Rick Owens translated his anger in his fall win ter 2018 collection. He experienced some frustrations lately, he told WWD. He had run up against technical limitations related to his exhibition in Milan, and to some special effects planned for his fall 2018 men’s show, leaving him two options: either push hard to get things done right or tame one’s ideas in the land of red tape. It’s a conundrum that extends to the wider socio-ecological-political climate, he argued.
He unleashed his wrath working within his own framework, mixing grand sartorial gestures with a military-athletic vibe. A lot of the clothes looked as if they had been mutilated, with aggressive cutouts on elongated tunics that allowed for peek-a-boo moments on the body, and asymmetric skirts that looked like they’d been crafted from slashed up shorts.
Conversely, a run of capes had their armholes sewn shut, the arms liberated only through slits at the front. They added some chic drama.
The collection had a great sculptural quality to it, applied to everything he touched including the boots and sneakers with platform molded soles, which added to the brutality of the ensemble. Owens also He reworked shapes from past seasons.
Designer Kris Van Assche decided to take Dior Homme back to its roots in sharp tailoring. In fact, he stretched back to the founder’s defining New Look of 1947 for women — hinged on that wasp-waisted jacket known as the Bar — for his fall collection. He wasn’t shy about the nipped midsection, demarcating the horizontal seam cut into the sides of some jackets with white piping.
They looked handsome rather than feminine, vaguely recalling the neatness of military uniforms, though the designer said backstage he was careful to avoid that reference. As the show progressed Van Assche loosened things up, blending in Nineties sportswear hinged on tribal tattoo prints, wide-legged jeans and layers of striped knits. Untied laces, on dress shoes and canvas sneakers alike, also telegraphed that point.
What are you wearing during the fashionweeks? Your Gucci-shoes, that Balenciaga-shirt or your latest Vetements-denim? Maybe we’ll spot you in Paris, Milan, New York or Amsterdam. During the fashionweeks we refresh our streetwear posts regularly. We don’t judge, we’re not the fashion-police, we just enjoy fashion and your own personal style. Next stop: Paris Fashionweek, menswear FW2018.
British designer Kim Jones staged his final men’s show for the French luxury brand Louis Vuitton after seven years at the helm. He marked the event by inviting two friends, Naomi Campbell and Kate Moss, to take turns on the catwalk. The designer delivered his trademark mix of luxurious tailoring and upscale streetwear in a collection titled “Overview” — a reference to the aerial images of Kenya that formed the basis for most of the prints.
This was no safari, though. Jones homed in on otherworldly landscapes of lava, craters and stalagmites, which he used as the basis of his ashy palette of mineral tones and a variety of glazed and metallic effects, down to the titanium trunk strapped to one model’s back.
His band of explorers wore outfits including a glossy burgundy aviator jacket paired with glazed monogram denim pants, or a silver herringbone coat over a metallic silk flight suit.
Dries van Noten presented a curious, but well balanced mix of combinations, like Las Vegas-style Western garb, white broderie anglaise pants, military parkas, suits in traditional British checks, granny crochet cardigans and pajama stripes. There was also a hint of pimp and a hearty dose of punk, such as a look pairing a glittery zebra sweater with tartan pants.
Even the more daring elements were digested perfectly into the looks. Case in point: a minimalist navy tracksuit traced with lines of tan cowboy-shirt piping.
Van Noten continued to play with oversize proportions in the slouchy suits, boxy trenchcoats and the baggy pants.
The designer’s magic colorist instincts climaxed in an Instagenic run of anoraks in swirling colored marble-y prints recalling Venetian paper or spun paint, with models gathering in a painterly formation for the finale.
The open-border mixing of cultures worked best on a tropical print pajama shirt paired with a fantasy leopard print skinny pant and snakeskin shoes which, like the rest of the collection, was chic whilst telegraphing rebel instincts.
What are you wearing during the fashionweeks? Your Gucci-shoes, that Balenciaga-shirt or your latest Vetements-denim? Maybe we’ll spot you in Paris, Milan, New York or Amsterdam. During the fashionweeks we refresh our streetwear posts regularly. We don’t judge, we’re not the fashion-police, we just enjoy fashion and your own personal style. Next stop: Paris Fashionweek, menswear FW2018.
Haider Ackermann’s collection felt less gritty rock than past collections, and showed a more merch-friendly, cleaner side. Fully intact was his sense of color and nomad instincts. On a range of layered military-ethnic silhouettes for a chic dandy, the designer juxtaposed Army green and khaki with the jewel tones of the silky rich fabrics.
Quilted green and gold underlayers flashed out from the big tailored coats and jackets, silks lined upturned lapels, and white silk-linen cherry blossom embroideries climbed across the clothes, mixing with stripes on one of the kimonos. Soft unconstructed velvet leisure suits underscored the cocooning mood.
There were hints of English suede heads of the Seventies in the larger flare pants and three-quarter lengths worn with boots. Juxtaposed with Moujik pants, caftans and Tibetan coats taken from Tolstoy’s descriptions of humble folks, it was a trademark of Lemaire’s season of zen-meets-workwear.
Amid the clinical crispness, bubblegum pink sweaters, muted overdyed paisleys or marbled swirls — the work of French endpaper artist Atelier La Folie — felt like a thunderclap on a clear day.
Lemaire and Sarah-Linh Tran have developed a glossary of classic Parisian understatedness in their work — think Yves Saint Laurent, the man and the ultrachic male Parisian. In their hands, an overcoat piled atop a jacket and several other elements do not add much bulk, making their layers more nuance than cold weather strategy. Yet the standouts were undoubtedly those silhouettes in which the volume play was marked: a sheepskin flight jacket, worn with elasticated paisley pants; oversize chimney collars and flowing pants, and a generously proportioned marbled hooded raincoat.
What are you wearing during the fashionweeks? Your Gucci-shoes, that Balenciaga-shirt or your latest Vetements-denim? Maybe we’ll spot you in Paris, Milan, New York or Amsterdam. During the fashionweeks we refresh our streetwear posts regularly. We don’t judge, we’re not the fashion-police, we just enjoy fashion and your own personal style. Next stop: Paris Fashionweek, menswear FW2018.
From Diesel Black Gold’s native American inspired story to Dolce & Gabbana’s millennial filled show entitled King’s Angels. From Francesco Risso’s vibrant, colorful and contrast (in texture, in proportion) filled Marni collection to Miuccia Prada’s fall collection full of references from the Prada past (hello Nylon, hello banana print). And from preppy Versace looks to the bondage attires at Moschino. Milan Menswear Fashion Week was both exuberating and surprising. And just so you can wrap your head around all the new styles or even fully prep your wardrobe in time we’ve selected five of the biggest trends straight from the Milano catwalk. Looks to sport next winter or even try out right now, while winter’s still here.