everything was the modernist edge and rock'n'roll spirit Burton has long made her personal signature; a blend which, many would argue, is exactly what you want.

Read more: The SS26 trend report