Live From... Paris Fashion Week, Day 1

Louis Vuitton

 
It was sophisticated sport-meets-safari for Kim Jones' debut at the helm of Louis Vuitton menswear, bringing the tailoring skills honed at Dunhill and his own sporty aesthetic to the luxury label. His childhood in Kenya also coloured the collection and led the designer to find further inspiration in photographer and diarist Peter Beard, whose work documents African wildlife.

“At its simplest level, it is about the idea of travel... after all, travel forms the foundation of the Vuitton brand.”  Said Kim Jones

The look: Sophisticated traveller

Silhouette: Sartorially tailored

Key items: Jones brings a casual touch to his tailored looks, with blazers and rolled pants or shorts, even lustrous silk wool evening SB suits are casually styled with collarless, open-necked shirts. There is heavy emphasis on outerwear – jackets in particular, with Harringtons and varsity blousons, quilted jackets, a four-pocket safari style and sporty hooded windcheaters as well as a classic trench coat and luxury parka in sand-coloured suede. With the African inspirations, summer heat is definitely in the air, giving rise to plenty of shorts as well as short-sleeved shirts and plain tees or sweatshirt-style tops

Colour: Classic navy and white, bright red with royal blue, sandy and sunbleached neutrals and a palette of soft earthen browns

Fabric & knit: Lightweight summer suiting, silk mohair, triple bonded silks, cashmere and vicuna wools, cotton and cotton canvas, sweatshirting, jersey, chequerboard knits in raffia, zigzag stitch knit, crocodile and alligator leathers, suede, brushed-backed chevron cashmere knits

Print & pattern: A rowing-inspired red and blue V-shaped logo, pyjama stripes, ink spots, house Damier checks reinterpreted in bright red and blue inspired by the colours of the Masai

Details & trims: Patterened quilting, notched lapels, safari pockets, drawstrings, VVN leather zip pulls, VVN leather harnessing

Footwear: Chestnut brown or tan polished leather oxfords, popper-studded leather sandals, sporty activewear-inspired sandals, two-tone desert boots

Accessories: Open-topped leather shoppers, across-body binoculars case bags, sporty backpacks, quilted weekend bags; rolled neckerchiefs, large fringed cashmere scarves, short cord necklaces featuring mother of pearl inlaid beetle pendants, knitted club ties, a 24-carat-gold thread shot tie, piped-frame sunglasses

Jean Paul Gaultier

Much hullabaloo is often made of Jean Paul Gaultier's costumic themes – we had James Blond last season - but for spring/summer 2012 Gaultier was bereft of an obvious theme. Without his punks or pirates, his collection felt all at sea in a hotch potch of looks.

The look: Anything goes

Silhouette: Tailored and layered

Key items: Tailoring is always a key component for JPG, and here he offers trompe l’oeil-effect three-piece suits comprising of tailored jackets and all-in-one waistcoats (US: vest) and trousers; evening suits are deconstructed and see tux jackets paired with coloured pants or shorts in aloha floral prints. Elsewhere suit trousers are largely full and pleat-fronted and waistcoats feature scalloped lace trims. Outerwear including jean jackets, baseball jackets and signature trench coats, arrive in tartan-printed organza and revealed printed shirts beneath. Elsewhere there are kilt-pleated shorts as well as straight-leg options, striped knit vests (US: tanks) and polo tops

Colour: While there is no cohesive colour palette, pops of royal blue, kingfisher blue and tomato red enlivened the wealth of black, navy, grey and tartan blue-green

Fabric & knit: Satin, raw indigo denim, python skin, leather, tartan, printed organza, cotton, micro houndstooth, pinstripe suiting

Print & pattern: Retro Hawaiian landscapes/postcard prints, aloha florals, signature sailor stripes, small-scale florals for shirting, tartan, an all-over repeat of Rue Saint-Martin road signs

Details & trims: Multiple pockets, scalloped-edge lace trims, rhinestones, notched lapels

Footwear: Printed hi-tops, lace-up plimsolls, suede loafers, pointed satin evening shoes

Accessories: Skinny ties, cummerbunds, tartan or striped socks, fringed tartan scarves

Viktor & Rolf Monsieur

                          

Spring/summer 2012 took on a sunny aspect at Viktor & Rolf, who moved away from their signature conceptual looks to present a collection of neat 70s-inspired resortwear based around a Mediterranean palette, with some offbeat fabric mixes and playful dolphin motifs.

