For far too long, men have taken a backseat when it comes to fashion and style. But with the recent emergence of designers focusing on clothes that match the stereotypical values of being a man and strong male bloggers pushing this vision to a street-wear perspective, menswear is quickly making its way to its deserved front seat.

These last two weeks marked a great evolution in menswear style, with Milan and Paris Men’s Fashion Week determining the upcoming trends for fall and winter. With strong collections from Hermès, D&G and Junya Watanabe, these labels prove that color and dramatic details can be incorporated into a masculine and fitted look.

The collection that brought the most surprise to me was D&G’s. The well-known Italian brand did an amazing job on its take of downtown New York City during the ‘90s.

Vintage Coca-Cola T-shirts were matched over collared shirts and pinstripe ties underneath, only to be worn with hypebeast-eque sneakers and a tailored blazer. Shearling sportswear bomber jackets were paired with colorful corduroy pants and bold, striped sweaters. It was a collegiate prep twist with a vibe that read, ‘I’m too cool for school.’

Women’s Wear Daily described it as ‘the universe of Pharrell Willams, the music video genre, and even the late Jean-Michel Basquiat, resulting in a youthful, commercial collection.’

The best well-tailored collection was definitely Hermès. This heritage-focused brand proved it plans to stay in menswear for the long run, with a collection full of timeless pieces.

Hermès’ most notable outfits include its blazers and outerwear peacoats. With a slimmer, younger fit than its past collections, Hermès delivered suits with thin lapels and a double-breasted fit. Outerwear included big, sharp lapels for both its long peacoats and short bomber jackets.

‘Designer Veronique Nichanian continues to steer the men’s line with the simple conviction that men want memorable clothes more than they want fashion,’ said Esquire’s Nick Sullivan.

Lastly, Watanabe’s collection was impressive in its representation of a modern downtown woodsman. It’s as if the hipster finally grew up and now wants to wear better-fitting clothes and maybe even start showering.

Some key outfits include his Fair Isle blazers and shawl cardigans, coats with toggles, shapely pockets and plaid linings, and dark corduroys.

These pieces really showed Watanabe’s range in taking a style that’s been going on for the past few seasons to the next step. Rugged American sportswear will always be a favorite among masculine men, but with Watanabe, they now have the choice of wearing their favorite plaids and puffer jackets in a refined, professional way.

Menswear has really taken a turn for the better with clothes that can both fit well and make a guy look more masculine on the runway than they ever have. With big labels such as D&G, Hermès and Watanabe channeling what the average guy would actually wear, I can only hope the men on this campus can take a few notes on what it really means to look good.

 

Published on January 25, 2011 at 12:00 pm