Category: designers + collections

01 22 2012

FALL MENSWEAR: DRIES VAN NOTEN

PARIS – a belgian designer with roots traced back to the legendary antwerp six, dries van noten is a true fashion star. beyond any mark of trend or seasonal sensationalism, van noten is one of the few designers that is tried & true. true to the fact that he creates past the influenced, which every other label creates against. a set of beautifully tailored coats & formal looks filled the fall collection, as the runway also doubled as live artist exhibit. most interesting was the fact that this live art exhibition seemed to spill onto the runway in onto the collections clothes. the collection was inspired by musician, frank zappa & author, oscar wilde; being described by van noten as ‘psychadelic elegance’. the theme was articulated incredibly accurate as the prints used in the collection seemed to take on the electric musical presence of zappa while taking on the animated writing style of wilde. the collection remained streamlined through it’s controlled palette which was well balanced with the use of pattern.

the collection remained pretty classic from start to finish, the most radical concept introduced into the collection was the use of print. this print was applied to the collection’s dress shirts & coats in the form of text prints which added a sense of retro feel. celebrated as one of the most ‘cerebral’ designers in fashion for his eccentric style, dries van noten is one of the few designers who completely embodies the design presence of antwerp. while more experimental aspects of style are often created by designers who are based, schooled & are influenced by that iconic region of belgium; what i love about dries is that his use of design experimentation is still wearable. while i value a experimentation, the purpose of fashion is to clothe us as the consumers, so that is definitely a factor i take into consideration when reviewing a collection. dries is one of my favorite designers being that he is never predictable but always reliable. overall, loved the direction & how well van noten’s inspiration was worked into the collection carefully while not being completely disconnected. unexpected inspiration & thoughtfully executed. [source]

01 21 2012

FALL MENSWEAR: MARC JACOBS

NEW YORK – with collections by marc jacobs, i really have to watch my step- there are some seasons when i just don’t understand the direction. thankfully, this sesaon, for menswear- that was not the case. heavily based in a palette of rich yellows & golden tones of mustard, marc jacobs created a flawless set that captures his love of bold style & vibrant color. i’ve long been impressed by marc’s ability to use color & print in modern ways that balance the retro with the ultra-modern & progressive. this season, he created a very interesting set which balanced both ends of the spectrum perfectly. dubbed “weird luxury”, inspired by ninties skaters & istambul, the collection provides an answer to jacobs’ afinity for combining style genres seemlessly to create something unseen, beautifully inspired & original. most impressive was the collections color story.

i loved the looks that were presented- strong lines were presented along with a range of both formal & casual pieces. as complete looks as well as piece by piece, the collection packed a powerful punch. standing out amidst the sea of menswear collections which present the same knitwear/sportcoat/denim/trouser combo each season. the collection hosted a set of colored-lens sunglasses that worked as a beautiful extension of the collection & is sure to be a huge hit in the accessories market. in addition to the headlining tones of yellow that engulfed the collection, use of oatmealed beige, green, jewel toned red, deep brown & navy were artistically styled into the collection. in terms of collection look book styling, the overall direction of the fall set was done expertly well. use of plaid, suede & additional accessories including hats & bags allowed the collection to standout among it’s american competitors. a standout not only in the american market, but the global market; i was actually very surprised i liked this collection at first glance, considering my feelings toward jacobs’ collections of the past. beautiful palette with stunning use of contrasted colors, modern concepts & surprising inspiration managed to make this collection a must see, in my opinion, for the fall. [source]

