Menswear — Page 2

Libertine Spring 2024

September 10, 2023 by admin Leave a Comment

If you closely examine Libertine, one thing stands out above all other design elements. It’s mostly all about fabrics and textile choices.

Season after season, Libertine creative director Johnson Hartwig has made the brand stand out and excel based on his fabric choices. This season is no exception.

While in Morocco Hartig discovered some antique fabric books and was delighted in the polka-dotted fabrics and confetti fabrics from the 1930s and 40s he found in these books. Those fabric choices turned out to be the source of inspiration for this spring 2024 collection.

Accompanied by some style-appropriate spring tweeds, confetti-inspired and polka-dotted fabrics conjured images and styles you would find in nautical styles of films of the 1940s. And the ceramic tile-patterns reflect souvenirs one would garnish on an exotic vacation.

True to form, the brand has become an expert in tailoring and embellishment. Where some brands embellishments sometimes appear as something that was added on at the last minute, Johnson’s technical acumen produces garments with embellishments appearing as an almost natural augment of the garment.

Case in point, is the suit inspired by a photograph of Salvador Dali embellished with crystal-eating utensils. Also, to be considered is this season’s fringe and flower-embellished jacket.

Though inspiration for this collection are fabrics from the 1930s and 40s, Johnson manages to keep the collection fresh and current. And this collection with crazy patchwork of prints and patterns works just as well on male consumers and a female demographics.

Though there were some looks in this collection that are outside of what some consumers might ass to their wardrobe—Libertine has long been a fashion brand for the fashion risk taker—there were several garments that would appeal to wide demographic. And unlike of collections of yore, this spring 2024 collection was one of brands more retail-friendly collections.

Images courtesy of vogue.com

Bravo Johnson Hartwig. Keep up the good work!!

—William S. Gooch

Terry Singh Spring 2024

September 10, 2023 by admin Leave a Comment

If you are not familiar with Terry Singh, you should be. Singh is giving American and international consumers a new way of looking a menswear. And that new way is pairing skirts with formal and informal wear.

A man in a skirt is not a new concept. Marc Jacobs has been the man skirt in his collections, and so has menswear superstar John Varvatos. Terry Singh is doing the same thing, but as the focus of the entire collection.

And that focus is the South Asian menswear skirt, the lungi or dhoti. The lungi and dhoti are traditional men’s skirt that can found as traditional wear in Indian. The lungi is a type of multicolored sarong, tied below the waist and can flow all the way to the ankles. The dhoti skirt is also a type of sarong but tied between the legs.

What Singh does so successfully is take these forms of South Asian traditional men’s skirts is take this aesthetic and mix it in with design menswear aesthetics from Scotland, Turkey and other countries married with a contemporary aesthetic.

For spring 2024 Singh was inspired by hockey jerseys and military uniforms, all seen through the lens of lungi and dhoti skirts. And with that inspiration Singh adds in tuxedo jackets, a streetwear aesthetic, and a new way of looking a red-carpet attire for men.

Where in the past men in skirts was almost a rebellious affront to traditional menswear. Boy George and the punk aesthetic of the late 1970s and 80s gave the proverbial bird flip to Savile Row’s men’s suiting by donning skirt. That is not the case with Terry Singh. Singh is proposing a masculine alternative to traditional by reintroducing the skirt as menswear. And does so brilliantly.

Images courtesy of Agentry PR

From casual streetwear to formal and red-carpet attire, Singh expertly created an expansive perspective on how the modern male consumer can add to his wardrobe. And menswear consumers are taking up the clarion call.

—William S. Gooch

INHERENT Fall 2023

February 14, 2023 by admin Leave a Comment

The fall 2023 season marks the debut of INHERENT during New York Fashion Week (NYFW). Though primarily a menswear brand, INHERENT creative director Taylor Draper did present some women’s look in this fall 2023 outing.

Inspired by classic English tailoring, New York streetwear, and Ivy League styles mixing them all in a manner that only Draper can, Draper created his own unique blend of timeless and modern fashion under the INHERENT moniker. This successful mix of styles and silhouettes demonstrated that the brand can hold its own in a New York sportswear market.

