Highlights: Men's Spring/Summer 2015

This season, the men's collections were not as great as I had wanted them to be. Despite this, there have been a number of stand out collections particularly in Paris and Milan. Many designers are being very concious of pushing things too far nowadays as sales matter now more than anything. This in itself is not particularity a bad thing but there has to be a well rounded and balanced approach to achieving this as fashion is still an avenue for creativity. So here goes my highlights:

DRIES VAN NOTEN, 

Paris

Mr Van Noten is said to have been inspired by the art of ballet - a sport that encompasses the notion of romanticism with athleticism. In this regard, the noble attempt by the designer captured the very essence in this spectacle of a collection. The idea of sportswear in high fashion is not new and is in fact, a trend this season once again. However, the designer takes this collection  a notch further by infusing some sensual rigour into the mix with a calm I don't care too much attitude; a perfect combination of elements. I was particularly intrigued by the breast plates which enclosed some jackets and shirts or in some cases, worn bare chested. This gave the impression of a very romantic warrior with an ounce of fragility that never sacrificed his masculinity and this surfaced itself through the somewhat austere colour palette. Whatever the intellectual justification for these pieces, they just looked incredibly good! If I were to win the lottery today, Mr Van Noten's studio in Antwerp will be my first port of call. 

ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA COUTURE,
Milan 

In just 3 seasons, Stefano Pilati has gradually but significantly evolved the Ermenegildo Zegna brand into a true fashion one with great respect for tradition and quality. Continuing with the languid approach he started with just over a year ago, the designer explored the delicate sensibilities of masculinity by using soft if not "effeminate" materials such as silk to make trousers and jackets. The collection was very much a throwback to Mr Pilati's yesteryears at Yves Saint Laurent. The Spring/Summer 2009 and 2010 collections instantly come to mind and that's precisely why I am in love with this collection. It was quintessentially "Pilati" as it spoke volume, innovation (in the form of technical nylon quilted in micro- geometric patterns) and the unexplained quirkiness. The colour palette was as usual sombre but when colours were introduced towards the end, they came in jewel tones; another favourite of Mr Pilati.  

LOUIS VUITTON,
Paris

Ever since his inception at the brand 3 years ago, Kim Jones has continued to give the Louis Vuitton Menswear line a subtle yet identifiable image which is in itself a winning formula for him.   In his latest collection for the label, Mr Jones has once again proven how interesting "regular" clothing can be. Regular in this case meaning basic menswear staples redefined into essentially modern luxuries. The collection exuded so much luxury in its timeless yet forward thinking appeal. While beautiful double breasted blazers in traditional colours and high waisted pants dominated the collection, there was some weirdness in the form of leather bomber jackets and jumpsuits some of which seemed to be embellished with metal studs. It was like a rock star meets business man party, one which ended with a very pleasant hangover the next morning. 

PRADA,
Milan

Miucca Prada's genius as an innovator is something she showcases every season and this season was no exception. One of Mrs Prada's modus operandi is her ability to take something she hates or something ugly and turn it into something desirable. While I can't say for sure whether she hated elements in this collection before hand, I certainly did. Never have white visible stitches looked so interesting, and I mean that in a positive way. The collection was not as daring as we have come to expect from Prada but instead, it focused on reworking basics into fashionable necessities. There was something very American about this collection; it had a Southern feeling, one that had elements of wild Western culture. This was evidenced in the leather jackets with the cowboyish patterns on them, the colours and the boot cut trousers. The inclusion of womenswear into the collection was part of Mrs Prada's intellectual stance on gender equality; a befitting addition to a collection that celebrated macho sensibilities. 

JW ANDERSON,
London

Mr Jonathan Anderson is currently the de facto enfant terrible of the London fashion scene. Since his brand began in 2008, the London College of Fashion graduate has created an image for his brand that you can either graciously love or passionately hate. His collections definitely get the fashion world talking. This season, Mr Anderson presented a collection that stayed true to his vision but at the same time was somewhat more accessible than his previous offerings. This is not to say that this was a commercial collection in anyway. Mr Anderson said he was inspired by the "personality of a Bourgeois woman" which he interpreted through  loosely belted coats, one sided draped sleeves, neck scarves, off shoulder shirts and an array of rich colours. The so-called accessibility in this collection came in the form of regular blazers, polo tops and the last three colourful jackets that closed the show. What made this a great collection was the fact that the unconventional aspect of the collection blended very well its the commercial side of it. It didn't look like two different unrelated stories but rather two sides of the same coin. While I didn't like everything in the collection, it is great to see Mr Anderson remaining true to himself and continuing to push boundaries in such unorthodox ways. 

OpxD


photos: style.com