There were not many bright spots during the New York Fashion Week: Men’s (NYFWM) fall 2019 season. Amid rumors that this season may be NYFWM’s last season, it was more than evident that NYFWM is a mere shadow of what it was or what it aspired to be.
With the absence of major American menswear brands Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, Nautica, Tommy Hilfiger and others, NYFWM’s fall 2019 season was mostly a miss. However, there were a few bright spots and the shining moment that roused the most attention was Palomo Spain’s fall 2019 collection.
Inspired the rural Spanish of the early 20th Century and Serge Diaghilev’s Ballet Russe, Palomo Spain’s creative director Palomo Gomez found an ingenious way to fuse what seemingly appear to be two disparate ideas the Ballet Russe and rural Spanish culture of the early 20th Century into an almost seamless design aesthetic. And a more interesting and notable aspect to this collection, Palomo Gomez found a way to inject the brand’s signature aesthetic of gender fluidity in a way that was not overwhelming, but added to the brilliance of the collection.
The Ballet Russes in the second decade of its existence was beginning to incorporate Spanish influences into its dance repertoire which was expressed in the music of Manuel de Falla, the choreography of Leonide Massine, and the backdrops and scenery of Pablo Picasso. These influences produced such dance works as “El Sombero de Tres Picos” and “Cuadro Flamenco.”
In this fall 2019 outing, Gomez expertly paired feminine and masculine silhouettes, which is expected. What was superb in this collection is Gomez’s acumen of pairing the feminine with the masculine is a way that is more accessible than in previous seasons.
The ‘new’ or ‘purified’ Palomo Spain is projecting to bring the brand’s historical references into the 21st Century. The brand’s new direction is made evident in the new color palettes. This season Palomo Gomez incorporated grey into the collection, balanced with tones of emerald green, navy blue, and scarlet red. There are also more refined fabrics of heavier wools, silk taffetas, cashmeres, and velvets. The brand even developed its own signature print of a deconstructed polka dot.
There was also a wide array of brand accessories in this collection, ranging from gloves, hats, and bags to shoes and belts. These dynamic accessories came in the signature deconstructed polka dot print, as well as leather and suede. Additionally, there were several garments that could easily be mixed and matched with items within this collection or garments from other collections—particularly the collection’s jackets and skirts.
In spite of the brand’s new direction, what stood out most in this outing was Palomo Spain’s collage of textures, silhouettes, and the masculine juxtaposed against the feminine, all melded in ways that one aesthetic did not overshadow the other, brilliantly complimenting the entire direction of this collection. Where other menswear collections this season did not cause pulses to quicken, Palomo Spain’s fall 2019 collection not only caused fashion palpitations, the collection also elicited refrains of bravissimo and applause.
Images courtesy of Pelonio Press
Now, that is what NYFW should be about. With this collection, Palomo Spain gives fashion industry professionals great hope!!—William S. Gooch
Marcel Ostertag has presented his collections six times at New York Fashion Week: The Shows (NYFWS). Unlike many designers from across the Big Pond that show one or two times at NYFWS and for some reason don’t get the market traction that’s expected and then call it quits, Marcel Ostertag has stayed the course. And this strategy is starting to pay off.
In this spring 2019 collection, Ostertag was also inspired by the music and fashion style of the 1970s. The high-waisted, pleated pants and sequined bell sleeve tops, as well as the various takes on the ubiquitous wrap-dress in particular give a nod to 70’s silhouette throughout the collection. Although this 70s reference is very strong and quite dominant throughout the spring 2019 collection, Ostertag makes this collection fresh and very current while touches of Ostertag’s signature aesthetic.
‘MUSE’ is a joyful explosion of yellows, blues, lavenders, oranges and nudes that was summed up perfectly in his Rainbow sweater; a cashmere crew comprising of over 24 shades of brightly colored yarn. Other highlights of the show were the over embroidered and beaded pants, Iris printed charmeuse ruffle tiered gown, and the blush sequined mesh top. Standouts from the men’s capsule collection were the oversized color-blocked cashmere hoodie and Fuji silk jumpsuit (as well as a wildly editorial, but ultimately niche version in blush micro sequins). 
If there is one drawback to this collection, it would be that this spring 2019 collection is heavy on garments that are more of an industry professionals’ love or aesthetic, particularly fashion stylists, than something that translates well to American consumers. While a decade ago that was a good thing with fashion editors and fashion industry professionals have more of an influence over consumers’ taste, those days have long past!!
If you are scouting for that new, innovative fashion designer that is not afraid to take risks, The Academy of the Arts has a slew of young creatives that fit the bill. Once a year the San Francisco–based fashion design school presents some of their most talented design MFA students during New York Fashion Week: The Shows (NYFWS), usually occurring during the spring collections shows. Though it is a long-extended show, showcasing 5 or 6 garments from each selected MFA student, the show is definitely worth it.
“The collections reflect the designers’ abilities to explore their individual spirit while mastering their craft. They’ve honored the essence of the industry and carry conscientious practices into textile design, three-dimensional design, tailoring, and construction techniques; at the same time, they’ve intelligently integrated the use of technology and sustainable concepts into their work,” explained Simon Ungless, Executive Director of the School of Fashion.
