It's that time again...

...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--FALL-WINTER '18 - '19

London Collections: Men
Jan 5 - Jan 8

Pitti Uomo
Jan 9 - Jan 12
(While this trade show generally does not present runway shows, there is usually a special guest designer presentation. 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 12 - Jan 15

Paris Fashion Week For Men
Jan 16 - Jan 21

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

BEAUTY: Clothing--Misc. London Collections: Men, FW '17-'18

London Collections: Men just ended in London, and here are a few details that caught my eye.

The Fashion East–administered new talent incubator called MAN shows three up and coming designers every season. The platform has produced some incredible talent including Craig Green. This season, a standout section belonged to Charles Jeffrey's Loverboy label. This Fall-Winter collection played on clothing from the Dark Ages through the Renaissance to Beau Brummel, including doublets and references to ecclesiastical cassocks...

...all over some pretty awesome square-nosed boots and monk strap shoes.

Christopher Shannon played on the anxiety of the zeitgeist in both a humorous but humorous-because-it's-true way by subverting the logos of large clothing retailers. Calvin Klein became "Constant Stress--I'm Done," the shoe manufacturer Timberlake morphed into Tumbleweed, and BOSS INTERNATIONAL proclaimed LOSS INTERNATIONAL. I think anyone with any sense and a head in which to process it is worried about the potential loss to come in our culture.

And since I'm a shoe man, two shows caught my eye. The Casely-Hayford show offered a fascinating shoe that on first glance is nothing special, but upon closer inspection turns out to be a kind of Frankenstein shoe, a cross between an athletic shoe and a sock in multi-colored fabric.

And Grace Wales Bonner showed some superb sandals--I know, I know, sandals for winter?--but the slight cut outs make them less of a sandal and more of a proper shoe. I adore her colors, harlequin diamonds, and cow spots. I once had a pair of black leather loafers whose tops were black and white hair on hide exactly like the pair in the middle on the bottom row. I adored them and wore those things until they literally dissolved.

http://www.charlesjeffrey.net/
http://casely-hayford.com/home/
http://www.walesbonner.net/

BEAUTY: Clothing--Martine Rose

Martine Rose is a bit of an "underground" elusive designer of menswear--I will confess she was not on my radar--who has been showing flowing, voluminous trousers for many seasons now. And with this Fall-Winter '17-'18 collection at London Collections: Men, she continued to champion the wide-legged trouser--I love how it is cinched with a belt in many looks. There were a few trousers sporting a regular, relaxed silhouette, but even then, the detail at the waistband gave the illusion of three pairs of trousers worn at once. All this was shown with proper shirts and ties, accompanied by a variety of jackets from suit coat to sporting outerwear. And all models wore a fabulous asymmetrical haircut that was pure Phil Oakey circa 1980.

Phil Oakey, lead singer of The Human League, 1980

https://martine-rose.com/

BEAUTY: Clothing--Dame Vivienne Westwood

I'm so glad there is a Dame Vivienne Westwood in the world. She makes me happy and her creations brighten up the landscape quite a bit.

Whereas other designers work with a broad range of inspirations and can riff on anything from 1920s Paris to cavemen, Westwood riffs on herself. And more than any other designer, she can do that and come out with something extraordinary. It is her entire basic philosophy developed lo those years ago that make a Westwood garment what it is: the allusions to historical silhouettes, the references to cuts of garments from the Renaissance to the 1940s, and the explosive playfulness of 70s punk, which she, along with then-partner Malcolm McLaren (previously here), helped to invent. When she married her husband, the designer Andreas Kronthaler, she shared design duties with him. And while still actively designing at age 75, she has given control of the menswear division of her brand to Kronthaler...with her final approval of course. And he continues to riff on the DNA of the house just as well as she always has with some new, extra flourishes that dovetail beautifully into the Westwood oeuvre. Most notably, he has brought the toga/tunic/skirt/dress for men to the fore..which really is the future of clothing for men. More and more designers are showing men's and women's collections together (Westwood points out, "My very first shows were all mixed. Really, they were. Pirates, Buffalo Girls. . . . men and women together. Although, in this show some of the men are wearing dresses, which isn’t something they did much of before,") and the concept of menswear is changing to embrace alternative approaches.

