FAWN MEMORIES
How to do autumn style without looking twee, says Stephen Doig
As we segue slowly into the season of mist and mellow fruitfulness, and begin eyeing up the more substantial sections of our wardrobes, there’s a penchant for opting for clothes that match the mood. The tentative crackling fires and first flush of autumn foliage that have been appearing across Instagram call for cosy sweaters and colours that happily complement the scene. And it’s perhaps no coincidence that foliage tones dominate the men’s autumn/winter catwalks, as well as on some of the most sartorially informed on the red carpet.
Nutmeg, cinnamon, toffee, fawn ... call it what you will, but the russet shades outside are echoing the tones dominating men’s wardrobe offerings this season. Italian house Ermenegildo Zegna – a byword for textile excellence and spearheaded by the supremely talented Alessandro
Sartori – has created a collection in those delicious burnt butter shades. And instead of the standard tuxedos in sleek black, navy or jewel tones, Italian maestro (they’re good at this men’s style malarkey, those Italians) Brunello Cucinelli has created one in camel, as sported by Daniel Kaluuya at the Oscars (and a copycat version on Nikolaj Coster-waldau). And while leading men are more prone to don’t-have-to-think-about-it black or navy, it’s telling that the likes of Chris Pine and Ryan Gosling have adopted for shades of burgundy and auburn in their tailoring roster. There’s a concern that autumnal shades can seem overly cosy and sedate, the sartorial equivalent of a Sunday spent fireside with The People’s Friend, but pin-sharp shapes – or in the case of Zegna, a sporty dash – demonstrate how to ignite the style cordite, as opposed to the damp bonfire. Suits in this shade are also tricky territory to muster; the all-over effect can evoke a dated, Seventies Boogie Nights feel. Perhaps the best iteration is for evening, on jackets in plush velvet or in a silk variant, so that the russet glints just so.
And in the same family, just as blackberries and plums start filling up the larder, so too has standard navy given way to rich mauve. Avoid quasi-ecclesiastical, violent tones of purple – you’re aiming for more “heather-dappled glen” than Prince on tour.
A subtle, bruise palette alongside some of those chestnut tones will act as a happy reminder that autumn is upon us, and your wardrobe is mellowing into it nicely.