Saint Laurent Men's Fall/Winter 2015

Hedi Slimane's tenure at the house of Yves Saint Laurent has been a hotbed of controversy since he took the reins back in 2012. At first, he changed the name and reverted it back to just Saint Laurent; the initial name of the rive gauche prêt-à-porter line when it was launched in the 1960s. After that, he changed the identity of the Saint Laurent man and woman completely. Gone was the elegant, sophisticated bourgeois person and instead, this was replaced by what looked like a prepubescent teenager with too much money to spend. The fashion world was outraged. The question on everyone's mind was "how dare he?!". Meanwhile, Mr Slimane just stood still, did not give any interviews and didn't even bother addressing any of the concerns of the fashion populace except of course for his infamous rant against former New York Times fashion critic Cathy Horyn. It has been over 2 years since his first collection, so what has changed?

With his latest menswear collection for the house, Mr Slimane has changed very little. The clothes look very similar to his previous collections that it is even hard to tell them apart. The models; still slim, rock and roll teenage looking persons. What has changed however, is the perception of the vision he has insisted on the fashion world. When he started, there was great worry as to why he would decide to backtrack to his last days at Dior Homme especially considering what he did at YSL in the late 1990s. Back then, YSL menswear had no identifiable image. Mr Slimane came in and changed that. He revolutionised menswear with his incredibly slim silhouette and crisp tailoring. It was new, and fresh. When he moved over to Dior and did the same identity revamp; he continued with this sophisticated approach until a few years before his departure where the clothes had a more savage and younger feel to them. Still, it was some sort of fresh air. But when he left, its residual effects could only last so long that by the time he came back and tried it again, it looked stale. Despite this, he has managed to create convincing pieces that do incredibly well in retail and that's precisely what this collection is all about.

By now, one has to judge a Saint Laurent collection based on the individual pieces because the look is always the same, with slight variations here and there; although with this outing there were references to French artists and mimes. A great number of exquisitely desirable coats in terribly expensive materials were present. There was a crocodile coat that I imagine will cost a fortune, and then there was a pink mink coat that will also take a toll on many a bank account. But there were other compelling pieces that were not just focused on the fabric to emphasise their luxury but also on the craftsmanship. Mr Slmiane is known for his use of couture like embroideries and embellishments in his menswear pieces. These too, were present here. The red bomber jacket and the gold and black blazer which closed the show showcased such works. Then there were the trousers which were quintessential Hedi; slim, tight flamboyant limiters of movement aka the Hedi trousers.

The one look that triumphed all in my opinion, consisted of a grand sized cape, white shirt, slim leather tie and Hedi trousers. It was an ode to the elegant nature of the maison; an aspect of the house that seems to have been completely eclipsed by this current direction. For what it was, it was indeed a great collection with pieces that are sure to do well in retail; and that's what he was employed to do anyway. However, as a contribution to the discussion of the evolution of menswear, it left a lot to be desired. 

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photos: Style.com

22/4 Hommes Fall/Winter 2015

Stephanie Hahn once said that she would like to "liberalise fashion from the human genders". This is not a new concept and can in fact be traced back to 1966 when Yves Saint Laurent decided to put women in tuxedos and named it the Le Smoking. Fast forward down to the last decade; Mr Saint Laurent's successor, Stefano Pilati, incorporated feminine fabrics into his Spring/Summer 2009 men's collection and went ahead to create a capsule collection known as Edition Unisex. Most recently, JW Anderson has been another designer who wants to do away with the idea of gender. So what makes this German designer's version different enough to warrant some attention? The answer perhaps lies in the subtlety in which she has approached this vision. 

For her latest collection for 22/4 Hommes, Ms Hahn continued her quest to find the third sex by presenting a series of precisely tailored pieces with a significant number of them adorning fur inserts. Tailoring was the talk of the day here, and so was volume especially in the form of those tailored ponchos and loose fur coats. At the same time, she explored more fitted silhouettes with some of them belted around the waist while others were made to adapt to the body shape of the wearer. It was so avantgarde that it reminded me of some of the Belgian stars most notably Martin Margiela. In spite of this, it was also very accessible albeit not in an overtly commercial sense. What was interesting in this case was how she adapted these "neutral" pieces for both men and women. It wasn't simply a case of putting men's clothes on women but instead, there seemed to have been a middle line drawn where men were placed to the right of it, and women to the left. It was from this middle line that the pieces were then adapted to the different genders. For men, the clothes possessed a great deal of masculinity and for women, they conveyed a modern form of femininity.

There was a rebellious attitude present here just in the same way the Saint Laurent woman of the 1960s was. However, this rebel wasn't a radical one but was in fact conservative to an extent, and this is not necessarily a bad thing. The concept of gender neutrality, while old, is still a progressive one and to make it work, there needs to be some regression to balance it so that it goes at the same pace as human progression. This balance was demonstrated here today and is in my opinion, a terribly winning formula. 

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photos: womens wear daily

Fendi Men's Fall/Winter 2015

This season, Silvia Venturi Fendi presented a collection that was as whimsical as it was serious. When one thinks of Fendi, one's mind is immediately swayed to the image of its eponymous FF logo which adorns many of its leather goods. However, the brand is more than just a heritage one with an ancient history dating back to 1925 and this collection made that very clear indeed. 

In its most basic form, it constituted all the staples a menswear collection typically consists of; the inevitable two piece suit, a number of trench coats and macs and of course, a series of softly knitted jumpers. With the commercial side taken care of, it's time to focus on the artistic. In this case, the collection was artistic in both a physical and intellectual sense. As an intellectual exercise, Ms Fendi incorporated a number of corduroy pieces which is some sort of uniform generally associated with academics; the serious minded people of the world who spend their time researching vast topics and passing their findings down to their students. They are also a group of people who are positively stereotyped as practical; people who will always take function over aesthetics. Ms Fendi had this at the back of her mind when designing the brilliant large scarves which had pockets on both ends. It looked good and will come in very handy during the coldest days of the winter months. Then there was the physical side which had a bit of wit going on. For instance, those toys attached to the bags and a leather jacket which had cut outs embroidered to form a humorous looking face. These are aspects of the collection that may not be taken too seriously by some. It was however Ms Fendi's way of saying "Professor insert name here, please lighten up".

What made this collection interesting was how she blended all these aspects without forgetting the true essence of the brand; sheer luxury. From the furs to the suede leather and crocodile skin, the clothes carried this essence with pride. It was a befitting outing and I am wondering which University professors may want to indulge in this next season. Unfortunately, a hefty bank balance is one of the prime requirements for such indulgence. 

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photos: style.com

Gucci Men's Fall/Winter 2015

Within the past couple of months, a wave of change has swept through Gucci and this came in a rather abrupt and drastic fashion. On 12 December 2014, Creative Director Frida Giannini and CEO Paritzio di Marco both announced their departure from company. Di Marco - who is also the spouse of the Giannini - departed less than a month after the announcement and Frida was expected to show her swansong collection during the women's fashion week in Milan in March 2015. But when I saw the first few looks of the latest men's fall show, I noticed something rather unusual going on.

Firstly, the show space was different and the single runway that had been used for the past number of years was replaced by a thinner n-shaped one. When the models started coming out, the first few looks set the tone for the collection that was completely alien to what one would normally expect from Gucci. There were bows, ruffled collars, sheer fabrics including lace, loose tops and trousers, berets and open toe sandals (which was odd for a winter collection). The women's looks were pretty much outfits from the men's collection modelled by women. As the collection went on, the rest of the looks emphasised this questionable unexpected mood with a colour palette that was sombre yet bright. The models too were different. They were younger and in a sense less conformist. At this point, I began to ask, did Frida save her best for her last or had her departure taken place sooner than expected?

I have always seen Mrs Giannini as a designer who simply carried Gucci along. She kept the brand alive and made clothes that I assume did well in retail. Some seasons were better than others, especially in womenswear but I haven't been excited about a menswear collection she did since Fall 2008. So what exactly was missing from her approach? This collection provided some sort of answer to that. There was some depth here as it got under my skin, a feeling that is usually absent from her collections. There was a story behind this one. It was very poetic in a sense. The 19th century and the 1970s were time periods were inspiration was drawn from. Very minor elements from those eras were picked and infused into the designs to provide a modern offering that was thought provoking. For instance, a cropped single breasted jacket which had properties reminiscent of European military jackets of the 1800s was made to look kitsch and did away with the power such a piece was designed to exude. It put some perspective as to what message the collection was seeking to convey.

There was very visible fragility going on here. The Gucci man has been calmed down and been made made to look vulnerable, but this is not necessarily a bad thing. It's like the man has been stripped of all that forced machoness he had been paraded with over the years and is back to embracing the softer, more serene side of life. Not all will agree with this refined image but when the design team headed by Alessandro Michele took their bow at the end, it was clear that Frida had gone and a new, exciting era at Gucci had begun.

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photos:style.com

Prada Fall/Winter 2015 Part Uno

Miucca Prada is known for creating elaborate sets at the Via Fogazzaro space where she showcases her Prada collections. These sets very often, serve as a teaser to what is to come. For Fall 2015, Mrs Prada had the venue turned into a series of rooms that mirrored a plush underground cyber vault of some sorts. There was something very industrial and electrifying about it. But when the first model stepped out in a black nylon mac coat, it was clear that there was nothing electronic about this collection despite it being so modern.

It was weird because it felt somewhat ordinary for a Prada collection. There were references to Prada's past here and a lot of it was put together very well. It proposed a new idea of formality that embraced informal elements. For instance, the shirts which were worn with ties were not tucked in and the shoes adorned sporty soles. Despite this, the clothes didn't seem informal at all. There was a great number of double breasted coats and blazers as well as single breasted ones.The collection was very much built around these few looks which Mrs Prada expanded with different shades of a very limited number of mostly dark colours. The womenwear looks which were for the pre-fall collection had a bit more of a design edge going on and in some ways over shadowed the men's looks but maybe this was intentional. 

In the show notes, Mrs Prada said she was investigating the differences and similarities of both genders and what they gain from each other. When viewed in this context, one may be driven to analyse the collection differently but despite this, it was still difficult to comprehend how valuable or not this attempt to the investigation was. 

Mrs Prada is known very well for the intellectual exercises she puts her audiences through and she does this while avoiding the smoke screen of pretentiousness. There were a lot of desirable pieces here that are going to sell well and perhaps that was the point considering the fall in profits last year however, as an investigation into gender relationships, it didn't seem to collate too well. This is the first half of two collections that make up the duology of what this season's theme is. It will be interesting to see what the final chapter of this "experiment" will be when it is shown in February. 

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photos: style.com

Ermenegildo Zegna Couture Fall/Winter 2015

Stefano Pilati kicked off fashion week in Milan with an intriguing collection from Ermenegildo Zegna couture. In his fourth outing for the brand, Mr Pilati presented a set of ideas that were quite interesting in many ways. The collection was showcased in a forest like setting. In a sense, there was some irony going on here as the forest bared resemblance to a tropical one where cold winters are normally absent. So what exactly was the message Mr Pilati trying to convey here? Function and sustainability within the realm of pure luxury. This message resonated profoundly throughout the show.

The selection of silhouettes were quintessential Pilati; boxy coats and slim but not skinny blazers. Trousers came in three forms; in a very loose and baggy shape, a loose but fitted one with a banded cut out at the ankle and cropped ones with obvious cargo pants references. All of these were a continuation of the evolution of the traditional nature of the Zegna brand. However, what made this collection interesting was the styling and more importantly the fabrics.

The opening coats and blazers were made out of what looked like glazed tweed which had a shiny effect; as though they had been through heavy rain. This was risky, but it worked. It could have easily looked tacky, but there was a dose of subtlety that soothed its screaming voice. Then there were the velvet blazers and corduroy trousers which were presented in faded jewel tone colours. These conveyed a 70s feel, a decade that seems to be nostalgic to many a designer this season. As the collection progressed more innovative materials began to surface. There was a particular transparent parka coat with a plaid pattern which was apparently made out of recycled polyurethane trimmed with tweed. this jacket in a way, summarised the entire collection. It infused luxury, practicality in terms of protection, and sustainability all in one compelling piece.

The accessories also played a defining role in this collection. The way they were styled together with the outfits allowed for a certain vibe to be interpreted; one that defined the man depicted here as some sort of explorer in love with nature. Some of it looked great, such as the baseball hats made out of wool and the waist bags. The backpacks will also certainly be a hit however, when styled as a frontpack, as the case was in three looks, it didn't really jell well even if I understood the idea behind. It furthered the notion of functionality as the ease of access to the contents of the bag is part of the practicality one desires in this type of luxury. I just wish they were purpose built to be worn that way. In this case, it seemed like an afterthought.

Mr Pilati made a relevant contribution to the fashion conversation because he took an ethical cause and attempted to make it genuinely fashionable and luxurious. And in spite of all this, Mr Pilati hasn't forgotten to continue to depict his ideal man as an elegant dandy. In this instance, he passed in stupendous colours. The Zegna evolution continues and I can't just help but wonder what Mr Pilati has in store for us next season.

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photos: style.com

J.W Anderson Men's Fall/Winter 2015

Jonathan Anderson has for sometime been seen as the de-facto enfant terrible of the London fashion scene. Such a title requires the designer in question to think completely outside the box and throw in some controversy every now and then; feats Mr Anderson is generally well versed at. In the past couple of seasons however, the investment by LVMH and his appointment as creative director of Loewe seem to have afforded him a dose of reality which he has been infused into the already established look he has created and this season, his latest menswear show has advanced this new direction further.

The collection was very quintessential to his image and look however, it contained a lot of desirable and wearable pieces in a very well balanced mix that juxtaposed the conceptual with the commercial in a way that I consider as brilliant. He has also proved himself to be a master of colours as he mixed bright colours and darker ones in very compelling ways. Another development is the extensive use of more luxurious materials. While JW Anderson may generally be seen as a contemporary high fashion brand, Mr Anderson seems to believe that emphasis on luxury is indeed essential for the brand at this stage in its rather young life. Soft leathers, pony skin, velvet and what looked like suede were very much present throughout the collection.

In terms of inspiration, there was a clear 70s vibe going on. It however, did not look retro. Instead, it looked very now. Some may feel that the world still isn't ready for such gender-bending looks and that may be understandable. But on the other hand, this collection represents the future of menswear that we have all been waiting for, one which has been so desperately needed. The high waisted trousers and the open slits as well as the jackets with the large buttons were Mr Anderson's odes to the discussion of gender neutrality, and in this case, the outcome was very desirable. The huge scarves with fringed edges were also a welcome addition to what was already an otherwise sublime collection.

It is clear, from this latest outing, that the brand has evolved to a position where Mr Anderson has to embrace the world around him while he continues to insist on his vision. There was no departure from this vision, but instead, there was an air of maturity that surrounded the pieces here. The JW Anderson man is grown up but he certainly has not forgotten how he started.

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photos: style.com