Last summer we caught up with the queer collective Sextou as they celebrated their first birthday, capturing all the “raw and real” looks the London rave had to offer. Now, we return to the Sextou dancefloor once more, as founders Umberto Borraccia and Timothy Wang recognise another milestone – their first party outside of the UK. “Paris during fashion week felt like the natural first step outside London. The city becomes a melting pot where style, nightlife, and culture all collide,” Borraccia says over email. “Sextou exists exactly in that inbetween space, so PFW felt less like a destination and more like a moment to plug into.”
While blockbuster brands like Dior, Saint Laurent and Louis Vuitton showed collections across Paris Fashion Week men’s, the style at Sextou offered an alternative to what was happening on the catwalks. “There’s always an underlying elegance and self-awareness in Paris, and that was definitely present,” says Borraccia, “but Sextou bends it so there’s less polish and more instinct. The style was about attitude, sensuality and individuality.”
On the night, Borraccia and Wang enlisted Berlin photographer Spyros Rennt to capture the looks, which ranged from clinging pink latex tank tops and vinyl leather pants to spliced open denim and full-body mesh. Elsewhere, some wore harnesses and lace-up vests, others wore corsets and faux fur coats, while the famous Tom of Finland illustrations were splashed across one person’s sleeveless top.
As well as being Sextou’s first party outside of London, this edition also saw them link up with TOYZ, another queer rave in Paris founded by Nymed and Enzo Tonati. For Borracia, the decision to link up was simple one, a partnership that felt completely organic in nature. “What Nymed and Enzo have built is a real cultural platform rooted in community and a strong visual world,” he said. “The collaboration was about merging two queer collectives that already speak the same language to our communities.” And now that that’s all over, the Sextou collective are continuing on in their world tour, heading to Madrid on March 13 for another collaboration, this time with Spanish night BESO. “Sextou is growing through chapters,” concludes Borraccia. “Paris was the first chapter, but we’re building community with local scenes, rather than simply introducing a party.”
Scroll through the gallery above for all the looks from the night