“This spring/summer 2012 Monsieur reflects a new age mood. He remains the same creative man - the sexy intellect - whose wardrobe is an authentic mix of formal and informal. Our Monsieur is on a mystical and spiritual journey and is attracted to magical symbols and serene shades. He's investigating boundaries, but within his own world,” said Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren.

The look: Summer vacation

Silhouette: Neat tailored resortwear

Key items: The collection emphasises a casual formal mix, with sharp peaked lapel 70s-style SBs and classic 70s pant shapes teamed with printed half-sleeved resort shirts and patterned polos in a mismatched palette and lightweight fabric mixes. Casual pants have a sporty appeal, with drawstring waists or a cut-off denim waistband, perfect to layer with a crisp white 4-pocket Harrington hybrid or even the design duo's unexpected lace shirt. The trench and the western jacket offer diverse outerwear options, fabric-blocked in toning shades of blue suede and denim and for evening, crisp tuxedos and bow ties offset with the incongruous mix of minimal sandals and socks

Colour: A summery palette reflecting the colours of Mediterranean resorts with washed sky blue, deep ultramarine and indigo complemented with old gold, Dijon, soft lemon, brick and warm terracotta, pebble grey, soft sage and bois de rose

Fabric & print: Mohair suiting, nylon twill, pressed cotton, chambray, denim, suede, jersey, summer checks, lace, silk, cotton shirtweights

Print & pattern: Playful dolphin intarsias and regular repeat all-over dolphin motifs worked on half-sleeve shirts or polos. Spots on a white ground, horizontal toning stripes

Details & trims: Cut-off denim waistbands on pants, drawstring waist pants, elongated plackets on polos, fabric-blocking, sharp peaked lapels

Footwear: Cleat-soled white boots, minimal X-strap sandals, piped loafers, snakeskin derby

Accessories: Straight top sunglasses with built-up bridge, socks

Yohji Yamamoto

A stellar showing from Yohji Yamamoto, who played with volume and subtle Japonesque workwear influences for a serene collection with a timeless aesthetic that spoke of a gentler bygone era.

The look: Ethnic workwear

Silhouette: Layered volume worked in trapeze-like shapes

Key items: Yamamoto's signature overscaled jackets come with patchwork backs this season, layered over easy tunic shirts, some with collarless details others with military pockets or worn belted to become a jacket hybrid. The focus of the collection comes in the form of wide-legged pants and culottes – often pleated or constructed like soft chaps to layer over wide-legged pants or slim-cuffed trousers. Mismatched pattern play adds to the layered feel along with easy duster coats, shrug-on cardigan jackets and elongated placket Henleys

Colour: Unexpected pops of brights highlight a palette of traditional darks based aound black and indigo, damson, espresso and charcoal punctuated with parrot green, cerulean blue, candy pink, poppy and mint with soft sage and sand bringing in an subtle earthy feel

Fabric & knit: Natural cottons and linen, washed finishes, silk, jersey

Print & pattern: There is a traditional ethnic feel in the subtle mismatched prints, with precise block patterns contrasted with random all-overs, micro florals and pin-prick markings like vintage batiks

Footwear: Plimsolls, flat lace-ups, work boots

Accessories: Unstructured trilbies, soft caps, scarf-like belts, narrow leather belts, striped ties

Issey Miyake

Issey Miyake may be in a state of transition following the departure of Creative Director, Dai Fujiwara, but that didn’t stop the design team from pulling off a strong collection for spring/summer, full of easy Asian-referenced silhouettes, vivid colour and bold prints.

