The next menswear shift: From Streetwear To Couture

Le Gadjo

Jacquemus

MANILA, Philippines — “I grew up here, with those men in blue tracksuits, matching blue bags and hats, all light blue,” writes Simon Porte Jacquemus for the unveiling of his first men’s line titled “Le Gadjo” — “Here” being the Mediterranean South and his hometown of Marseille, “gadjo” being colloquial speak for a masculine French archetype. The designer reinterprets his youth for a lineup of slouchy knit-focused pieces and easy sportif tailoring. Dressed in sundrenched hues and relaxed silhouettes, Jacquemus asserts free-spirited masculinity for his menswear debut.

Fresh Prince

Dior

Celebrated menswear designer Kim Jones finally makes his much-anticipated debut at Christian Dior, succeeding Kris Van Assche who spent 11 years at the helm of the French house. Jones, fresh from his sportif-inspired oeuvre at Louis Vuitton, brings a renewed energy to the strict (some would say slim) confines of the former Dior customer. Cases in point: louche shirting and fabrics re-engineered into gentle tailoring, delicate floral shirts overlaid in transparent vinyl, John Galliano for Dior staples such as the Saddle bags and the “Christian Dior” logo reinterpreted into small, covetable merch poised to attract the streetwear set.

Hot Couture

Maison Margiela

For spring/summer 2019, John Galliano elevates his newest menswear collection for Maison Margiela as “the first haute couture collection for men.” That is to say: the master tailor Galliano took the traditional forms of menswear but cut them to excess using the techniques and decorations typically reserved for women’s couture. Think bias-cut suiting in heavy plaids and tweeds, Galliano for Dior-era corseting, traditional fishing overalls but redone in vinyl and leather. Our verdict? The next frontier for masculine glamour.

Pride Weekend

Thom Browne

True to his signature of fashion as theater, showman and fashion designer Thom Browne opened his spring/summer 2019 collection with two twin “garden gnome” models pushing old-fashioned rotary lawnmowers across the turf-lined runway. Transforming the grand hall of the École des Beaux-Arts with flower-filled wheelbarrows, balloons, picket fences and pinwheels, Browne set the stage for his true prep fantasia of overdrawn gingham checks, nautical references, seersucker and stripes everywhere. To send his rainbow message home, the designer sent down his finale with models walking hand in hand. To quote Browne himself, the collection presents a simple message: to imagine “a world where everybody gets along.” Amen.

New Guard

Louis Vuitton

Virgil Abloh’s appointment to arguably the world’s most recognizable house, Louis Vuitton, is a watershed moment for the global fashion industry.  Say what you will about the designer (and there are many things) but his debut signals a resonant message of inclusion and diversity; adding a much needed voice to the luxury conversation. But what of the clothes? Inspired by the idea of light glinting off different colors off a prism, Abloh sent down a line up of crisp tailored looks in shades of white. Being a house built on the success of its accessories, new propositions for footwear (LV skate shoes, anybody) and bags were put forward as well. Final verdict? Let’s give Virgil a chance.       

New Wave

Raf Simons

Raf Simons’ spring/summer 2019 men’s collection is a simple conceit: enough streetwear, let’s bring tailoring back. Why? “We need it! We need a new outline. I know I was part of it myself, but too many hoodies with prints! You know, something needs to shift,” the designer stressed to Vogue.com. And the end result was quite exquisite. Our highlight? The traditionally shaped overcoats masterfully cut in duchesse satin in iceberg blues, Kelly greens, lush magentas and acid yellows.

Dayglo Curves

Dries Van Noten

Slipping back to the ’70s, Dries Van Noten’s latest collection is an homage to Danish architect and interior designer Verner Panton. Taking cues from lava lamp hues and colorful swirls, the designer took Panton’s archival prints and “painted” them onto his signature workwear silhouettes. In a related bit of news, Dries Van Noten was one of the last few successful independent brands in the industry — but as of last month, the Belgian house has been acquired by the Puig group, the same company that owns Carolina Herrera and Paco Rabanne.

Trapper Keeper

Prada

Miuccia Prada’s proposition for men’s spring/summer 2019 is a new kind of elegance “but in a young, new way.” Maybe this collection is a reaction to the oversized street wear-infused zeitgeist. To that end, the designer sent down a column of models wearing lean silhouettes in cut separates, all topped off in big trapper-style hats. This could be Prada at its most “clean cut”: tailor knits and cut-to-the-body turtlenecks; track jackets, flat-front trousers and blazers in the house colors, not to mention the ultra short shorts worn in every possible iteration. Is “elegance” Prada-speak for the new sexy? If so, we’re very much into it.