The 7 Biggest Trends at Toronto Men’s Fashion Week

Matthew Biehl March 1, 2016

Now in it’s fourth season, Toronto Men’s Fashion Week — better known as TOM — continues to grow and provide a platform for Canadian menswear designers to showcase their collections. Sharp’s Fashion Editor Matthew Biehl was on hand at the Fall/Winter ’16 shows to scout out all the looks and trends you’ll want in your closet come autumn.

Prominent Prints

Pack up your navy and black overcoats and prepare to invest in patterned outerwear for Fall 2016. Look for classic patterns that have been given a modern update, like the bold buffalo check at Tuck Shop Trading Co., Dalla’s embroidered hounds tooth or the blown-up checks used by Caffery Van Horne.

Go Neutral

Brands like Jaan Choxi, Nabeel, and Zane Barlas must not be willing to let summer go so easily, as tan suiting — most often associated with the warmer months —were out in full force on the fall runways. These neutral colours were given a lift through patterns, textured fabrics and flashy hardware.

High Necks, High Style

The turtleneck refuses to relinquish control as the new go-to sweater in menswear, and we’re not complaining. High-neck styles are next to hit it big, whether it’s 3.Paradis’ chunky version, fine-gauge as seen at Joao Paulo Guedes, or multi-coloured like Andrew Coimbra’s iteration.

Purple Power

Purple popped up as an accent colour in many of the fall collections, but it was most exciting when used on jackets made from patterned or textured fabrics. From violet at Hendrix Roe to more subdued shades at Christopher Bates and Finezza, they look best when paired with contrasting coloured trousers.

The Pompadour Returns

American Crew founder David Raccuglia was on hand at TOM to discuss the endurance, and resurgence of classic hairstyles: “Look at great designers: they’ve reengineered and recut the grey flannel suit three hundred times. But the differences are very, very subtle, so they’re adapting a trend to their class. I love that. And it’s the same thing with hair. A classic hairstyle could go a little shorter, go a little taller, go a little wider, it can have a little more grease, but ultimately at the end of the day, the shape is something that’s still very classic — hair is more like a classic with a twist.”

One classic style that’s having a real moment is the pompadour, which conveniently ties into American Crew’s latest ad campaign — a collaboration with Elvis Presley’s estate: “Like Levi’s, we’re very American. You go to Europe, the most iconic American man is Elvis Presley. They think of the pompadour, they think of Elvis when he was young, and we had the opportunity to use some of his imagery. And so we have this amazing campaign ‘Groom Like the King,’ which is timely. The look is very relevant today, it’s right.”

Charity Catwalk

For the second season in a row, GotStyle partnered with TOM to suit up Canadian celebs in the MensFashion4Hope runway show to raise money for the Kol Hope Foundation at SickKids. Twitter-famous city councillor Norm Kelly, rapper Kardinal Offishal, American Crew’s David Raccuglia and Paralympians Andrew Haley and Kevin Rempel all strutted their stuff in an on-point mix of seasonal tailoring.

Moisturize like a Man

The MAC Cosmetics team was on hand backstage to bring the designers’ visions to life. Leading the charge was Senior Artist Jane McKay, who had some tips for keeping your skin looking its best during the colder months: “There’s a whole seasonal thing that goes on in skincare, and for the winter season, I say exfoliate, use moisturizers to plump up the skin, and put a little bit of an essential oil in. An oil barrier protects the moisture inside from evaporating, while also keeps the elements — the cold, the wind — from reaching the skin and freezing it.”