Dolce & Gabbana Catwalk Fashion Show Milan Menswear FW2015

The message of love that drove the latest collection of Dolce & Gabbana couldn’t have been timelier. Love, family, community—the eternal verities that offer security when the foundations are kicked out from under us.

The curtains opened on eight real families in a tableau vivant, friends and colleagues of the designers’, from grandmothers to babies, adding a new spin to the idea of DNA. The images on the clothing featured other families, from Renaissance renditions of the Nativity to naive cartoons of the classic nuclear mum, dad, and two kids. The model casting was cross-generational as well. Regarding the fashion, there was the reassurance of the familiar: a three-piece suit in black brocade, some artfully distressed denim, an embroidered sweatshirt, a graphic tee. There was comfort, too, in tweeds, jersey pants, pajamas, lounge suits, rubber Wellington boots, and shoes that looked like a sophisticated take on pony-skin clogs. And everywhere there were the appliqués: “Amore,” “Famiglia,” “Love Forever.”

DSquared catwalk Fashion Show Milan Menswear FW2015

When two designers like Dean and Dan Caten mark their 20th anniversary, one can expect an over the top celebration. The duo did not disappoint — at least on the frolic front — with a great venue and live entertainment.

Heavy rain did not withhold guests from flocking to the Hangar Bicocca in Milan on Friday night, where Anselm Kiefer’s installation “The Seven Heavenly Palaces” served as backdrop for a fashion show. There was one recurring look — skinny denim pants with cowboy boots, plus outerwear options ranging from common puffers to lumberjack jackets inspired by the duo’s home and native land. This looked best when the Canadian mountaineer took on a rock ’n’ roll guise in parkas generously lined with fur and styled with matching trapper hats.

The highlight was a surprise performance by Mary J. Blige, who walked out for the finale dressed in an embroidered burgundy tuxedo, followed by the twins lip-singing to her rendition of U2’s “One.” It was her birthday, too.

Menswear London Catwalk Fashion Show FW2015

First up on the Fall/Winter 2015 menswear circuit was the London menswear fashion week. The most obvious trend was the strange resurgence of the 1970s, this time filtered through a hint of ’90s revivalism. With flared trousers, Bay City Rollers tartans, and Evel Knievel allusions. Still many other designers also picked up the autumnal color palette, shearling outwear, and raw, pale denim that defined that decade, often showing them in a slimmer, slightly more wearable iteration. An renewed exploration of wide, loose trousers, and a continued emphasis on plaid or tweed tailoring also marked the shows in London, as did references to the era-appropriate pop prep of British artist David Hockney.

Here are some highlights.

BURBERRY PRORSUM

 

J.W. ANDERSON

CRAIG GREEN

 

MARGRET HOWELL

ALEXANDER McQUEEN

CHRISTOPHER RAEBURN

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Evan Menswear SS2015 Amsterdam Fashion Week

After a video full of tough, tattooed guys was shown, a DJ booth was driven on stage, a violin player stepped frontstage and tough (non tattooed) men with outstanding hairdos entered the catwalk. Their main wardrobe pieces were shorts and (hooded) coats. Shiny, checked, floral printed; the variations kept on coming, ranging in style from classic to sporty. Caps (worn backwards) sunglasses, socks with cut off toes, socks in sandals and leather bags added some fun touches. As the tattooed menswear designer made her statement with printed slogans like “Jesus saves the youth”, “Soul Rebel” and “Forever Young”.

Jonathan Christopher Homme SS2015 Amsterdam Fashion Week

Nexum was the menswear story to be told by Jonathan Christopher on Sunday evening. Though the backdrop (with dark shadows of trees and birds) made us suspect something different, it was about positivity and staying positive no matter what boundaries life brings us. There were birds above the catwalk too. They seemed to have attacked the male models, who walked around covered in scratches. That didn’t make them cover up their bodies though. In fact their muscled corps were almost constantly at display, in super low V-necks, perforated leather, underneath summer knits and mesh tops and covered by ultra tight suit jackets. Surprisingly (since we’re talking SS2015) leather played the biggest part in the show. Lots of leather trousers, leather sleeves, collars and accessories likes bags and harnesses. The models wore them with the right attitude though, careless & cool, their hair covering half of their faces.

Mevan Kaluarachchi SS2015 Amsterdam Fashion Week

Fresh faced male models walked the runway at Mevan Kaluarachchi’s show this week. They sported the young Sri Lanka born designer’s perfectly tailored collection, which contained just about every piece a man needs during summer time. Like sand colored shorts, denim shorts and even light blue colored shiny shorts. Like slouchy striped pants and narrow pleated pants. Like (slightly transparent) white Tees and longsleeves. Like a cardigan with a baseball fit and a sportive checked jacket with leather details. Like short leather jackets, denim jumpsuits and shiny hooded jackets. Like duo colored sleeveless tops and white shirts. Like a decent leather bag, a cool pair of sunglasses and some casual sandals, all given the Mevan twist.

Mirte van Wijngaarden and Maaike Fransen SS2015 Amsterdam Fashion Week

Please enjoy our images. Our review will follow shortly.

Bastian Visch wins Lichting 2014 supported by V&D

Tonight designer Bastian Visch became the first winner of Lichting 2014. Together with 13 other fashion graduates from all over the country he presented five pieces of his graduate collection. A collection looking further than cultures and subcultures, led by universal beauty ideals. Eye catching were his voluminous silhouettes, his use of color, his trompe l’oeil effects and photographic prints. Out of the 14 students a professional jury and selected members out of the audience chose Bastian as the lucky winner of the V&D Talent Award. Bastian will get a chance to develop a capsule collection, which will be sold in a number of V&D warehouses in spring 2015. “Winning this award is the key to my future”, the young designer stated.

Well done & good luck!

Round up Paris Menswear Trends SS2015

As Milan’s menswear trends evolved in Paris we got a fresh fashion dose in the French capital. Apart from women accompanying the male models (Miucci Prada set the trend alright) lots of new stories were told. Some more surprising than others, we must admit. Sportswear and primary colors being the more obvious trends, while harnesses and some impressive beauty looks came as more of a shocker. Here our five trends that caught our eyes.

From weird looking hairdos to strong eyebrows and full body paint; crazy beauty at Rick Owens, Comme des Garcons, Raf Simons and Junya Watanabe.

Orang-y red, blue and yellow; primary colors set the summer trend at the likes of Carven, Dior, Dries van Noten and Louis Vuitton.

The sleeveless jacket made his appearance in leather, denim and cotton, mostly worn on top of T-shirts and shirts at Lanvin, Ann DeMeulemeester and Raf Simons.

Boxing pants, leather motor suits and sporty stripes represented the sporty vibe for summer 2015 at Givenchy, Kenzo, Margiela and Moncler.

Not necessarily a trend for average Joe, but Dries van Noten, Rick Owens and Vivienne Westwood sure spiced things up with their bondage inspired leather harnesses.

FASHIONCLASH Festival 2014, this was day 1

The sixth edition of FASHIONCLASH Festival kicked off yesterday, with performances, shows and clashes between art and fashion. This was day one, front- and backstage.

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