Paris shows fresh men's designs

PARIS, Feb. 2 (UPI) -- Tailoring and fresh proportions highlight the men's fashion scene in Paris this year, innovation that women's clothing lacks, the New York Times reported.

Designers such as Raf Simons of Roberto Menichetti showed cropped jackets and wide pants for men. Simons, described as one of the great underused talents in fashion, would not comment on a report he was negotiating with Prada to design Helmut Lang, the newspaper said.

Dior's Hedi Slimane offered tailored capes, frayed ruffled chiffon shirts, and glitter pants combined with plaid blazers. Stefano Pilati loosened the fit of suits at Yves Saint Laurent and Rei Kawakubo used sports fabrics for tailored suits.

Men's clothing designs sported looks that ranged from the London music scene to the increasingly popular sport of snowboarding, the newspaper reported.