Big and Small Names in Men's Fashion Opt for Showroom Presentations

Big and Small Names in Mens Fashion Opt for Showroom Presentations
Jean-Paul Gaultier and Karl Lagerfeld abandoned the catwalk to unveil their winter menswear lines in the intimacy of their showrooms, a common option for up-and-coming brands with limited budgets.

A small showroom presentation allows buyers to place orders in a calm setting and allows editors to see the clothing up close, either on hangers or on in-house models who sport the signature looks for the season.

And, perhaps not least importantly, such a display costs a fashion house much less than a flashy catwalk show.

Gaultier, who unveiled his spring-summer 2005 haute couture collection on the catwalk in his Paris headquarters just three days ago, reconfigured the space to make his autumn-winter 2005-06 collection the sole star of the show.

He offered a sharp silhouette with suits cut close to the body and finished with tailor stitching. For the man tired of wearing plain white shirts, he offered cropped trench coat and perfecto motorcycle jacket versions.

The French designer drew inspiration from the works of cubist painter Robert Delaunay for his ultra-thin knitwear. He will put both men and women on the catwalk in March, a move that the house says will give the brand more cohesion.

Although he stages two catwalk shows a year for his women's line, Lagerfeld has yet to put his menswear on the