Inside New York Fashion Week Men's: Days 3 and 4
Day 3
Billy Reid
Fittingly, Billy Reid started his show off with a live performance by Iron & Wine. The acoustic tunes help set the tone for an collection that emphasized ease by pairing rich, soft materials like suede, cashmere, and luxe tweeds and textured knits, with simple yet refined silhouettes.
Continuing to reinforce his stand on super slim, Reid sent guys down the runway in oversized, wide-legged trousers paired with nicely tailored tops, creating a loose yet modern look. We’ve been watching a good amount of European designers over the past season begin to buck the super-slim trend and feature wide-legged trousers in their collections and it seems this idea has finally made it way across the pond. The use of neutral tones and palettes accentuated the luxurious feel of the collection, while organic and body-conscious tailoring rounded it all out. From opening to closing look it all felt fresh and cohesive.
Tim Coppens
Although Tim Coppens’ collection was young at heart, there was nothing juvenile about the quality of its construction. Coppens has been long known for appealing to younger, fashion-forward audiences, and this collection did not disappoint. Kitschy prints, plaids and more graced the runway, and made for a refreshing and lighter alternative to some of the more stately and serious collections. Whether you're a diehard trend head, modern minimalist, or someone with a more classic leaning vibe, Coppens has something that you're going to dig. Never one to shy away from making a statement Coppens added more fuel to the growing fire that is his reputation as one of the most exciting and inoovative designers in the game.
Ricardo Seco
Inspired heavily by his Mexican roots, Ricardo Seco’s collection focused on combining NYC macabre with the colorful serapes that are indicative of the culture of Seco’s home country of heritage. Luckily, Seco’s eye for detail and master tailoring abilities kept his models looking more polished and less like pinatas and like a dark, twsited fantasy, it all came together beautifully. For anyone who considers themselves the proverbial “life of the party”, Seco's bold design elements deserve a place amongst your best.
Perry Ellis
Barring the star-studded front row, Perry Ellis’ fanfare is still a deserved byproduct for a fashion house that has nearly 60 years of experience and exposure under its belt. Michael Maccari, resident creative director, continues to move Perry Ellis in a direction that focuses on “postmodern streetwear” that uses high quality materials and tailored silhouettes, taking the relaxed look to a whole new level. With options and styles at a variety of levels, Perrry Ellis contiues to prove why there are perfect for everything from pounding the pavement in Midtown NYC to heading to a Friday lunch date at Shake Shack.
Palmiers du Mal
Every so often New York Fashion Week will toss you an unexpected surprise. You find yourself sitting at a runway show of a very new brand that could be exceptionally hard to digest. If you’re lucky, you’re able to experience the birth of something great. For us, Palmiers du Mal in 2016 was that very thing. It seems that Creative Director, Shane Fonner, is onto something that American menswear has been lacking. By taking inspiration from traditional wardrobe essentials, ones most commonly associated with the working class, and elevating each piece into a luxury item, he created whimsical twist on recognizable silhouettes. Essential American closet staples like a denim jacket are re-worked and made to feel new and fresh by adding detailed patchwork and vintage fabrics were turned them into the kinds of pieces that would make strangers wonder exactly how many stamps you have on your passport. Meant to be light, breathable and utterly effortless, Palmiers du Mal aced the relaxed playboy look without coming off as try hards. With such an exceptional first runway shot, we’re pegging Palmiers du Mal as an up-and-comer that everyone is going to have their eye on.
Day 4
Toddy Snyder
Capping off the week with one of his largest shows to date, Todd Snyder figuratively and literally left it all on the runway floor with his latest collection.
Although much of Snyder’s 48-piece collection centered on a monochromatic and oftentimes militaristic aesthetic, it also included a refreshing splash of color, with bright orange parkas and aubergine mockneck henleys. Snyder continues to assert his dominance with his signature mix of tailoring and atheletic-influenced sportswear. With styles that can dress everyone from the 25-year old fashion head to the mid-forties business guy, it's no wonder the undercurrent of "Next Great American Designer" is being atrributed to Snyder.
Hickey Freeman
Following the trend of moving away from the relaxed, streetwear looks that have become prevalent in much of men’s fashion since 2013, Hickey Freeman debuted an updated collection of modern looks, three ways. Each phase of the collection featured anchored, familiar looks (i.e. jogger pants, vests and tuxedos), centered on a bold statement piece, like luxurious cashmere topcoats and vicuna collars. Continuing to evolve and redefine itself from it's reputation as an old-guard American suit designer, this collection proved that maybe you can teach an old dog a few new tricks.
Eidos
Playing with the militaristic theme of the season while still able to juxtapose a natural slouchiness, Eidos combined the two and created a collection showcasing the best of both worlds. Long known for their cool, young take on traditional Italian tailoring traditions, Eidos has continued to push the envelope of what can be considered "Italian Style". Carefully constructed pullovers and Japanese parachute pants rubbed shoulders with loose trench coats and even a flannel pinstripe suit creating a feeling of contradiction. Perfect for the stylish, jetset lifestlye, Eidos continues to develop into one of the coolest new breed Italian labels.
Craft Atlantic
Monochromatic and subtle, Craft Atlantic took a much more subdued approach with its modest collection. Designer Luis Fernandez’s approach hinged heavily on perfecting some classics (i.e. M-65 and bomber jackets), and injecting them with a few tech-inspired elements, common with much of his earlier collections. It was this mixing of classics with streetwear and technical infuences that gave Craft Atlantic its unique appeal.
Orley
Once focused only on knitwear (but exceptional knitwear at that) Orley is now a full-fledged brand that's truly on the rise. In moving well past the realm of just sweaters, Orley’s latest collection expanded on its vibrantly youthful approach to knitwear and focused on the magic of layering. Snug, shrunken sweaters and knit polos gave off a boyish sense of charm, but were backed up with tougher, grungier looks that paired well with Orley’s softer side. It was the mixed textures, colors and themes that highlighted what was is great about Orley, it's a brand evolving along with it's customers tastes and styles all while keeping true to it's roots.