And for this Fall-Winter '17-'18 collection back home at London Collections: Men--Westwood's first after having shown in Milan at Milano Moda Uomo for many years--Kronthaler gives us the exquisite suit cutting and tailoring (often asymmetrical, with those aforementioned historic flourishes) that is a hallmark of the house along with fantastic knit pieces. Also of note is the gigantic-scaled, jagged damask pattern on suits, and a pattern made up of a crowd of lurid faces--some sketched, some photographed--which included Dame Westwood herself in a sort of manic laugh. I don't mind that Westwood quotes herself since the original quote was so good, so original, so satisfying...we can stand to hear it again.

http://www.viviennewestwood.com/

BEAUTY: Clothing--J.W. Anderson

A J.W. Anderson collection is usually a very cerebral expression of a variety of oblique inspirations. With past collections taking inspiration from Antoine de Saint‐Exupéry’s classic fable LE PETIT PRINCE, and Christopher Robin Milne who was the real-life model (and son of the author) for the character of Christopher Robin in the A.A. Milne WINNIE THE POOH series, it is no surprise that something small, homespun, and perhaps familiar from childhood would serve as a springboard for this Fall-Winter '17-'18 collection: Grandma's blanket of crocheted squares. And here is where the oblique part comes in...these small squares or patches made a leap to heraldic patches and flags and then to stained glass. Indeed, they do remind me of stained glass, their bright, saturated colors vibrating against the black form containing them. The overall silhouette hearkened back to the tabards and tunics of Medieval dress. Sarah Mower at vogue.com astutely noted: "An instinctive reflex in these apocalyptic times is to picture our days as a descent into the Dark Ages." Stained glass images were appliquéd to tops and jeans. But back to those little crocheted squares...they showed up not only on long, trailing scarves, skirts, backpacks, and on the garments themselves, but as floppy shoe covers. Which of course makes me realize that such historical pieces were made of leather, metal, or even chain mail, for battle. So what does it say that Anderson presents the same pieces made of something so gentle, so familiar, with echoes to home and childhood. Maybe something like, lay down your armor, embrace something softer and more human...fight the new Dark Ages with conscious compassion.

https://j-w-anderson.com/

BEAUTY: Clothing--Miharayasuhiro

In his pre-show appearance, designer Mihara Yasuhiro said of his Fall-Winter '17-'18 collection shown at London Collections: Men, “I look around now and see all the young people who are scared about President Trump and what that will mean.” Here we have yet another designer taking a moment from the zeitgeist and translating it, filtering it, and letting it influence and transform his creations. And exactly what did this current threat to freedom evoke for Yasuhiro? The 60s, when people cared enough to protest, when people were moved to tell their leaders "NO," and when beret-wearing men and women like The Black Panthers and those who followed or emulated Che Guevara took action to make the world a more just place. It's been nearly 50 years since those days of protest and in these days of frustrating helplessness, perhaps it is time we all give thought to it again. Yasuhiro speaks here to a time of optimism, when people thought they could make a difference, make their voices heard, and make the world a better place. The designer placed strategic messages on pieces like "This Is Only The Start" and "THIS IS TOMORROW" but most importantly, in a subliminal gesture of solidarity, inside the garments was sewn a care label that reads: "Have Fortitude. Never bend your head. Always hold it high."

http://www.miharayasuhiro.jp/

BEAUTY: Clothing--Ximon Lee

Last year was a great year for rising star designer Ximon Lee, who emigrated from China to New York to attend Parsons. He won the H&M Design Award in January and two months later was shortlisted for the Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy Prize competition. He has said that Craig Green (previously here) is a major influence, but he seems to be developing his own stylistic vocabulary quite nicely. For his Fall-Winter '17-'18 collection at London Collections: men, he has softened his severe, square silhouettes for something more romantic, even--dare I say it--escapist...while the proportions of collars and trousers remain voluminous, materials have become more luxurious and the inclusion of large bubble-like pearls lends an air of glamorous science fiction (I like the addition of an odd shoulder pack/satchel). I just love the cut of all these pieces and would wear anything shown below...but especially the sweater tunic, the puce colored overcoat, and either of the stunning dusters in the bottom row (the ocher one on the left or the brocade one on the right which is based on an oil painting of a nude!). His vision is unique but so wearable. He will surely further the evolution of menswear.

http://www.ximonlee.com/

BEAUTY: Clothing--Craig Green

Fashion month started yesterday with London Collections: Men...and here we go!

