Boxers, Prepsters and Bill Nye: The Best of New York Men’s Fashion Week, Day 3

The third day of New York Men’s Fashion Week brought new takes on classics, an appreciation for simplicity and an unusual celebrity spotting. Sharp’s Fashion Editor Matthew Biehl was on the ground in NYC to get the full scoop.

1. Perry Ellis

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Creative Director Michael Miccari continued his successful streak at modernizing Perry Ellis with his Fall/Winter 2016 collection. A few staples have emerged during his tenure with the brand — including sharp tailoring and patterned sweaters in a mix of earthy and electric colours — but an introduction of relaxed denim pieces and experimental knitwear were welcome additions to the Perry Ellis lexicon.

2. The New Classics

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Tommy Hilfiger knows what men want. So when the stalwart American designer puts together a collection based on the iconic pieces every man should have, it’s time to pay attention. Tommy’s greatest hits were all accounted for — nautical stripes, rugby shirts, toggle and pea coats, denim and khakis —  but unexpected twists kept everything fresh. Looser cuts for pants, stripes every which way and pops of green and yellow alongside the traditional blue and white were all new takes on the classics. There were also plenty of surprises in store, so long as you looked close enough — my favourite was a oxford and knit tie combo that turned out to be a single cardigan-like piece; the “tie” was actually a placket that disguised the buttons.

3. Celebrity Sighting

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Late last year, Nick Graham launched a bow tie collaboration with none other than Bill Nye. In keeping with this new friendship, the Science Guy himself was present at Graham’s FW16 presentation, which itself had a scientific bent: the collection was inspired by the US National Parks centennial celebration, with each suiting look based on a different national park. Think traditional and very wearable tailoring embellished with flora, fauna, and a plethora of other outdoorsy details.

4. Step Into the Ring

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Just like John Varvatos, Greg Lauren chose to forgo a runway show in favour of an atmospheric and creative presentation. In keeping with his focus on retro-inspired jersey- and knitwear, Lauren created gritty vignettes ranging from a motorcycle gang, shoe shine loiterers and a locker room, all surrounding a boxing ring with models sparring throughout the presentation. It was all very Instagram-worthy, a triumph in this age of getting the most eyes onto a collection by any means necessary.

5. Simple and Clean

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One of the emerging trends this season is an appreciation for understated and relaxed designs. A couple of designers on Day 3 certainly fit the bill. Jeffrey Rüdes took a more tailored and luxurious approach, with looks that predominantly featured cuffed, slim-cut slacks paired with clean outerwear, all rendered in lush fabrics with sparse injections of colours like cranberry and mustard. Billy Reid, meanwhile, opted for looser cuts — especially for the trousers — relaxed layers and a more subdued palette of greys, browns and creams.