01 21 2012

FALL MENSWEAR: CHRISTOPHE LEMAIRE

PARIS – fluid lines, minimalistic design direction- i’ve been enormously obsessed with christophe lemaire since he was at lacoste as creative director from 2000-2011. upon leaving lacoste, lemaire is now installed as creative director at hermès, refining the houses aesthetic even further from what was created at the label under the previous direction of jean-paul gaultier. for lemaire’s  own namesake label, more dramatized use of his love for design fluidity flutters even more beautifully, free from restraints of having to respect historical archives. i’ve long loved christophe’s ability to minimize distracting patterns, manic logos & unecessary ornamentation by creating refined looks that are essential of clean style. in his extensive work with other labels, lemaire’s eye & design signature have remained unfazed by passing trends, remaining clean. the elongated design lines & swift silhouettes we’ve come to expect have all been represented. this season, he stays in that same design lane. consistent through concept, i remain in love with christophe’s direction.

a beautiful, dark & enriched palette of heavy navy & softened greys was seen from lemaire this season. his signature, almost kimono like silhouettes were ever presents as slight inclusions of red & maroon were added for dimensional contrast. overall, lemaire’s design style plays in favor of the minimalist in me. it’s not over done, it’s kept simple & clean. most designers nowadays are clawing to standout. yes, sex sells but not like the simplified. with the attention to tailoring that has consumed fashion, because it’s not just in womenswear now that men are wearing leggings; i appreciate the opposition that lemaire has projected into the high fashion stratosphere in creating more loose silhouettes. the pants in the collection are much more relaxed, as are the coats; everything is held to this standard of ease. though loose, the clothes don’t come off as sloppy or careless, it’s almost as if the care & intention to expand in shape is tended to with that much more concentration. styled in layers, which is seen from just about every label in existence; even the use of layers is not over thought- it’s all as simple as can be. i find that that simplicity is whats most stunning about lemaire. each season, im always excited to see how christophe approaches the season & each time, im pleased. loved the knitwear in this collection as well; styling of a collection speaks volumes for me. especially when collections are presented through look book images. the choice to shoot on a blushed studio backdropped drives the theme of design simplicity even further. love that, even though voluminous, the looks are still sharply tailored & are much more fitted where it counts- on the waist. expected a strong collection from lemaire & we got one- along with umit benan, lemaire is one of my design faves. [source]

01 19 2012

FALL MENSWEAR: UMIT BENAN

MILAN – perhaps the most intriguing menswear designer of the moment for me, umit benan has been a name i’ve grown increasingly obsessed with for the past year & two seasons. the turkish designer grew up in his families textile company, which lead him to his career in design following his graduation from high school in switzerland & his attendance in college in the united states, in boston. after spending summers in milan learning to draw, benan eventually relocated to milan to earn his masters, while simultaneously studying styling at london’s central saint martin school of art & design, while also traveling back to his home of istambul to study textile techniques with his father. with additional courses in pattern making taken at parsons new school of design, this long haul of refining knowledge & design technique lead benan to the launch of his namesake label, umit benan. all this, as an artist, attracted me to the type of design benan is. one that will stop at nothing to raise his level of knowledge all to create. in looking at his collections, you’ll notice a sophistication & structure to his pieces. unbreakable & undeniably chic, the work of umit benan has become a greater focus of mine, especially considering the often lacking quality of menswear collections across the globe. again, this season, benan continues to impress with his refined approach to men’s style.

inspired by the military, more specifically the film ‘police academy’, benan set out to create a collection which represent the same uniformity & clean lines seen on the backs of our troops. always a hit in my personal style book, a military themed collection is pretty much faultless with me- it’s timeless, always handsome & test the designer taking on the direction by demonstrating their skill in tailoring. all marks hit on the head, benan presented a palette of varied greens, contrasted with tones of yellow. use of wool, additions of plaid & the look of utilitarian was enforced on the runway as masculinity was the headlining feel of the collection. beautifully executed, the collection was modeled by an unexpected set of models, which reveals umit’s love of streetcasting when shooting images for his look books, collections & runway shows. umit has made it very clear that his greatest inspiration through the years has been real people; which adds a deeper sense creativity & connection for me. as an observer & photographer, benan represents a reaction to the world around us, through design, which i completely admire. the collection presented this season is one of my favorites & is a complete departure from what was seen from umit last season, which took us on a journey back to the 80′s. a refreshing design voice is what umit represents, im always thrilled to see what has inspired him from season to season. also considering his gig as creative director at trussardi, im excited to see umit’s vision expand through not only his own work but through his work with other labels. im also anticipating how this vision will trickle into the campaigns for both labels, his own & trussardi, in the coming year. a strong collection with a clear vision & beautiful inspiration. im obsessed with this collection, as i was with umit’s last. his attention to clean detail & how it’s translated is unendingly inspiring to me. umit is a m’fuckn star.  [source]

