The Hermès Summer 2021 menswear collection captures the cleancut and carefree simplicity we’ve been yearning for during the most unprecedented year of our lives. Artistic director Véronique Nichanian, in artistic collaboration with visual artist Cyril Teste, caters to our desire for a serene summer, incorporating light, flowing fabrics in a wash of pale blues and greens (but not without the occasional fluorescent streak). Seasonal staples such as airy blousons and lightweight sports jackets make an outstanding appearance.

The Hors-Champ collection possesses a timeless quality, with sleek and seemingly effortless designs that include the iconic Hermès Chaîne d’Ancre design. But, as Nichanian and Teste re-iterate, this show doesn’t aim to divorce viewers from the current moment, as tempting as that may be. In fact, Hors-Champ was built upon and propelled by the innovation necessary to transcend the limitations of recent world events. The idea behind the collection was to place emphasis on the creative process as opposed to the results in a vacuum, and this principle informs the name of the collection, which translates to “off screen.” The rejection of the conventional is what makes Hors-Champ such a valuable contribution to the fashion in the age of COVID-19, and the creative chemistry between Nichanian and Teste fosters an extraordinary atmosphere that reminds viewers that this artistic feat was born from tribulation.