Some of the standouts for the spring 2019 season were Yoonsuk Lee inspired by the visual associations of the ‘walk of shame,’ the surrealist black and white photography of Vivian Maier and Irving Penn, and his grandfather’s custom-tailored suits; Snezana Anicic-Van Pelt inspired by observations of the ways our society has been shifting; different qualities (identifies) that can coexist as a whole; Mark Kazu Mekaru, Katy Fang Liu, and Yu Ling Chou collaboratively inspired by Miyako Ishiuchi’s photograph of a disintegrated garment destroyed during WWII, along with some elements of the Japanese art of origami, representations of disintegration, peeling, and falling away are incorporated in the garment shapes, textiles and knits; Zhihan Liu inspired by the movie “Shutter Island” with scenes evoking feelings of hurt, pain and darkness, austerity, and purity, and lastly Changsheng Yu inspired by compositions, contrasts and shapes created by natural light and shadows in San Francisco, the black and white photography of Andres Canal and Horst P. Horst, and long-exposure photos of dancers.
Coincidentally, many of The Academy of the Arts selected fashion design students are inspired by film, movement and photography. Hopefully, as these aspiring fashion design transition from their studies to the real world of fashion design they maintain their incredible skill and craftsmanship, never compromising their design acumen for market traction and viability.
Once again, closing out New York Fashion Week: Men’s (NYFWM) with a bang was Grungy Gentleman, helmed by designer Jace Lipstein. This season, the show was held at the trendy Dream Downtown Hotel. As guests entered, they were treated to Gentleman Jack Rare Tennessee Whiskey cocktails and the latest tunes spun by DJ Juanyto oh Hot 97. The room buzzed electric as celebs, editors, and tastemakers all intermingled prior to the show.
Grungy Gentleman is not your typical NYFW: Men’s brand. They don’t try to recreate themselves every season with cacophony of prints and patterns. They don’t have complex cuts and configurations. They don’t select waifish models to wear their clothes. They understand who their clientele is—urban, athletic, real men with real bodies. The brand boasts that they “fuse contemporary culture and style, capturing the core of men’s interests in sports, music, entertainment, art and technology. Each piece from the collection looks to suit and inspire the man who is bold, intelligent, and passionate with fierce taste.”
Romeo Hunte continues to make a name for himself on the New York fashion landscape. For spring 2019, Romeo Hunte threw a lot of current trends and references to`80s street wear into the proverbial fashion melting pot. Some of the mix of trends worked, some, not so well.
Hunte ingeniously re-imagined neoprene from diving suits and camo prints on bombers as fashionable, urban spring outerwear. Hunte even included a few women’s looks in the collection. And though the women’s looks were an interesting addition, having so few women’s look—about three looks—rendered this injection of feminine silhouettes a distraction rather than a welcomed inclusive expansion.
Suiting up was once the classic standard for gentleman, but now it’s all about sporting up. The five women of Amsterdam-based Reconstruct Collective found the fusion between avant-grade and sportswear for their spring/summer 2019 collection, creating a sporty collection very much for the new age.
The designers reconstructed sporty pieces, like tank tops that were decorated with the Re-4 logo, and nylon pants were bedazzled with extra drawstrings. Nylon panels were fused on wide leg pants for a futuristic effect and cropped hoodies were deconstructed to be reconstructed giving a type of “Mad Max” and “Star Wars” effect. Waistbands also featured the Reconstruct logo, tapping into the trend of logo embellishment.
On trend and in the spirit of futurism, many of the designs looked genderless. While the idea of genderless fashion is just in its infancy, reconstructed nylon jackets, wide leg trousers, and space age outerwear spoke to gender fluidity. On Planet Re-4 it is all just clothes.
Head of State designer Taofeek Abijako’s latest collection for his brand was inspired by Afro-futurism that is influenced by 70s funk band Parliament, the American funk music collective of rotating musicians headed by George Clinton, and Sun Ra, the American jazz composer. Abijako also added elements of West African youth culture thrown in for good measure.
Atten-hut! Wood House Army is on the scene, and they demand your attention!
A year later, Julian and his husband/muse/creative partner Kirill Kabachenko showed their fall 2016 collection at Pier 59 Studios in NYC. This season, showing their eighth collection, the duo demonstrates strong design growth. But they also show a noticeably strong sense of self by not veering too far from their established brand aesthetic, but instead offer customers another layer of Asian-inspired design.
Feng Chen Wang’s men’s spring 2019 is an editors and stylist’s dream. For the most part, the men’s spring 2019 collections were lackluster, with so many brands attempting to stay relevant by presenting collections that were extremely consumer friendly with very little panache and charm.
This other half reference was made evident in garments that exposed half of a shoulder or half of the body. This was particularly effective in shirts and outerwear.
These designs are accompanied by some new additions to Wang’s oeuvre, such as suits and shirts, in addition to new outerwear styles, such as trench coats and tee shirts with panel details. Bags and jewelry take the form of hands, some holding hands—a universal signifier of connection—while a sculpture constructed from multiple hands stands erect in the center of the show space. Spring 2019 also sees the introduction of the Feng Chen Wang women.
The devil is in the details, or in this case the divinity is in the details. For his spring/summer 2019 collection, Ricardo Seco looked to his home country of Mexico for inspiration, as he traditionally has, but this time he dug a little deeper than obvious Mexican references. The 1968 Summer Olympics was the source of inspiration for Seco’s spring 2019 men’s collection evidenced by the shorts and bright-patterned leggings which conjured up images of color themes and design aesthetics of the `68 Summer Olympics.
Architect Pedro Ramirez Vásquez who brought together Eduardo Terrazas of New York, Pratt Institute grad Lance Wyman, and Peter Murdoch drew inspiration from Mexico’s indigenous Huichol thread craft culture to create the images and designs of the 1968 Olympics, bridging the gap between traditional and modern Mexico. The indigenous Huichol culture would be the inspiration for Seco’s 2015 Dreams collection, from which this spring 2019 collection was also built.