01 19 2012

FALL MENSWEAR: MONCLER GAMME BLEU

MILAN – under the creative direction of thom browne, moncler has become more radically classical over the past few seasons. as a label i’ve uncovered, for readers less aware, as having a history based in ski & winterwear; this season browne continues to reinvent the label by brining it’s history more to the forefront. a perfect design fit for the label, thom has impressively created a range of quilted ski wear each season that has me contemplating the slopes & i don’t ski. the collection’s palette was filled with crisp whites, which were paired with royal reds & bouts of yellow. as the collection progressed, the palette soon transformed to a set of heavy greys, accented by slight shades of navy & black. a manipulator of classical style, thom browne has been given a strong opportunity to flex his design muscle with moncler & it seems as though he’s taking full advantage of that. the silhouettes of the collection were as versatile as any other label, though the construction concepts that seem much more complex. clearly, not the ordinary collection, the adherence to classic style rules were still abided by as beautifully as any other menswear collection.

never have i seen a label & a designer leading that label, fit so perfectly together. while some designers might think the concept of ski wear is so limiting, browne continues to stretch the possibilities each season, creating stylish pieces endlessly. i loved the full body ski suits that were in this collection & impressively, loved the quilted trench coat & blazer. even amidst heavy winterwear, the collection was packed with beautiful styling & layering. i love when designers take the brands heritage & reference it in new, modern ways; which is exactly what browne continues to do with moncler. as one collection i loved piece by piece from start to finish, i completely applaud thom browne’s prowess of design & all the barriers he’s breaking with moncler gamme bleu. overall, the collection was one of strength, complete cohesion, thoughtful design & sharp execution. definitely, another one of my favorites this season but for different reasons. considering that moncler truly stands alone in the lane of winterwear. incredible collection that completely inspires. [source]

01 19 2012

FALL MENSWEAR: TRUSSARDI

MILAN – under the creative direction of one of my absolute favorite designers right now, umit benan, trussardi presents their latest fall collections on the runways of milan men’s fashion week. as many collections of trussardi, i’ve observed in the past- umit benan is rapidly changing the style quality of the collections in a much more creativity & style appeal. previously under the direction of multi-talented, creative genius milan vukmirovic, the trussardi label has presented off the runway & taken a position in fashion as more on-trend rather than acting as it’s own label, free from creative restraints. familiarity with umit benan, through his own namesake line, i was very excited to see that he had adapted changes to the trussardi label so early into his involvement with them. refreshing through new concepts & unexpected in design, the FW12 trussardi collection appears genuinely inspired. the collection is camp, but does not tread too far into the realm of cheesy, played perfectly in my opinion.

a vivid ode to the 70′s was seemingly represented for trussardi’s milan runway fashion show, with the collection packing a powerful punch in a smaller set of looks. i always find it interesting to see how bigger labels do bigger collections, but even in presenting in large quantities, the quality is not there. so was the case with trussardi, each look incredibly stylish & quality was dripping from every seam. a rich palette of oranged reds, soft greys, brown leathers, along with a range of blues & shades of yellows were all seen, which allowed the feel of the 70′s to come through that much more. from flared pants to neck scarves, to the retro shades worn by each model, the collection was successful in it’s delivery of style from the past. noticeable was the presence of accessories, which most menswear labels have been producing much more these days. overall, i love a collection that is well directed, cohesive & entertaining- which is what i got from this collection. while i don’t often identify with style that had existed in the 70′s, this season, im growing to appreciate it. im excited to see what benan will do as creative director for trussardi & am hoping that his presence will reshape the label, which has been resting on potential to be greater for the last few years. [source]

