LUXE TREND 45
MENSWEAR FW 2018
One of the advantages of our modern western society is the ability to transcend old norms of dress. If a guy wants to wear shorts in winter, or even a skirt, there are plenty of opportunities for social acceptance. In cities like New York and Tokyo, we celebrate diversity and individuality more than ever. Individualism is a prevailing trend that can also cause social anxiety, especially among certain age groups as it is considered increasingly necessary to project one’s own uniqueness through personal style.
For those who are old enough to remember the adoption of the Preppy stereotype, as well as its quiet subversive side, Individualism can have the effect of being rendered instantly out of fashion. If Gucci can pair sequins with lamé for a “chic daytime” (!) look, then all the efforts men made to look elegant over the last couple of decades must be for nothing. Should an entrepreneur look like a hip-hop artist on his way to a meeting or a date? Can a pair of Raf Simons architectural sneakers that weigh more than a briefcase be considered the epitome of luxury and exclusivity?
We are certainly going through a drastic change of the definition of luxury in menswear. The list of designers we are watching to provide the new clues of the future of Luxury has changed over the years. Kim Jones at Louis Vuitton and Christopher Bailey at Burberry left their posts in the last few months. Raf Simons is still trying to find his footing at Calvin Klein. The Italians have been more consistent and more confident in their influences, although hardly innovative.
Creating an artful mix of the modern man’s wardrobe is a challenge currently relegated to the various stylists and retail entrepreneurs, but it is frequently a task with questionable results. Luxury demands a different approach than the traditional fashion development schedule. Expanding the vocabulary of Luxury, especially in Menswear, requires a steady hand from a team of artisans and directors who understand tailoring, technology, materials and changes in lifestyle. Brioni discovered painfully last year that simply hiring a hip creative director does not guarantee success.
For this edition of Luxe Trends, we felt that we could forgo the simplistic review of the most watched menswear collections and examine how menswear houses that supply true luxury are crafting the look of a modern gentleman.
Tailoring is always at the core of any innovation in menswear. The houses that possess tailoring expertise consistently produce the highest quality menswear. In the past, we would look at Savile Row and its list of classic and modern houses. Ozwald Boateng mixes sharp tailoring with an innovative color palette. Boateng is very popular among style-conscious celebrities like Pharrell and Sean Combs. He also carries forth the tradition of renegade tailors like Tommy Nutter who dressed the Rolling Stones and other English rockers in the ‘70s. Boateng’s collections are sharp, body-conscious and immaculate, giving the person wearing his clothes an edgy elegance that adheres perfectly to modern style..
Isaia, Brioni, and Kiton are all looked upon as the top of the luxury menswear trinity. With peerless tailoring traditions, each house produces collections that are exclusive by the sheer fact that hand-tailoring details are a disappearing skill. These three houses provide a made-to-measure approach to the fit and finish of their garments. For Fall/Winter 2018, they presented tailored sportswear and one-of-a-kind pieces that often require several months before delivery. While the extreme luxury these houses offer can resemble the late Bijan, they also know that the Neapolitan look of a slim silhouette is perfect for today’s more athletic male. They also have access to materials from some of the most exclusive fabric houses in the world like Scabal and Loro Piana, giving them an important technological edge.
For true high fashion/high luxury experience, there are only four designers that tick all the boxes. Hermès, Tom Ford, Berluti and Brunello Cuccinelli. They all also understand that expert tailoring is at the heart of true style. Berluti, under the design leadership of Haider Ackerman, has continued to expand its influence in the modern luxury wardrobe. This is a brand that has perfected color as an important expression of the modern man’s wardrobe. For FW 2018 colors such as emerald green and cognac brown and ultra-soft leather, manifested in a collection of ultra-modern clarity.
Hermès does sportswear so well, one forgets it is a luxury house that built its reputation on accessories. Veronique Nichanian, the house’s chief menswear designer embraces the French ideal that fashion is temporary - style is eternal. Unique to Hermès, these collections stay in the stores well into the season, so a customer can actually buy a winter sweater in February when it is needed. Special one-of items are also available in certain boutiques, offering necessary exclusivity. For FW 2018, Hermès is also about exciting color and pattern, bold knitwear and the ubiquitous 3/4 leather coat.
At Cuccinelli, things are starting to look a little more relaxed. Even pants are longer and roomier - by Cuccinelli standards. Layering is an art form at Cuccinelli and there is no house that does it better. Loro Piana has begun to borrow many of its style cues from Cuccinelli. The difference between the two houses is that one can still find an exclusive one-of-a-kind piece at Loro Piana, like a sheared mink-lined topcoat in a luscious hue. Cuccinelli is beginning to produce limited edition seasonal collections, such as the one for Bergdorf Goodman that premiered during the last holiday season. Loro Piana educates its staff as it understands that service is the most important element of the luxury brand experience. There is nothing worse than an unknowing shrug as an answer from a staff member.
Tom Ford has always produced menswear for a sensual narcissist. This season, TF introduced men's lingerie, the only way to describe the printed silk shorts that were the finale of the collection. Gianni Versace did that 25 years ago, but TF’s boys possessed the orientalist flair preferred by the designer. At Tom Ford, details are always important. The tailored clothes that compete in price with the most expensive offerings by Kiton and Isaia are literally dripping in hand tailoring, making them respectful to Savile Row traditions. For FW 2018, TF sharpened his soft wear, yet remained unmistakably “designer” in concept. This is not a collection easily combined with pieces from other luxury lines. A Tom Ford leather blouson requires the lines of a Tom Ford pair of tailored pants. Present in this collection again, the influence of Bijan for a version of modern man as a sensual impresario.
The Bottega Veneta and Prada collections were replete with innovative cuts and materials. Prada continues to evolve into a brand with futuristic aspirations. If we were to colonize a planet, Prada should do the wardrobe, as it understands complicated technical challenges and is able to pose questions with design thinking often found in software companies. Tomas Maier at Bottega Veneta is a confident master who is able to dress the modern man without resorting to ridiculous excess - Gvasalia we are looking at you! Having recently expanded into Lifestyle with a furniture collection, Bottega Veneta looks to be perfectly poised for continued growth.