Front Row — Page 47

David Hart x Hart Schaffner Marx Spring 2017

July 15, 2016 by admin Leave a Comment

Regardless of emerging men’s silhouettes that mix feminine and masculine elements, men’s traditional suiting is still the most popular male silhouette on the market. And the David Hart collaboration with Hart Schaffner Marx continues that tradition.

David Hart has shown consistent at New York Fashion: Men’s for several season now—first coming to fashion week prominence under the New York Fashion Week Men’s Day by Cadillac auspice—and he is known for a sophisticated style that pulls inspiration from classic male silhouettes of the 50s and 60s. (David Hart’s spring 2015 collection comes to mind inspired by Miami nightlife of the 1950s.)

For spring 2017 the David Hart x Hart Schaffner Marx collaboration drew inspiration from iconic environmental photography of Slim Aarons. For those not familiar with Slim Aarons, Aarons established himself as a photographer who shot celebrities of the 50s and 60s in easy, casual environments in formal clothes. Aarons most famous photograph is the 1957 Kings of Hollywood depicting Clark Gable, James Stewart, Van Heflin and Gary Cooper.

This collection is reminiscent of trips to the Maldives, Mustique, Palm Beach, and Provence in the 1960s. Imagine the 60s Brat Pack of Sammy Davis Jr., Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Peter Lawford seen through a modern lens of sharp, color suit jackets and palm-printed slacks and you will understand the direction of this collection.

Images courtesy of fashionreverie.com/Ken Jones

This David Hart x Hart Schaffner Marx collaboration does not break any new ground, and it doesn’t need to. It is beautiful men’s suiting in bold colors for beauty’s sake, and that is enough. And where in the past some consumers who have shied away from some of the bold, vibrant colors used in this collection, the modern male consumer is not so shy. And that is a good thing!!

—William S. Gooch

Eidos Spring 2017

July 15, 2016 by admin 2 Comments

For spring 2017 Eidos creative director Antonio Ciongoli looked to India, and more specifically Bar Palladio, a cultural hub where varied influences meet, and Bagru, a city outside of New Delhi where inhabitants use ancient textile techniques to create incredible fabrics by hand. This ‘Bar Palladdio to Bagru’ inspiration has produced a spring 2017 collection that combines a fusion of traditional Indian textile techniques and modern influences. The ‘Bar Palladio to Bagru’ collection is an interesting departure for the Ciongoli/ISAIA team that usually finds inspiration from the rich textile traditions of Italy.

That said; this clash of seeming dissimilar influences of the ‘Bar Palladio to Bagru’ collection surprisingly works and has a lot of potential retail value. And the genius of this collection is in the different separates that can be mixed and matched with garments that are more standard menswear fare. The black herringbone jacket would work well with denim jeans; the linen knit Nehru jacket and be matched with a wide range of slacks, and even the yogi pants can work with a lightweight spring jacket.

And Ciongoli neutral palette of indigo blue, stonewashed ecru, and dusty tans make this collection have a wide appeal to international male consumers. Also marrying traditional male silhouettes with Nehru jackets, Monte and yogi pants demonstrate that modern male consumers can easily embrace this modern fusion of the old and new. Though we have seen the East meets West aesthetic before, Eidos presents this fashion cultural exchange in an innovative way.

Images courtesy of ISAIA

Standout looks in this collection include Eidos’ navy/cream barre stripe fleece double breasted shawl jacket, natural/indigo slub terry barre stripe crewneck, hand dyed natural indigo khadi dhoti by EIDOS x Stoffa, cream silk and linen double breasted evening suit, white tonal slub barre stripe band collar popover, natural madder and harkat dyed herringbone head wrap by EIDOS x Stoffa, and the dark iron linen suit, white slub jersey knit kurta.

—William S. Gooch

Nick Graham Spring 2017

July 15, 2016 by admin Leave a Comment

Samba dancers, tropical setting, carnival-like music conjures up images of Brazil, right? Well, not necessarily. For spring 2017 Nick Graham used these cultural references to give a nod to Cuba of the 1950s, the bacchanalian Cuba of glamorous nightclubs, decadence, gamblers, and playground of American high rollers. Behind this Cuban heyday was an undercurrent of change and Castro’s Cuban revolution.

“It was a fascinating period, with the Tropicana Club at the center of the action. Americans would come in droves and party like they couldn’t in the US,” explained Nick Graham. Once Havana fell, the Americans moved to Las Vegas, along with the showgirls and everything else that came with it.”