The collection was constructed from wool, cotton, and cashmere suitings, twills, plush corduroy, and shirtings, with a serious dose of butter soft knitwear that showed up draped in thought provoking ways to create a feeling of accessible avant-garde. His rich color palette of moss and forest green, chocolate brown, and midnight navy, with a few other colors added in for accents, creates a sense of warmth and comfort during the colder months. The range of styles and silhouettes ran the spectrum, from traditional blazers and trousers to contemporary streetwear inspired pieces, all crafted with the highest quality materials.

That said, if there was one drawback in this collection it would be the choice of male models. Though there were a few male models that were good choices for this New York debut, there were several models that seemed out of place and did not show the garments off well.

Choosing to go with models that were closely reflect the brand’s male consumer base is not a bad idea if those models understand how to present garments well. However, if they don’t—which was the case in this outing—the garments don’t have the ultimate impact. When it comes to the female models, the choices were excellent with the models—whether standard size or curvy—showing off the mostly masculine silhouettes well with sassy style and panache.

Images courtesy of VERY NY PR

In this debut collection, Draper aptly demonstrates that classy staples can be stylish and fashion-forward. Bravo INHERENT!!

—William S. Gooch

Atelier Cillian Fall 2023

February 12, 2023 by admin Leave a Comment

Two seasons ago New York Men’s Day (NYMD) returned after being sequestered due to the COVID-19 pandemic. And though fashion industry professionals were excited about the return of NYMD, it has taken a few seasons for NYMD to regain its fashion traction, so to speak.

The fall 2023 has become the best NYMD season to date, post-COVID-19 pandemic, with fashion designers significantly upping the ante when it comes to creating menswear collections that are projecting toward the future. And that projection toward the future is a literal expansion of what masculinity is and what the modern man will have as a part of his wardrobe.

Atelier Cillian’s NYMD debut occurred for the fall 2022 season; however, this fall 2023 collection promises to put the brand on the menswear map perhaps more than any other brand presenting during NYMD. Creative director Stephan Mikhail has had other fashion collections in the past; however, this new reincarnation is perhaps his most complete and cohesive attempt.

Titled “Mallevs Maleficarvm,” Atelier Cillian’s latest collection aptly displays Mikhail’s fascination with unusual and innovative artifacts of times gone by. For his inspiration this season, Stephen Mikhail referenced Heinrich Kramer’s infamous 1486 treatise “Mallevs Maleficarvm” about witchcraft.

In this collection Mikhail demonstrates what was assumed in the Middle Ages to be the pagan elements of nature juxtaposed against the metallic purity of the Roman Catholic church. All this is evidenced in Mikhail utilization of metallic silvers, facsimiles of armor, and monochromatic color patterns, as well as well-tailored silky male blouses, and skin-tight trousers.

Stephen Mikhail has always been acknowledged for his now-and-next fashion, particularly when it comes to men’s fashion. So, the design perspective in this outing is no surprise. Still, Stephen Mikhail has accomplished something quite unique in this collection.

While many menswear designers are pushing for a inclusive and expansive design aesthetic that includes a more binary projection, most fall short in this respect, creating collections that most men would never purchase for their wardrobes. Many of the garments look like costumes from some science fiction project or a Broadway show or rock concert. Mikhail, with his fall 2023 collection, has achieved what so few menswear designers are able to achieve, creating menswear garments that contain both the now-and-next aesthetic combined with a binary approach to menswear that a lot of men would purchase.

Images courtesy of Agentry PR

Bravo Stephen!!

—William S. Gooch

Son Jung Wan Fall 2023

February 12, 2023 by admin Leave a Comment

Son Jung Wan has presented at New York Fashion Week (NYFW) for several seasons. And while her collections contain interesting looks, often with a disparate array of fabric combinations, her current collection is, perhaps, her most cohesive collection compared to previous collections.

When attending a Son Jung Wan show, you know you will experience garments that mix and weirdly match fabrics and textures that normally don’t combine well. Sometimes these combinations work, but for Son Jung Wan it often doesn’t work well. However, this season Song Jung Wan did not concentrate so heavily on the disparate fabric combinations, focusing more of her energies on the silhouettes and color combinations.

This particular focus makes this collection, perhaps, Son Jung Wan ‘s most successful collection. That said, Jon Jung Wan does not abandon her predilection was employing unusual fabric combination, but this season the pairings are much better.

Inspired by the culture of the 1990s, this fall collection contained a wide range of day looks and eveningwear from suits to cocktail dress gowns and menswear. The color palette ranged from lilac, apricot, and galactic cobalt to pale blue, and black and white.