The look: Modern ethnic

Silhouette: Relaxed Asian-inspired and unstructured

Key items: Unstructured duster coats and relaxed SBs provide the perfect team mates for easy wide-cropped pants cut with soft volume, a key look mirrored in boxy shirt jackets and oversized half-sleeve shirts. Diffused panels of vivid colour add interest to crisp white shirts, bringing a subtle ethnic look into play along with the almost ikat-like stripes used on dark suitings and the drapey sarouel hybrids. Other key items evolve around layering pieces like the unstructured neck knits, simple tank tees and neat buttoned waistcoats

Colour: Soft neutrals like bone white, string and sand tempered a range of vivid blues from ultramarine to aqua and peacock with flashes of sky blue, chrome yellow and espresso

Fabric & knit: Washed cotton, linen, silk, summer checks, marld knits and jersey, striped knits

Print & pattern: An exaggerated diagonal wave-like tie-dye effect stripe, diffused colour-block panels, ikat-like weaves, striped knits

Details & trims: Drawstring hems on soft pants

Footwear: Strappy sandals, vivid-coloured lace-ups with contrast laced detail

Accessories: Small-brimmed woven trilbies

Rick Owens

A stunningly simple look from Rick Owens. He took the current mood for androgyny to the max by reinterpreting wardrobe basics - like the dress, skirt, toga and tunic - into a gender-blend asexual collection of geometrical layered pieces that crossed the traditional male-female divide.

The look: Androgyny

Silhouette: Long and draped or multi-layered

Key items: The tailored SB gets a makeover in elongated proportions, with frock coat hems and an inset panelled revers to layer over the simplest A-line floor-skimming dresses and straight-cut maxiskirts with a back split hem. Long tunic tops and tunic knits complete the look, worked with funnel necklines, engineered gradated stripe placements or a vertical band of printed linear motifs. Toga-like drapes add soft volume to the look, creating an alternative dress hybrid, while skinny leggings and a slim padded coat silhouette had a more masculine appeal

Colour: A monastic palette that revokes colour in flavour of asexual black, white, charcoal, pebble, string, sand and a hint of ink

Fabric & knit: Flat suitings, melanged and slubbed effects, sheened mohair suitings, papery cotton, cotton, lightly padded effects, raw silk, silk shantung, jersey, compact knits

Print & pattern: Gradated vertical panelled stripes, abstract angular grid lines in white on black

Details & trims: Soft ruched unstructured hemlines, triangular cowls on cotton tunic shirts

Footwear: Unlaced military boots in black or grey

Accessories: Neckerchiefs, dark sunglasses with a straight-cut built-up bridge

Alexis Mabille

For spring/summer 2012, Alexis Mabille unveiled a new collaboration with intimates label Hom. as models peeled off their clothes to reveal the goods. The apparel collection riffed on the perennial nautical story, with sailor stripes and chain motifs adding an on-trend touch with sporty influences.

The look: Sporty nautical

Silhouette: Athletic and top heavy

Key items: As part of the collaboration with Hom, Mabille offers a new range of underwear and swimwear, including briefs, short boxers and mankinis, as well as V-necked tees, striped socks, hooded dressing gowns in satin or waffle cotton, and jersey track pants tapered to a skinny ankle cuff. For the main collection bottomweights include slim-fitting cargo pants, some cuffed at the knee as long shorts, wide pleat-front shorts and straight-cut tailored pants; tops are sporty, with oversized sweatshirts, a zippered baseball jacket/track top hybrid, bibbed granddad tees or vests, and hooded shirts – some with drawstring waists; tailoring is largely slim-fitting comprising 1SB jackets and those straight-leg pants, while outerwear highlights offered a belted mac and trench coat, and a grey marl jersey pea coat with striped revers and low-placed DB buttons

