FASHION
will be worn in everyday life, their influence will undoubtedly creep into the wardrobes of the straightest of straight men. For example, expect to see more men building their ensemble with layered pieces. And don’t be surprised to see more men wearing looser, flared pants and capris.
RELAXED TAILORING
Those skintight suits and tapered pants are appearing to be a thing of the past — at least with the current crop of designer duds.
We first spotted the trend during the European shows. There were the oversize grandfather coats that swallowed models at Balenciaga. Hood by Air offered up a number of loosefitting, shapeless frocks. And Balmain peppered its collection with looser — yet still tailored — garments. Raf Simons and Christopher Shannon showcased pants so large they might as well have had their own gravitational pull.
In New York, it was more of the same. Perry Ellis matched looser outwear with more fitted pants, shorts and shirts for a winning contrast. Most of the collection including everything from shirts to pants at Wood House was flowing and loose.
PATTERNS AND PRINTS
During the European shows, Asian-inspired motifs and artwork adorned a majority of the silken garments on the runways of Louis Vuitton and Saint Laurent by Hedi Slimane. And Hawaiian landscapes decorated jackets and shirts at Valentino and Dries Van Noten.
In New York, where heartier fabrics reigned supreme, designers decorated their creations with geometric prints and landscapes.
Take David Hart, for example. His nod to the 1960s California surfer era included bamboo prints, surfboard motifs and airbrushed beach landscapes.
A palm tree-adorned blue-gray sports coat was Hart’s favorite from his collection, he said. “This collection makes it super easy for guys to incorporate into their wardrobe.”
BLUE
In Europe, A.P.C. took a mechanic-inspired overalls approach when it presented a dark blue-hued ensemble. Dolce & Gabbana showed a great embellished trophy jacket in dark navy. Louis Vuitton even presented embroidered neckerchiefs in blue.
Blue was everywhere in New York. From the blue seersucker suits at Max ‘n Chester to an oversize blue, white and orange layered ensemble at Wood House, blue was in abundance.
Perry Ellis probably had more blue garments than any other designer. There were a number of shorts in assorted shades of blue; a multicolored lightweight sweater that was anchored by blues; and several blazers and dress pants in blue. Everything was extremely wearable, which will likely appeal to the widest base of customers.
Michael Bastian’s jazz inspired collection was filled with a bevy of blue. The color was used as a pop when he incorporated a button-up with a khaki blazer or white seersucker jacket. He also used it as a focal point with a navy sweater adorned by a golden trumpet and with a number of sport coats, which could either be dressed up or worn casually.
WHITE
The collections were also white haute.
In Europe, Topman showed plenty of tank tops, relaxed pants and other sportswear, mostly in white.
In New York, Carlos Campos’ runway show featured a number of bright white head-to-toe looks. He also used the color to pop out from darker jackets and tops.
Max ‘n Chester sent out a fleet of models dressed in white-hued frocks, from cream-colored tunics to crisp shorts and flowy linen pants.
Artistix, which is led by founder and creator Greg Polisseni and fashion director Andy Hilfiger, anchored the collection with white staples such as pants, blazers, ties and button-downs.