Like many menswear designers this season, Graham did not stray far away from traditional menswear silhouettes. Though we’ve seen all these looks before and consumers will love what Graham has done with reinventing the tried and true.

The beauty of this collection is in the presentation and the styling. And having top models Sebastian Suave, Chad White, Kevin Sampaio, and Nick Truelove added to the professionalism and momentum of the brand.

A few seasons back, after not presenting collections during New York Fashion Week, it appeared that the brand was in trouble, and it was!! However, Nick Graham has back with a vengeance and is proving that by staying true the brand’s DNA of post-prep seen through the lens of youthful exuberance that a revitalized brand does not have go outside of its design aesthetic to retain its audience and expand its base.

Images courtesy of Tommy Iannaccone/wwd.com

Graham reinvents the brand’s design aesthetic by using Madras sport coats and shorts to create the new “tropical suit” designed for stylish summer nights. Pulling from the images of the impending Cuban Revolution, Graham employs a hint of camouflage in blazers and accessories.

Standout looks in the collection include the skull-print sarong with cotton tank top and blue linen blazer, Camo blue baseball jacket with tee and blue jeans, and black paisley tuxedo jacket with black shirt and pants.

—William S. Gooch

Malan Breton Menswear Spring 2017

July 15, 2016 by admin Leave a Comment

Malan Breton has had a fashion epiphany. And it is about time!! After creating interesting collections for over a decade that sometimes bordered on outré unmarketable garments, Malan Breton finally hit the jackpot with his men’s spring 2017 collection. And he accomplished this feat without sacrificing the signature DNA of his brand. Remarkable indeed!

For spring 2017 Malan Breton was inspired by a nocturnal walk through the forest of Taiwan’s Orchid Island where flora and fauna flora frolic under the glistening starlight, particularly the exotic butterflies that are indigenous to Orchid Island. This rather contrived inspiration was paired with the secondary reference to the Academy Award–winning film “Alice’s Restaurant.”

Aptly titled “Severance,” which was defined in the collection’s liner notes as a division is two parts, is the rightful moniker for these two dissimilar ideas. That said; how the this two disparate motifs came together in Breton’s spring 2017 collection is beyond comprehension; however, the two polar opposites aside, Breton produced a spring 2017 collection that cohesively and retail viability-wise was leagues beyond other collections he has produced in past outings.

This spring 2017 menswear collection was current, innovative while still holding on to Malan Breton’s penchant for ornate brocade-like fabrics and stylings. And unlike other Malan Breton’s other collections where his fabric choices and overly styled presentation overshadowed the garments, this collection had just the right amount of glam, panache and modern sensibility. Well, most of the time!!

And Malan Breton’s choice of a mixture of silk jersey, silk gazar, neoprene, and denim, though seemingly not compatible bedfellows, was worked exquisitely innovative way in this outing. Bretion also ingeniously mixed in elements of sportswear with bold, gilded floral prints and Savile Row tailoring rendering the collection a modern take of luxury sportswear that could be an indication of where men’s luxury sportswear is going.

Images courtesy of Ken Jones/fashionreverie.com

And in true Malan Breton fashion there were a few garments with his initials emblazoned. Still, this overzealousness can be excused because the collection was so good!! Though the venue was as temperate as Dante’s hell, for those who could stand the heatwave, the collection was worth the perspiration!!

Standout looks in the collection were the deep forest print silk gazar Brady shirt with lemon chrome silk jersey Victory polo, deep forest print silk gazar River coat with neoprene and rubber bodysuit, Taiwanese reconstituted denim Brando jacket, and rose gold crest feather embroidered Marlene suit with cotton Francine shirt.

—William S. Gooch

Parke & Ronen Spring 2017

July 15, 2016 by admin Leave a Comment

Like many menswear brands this season, Parke & Ronen did not attempt to reinvent the wheel this time. Then again, Parke & Ronen never strays from their design asesthetic, and there is some comfort in that.

Every season fashion editors and consumers can rest assured that Parke & Ronen will present all-American sportswear for that consumer that is has a youthful projection and is in good shape. That is made evident in the choice of male models the brands choose every season. If any thing has changed over the last few seasons is Parke & Ronen’s idea of the sporty-guy-next-door has expanded to include men of color with dreads and untamed hair, as well as white models with an array of tattoos, beards and unruly hair. In that respect, Parke & Ronen is starting to embrace the way the world actually looks.

For spring 2017 the brand was inspired by a collegiate/Ivy League aesthetic as seen through the lens of six packs, defined torsos, and very fitted garments. The brand has used a varsity reference in the past; however, this season the reference contains a lot more bold colors and sea life prints. Parke & Ronen also employed some interesting color blocking in the collection.

What stood out most in this spring 2017 outing were the color-blocked varsity jackets paired with interesting array of prints. And where the previous collegiate-inspired collection was more focused on a very young consumer, this spring 2017 collection contained pieces that could be mixed and matched as separates that could work with other items in any man’s wardrobe, regardless of the consumers’ age.

Images courtesy of fashionreverie.com/Ken Jones

Standout looks in the collection are the brand’s Letterman “P” sweater in navy/cotton viscose, stretch Poplin shirt in navy tropical print, Boater stripe Blazer in steel blue cotton/nylon twill with peony printed Chambray shirt, color block knit polo in sky and ivory cotton/viscose with Derby track trouser in navy double-knit twill, and varsity squad jacket in canary palm print with cropped tailgate tee in Kelly multi.

—William S. Gooch

Coach Menswear Spring 2017

July 14, 2016 by admin Leave a Comment

In its 75-year history Coach has gone through a lot of changes and has evolved from just an accessories companies known originally for its quality billfolds and wallets to a brand that has expanded to handbags and most recently ready-to-wear jackets and garments. Coach’s most illustrious alumni, Reed Krakoff, left the Coach helm to launch his own eponymous brand.

Stuart Vevers, hired in 2014, is the current creative director. And under his leadership Vevers has plunged Coach into new waters. Coach’s spring 2017 collection is ample evidence of this new direction; a new direction that is reaping annual profits of over $4.24 billion dollars.

The signature Coach aesthetic of easy, non-cluttered accessibility is still in place. Still, Vevers is seeking to push the brand in a more forward-thinking direction. For spring 2017 Vevers created the 1941 collection in honor of the year Coach came into existence.

Inspired by the tee shirt and iconic films that have identifiably American sportswear separates and wardrobe staples, “Rebel Without a Cause,” “My Private Idaho,” and even an episode from “The Twilight Zone” entitled “Black Leather Jackets,” Vevers pairs these looks with Coach’s signature look of American accessibility. Vevers additionally, has played with the idea of bringing customization to classic American sportswear items we all love; jeans, jacket, penny loafers and of course tee shirts.

Images courtesy of fashionreverie.com/Ken Jones

Coach’s brand of customization for the 1941 collection is made evident in penny loafers with studs, spray-painted black moto jackets, and jackets with badges. The question to be asked is if the Coach customer will go for this new evolved Coach. My bet is a resounding, yes!!

—William S. Gooch

Zachary Prell Spring 2017

July 14, 2016 by admin Leave a Comment

For the spring 2017 men’s wear collections, the 80s ruled!! From Robert Geller to Artistix to Brett Johnson, the 1980s provided lots of reference points and inspiration this season. Now you can add Zachary Prell to this coterie of menswear designers inspired by the 80s.

One could ask what is so attractive about the 1980s that so many American menswear brands are looking to that era for inspiration. Perhaps, the attraction has to do with the 80s being one of the first time American men’s sportswear brands used bold color with a small injection of androgyny and out-of-the-box design aesthetics. Also, the 80s was a fashion era where designers could surreptitiously expand the design and color palette without the male consumer realizing he was being introduced to a new way of looking at male fashion. And lastly, the 80s was the first time menswear began to be force all of its own. It was era where it was acceptable for men to love clothes and not apologize for it!!

That said: Zachary Prell injected lots of color into his spring 2017 collection, from rich indigo blues to pale pastels and neutrals. In this reason of 80s reflection, Prell a wide variety of jacket silhouettes and suit separates. And reminiscent of the 80s—revisit Miami Vice, American Gigolo, and Pretty in Pink—there were lots of rolled-up shirts and jacket sleeves, pleated shorts, and high shorts that showed muscled thighs.

Images courtesy of fashionreverie.com/Ken Jones

Though this spring 2017 collection was a journey down memory land, breaking no new fashion rules, Prell did showcase an American sportswear collection that was attractive, consumer-friendly and would have appeal to millenials who are more influenced by destination than chic style.

—William S. Gooch

Carlos Campos Spring 2017

July 13, 2016 by admin Leave a Comment

Cuba keeps providing inspiration for menswear designers. A few seasons back, David Hart was inspired by the Cuban nightlife of the 1950s, while this season Nick Graham created a fantastic runway presentation inspired by Cuban culture replete with scantily clad Samba dancers. And Carlos Campos was also influenced by Cuba, more specifically the culture that emanates of its tobacco plantations.

Then again, Carlos Campos, a fashion designer who deems himself a cultural nomad, usually references Latin themes and motifs. For his fall 2016 collection, Campos referenced the “Forastero, or the outsider, a common theme in Latin American literature.

That said; there was a quiet elegance to Campos’ fall 2016 collection that was missing in this spring 2017 collection. Though there was a restrained sophistication to this spring 2017 collection, as we have come to expect with Campos, with a few exceptions, overall this outing was underwhelming. Perhaps, like many menswear designers this season Campos was aiming for clothes that had an obvious retails value, causing him to extract some of the wow factor that has worked for him in previous collections. Whatever the reason for the rather pedestrian look of Campos’ spring 2017 collection, if he had only turned the volume up just a smidgen this collection would have been on target.

In this collection Campos reinterpreted the traditional Cuban guayabera shirt, elongated in Campos ‘Jackabera ‘ version. There was even a reinterpretation of the male jumpsuit with cargo pant–like pockets—unfortunately, Campos’ male jumpsuit slightly resembled an garage attendant’s uniform. True to form there was Campos’ penchant for a monochromatic color palette of Campos’s signature navy blue, whites and military olive.

Image courtesy of fashionreverie.com/Ken Jones

Still, with the exception of some of the graphic print separates, this collection fell a little flat. Better luck next time!!

—William S. Gooch

Landlord Spring 2017

July 13, 2016 by admin Leave a Comment

In their debut collection for New York Fashion Week: Men’s Japanese menswear brand Landlord drew inspiration from the art works of Isa Genzken. German artist Isa Genzken is known for art installations and sculptures that used everyday materials of textiles, wood, concrete and plaster.

This sophomore fashion collection from the Landlord design team demonstrated the fusion of urban street culture with contemporary art. This synthesis of modern art and urban culture has been uses by many menswear brands before, particularly those menswear brands where street culture is their raison d’etre. (Think New York Fashion Week regulars Kye, General Idea, Concept Korea brands, Skingraft, and Siki Im.)

That said; Landlord does not reinvent the fashion wheel on urban street wear. However, the brand does inject some interesting elements that if continued on their current trajectory could lend some uniqueness. The brand’s use of bold, almost fluorescent color was an added bonus to the collection. And the collection was extremely wearable without sacrificing design aesthetics. There were also great separates that could be mixed and matched.

Images courtesy of Ken Jones/fashionreverie.com

Standout looks in the collection were the brand’s brown mustard nylon jacket with matching shorts, oversized azure blue shirt with lime trim and matching shorts, and caution orange jacket with matching orange shorts.

—William S. Gooch

Brett Johnson Spring 2017

July 13, 2016 by admin Leave a Comment

Brett Johnson got it right the second time around. After a rather lackluster debut during New York Fashion Week: Men’s (NYFWM) last season, Johnson came back with a vengeance to prove the naysayers wrong. (Fashion Reverie was one of the dissenting voices.

With fashion stylist June Ambrose having a stronger hand on this NYFWM’s sophomore collection and going back to his collegiate alma mater roots in Arizona, Johnson produced a collection that was current, stylish, and globally retail friendly. Though Johnson’s NYFWM debut collection had some market viability, the collection was not fashion forward and would, perhaps, appeal to more parochial menswear consumers.

However, for spring 2017 Johnson has really stepped up his game. Perhaps, he listened to the many fashion pundits that were underwhelmed by his inchoate fall 2016 collection.

That said; Johnson’s muted, desert color palette of dusty salmon, cactus green, rust, pale blues, and sun bleached tans really helped carry this desert-inspired collection. And though this collection was focused on the international fashion savvy consumer who wants to look great while luxuriating during his downtime or on vacation, the traditional silhouettes employed by Johnson would appeal to the male customer who just wants to add some cool clothes to his wardrobe.

Images courtesy of Ken Jones

Standout looks in this collection include dusty salmon jacket and shorts set, chambray banded-collar shirt paired with Japanese denim pants, and dusty salmon linen double-breasted blazer.

—William S. Gooch