Colour: Grey, black, white and navy

Fabric & knit: Jersey - bonded, cotton, silk, Lycra stretch; grey chambray, linen, cotton, gingham, checked shirting cottons, satin, ciré, waffle cotton

Print & pattern: Typographical slogans, trompe l'oeil chain, Breton stripes in varying scale and placements

Details & trims: Contrast revers, white shirt collars and cuffs, bib-fronts, striped edging trims, cargo pockets, V-necks, drawstrings, feature stitching at the knee, low placement DB buttoning, hoods

Footwear: Jute trimmed canvas espadrilles

Accessories: Bandana scarves worn around the wrist, large link chain bracelets; across-body chain-strapped mini bags, canvas shoppers with knotted rope handles; animal print belts

Dries Van Noten

Other designers may be touting rock 'n' roll looks or carefree resort dressing for spring/summer 2012, but Dries Van Noten was preoccupied with the funtionality of outdoor clothing for next season – specifically waterproof clothing for men who spend their time hunting, shooting and fishing.

The look: Protective

Silhouette: Covered-up and functional tempered with lean tailoring

Key items: Outerwear is the focus of this collection, with variations on a theme for functional parkas, anoraks and zipped-through cabans all worked with a multitude of pocket details, contrast bound trims, drawstrings and funnel necklines. Layering is another key theme, with wide-legged shorts worked over straight-cut pants or leggings, crisp white shirt tails peeping from the hemlines of parkas or tailored jackets. Tailoring is slick and lean worked in sheened fabrications with 6DB jackets and low-slung pleat front tapered pants, while easy tunic knits come in dry-handle textured yarns and a profusion of stripes add a touch of pattern play for casual shirts and pants 

Colour: A palette of intense summer darks confirm midnight blue and deep aubergine as key colours for next summer, here offset with espresso and sand with vivid accents of industrial orange and chrome yellow

Fabric & knit: Technical nylons and coated fabrics are the order of the day contrasted with silks and fluid satins, crisp cottons or rustic linen-like textures, sometimes in one garment as in fabric-blocked ciré with linen effects. Knits add texture with dry-handle yarns in plains and stripes

Print & pattern: Stripes worked as panel details or as all-overs

Adam Kimmel

Adam Kimmel’s spring/summer collection may not have been groundbreaking in terms of setting trends or defining conceptual new aesthetics, but where this designer scores is that he produces clothes men will actually want to wear.

The look: Rugged and sporty

Silhouette: Lean but fluid casual/formal layers

Key items: Sporty outerwear is always a strong look from this designer and for summer 2012, parkas, a waxed cotton caban and rugged blousons come layered over simple zipped-through jackets and tops, to team with boyish knee-length shorts or slouchy zipped hem pleat-front pants. Zips are a recurring theme, trimming leather colour-blocked Harringtons, splicing the neck of a striped polo top or tracing the front of an easy all-in-one, while sheened suitings bring a slick look to SB tailoring. Half-sleeved resort shirts provide the blank canvas for overdyed florals or a micro skateboarder print,  soft fine-gauge knits come with the playful contrast of coloured welt trims, while a basic T-shirt gets a fashion makeover with a rainbow-coloured psychedelic logo

Colour: Black, midnight, espresso, mole, taupe and bone white with old gold and poppy highlights

Fabric  & knit: Waxed cotton, nylon, leather, drill, silky shantung effects, two-tone mohair suitings, melanged fine-gauge knits, jersey, washed linen and cotton.

Print & pattern: A grid-like pattern on dark grounds, fleck-like all-over motifs in black and white with a micro skateboarder motif, overdyed floral

Details & trims: White exposed zips, contrast welts, contrast hoods

Footwear: Work boots, simple canvas slip-on deck shoes

Accessories: Mirrored eyewear, colourful printed scarves

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Live From... Paris Fashion Week, Day 2

Damir Doma

Damir Doma is principally a menswear designer, and this direction infuses his womenswear with a minimal androgyny that renders the wearer almost genderless. Sleek lines, created by elongated layered lengths and the minimising of details such as collars and closures, are neither masculine nor feminine. 