01 18 2012

FALL MENSWEAR: PRADA

 

MILAN – miuccia prada is one of few true trendsetters in fashion. im always wondering what she’ll unveil each season as she clearly comes at fashion in her own lane, separate from others. refined, sophisticated & in control- this season seen prada taking things one step further in creating almost presidentially sleek style for the runway. described as a ‘parody of male power’, the collection seen models walking alongside actors in the theatrical event. sprawling across a square, red carpeted runway- the models walked stiffly on the runway outfitted in regal coats, blazers & three piece suits buttoned all the way up each models neck. an accurate portrayal of how up tight powerful figures can be was demonstrated well on the runway & delivered the vision of the collection entertainingly. what i love of prada is that muiccia is smart & it shows in the clothes.

with a PhD in political science, miuccia prada; transcends beyond typical trend & is uses design as a reflection of the times, as seen each season. as a mere vehicle for this ultra-creative expression, muiccia again remains in her own lane with this concept of power that is seen in the strict slihouettes, double breasted blazers over trench coats & the unmasking of the male façade that is seen in the exposed undergarments of the models at the back end of this runway show. the runway show sequence started out very formal, what you would expect of a man in power to be outfitted in. but as the collection progressed use of print & bold tones appeared strikingly. the role of power was extended that much more with actors. gary oldman, academy award winner adrien brody, willem dafoe & jamie bell were cast for the role of model in the ‘palace of role play’ themed collection. everything about the collection was grand, the setting, the idea, the delivery- it was well played. always armed with dope accessories, i loved the color dipped footwear in the collection, which added an air of trend to the otherwise classic collection. the styling approach to layers was probably the most inspiring aspect of this collection to me. even with the solid toned looks, there were multiple layers of coats & blazers which made you take a closer look. throughout the collection, you were almost trying to figure out which level of power each look was designed to have. some looks more classic than some of the more bold, the collection palette was in line with other collections this season as a rich palette of earth tones was contrasted with maroon, plum & yellow for balance. eyewear had a subtle but charging presence in the collection as the shows soundtrack cut in & out from operatic vocals to new wave. arrogant by design, if such a thing exists, the collection was unapologetically masculine & took on the role of male stupidity well. added the fact that this role reversal of power was calculated at the hands of a women, this made the show much more exciting. the level of expression & meaning behind prada collections adds greater value, allowing fashion to take on the greater role of art. im eagerly anticipating if this same theme will be mirrored in the house’s womenswear collection & how that will all be translated through campaign direction. strong collection with a powerful message of male domineering. fashion with a message- that’s what its all about.

01 18 2012

FALL MENSWEAR: VIVIENNE WESTWOOD

MILAN -  overtime, i’ve grown more & more fascinated by vivienne westwood. in my observations of fashion, i was initially lost & confused by how her sense of design could be seen as wearable, though i’ve continued to expand my perception & challenge my own understanding of style for her work. for the past few seasons, i’ve caught myself falling deeper & deeper in love with her collections, not knowing if my eye for style was much more exposed or if she has commercialized her approach. that said, this season, the same theatricality that confused me is now inspiring to me. an iconic designer in london for her contributions to the punk rock movement in mainstream, westwood continues to remain a fresh force in fashion with one of the most influential design perspectives in the world. the concepts presented this fall defend that title, beautifully.

