Bulldogs, Berets and Final Bows: The Best of New York Men’s Fashion Week, Day 4
The final day of New York Men’s Fashion Week brought unexpected inspirations, a penchant for plaid, and major designer shakeups. Sharp’s Fashion Editor Matthew Biehl was on the ground in NYC to get the full scoop.
1. Model Spotting
Editors are always on the lookout for new faces among the models that parade by on the runways to pluck out and use in fashion shoots. And while there were plenty of fresh faces this season, it can be equally exciting to see models that you have already worked with in the mix. In this case, I spotted Walter Savage at Greg Lauren and Yusuke Ogasawara at Eidos Napoli, who both appeared in recent issues of Sharp.
2. Refined Design
Speaking of Eidos Napoli, the label showed a very refined and relaxed collection, from soft, unstructured suits and fine gauge sweaters to loose, cuffed pants. It all looked easy to wear and comfortable, but still luxurious thanks to premium textiles. The palette was predominantly dark navies and greens, but a few shots of dove grey and camel helped to keep things light.
3. Prints and Paws
Brit brand Thomas Pink knows its way around tailoring, and FW16 showcased this expertise perfectly. The collection took inspiration from the Chinoiserie and Indian décor found at the Royal Pavilion in Brighton, with opulent prints used on shirts, ties and other accessories. The brand also debuted Bulldog, a new durable, lower-cost shirting line inspired by the hardwearing nature of the toughest dogs around.
4. Bonjour Paris
I wasn’t expecting the return of the beret, but the men at Timo Weiland made them work, lending a touch of Parisian sensibility to the show. The choice of hats gave a sense of playfulness to the collection, which was also present in the use of volume in oversized coats and wide trousers, as well as in the use of colour (bright red, maroon, blue and green) to break up the neutrals. The best was saved for last though: black-and-white plaid appeared on coats at the finale, and they shot to the top of my must-have list for next fall.
5. Shuffling the Deck
While not taking place at the New York shows, this week has seen a massive shake-up among the designers at some of the most prominent menswear brands, and it was the talk of the town. Ermenegildo Zegna and Stefano Pilati parted ways, Berluti said goodbye to Alessandro Sartori, and Brendan Mullane is out at Brioni — all showed their last collections for the houses at the FW16 shows in Europe. This shuffle has also resulted in Sartori taking Pilati’s place at Zegna. It’s a homecoming of sorts for Sartori as he was originally poached from Z Zegna to create Berluti’s ready-to-wear business. We’ll have to wait and see what will be next for Pilati and Mullane, but wherever they land the results are sure to be exciting.
