Prada, Michael Bastian, Rick Owens, Lanvin
As the temperature begins to rise (yes, it will happen soon) and the days become longer, Spring will soon arrive. The sense of renewal and buoyancy will be upon us, and with it comes a mood of playfulness in menswear. So, we give you the top trends (plucked from the shows held in Paris, New York and Milan ) that are going to be at play in your wardrobe for the next 6-7 months. Now is the perfect time to start planning out what message you’re going to convey this Spring.
Note: This guide is intended to be used as a visual reference of what was offered for Spring-Summer 2010. As in the case with fashion, everyone has their own style. Take inspiration from the different ideas from these designers and make it your own.
Sleeveless
It appears that this season will finally give way to men bearing their arms in an effort to not only stay cool, but to also look cool. Rolled up or just plain sleeveless, there was a plethora of bare-armed gentlemen on the runway this season. Versace by Alexandre Plokhov centred his entire collection along the idea of lightness and with that came wispy tanks that added a bit of athleticism to the linen heavy beachy show. Alessandro Sartori gave us a dandy –inspired hunk at Z Zegna with top hats and tanks to prove accompany the skinny pants. Maison Martin Margiela offered up a floral array in ways of embroidery and laser cut outs which boosted the white collection towards city chic, yet Prada with a shirtless, tough guy, tailored, sexy bare bones take on suiting wins our vote in the reason to go sleeveless.
Layerable Sheer Basics
One of the keywords of the season was lightness, and this was expressed in terms of appearance and actual feel through translucent materials in many collections. The feminine lace and crochet that made appearances last year have evolved into ultra-thin paper cotton, vinyl or mesh, and were all used for various pieces. Rick Owens went “American Thug” for his homage to the tough guy by way of deconstructed denim and baggy silhouettes paired with sheer cut away t-shirts that flapped as the models trudged down the runway. Raf Simon’s Jil Sander collection had beauty in the details of his layered v-necks with icy blue over-coats. Calvin Klein Collection took on an athleticism that makes the powerhouse men’s line an easy addition to a staple wardrobe where Italo Zucchelli wove mesh knits, transparent parkas and sheer suit sleeves into the show. Zucchelli talked more about the technological aspect of fabric versus the “lines” or “shapes” those textiles created. And conclusively, summing up the Sheer Basic trend was newcomer Tim Hamilton, who for his first Parisian catwalk gave the audience, a sheer white parka that will allow even the most fashionably challenged man to implement other trends like brights into his wardrobe by just pulling one simple well-tailored piece over his head.
Monochrome Brights
Colour rocked the runways for Spring Summer 2010, kicking out the usual greys and browns for which modern menswear has become famous. Paul Smith shocked the audience mid-way with head to toe persimmon. Bottega Venetta’s Tomas Maier took a more realistic approach and sprinkled sophisticated rushes of colour like his “fever red” throughout his impeccable tailoring and exotic surf-type patterns. Massimiliano Giornetti unveiled reds as well at Salvatore Ferragamo, but paired with fedoras the union looked just right. When the colour came out at Calvin Klein, it came out strong with eye-opening electric blue fit for a Dick Tracy comic. Alber Elbaz kept his colour lean and casual with dusty day suits in green, orange, red and purple for his Lanvin mens line. But something happened at Louis Vuitton where Paul Helbers unveiling bits of street sign yellow in polos, leggings, blazers and shoes was just build up to a short suit (another huge trend) which saturated the model head to toe in the same colour. This introduced the colour-crazed theme but continued like a good sonata by implementing the same yellow here and there, which for the discreet man…is the path to take.
Leggings
It is all about layering and the new “active man.” Louis Vuitton with a bike messenger theme, placed them under shorts but cuffed them and gave them a little slouch as if a shortened “long-john” was now the way to comfort. Ricardo Tisci at Givenchy did leggings first two years ago, so we give him accolades again for introducing some strong black and white elements and print on print fantasy that make the mosh-pit costume a little more glamorous.
Parkas
By traditional definition a parka is a coat or jacket with a hood traditionally lined for cold weather, however sans lining for spring, these protective, water-proof, jackets were seen in all shapes and forms on runway after runway. The Burberry man needs a parka because it’s rainy in London and Christopher Bailey, always answering to his customer, gave his clients a beautiful slender pocket-heavy piece that broke up the trench coat-laden collection. Moncler Gamme Bleu evoked the quintessential outdoor athleticism that real men who sail and golf and explore no matter the weather can appreciate. Thom Browne’s humorous take on a dapper man at sport (signal flags on slickers, Speedo-parka-polo combination…) was just that. But if we are speaking about pieces that echo the trend yet provide the wearer with realistic looks to fill their wardrobe, Dries Van Noten has to be commended. A designer known for his prints and pairings and global aesthetic placed a classic plaid parka with a grey pant, tie belt and printed polo. The styling was so spot on that it left the audience knowing that this very parka was the only option, which in turn will make customers feel the same.
Moroccan Military
Morocco seemed to be on the minds of many this season, as models donned head wraps and cultural heavy referenced prints in many shows. Neil Barrett’s structured double-breasted coats with Jodhpur type pants could have worked in Casablanca or current day. Bottega Veneta’s khaki numbers were less structured but had all the elements of African colours with classic Army inspired silhouettes. John Galliano, however, known for putting on a show, grouped together a production ripe with spray-tanned, kohl-rimmed warriors conquering new terrains. Looking past the head wraps and gauze was a collection full of beautifully cut blazers, realistic yet interesting trench coats and sharp vests. Fashion’s Pirate is taking a divide and conquer approach mixing in floral patterns therefore giving men a mix of innovation and insouciance.
Must Haves
- The Shoulder Bag
- The Coloured Cotton Suit
- The Double-Breasted Blazer
- The Tank Top
- The Brogue
- The Desert Boot
- The Novelty-Printed Shirt
- The Safari Jacket
- The Lace-Up
Photo Source: GQ
