It's the most wonderful time of the year...

...it's fashion season! And you know what that means: I report on all the fascinating, beautiful, mesmerizing, strange, puzzling, outrageous, outstanding, unusual, artistic, inspiring creations coming out of the exquisite imaginations of designers, and down the runway. Regular readers know that I do not follow "fashion" as in "What does Calvin Klein's sportswear look like this season?" I follow fashion the way some people delve into the art world. I think of "fashion" as "costume"--as a way to convey an idea or a concept. I appreciate what some designers do the same way one appreciates what an avant garde sculptor or painter or performance artist does. And in a way, these designers are performance artists. For me, it is not about what is hanging on racks in stores, but what these artists are creating and the ideas and concepts they are working with as an influence on their marvelous creativity. It is moving sculpture. It is theater. Fashion and clothing at this level serves as a kind of visual shorthand. A piece of clothing in the hands of a designer can evoke a place, a region, a country, a specific time or an entire era, a work of art such as a novel or film or painting, a class of people, even a social, financial, or spiritual element... and the combination of such pieces of clothing, as well as their harmony or contrast, can tell a fascinating story.

JANUARY 2017 FASHION SCHEDULE--F/W '17-'18

London Collections: Men
Jan 6 - Jan 9

Pitti Uomo
Jan 10 - Jan 13
(While this trade show generally does not present runway shows, there is usually a special guest designer presentation. This year there are two from Sir Paul Smith and Tim Coppens. There are also plenty of what I like to call Pitti Peacocks... the attendees of Pitti Uomo whose outfits often rival the clothing on display.)

Milano Moda Uomo
Jan 13 - Jan 17

Paris Fashion Week For Men
Jan 18 - Jan 22

I will be posting photos and analyses of interesting, vital collections as they happen.
Stay tuned.