PARIS •As Paris men's fashion week came to a close on Sunday, one trend for Spring/Summer 2018 could not be clearer - bare legs.

Fashion clearly feels that the time is right for men to get their legs out.

In a week in which a heatwave across Europe saw British schoolchildren and French bus drivers don skirts in protest against not being allowed to wear shorts, the momentum behind taking the trousers above the knee - or further still - seems unstoppable.

Legs - including hairy ones - dominated the men's catwalks. Thom Browne's business suits were matched with shorts. At Dior, Kris Van Assche matched tailored black or white suit jackets with micro shorts to show a maximum of thigh.

Browne, clearly enjoying himself, cheekily slipped a few of his businessmen into skirts for good measure.

"Why can't this be for men?" he said on Sunday. "They almost look more masculine (in skirts) than if they were wearing just normal clothes.

"Why not put men in what is traditionally considered women's attire? We're all dressed alike as infants. The rest is an elaboration."

Rick Owens led his collection with a model wearing only shorts and boots, a leather saddlebag strapped to one thigh for extra he-man effect.

So high was Paris on thigh that it is almost easier to list the labels that did not include shorts.

Louis Vuitton (leather scuba shorts and jersey surf pants), Dries Van Noten (formal and boxy) and even Yohji Yamamoto (threequarter length) all succumbed to the trend.

Lengths varied widely, with Loewe going daringly high with micro shorts and Speedo-like pouches, while Taiwan's Angus Chiang and Japan's Facetasm swung between kilts, tube shorts and culottes.

But for glamour, nothing compared with the glittering red, yellow, purple and golden pink evening shorts offered by Comme des Garcons.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE