Front Row — Page 61

Ernest Alexander Fall 2015

February 14, 2015 by admin Leave a Comment

For fall 2015 menswear brand Ernest Alexander looked to the romantic wanderings of the world traveler that is expressed in his own personal style. Creative director Ernest Sabine came to this inspiration through his stay at rented retreat in upstate New York.

Inspired by the rented cabin décor that reflected Southwest and Aztec traditions, as well as the rich colors of nature found around the cabin, Sabine used these nature influences to create a color palette of burgundy, grey and softer shades of brown. These color variations work well for a fall collection. And Sabine expanded this color palette by ingeniously pairing his version on a pea coat—cropped in this instance—and a different perspective on silhouettes and fabrics for fall/winter.

Sabine stepped outside of his usual predilection for classic men’s silhouettes by using gingham as a fall fabric, cargo pants in dark wool colors and an ombre of burgundy and grey for pea coats. All these unusual pairings help elevation this fall/winter collection from on just another dissertation on smartly tailored men’s clothes.

Images courtesy of Ernest Green/fashionreverie.com

Standouts in the collection were Sabine’s ombre front-zip jacket with dark trousers, denim workshirt, brown wool jacket with shearling collar, gingham trousers, and burgundy waxed, zip tote, olive cotton shirt, grey blazer, grey trousers, ash leather travel bag, ash leather backpack, brown leather blanket roll, and blue wool bomber with blue wool cargo pant.

—William S. Gooch

Carlos Campos Fall 2015

February 14, 2015 by admin Leave a Comment

Images courtesy of Ernest Green/fashionreverie.com

For fall 2015, Carlos Campos looked to Spanish graphic artist and art director Rafafans. “ I discovered Rafafans’ work while walking the streets of Lima, and became fascinated by his use of patterns and collage to create new textures over existing images,” says Campos. “Although the essence of the image was recognizable, what was done to it rendered it completely new and almost surreal.”

Rafafans’ dream-like images are crafted through his use of collage and photomontage techniques. For this collection, Campos used some of Rafafans’ techniques of combining texture and color interplay with photomontages into his fall 2015 collection. This adaptation has resulted in menswear designs in which overlaid collage-like graphic treatments and patchwork elements are superimposed on fabric. Campos’ attention to detail, tailoring and minimalist approach to menswear is still evident and not hampered by these collage and photomontage-like techniques.

Images courtesy of Ernest Green/fashionreverie.com

“This collection is about the transformative powers of art to change perception—change in the beholder,” explains Campos. “My designs this season leverages the power of texture and shape to appear different depending on the viewing angle. You could say that this fall for me, texture is the new black.”

Images courtesy of Ernest Green/fashionreverie.com

Like some other menswear designers this season, Carlos Campos relies heavily on color blocking. But using color blocking as a way to express his artistic verve is a creative tool that Campos regularly uses. However, unlike in other collections where Campos’ color blocking technique was a strong focus of his designs, this season Campos’ subtle way of employing color blocking was an ingenious to present texture and fabric combinations.

Images courtesy of Ernest Green/fashionreverie.com

Standout looks in the collection were Campos’ light blue cotton button-up shirt, deep navy silk bomber, stone blue cotton/wool gilet and charcoal grey pinstripe wool dropped rise trouser, deep navy cotton button-up shirt with white geo collar print, blue coat with contrast lapel piecing and deep navy tuxedo pants, and white cotton button-up shirt, deep emerald plaid wool tuxedo jacket and dropped rise trousers.

—William S. Gooch

Fingers Crossed Fall 2015

February 13, 2015 by admin Leave a Comment

Images courtesy of Ernest Green/fashionreverie.com

For fall 2015, Fingers Crossed creative director Ryu Hayama was inspired by still sound, fragile life forms and the hypnotic undercurrents of the deep blue sea. And this affection for all things marine expressed in Hayama’s color palette of deep navy blues and other nautical blue-printed variations.

Though Hayama stayed mostly with a neutral color palette in this “Abyssopelagic” outing, his shock of bright yellow was a welcomed bold color that added the extra pop of color that the collection needed. Color palette aside, the true star of this collection was the ingenious way that Hayama mixed voluminous men’s silhouettes with more tailored looks.

Images courtesy of Ernest Green/fashionreverie.com

Tailored coats with wide pants were paired with voluminous workout pants and oversized scarves. Pajama pants were matched with leather bomber jackets. And traditional French stripped sweaters were combined with multi-pleated trousers.

Images courtesy of Ernest Green/fashionreverie.com

Hayama also keeps this collection on trend by employed belted topcoats, mixing wool cashmere with butter-soft lambskin and sweatpants. Mixing formal wear with informal workout gear is a trend from last spring that is taking on a wider for the male consumer. Unfortunately, most menswear designer are not clear on how to marry these polar opposite in an effective way. Hayama was found the synergy that makes polar opposites complement each other. And that is the genius of this collection.

—William S. Gooch

David Hart Fall 2015

February 12, 2015 by admin Leave a Comment

Images courtesy of Ernest Green/fashionreverie.com

New York Men’s Fashion Day (NYMFD) by Cadillac is doing its job. And David Hart is a prime example of the NYMFD accomplishing what it set out to do.

Before NYMFD, David Hart was not on the radar of a significant number of menswear fashion editors. From launching his career designing luxury bowties and scarves to launching his ready-to-wear collection in 2013, until NYMFD Hart had not quite made editors stand up and notice. This season Hart not only caught the eyes of fashion editors and journalists, his fall 2015 collection demonstrated that Hart’s aesthetic goes beyond an American sportswear compilation of well-tailored jackets in bold colors.

Images courtesy of Ernest Green/fashionreverie.com

Looking to the American Southwest, incorporating Native American tribal patterns, and the spaghetti Westerns of the late 1960s, David Hart was able to meld these points of reference into a singular perspective that was modern and thought provoking, causing one to see tribal patterns of the American Southwest in a new and modern way.

There is really nothing new under the sun; however, David Hart’s marriage of Native tribal patterns and the sometimes-campy style of 1960s spaghetti Western will cause male consumers to find a new masculine sexuality in these looks. And David Hart did not abandon his predilection for color in this outing. His blue sapphire suit and rust orange tailored jacket paired with the blue sapphire pant was dead on.

Images courtesy of Ernest Green/fashionreverie.com

Standouts in this fall 2015 collection were Hart’s Native American tribal-patterned coat with fur collar, red jacket with tribal patterned-embellishments, and black silk tuxedo jacket with black wooly chaps. Still, there were some garments that will not make it into the retail racks—wooly chaps—but that is OK. A little bit of wacky drama works in most fashion shows. In fact, Jeremy Scott has made camp his raison d’etre, and has built a fashion empire around that aesthetic!! Kudos David Hart.

—William S. Gooch

Timo Weiland’s Men Fall 2015

February 12, 2015 by admin Leave a Comment

Images courtesy of Ernest Green/fashionreverie.com

Like many of his contemporary menswear confreres, for fall 2015 Timo Weiland looked to invigorate classic men’s silhouettes and trends from the past with innovative fabrications and twist on familiar silhouettes.

Like Carlos Campos, Martin Keehn, and to a lesser extent Patrik Ervell, Weiland choose to express his affection for classic silhouettes and trends through the prism of color blocked suiting, denim jackets and athletic gear. Though not necessarily and totally original concept, Weiland found a way to marry this myriad of sometimes conflicting silhouettes, trends and classics brilliantly.

Images courtesy of Ernest Green/fashionreverie.com

By taking heritage classics and twisting them into new forms, Weiland in the words of the great lyricist Peter Allen made, “Everything Old … New Again.” And isn’t that what fashion is mostly about; taking old silhouettes and concepts and infusing them with new energy and verve. And Weiland use of forest green, a hard color to pull off, was ingeniously combined in his color blocking aesthetic with checkered bomber jackets or window-paned sweaters.

Standouts in this fall 2015 collection were Weiland’s deep rust tan jacket with forest green shoulder patch, black and white bomber jackets and forest green pants with black and white and black fitted bomber jacket.

—William S. Gooch

J. Lindeberg Fall 2015

February 12, 2015 by admin Leave a Comment

Images courtesy of Ernest Green/fashionreverie.com

J. Lindeberg gets it right every time. And getting it right is what is desperately needed currently in menswear. In a market that is heavily saturated with menswear garments that rely more heavily on pedestrian taste that might have big retail value rather than clothes that expands the design palette of the American male consumer, J. Lindebergh has found that delicate balance between retail viability and fashion-forward design. This fall 2015 collection reflects just that synthesis.

Inspired between the polarity of the abyssal black canyons of the mysterious dunes of Mars, the red planet, to the panoply of color palettes found on planet Earth, J. Lindeberg juxtaposes these two polar opposites in a collection that employed lots of plaids, parka jackets and a strong 70s rock n’ roll aesthetic.

Images courtesy of Ernest Green/fashionreverie.com

Imagine 70s British rock bands married the slick tailoring of Savile Row and you enter the stylish world of J. Lindeberg’s fall 2015 collection. This collection is for the fashion-conscious male consumer who wants tailored style combined with a bit of rebel risk-taking.

Some menswear designers find the sober color palettes and textile fabrications of fall/winter creatively limiting and restricting. Only designers that understand the craft that can be found in utilizing houndstooth, wool plaid scarves, military olive peacoats, coal miners wool boucle jackets can elevate this muted colors and wintry fabrications to a dissertation on a modern man’s style and taste. And the addition of silver metallic boots assisted in keeping this outing fresh and fashion forward.

Images courtesy of Ernest Green/fashionreverie.com

Standouts were J. Lindeberg black leather shirt and fitted leather pants paired with swaddling houndstooth-patterned scarf, camel military-inspired coat, silver metallic biker jacket with fur lining and blue plaid suit. Bravo J. Lindeberg!!

—William S. Gooch

2(X)IST Spring 2015

October 23, 2014 by admin 1 Comment

Is there a male equivalent fashion show to Victoria’s Secret fashion event extravaganza? Some would argue that the 2(X)IST menswear show ranks right up there when it comes to showing the beauty of the male physique through the lens of a fashion runway presentation.

Though not as celebrity studded as the Victoria’s Secret show, and not televised on a national television network, the 2(X)IST menswear event has top male models on the catwalk and there is a lot of eye candy to around. Did I mention that the swim trunks, underwear and active wear are top of the line? I should have, because this season 2(X)IST pulled out all the stops when it came to bold colors, tropical prints and style.

Known primarily as a top of the line underwear brand, in the past couple of seasons 2(X)IST has expanded their design aesthetic to include leisure wear and active wear. The brand still stays true to its signature look of versatile clothes that are contoured to the body; however, the 2(X)IST teams correctly understands that the modern man’s daily life is more varied and peripatetic than ever. And that comfortable, stylish under garments which contour to the body promote confidence, a sense of well being, as well as ease of movement.

In this spring 2015 collection the 2(X)ST design team found that connecting thread that establishing cohesion between their active wear, swim wear and under gear.

Images courtesy of Ernest Green

Standouts in the collection were the no-show trunk in palm spring lime, neoprene zip-up jacket in black and neon yellow with CORE Hampton swim brief in black, PRO sliq brif in marble tech Poseidon, and Trainer tech windbreaker in black with Trainer tech dot print racerback tank in black. Top models in the lineup were André Ziehe, Oraine Barrett, Ronald Epps, Thor Burlow, Saville Dorfman, Emilio Flores, Jonathan and Kevin Sampaio.

William S. Gooch

Inbal Dror Bridal Fall 2015

October 14, 2014 by admin Leave a Comment

After several seasons of covering New York International Bridal Week, most editors believe they have seen it all with very surprises each season. There may be some surprises with injections of color into collections that rely on mostly neutrals—white and its many variations. And there may be a few shockers when it comes to silhouette. But for the most part it is the usual ball gown, fit-to-flare, mermaid silhouettes with occasional sheath or column silhouettes.

Then again, there is Inbal Dror. Israel-based Inbral Dror this season brought something to New York International Bridal Week that was much needed; bridal gowns that could easily double as couture runway garments. Granted all of her looks played off of a neutral white palette, but the construction, detailing and styling was solidly in the realm of what one would see at Paris couture show.

Dror has prided herself in the past for using vintage lace fabrications and this outing was no exception. What did stand out in this collection was Dror’s elevation of her collection from pieces that relied on a vintage perspective to the combination of pristine construction and vintage seen through a regal, modern lens. And having her runway show in the cathedral-like atmosphere of the Highline Hotel fashion venue only added to majesty of Dror’s fall 2015 collection.

Dror does have a penchant for low-dipped, V-neck sheath gowns that gather in the back around the buttocks. And as wonderful as this aesthetic is, this fitted look works best on tall, lithe brides-to-be. Curvy girls beware!! However, the beauty and opulence of Dror’s fall 2015 collection was awe-inspiring, fantasy dreamscape.

Images courtesy of Presley Ann Slack

There are some spectacular standouts in this collection—and there were many out of the extensive 35 looks. But, to narrow down a few were Dror’s shoulder strap dress with handmade embroidery of small stones, sequins and a belt with pearls and Swarovski crystals, fitted sequin dress adorned with delicate embroidery, deep V-neck sleeveless dress with De Calais lace and detachable tulle revealing a knee-high dress, and vintage off-the-shoulder solstice lace tulle dress, hand embroidered with leather pieces, silk thread crochet, pearls and Swarovski crystals.

—William S. Gooch

Austin Scarlett Bridal Fall 2015

October 14, 2014 by admin 1 Comment

Some bridal fashion pundits might call Austin Scarlett a fashion maverick; others might define Austin Scarlett as forward thinking when it comes to creating bridal masterpieces of art. Whether Austin Scarlett is categorized as projecting bridal designs into the next century or a design master, what is obvious about Scarlett is that understands that fashion should be now and next while referencing things that have worked in the past.

For fall 2015, Scarlett referenced Scarlett O’Hara and “Gone With The Wind.” Whether the film’s heroine inspired Austin Scarlett or because they share the same name or both, this particular bridal outing again demonstrated that Scarlett is a master of his craft.

“Scarlett O’Hara has always been one of my muses. I loved the film “Gone With The Wind” as a child. I loved the drama, the romance and the femininity and I wanted to make that alive today for a young woman getting married,” explained Austin Scarlett.

Though this collection was a romantic and traditional in scope, Scarlett found a way to infuse his special brand of uniqueness and ingenuity in the collection by incorporating rich green hues into his color palette. “Green is youthful and fresh and appropriate for a wedding. The color conjures images of floral freshness. And green is also Scarlett’s [O’Hara] signature color.”

“The silhouettes in this collection are very body conscious and architectural. The silhouettes, though very constructed, still show off a bride’s beautiful figure.” That said; the silhouettes in this collection were enhanced by Scarlett’s use of silk faille, Ondine silk ribbons, sheer illusion necklines, crystal-embroidered bodices, and long voluminous trains.

Images courtesy of Ernest Green

And as always with Austin Scarlett there is constantly some dramatic effect in his collection. Scarlett chose in this outing to have his dramatic brilliance manifest in the his bridal gown trains which very billowy at times with a faux bustle effect.

—William S. Gooch

Carol Hannah Bridal Fall 2015

October 12, 2014 by admin 1 Comment

What has Carol Hannah being doing since “Project Runway” Season 6? She’s been designing bridal gowns; that’s what. And putting her own unique signature spin on that particular segment of the fashion industry which is made evident in Hannah’s fall 2015 bridal collection.

For fall 2015 Carol Hannah looked to Ancient Egypt, the study of alchemy, and the mysticism of the sacred scarab for inspiration. “I am pulling from a couple of different places for this collection, but it all started for me in Egypt with hieroglyphics, Egyptian art, and the colors of aqua and turquoise. And from there I launched into this exploration of minerals, geodes and crystals, the layers and the geometry of the shapes.,” details Hannah.

Those influences are crystallized in a bridal collection that uses non-traditional silhouettes, fabrications and color palettes. These points of view has varying produced a collection that is for the consumer looking to have a very unique bridal gown as a part of a destination wedding.

Hannah’s bridal silhouettes, perhaps, work best in an exotic locale very loose, diaphanous clothing is the norm. “These season I was really looking to less structured, looser silhouettes. Last season, the gowns were more structured. The silhouettes this season are softer, but no less powerful. I wanted the juxtaposition of the softness and the weight of the embellishments which kind of function as armor. These two varying points of view give my bride a particular kind of strength.”

Still this fall 2015 collection fits in quite well with Hannah’s customer; the young bride who is eclectic and wants make a statement in her own special way. “My customer is usually a creative type who is not looking or a traditional lace gown. And for that reason we try to give a customer options that not already in the market,” explains Hannah.

Images courtesy of Presley Ann Slack

Standouts in the collection were Hannah’s” nude beaded geode draped chiffon a line with open back, sequined silk georgette bustier and skirt with beaded corded belt, and nude organza sheath with metal sequin chains and organza petals.

—William S. Gooch