Though the silhouettes in this collection were somewhat simple, the collection possessed a futuristic projection. And with this collection Son Jung Wan is possibly expanding her consumer base beyond those niche fashionista that want the unusual of that standout garment. This collection with its simple silhouettes and toned-down fabric combinations will have a wider consumer appeal.

As with many Son Jung Wan collections, the stars of the collection were the brand’s outerwear. That said, there were several evening cocktail looks and gowns that would appeal to an expanded demographic.

Images courtesy of Rodin Banica

Standout looks in this collection include the brand’s vivid orange over-coat styled with gold sequined shorts, galactic cobalt double-layered silk asymmetrical dress with pink three-quarter sleeves, men’s galactic cobalt blue padded jacket with matching trousers, and galactic cobalt padded coat with gunmetal chainmail gown.

—William S. Gooch

APOTTS Fall 2023

February 11, 2023 by admin Leave a Comment

New York Men’s Day (NYMD) is the perfect place for APOTTS creative director Aaron Potts to showcase his men’s collection, even though Potts always includes several women’s looks in his collection. However, Potts collections are not gender specific, so having garments that work well on women fits perfectly into the brand’s DNA.

Perhaps, APOTTS is a glimpse into where fashion should be heading. A reflection of a world where the design aesthetic and the now and next of the collection stands out above gender specificity. That said, Aaron Potts has made this non-binary specificity one of the main points of view of his collections. And he performs that perspective beautifully.

The inspiration of this collection was Potts’ reflection of the fashion statement that most New Yorkers were making when he moved back to New York City from Paris in the mid-1990s. The daily uniform of New Yorkers during this time period was warrior black and grey. This fighting-the-elements and in-your-face emotions black and grey was worn with only a fierceness that New Yorkers can muster.

That said, with Potts’ fall 2023 collection, some of the fierceness and bravado has been replaced with hints of humor and wink-wink, as well as a bit fashion elegance. Though his collection was a serious fashion compendium of the merits of neutral tones, Potts did highlight his neutral tones with an injection of red.

Unlike previous collections, this collection contained more garments that were obviously designed specifically for women, Aaron Potts did not abandon his penchant for non-binary clothing. And as with other previous collections, Aaron uses his adeptness with volume to maximum effect.

Just because this collection continues to explore Potts’ penchant for volume, don’t expect Potts to bypass glamor and sexiness. Not at all. Potts has ingeniously found a way to find a way inject such the right amount of glamor and sexiness without centering sensuality in either the male or feminine camp.

What also stands out in this 2023 outing is Potts’ ability to combine ease of movement with a fashion-forward sensibility. With Potts ease of movement does not have to mean staid and commonplace. Potts proves that ease of movement and fashion sensibility can be compatible bedfellows.

Images courtesy of APOTTS

Standout looks in this fall 2023 collection include, but are not limited to, the brand’s black and white stripped wrap around top with asymmetrical skirt, black cargo skirt with hoodie midriff top, black leather and knit turtleneck with peplum skirt and extended crouch pants, and black leather men’s jumpsuit with cargo pockets.

—William S. Gooch

Frederick Anderson Spring 2023

September 13, 2022 by admin Leave a Comment

Frederick Anderson has always been associated with dressing the Upper Eastside female set. Anderson’s entrée into that sacrosanct set started when he was associated with former business partner Douglas Hannant, whose fashion brand is now defunct. Hannant even had a store in the Plaza Hotel that catered to that Upper Eastside woman who wanted garments that she could wear at her jointure of her day.

Since Anderson struck out on his own, he has continued to attempt to satisfy the fashion palette of that Upper Eastside fashionista. And he has some success with that kind of customer. However, times that are a changing. And that Upper Eastside customer is no longer the woman that Anderson once appealed to.

That said, Anderson still focuses his fashion collections on that Upper Eastside woman, yet with a more modern sensibility. And his spring 2023 collection was successful in that respect, well almost.

Do anyone that has experienced Anderson’s collection it is apparent that he is a master at knitwear. And his knitwear work is one of the elements of this collection that stands out the most because Anderson marries his knitwear with a modern sensibility and daring not seen from most knitwear designers. There is a definite in-your-face-sexiness with Anderson’s knitwear which elevated this element beyond the ladies who lunch set.

Anderson silky lounge and evening wear were the definite hits of this collection. Though several of those garments conjured up images of similar Halston collections from the 1970s, Anderson did manage to incorporate some of his own unique touches.

