The hieratical atmosphere that haunted Rick Owens’ Spring/Summer 09 New York catwalks seemed to pervade also his menswear collection.
Some of the models wore his signature veil-like headgear and black - in different shades, shapes and materials - was the only colour used throughout the catwalk (if you exclude the occasional white or brown-greyish garment).
Owens played with different textures – such as wool, fur, gazar and crocodile - layering jackets and coats on long shirts or skirts worn with trousers and heavy boots. The whole look was rather monastic-gothic with barbaric undertones, but it somehow worked well.
There was naturally a bit more variation and quirkiness in Comme des Garçons’ collection. Rei Kawakubo’s Homme Plus line featured classic suits in which leopard (that matched with the leopard slippers worn by the models throughout the catwalk, alternated to flamboyant two-tone shoes decorated with bows) or checked panels had been incorporated.
There were also some tailored skirts and workwear was used as the basic inspiration for a couple of long and elegant pinstriped aprons.
Yamamoto presented nightwear-looking suits and coats that looked like dressing gowns on his catwalk, but the subtle Kawakubo went for an ironic tailored jacket featuring a trompe l’oeil print of an elegant smoking jacket.
Some of the looks were completed by Stephen Jones’ minute hats, and the juxtaposition of classic Vs quirky, conventional Vs unusual (see also the classic jacket that incorporated on top of it what looked like a mess jacket) made this catwalk rather interesting.
My Italian self would like to praise Riccardo Tisci’s collection, but my objective self is restraining me from doing so. Tisci’s second menswear collection for Givenchy doesn’t seem to be too different from what he did previously and I honestly doubt that everyday mature men would really like to go around in shorts (though perfectly tailored), leggings (though in luxurious materials) and bandage shoes (though architecturally interesting).
There was a rather interesting dichotomy that charmed me at Raf Simons’: there were sharp camel coats (one of the looks of next Autumn) and pinstriped suits, but there were also interesting bi-coloured gloves and classic jackets worn with sneakers.
Sartorial precision was the keyword, but with a bit more quirkiness added also thanks to rounded shoulder pieces in bright or neutral colours that in some cases looked like a crossover between a shoulder piece and the shortest mess jacket.
There were highwaymen, buccaneers, satyrs, funeral parlour assistants from the Victorian era and judges in boudoir attire at John Galliano’s catwalk, but what sounds like a bizarre and fun variety of men's outfits was also a major mistake.
While McQueen in Milan proved he can design clothes that look as perfect as film costumes but are still essentially wearable, Galliano gave the impression that a few of his outfits (even the lingerie…) were better if worn as costumes than as proper clothes. One example? The feathery, fluffy and fluid pants that completed the satyr look. I guess they might be a bit bizarre for everyday wear, still if you're heading to Venice for Carnival they might be the perfect option.
Member of the Boxxet Network of Blogs, Videos and Photos
Member of the Boxxet Network of Blogs, Videos and Photos
Comments