Since Craig Green burst onto the fashion scene several seasons ago now, he has quickly risen to be one of the top talents at London Collections: Men. His stripped down examinations of contrasting states of masculinity (aggression vs. nurturing, turning battle gear into ecclesiastical garments) manifest in some fascinating pieces, many of which feature his now-signature loosened and flowing straps and ties.

And this season, I feel that Green has gotten even more political. How could one not after the sh*t show that was 2016, not just locally, but globally with Brexit, the rise of the right on the continent, and the election of a monster in the US. But Green's oblique--or not so oblique--narrative for this Fall-Winter '17-'18 collection must reference the plight of the immigrant. The world was heartbroken at images of a young boy drowned trying to escape Syria, and this story is expressed in Green's moving sculptures. We have seafaring silhouettes with floppy Nor-easter hats and bulky quilted layers tied with tubes that Green himself says is to represent oxygen hoses, which quickly give way to Green's "armour"--with the afore-mentioned loosened straps--all made of Islamic carpets. The show closed with looks that surely signal someone carrying all that he owns in a duffel bag, bundled in a parka and probably a few other layers of clothing (most likely all that he owns), about to set sail for a better land...

I know there are those who are going to decry something as trivial as fashion speaking about something as monumental and important as immigrants, but isn't that the role of good art? No matter what it is, an artist is expressing himself through his medium, mirroring the world for good or bad. I don't think Green is attempting to "glamorize" the plight of the immigrant...as an artist he has demonstrated that he is too smart for that, with past seasons featuring some truly moving anti-war statements. He is not trying to capitalize on the tragedy of others. This is simply the vocabulary of the world around us making its way into the speech of an artist.

http://craig-green.com/

BEAUTY: Clothing--Barbour International

Barbour International has reason to brag about their history:

"The Barbour International jacket was worn by every British National Motorcycle team from 1936 – 1977, as well as 95% of competitors at the 1965 TT Isle of Man race, and was a firm favorite with Steve McQueen, who sported the jacket in 1964 at the ISDT race...this jacket is part of motorcycle history and has the pictures to prove it. During the Second World War, the Barbour International jacket became the official Submarine Commanders coat as well on the battlefields of Europe."

But like so many venerable companies over the years which get reinvented, Barbour is staying fresh and relevant by collaborating with extraordinary visual artist Robert Montgomery (previously here, here, here, and here) who put his exquisite prose poetry on the backs of jackets for their Fall-Winter '17-'18 collection shown at London Collections: Men. Oh, how I would LOVE to sport a Montgomery-penned motorcycle jacket!!!

http://www.barbour.com/

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.

BEAUTY: Clothing--Misc. London Collections: Men, SS '17

Here are some individual moments from London Collections: Men...

The exotica of Tibet, Nepal, and the Indian subcontinent seemed to be a Hundredth Monkey moment with Alexander McQueen (here), Craig Green (here), Casely-Hayford (here), and even Astrid Anderson getting into the act. Her tired basketball motif became nearly-interesting with the addition of malas or Buddhist prayer beads (both worn and carried by models), and an earthy palette punctuated with glorious fringed gold khata or Buddhist prayer scarves worn in the traditional way around the neck or at the waist as a sash.

Pringle of Scotland is known for their knitwear but for their SS '17 lookbook (they chose to forego an actual runway presentation at London Collections: Men this year--something that seems to be a trend among many designers--and instead will only show at the upcoming Pitti Uomo in Florence), they showed a denim jean that was entirely inspired by singer Morrissey of The Smiths. In the band's heyday of the mid-80s, Morrissey would come on stage with gladiola stalks stuffed in the back pocket of his worn, faded jeans, only to throw them out ecstatically to the crowd during the concert. The Pringle jeans have stitched and embroidered gladiola stalks which they paired with shirts and sweaters that could have been worn by Morrissey and creeper shoes worn by mid-80s youth.

For several seasons now, we've seen the skinny trouser amicably share space with the extra wide, voluminous trouser, and I don't think anyone has created a wider or more voluminous pant than newbie designer Per Götesson who, just the day before his catwalk show, graduated from the Royal Academy of Art! His "urban style" unfinished denim makes these jeans an enigma...

And finally, Patrick Grant at E. Tautz knows the way to my shoe-loving heart...he showed some marvelous T-strap sandals in black and white. I adore a T-strap sandal!

http://www.astridandersen.com/
http://brand.pringlescotland.com/
http://www.pergotesson.com/
https://etautz.com/