Many of the free-flowing garments masterfully enveloped the body, showing off curves and dipping to regions reserved for only the invited. Still, there were selections in this collection that would appeal to a more conservative consumer.

Anderson opened his show with Black Lives Matter and Gay Rights iconography and images. Bravo for those strong political statements. Still, how those political statements fit into this collection was unclear. This collection was more about how an updated Upper Eastside woman currently lives her life. And those political stances, though a reflection of Anderson’s political affiliations, don’t necessarily reflect his consumer.

Images courtesy of vogue.com

Anderson’s evolution as a fashion designer has come to the fore in this spring 2023 collection. And there is an expectation that he will continue to grow and master his craft.

—William S. Gooch

Asia Fashion Collection Fall 2022

February 15, 2022 by admin Leave a Comment

The Asia Fashion Collection is a project produced and sponsored by VANTAN and PARCO CO., LTD to provide a platform for fresh and emerging talent in the fashion industry throughout Asia. Designers compete for a chance to debut their collections during New Yor Fashion Week (NYFW), judged by prominent industry experts like Kaname Murakami, the editor in chief of WWD Japan, and Takanobu Kono, Official Evangelist of Shopify Japan. This season, six designers debuted their collections from across Asia to be presented on screens in New York’s Spring Studios. The project, with its focus on discovering and nurturing new talent, comes with major cultural implications in terms of Asian fashion and youth subculture, making it a significant fashion show since all perspectives are fresh with each designer having their finger on the pulse of fashion.

The first collection, Yuuna Ichikawa by Yuuna Ichikawa from Japan, is inspired by dance, youth, music, and movement. ‘Youth in Heart’ is embedded in the sheer fabric across model’s chests while the collection’s muses are Loie Fuller, pioneer of modern dance, and Patti Smith, punk rock icon. The collection, in neutral shades of gray, white, and black, features billowing construction, untamed and carefree design in sharp, wide shoulders and overextended leather sleeves and strings that take up space like an arm that extends across a stage in a swirling dance. Movement and youth are also concepts that danced across several other collections.

WooLeeX by Yu Nung (Jerry) Hsieh and Ming Jo (Cynthia) Hsieh from Taiwan, for example, features custom fabrics in patterns of mountains, forests, and plum blossoms printed on 3D jacquard. The jacquard pattern is meant to symbolize the emotional reactions of music listeners from deep melody to joyful dancing. The fabrics are works of art with intricate detailing and vivid imagery with oversized tailoring allowing for unrestrained movement.

COCOTONO by Kotono Fukazawa from Japan, also uses movement as a backdrop for the collection to conceptualize how distorted movement evokes a feeling. The first menswear piece is a plaid jacket with distorted fabric that drips like the ice cream in the model’s grip styled with youthful short pants and long socks. The collection, like Yuuna Ichikawa, plays on depictions of youth, but in a more literal manner with a blue oversized coat patterned with a felt fence and fluffy sheep while the model holds a pillow. The collection, like many of the other collections, is meant to be carefree and even comedic to bring upon an emotional response.

Like COCOTONO, SUNG JU by Sung Ju Lee of South Korea, also carries the comfort of a bed to the runway in an emotion-driven presentation inspired by the designer’s personal experience being teased for his name’s association with a Korean yellow melon. The collection swells in vibrant shades of pink and yellow across puffer coats, pillowing constructions, and fluffy slippers sliding over the runway. The pieces can be categorized as “dopamine dressing” meant to boost mood, which is expected to increase over 2022.

“Dopamine dressing” is even more evident in DOKKA Vivid by Nodoka Sugauchi and Akiho Ka of Japan with their mixing of a variety of floral prints and bright colors as models hold brilliant hued Japanese hanging lanterns. The pieces resplendent with vitality, are also sustainable using upcycled fabrics, like on their kimono mask. DOKKA Vivid also reinterprets classic Asian designs like the kimono as two models walk together wearing floral print coats with billowing reflective fabric in the back.

Images courtesy of New York Tokyo LLC

Glenda Garcia by Glenda Garcia, who is Indonesian and based in New York, also reinterprets classic designs through deconstruction to provide a fresh perspective. Her pieces are designed for the modern working woman and deconstruct traditional workwear pieces to form a collection featuring oversized garments, asymmetrical construction, and leather fabrications styled with rainboots.