a true visionary westwood is, as she put male models on the runway with frost bitten beards. a motion which signaled, creatively, that this was a fall/winter collection. a throng of my favorite male models were cast for the show as david agbodji, jean carlos, tobias sørenson, miguel iglesias, paolo roldan & rael costa all made their cameos on the catwalk. interlaced perfectly, to balance the classic with the modern; the collection hosted a gang of handsome formal looks that were given a punch of westwood’s incredible, one of a kind style. contrasting the loud with the formal, patch worked pants were seen paired with rich golden brown coats as navy jackets were accented with brown buttons & paired with yellow shoes. the concept of style for westwood knows no bounds- anything is possible. theres no matchy-matchy bullshit during this show, it’s all a challenge of the pre-established; which has allowed dame vivienne to stay on top of her game as a true original in a world of commercialized glamour that becomes controlled by luxury conglomerates & expectations for revenue. what’s so striking about the vivienne westwood collections, whether men or womenswear, is that each look is made of multiple powerful style elements & combined each looks packs an even more powerful punch. a master who understands style from every angle- westwood wins yet again.

though a wide range of style & design concepts was seen on the runway, the most impressive to me was the collections use of plaid. sure, the idea for the frost bitten beards was dope & came as a surprise but if you look at the collection as a whole, the use of plaid was most refreshing. as much as i love a showstopping stunt, i still value a collection that possesses a winning quality of wearability. would i wear this? i ask myself & in this case, the answer is yes. from more subtle use of plaid to more of the outrageous mix-match concept which was seen toward the back end of the collection, vivienne won me over this fall as one of the best menswear collections in milan. i applaud her unstoppable & challenging eye that remains a cut above the rest. [source]

01 18 2012

FALL MENSWEAR: BURBERRY PRORSUM

 

MILAN -  as the leading british label of the moment, burberry has dominated for the past few seasons & i’ve definitely developed an emotional attachment to them since my live stream a few seasons back. generally, i approach menswear during show season with a slight hesitation. i know what i can expect, considering the number of season’s i’ve taken more of an active interest. i often talk about these requirements or limitations that exist in menswear & each season those limitations become more & more clear to me. in comparison to womenswear, most labels can’t even extend the level of creativity that their women’s collections can. for men, it’s the coats, the hats, blah, blah, blah. but beyond my assumption of the blah came a pleasant surprise in the form of burberry’s latest fall menswear collection. a sensible remixed set of the classics was presented all while allowing a feeling of new to be represented.

i consider what i respond to pretty simple; i like certain colors & am generally more minimal when it comes to structure or silhouette. to me, style shouldn’t be complicated, im very much about effortlessness. so, naturally, i look for those things in a collection. i look for beauty, inspired concepts & thoughtful details. i respond to things that are clean & classic with a touch of modernization & all those elements were represented, this season, in the latest burberry men’s collection. given the weather conditions in burberry’s base of london, their collections have a deep rooted history in the creation of the rain or trench coat. the show began with the sound of rainfall as the first look was a belted trench which had umbrella’s accompanying the models on the catwalk. it was all very straight forward, crisp & sharply tailored at the front end of the runway sequence. as the expected slim fit trousers, newsboy caps & three piece suits made their expected cameos in the expected tones of black, white & grey with little to no contrast of other more vibrant tones. most appealing to me in this collection was the grey pieces, the use of wool & more tamed usage of studs. the burberry label has been more edgy in their use of studs in the last two seasons & im glad to see that this concept or design addition is slowly dying down, being used in more controlled, more subtle forms. studded gloves, umbrellas & laptop bags were thoughtfully included into the collection. multi-colored patterns & stripes accented classical pieces of knitwear & trench coats- elevating the sense of new to the otherwise typical collection.