For the fall 2022 season, the showcase reflects themes of youth, movement, and rebellion showing a lack of restraint through billowing designs and oversized silhouettes. The presentation depicts a focus on sentimental fashion that evokes strong feelings and memories. All collections are current and modern, so it is appropriate that the AFC also created a fall 2022 Metaverse Project to debut artwork inspired by each brand in Japan’s NFT marketplace “nanakusa.” To view the NFT artwork, visit nanakusa.io!

—Tessa Swantek

Custo Barcelona Fall 2022

February 14, 2022 by admin Leave a Comment

It is always a good thing when a brand returns to New York Fashion Week (NYFW). Especially if that brand happens to be Custo Barcelona. A mainstay of NYFW Custo Barcelona has not shown at NYFW for two years.

Always pushing the boundaries of what is appropriate in fashion. Creative Director Custo Dalmau always expands the creative palettes of his customer when it comes to color combinations, design silhouettes, fabrications, and even feminine and masculine aesthetics. And though he is sometimes ahead of the curve, his customer always catches up.

For the brand’s fall 2022 collection Custo Dalmau looked to shining again from within to radiate light and illuminate humanity. Custo’s collection played with shapes and patterns in a variety of fabrics and patterns with playful patches and word art on streetwear-inspired pieces.

The dresses were the core elements of the collection and other pieces were designed to complement these key pieces. Creative cut-outs and micro-mini shorts and skirts dominated the collection.

Shiny jacquards, multicolored sequins, vibrant-colored satins and velvet jacquards were expertly juxtapositioned to create a collection that was playful, yet sophisticated. More relaxed pieces included micro jumpsuits with tiny trousers and long sweatshirts styled as mini dresses. And the athleisure garments that bordered on references to 1960s space clothes added that special touch of fantasy and fun!!

Though this collection was heavy on streetwear with a strong athleisure wear influence, what stood out most in this collection was the strong outerwear garments, as well as Custo’s embrace of gender fluidity.

Images courtesy of The Riviere Agency

Gender fluidity is something that Custo Dalmau has never shied away from. However, in this collection, gender fluidity was front and center with many garments working equally well on both men and women.

And as always Custo Dalmau’s penchant for architectural shapes and graphic design elevated this collection from a collection that could have been overburdened with too many ideas and trends to a cohesive collection, though whimsical, that was a kaleidoscopic feast for the eyes. Custo Barcelona we are so glad you are back!!

—William S. Gooch

TEDDY VONRANSON Fall 2022

February 12, 2022 by admin Leave a Comment

Teddy Von Ranson is on a mission to redefine “Modern American Classics.” His designs reflect the classic East Coast preppy style from his years at Ralph Lauren mixed in with his roots on the West Coast. The designer’s combination of East Coast meets West Coast mixed with a strong dose of European aesthetic made for a compelling and exciting presentation at New York Men’s Week (NYMW).

Fashion Reverie caught up with Ken Downing, the recently appointed chief brand officer of Hearst Luxury Collections, to get his take on Von Ranson’s latest collection. Downing enthused, “He’s a true talent; the hand knits are exquisite! The collection is inter-generational—he’s like a young Saint Laurent and there’s even some of Todd Oldham mixed in.”

Drilling down further, the collection was a compilation of micro collections within a collection. One especially notable grouping was comprised of three standout pieces, a jacquard knee-length duster, another, a hip length jacket and lastly, a puffer with matching palazzo pants. The hip length jacket resembled a painting of the sun and the sky with a strong Native American vibe. According to dopely.com, blue was used by shamans to evoke serenity, and yellow and gold symbolized triumph and optimism.

The shearling coats were cut in traditional shapes as were the chunky zip-front sweaters and crewnecks. What set them apart was the color palette of sorbet pink, merlot red, and muted royal blues that worked well as tone-on-tone outfits or mixed together.

Images courtesy of R. Scott French

The fabrics were luxe, a pair of black leather trousers were as supple as a pair of the finest Portolano kid leather gloves. One of the best looks was made from a microfiber silk blend in a Georges Seurat-like pointillism print that looked great cut into a raincoat, gauchos and matching rainhat and Doc Martens-style lace-up boots. What’s for certain from Teddy Von Ranson is that you can look forward to expecting the unexpected every season; we can’t wait to see what he shows next.

—Vivian Kelly