those same modern palette notes on the collections accessories & leather bags were seen as the use of color seemed to be used much more freely as the collection drew closer & closer to it’s end. the color palette grew more & more beautifully, rich & deep as velvet looks walked alongside leather coats, next to contrasted tones of teal, maroon & mustard yellow. the collection seemed to appeal more & more to the younger demographic toward it’s close as there was a larger presence of flash, vibrance & exotic detail. diamond quilted coats in militant greens & brown fur collars skated on the runway alongside stoned faces of bejeweled foxes, which appeared on dress shirts & sweaters. while i’ve expressed my hatred of velvet, this collections use of it was sophisticated & beautiful as oppose to it being hideous or camp, which is how i’ve seen it used by other designers in the past. at the close, the familiar sound of rainfall drummed along the runway through the sound system as the lights were dimmed to allow a holographic image of rain to be projected. following the projection of rainfall, the house lights were again signaled on & the cast of models did their final walk with opened umbrellas. overall, christopher bailey is an outstanding talent at burberry who has allow the company & historical label to dominate in the high end arena through skillful execution & modern ideas. as popular or played as the burberry label has become in recent years, i value bailey’s creative approach & value his skill set as a director. superb collection & a true reworking of classic items that will never, ever go out of style. one of my favorite men’s collection this fall, no doubt.

01 17 2012

FALL MENSWEAR: DOLCE & GABBANA

MILAN – domenico & stefano take the cake, every season, for their outstanding male model casting. the runway shows really play a large role for the company as it allows new faces & known faces to share the same stage acting as a forecast for who is on the label’s radar. with design signatures heavily based on sensuality, formal attire & italian, old world charm- the dolce & gabbana label has taken the past three seasons to pay tribute to their home base of italy. of the most prestigious labels in milan, designers domenico & stefano both present another inspired collection which will definitely have a large presence on the editorial circuit.

skinny ties, black three piece suits & capes announced the opening of the collection’s sequence for the FW12 dolce & gabbana menswear show. initially, i looked at the collection thinking that it would just be another dolce re-run but was surprised when a conceptual focus came into the light beyond the first opening looks. paperboy caps entered the runway following the first few formal looks as the collection seemed to move backwards into time with each look. soon coats, blazers & a bit of grey entered the, at first, black & white palette. hemlines on the collections pants seemed to draw upward as scarves & embroidered detailing made it’s way onto the runway one male model at a time. dolce has become known for their use of sensuality & this season was no different, considering the long john/undergarment looks that again reappeared for this season’s menswear collection. commending the casting of the show, a wide range of ethnicities was seen on the runway while masculinity played the largest role in the collection. as flamboyant as the dolce & gabbana archives have been, i really appreciate the sense of reinterpretation that i’ve seen these past few seasons with how they represent this man, they’ve created, in outfitting him in classic attire.

the beautiful embroidered detailing that had slowly entered the collection became intensified as the collection progressed; design lines on coats became much more length, textiles were given added depth as wool pieces were paired with leather accessories & cable knit sweaters. it was a roundabout of style classics, yet again, for the gabbana guys as timeless appeal was felt most throughout the fall collection. strict in palette, the collection remained cohesive in it’s use of black, white & grey with the embroidery of the collection adding hints of yellow & shades of dulled gold into the other wise gloomy menswear set. just as you thought the palette would remain tame, the collection swelled with sexuality as a few more looks appeared with models adam senn walking the catwalk shirtless. no doubt an expected moment of showmanship for the label, a balance of classic & the unexpected were weaved into the show sequence perfectly. in terms of a show, dolce & gabbana continue to raise the bar in more ways than one, from design concepts, to model casts & overall theme. worn leather was seen in the collection’s accessories, which again played nice with the old world, italian theme the label has favored for the past few seasons. i love that the label has scaled things back, in terms of being too progressive. it’s always nice to see something a bit futuristic or ahead of the curb but there’s nothing like classic, high art inspiration to bring a little sense of nostalgia. mindful in sequence, the show grew to it’s greatest moment of regality at the back end as design intricacies were seen in their greatest shining moment. heavily embroidery & excellently detailed, the collection’s last looks were perhaps the most theatrical & were the best, being that they were saved for last. overall, the collection was beautifully conceptualized & really capitalized on the labels italian heritage, which i can always appreciate. [source]