The look: Androgynous minimalism
Silhouette: Elongated and linear
Key items: Tunic-length shirts and tops were layered over cycling shorts, maxiskirts or super-wide fluid pants, while bomber jackets and tailored blazers featured cutaway collars and revers. Unstructured outerwear, including a tab-shouldered jacket and a soft wrap coat, softened the minimal linear silhouettes, as did the cloud-like Mongolian lamb jackets. Capes were revisited items - arriving either as a zip-up jacket or snug-fitting knitted top - while skirts or dresses often featured a tabard-like strip panel at the front, acting as a graphic high-low detail
Colour: Graphic black and white punctuated with bronze, peach, chestnut brown, old gold and steel blue Fabric & knit: Mongolian lamb, dense wools, leather, suede, hammered satin, silk, crepe, lamé, textured open-mesh knit
Print & pattern: Speckled/flecked
Details & trims: Zip pockets, long tabard-like strips as skirt panels, short turtlenecks, single-buttoned high necks
Footwear: Triple-sole creeper shoes and thigh-high boots
Accessories: Snakeskin belts with silver buckle, long cuffs in embossed gold, copper or silver metal

Anne Valérie Hash

Soft romantic drapes and delicate blouson shapes are AVH hallmarks, and for winter the designer fuses them with a gentle masculinity through unstructured sleeveless jackets, slouch-fit peg pants and a palette of subtly muted tones. 

The look: Soft androgyny
Silhouette: Slouchy tapered layers
Key items: Loose-fitting peg pants worn with softly draped silk blouses and slouchy, unstructured sleeveless jackets; blouson drapey jumpsuits with a casual V-neckline, signature ruffled miniskirts with paper-bag waist and raw-edged layers; short or cropped jackets that are boxy and collarless
Colour: Muted tones of khaki, mocha, powder blue, skin pink, old gold and pale misty grey, with black and navy
Fabric & knit: Silk, silk chiffon, wool, faux shearling, short-haired fur, metallic linen weave, cable knit in marled yarn
Print & pattern: Dense scratch print, shattered multicolour abstract
Details & trims: Wrapped and draped waist/crotch detail, paper-bag waists, layered ruffles, raw edges, puckered gathers, twisted drapes
Footwear: Extra-thick platform ankle boots with a buckled criss-cross strap
Accessories: Rope belts

Dries Van Noten

Dries Van Noten works colour and print with a painterly hand, effortlessly combining seemingly random patterns and fabrics into a seamlessly beautiful whole. For autumn/winter 2011/12 he melded diverse fragments of influences together - gilded Japonesque lacquer motifs, black and white op art, constructivist geometrics and slabs of bold colour - which on paper shouldn’t have worked, but in reality created a collection of instantly desirable pieces.

The look: A melting pot of vintages and eras
Silhouette: Elongated masculine/feminine
Key items: Mannish influences were played out in softly structured and overscaled tailoring, pleat-front pants and strict, almost Edwardiana DB coats, all the perfect contradiction to fluid below-knee skirts, narrow but easy belted wrap coats, and the collection’s multitude of beautifully simple collaged pieced dresses, which came with a 30s feel. There was a modern twist too in the oversized colour-blocked cable knits, and a series of mixed pattern columnar silhouettes that brought a new definition to eveningwear
Colour: Black and white led the field, with quiet blocks of grey acting as a canvas to the collection’s rich cognac and caramel browns, vivid pumpkin, Kelly green, and sapphire or cornflower blues punctuated with antiqued gold
Fabric & knit: Loosely woven tweeds shot with vivid colour sat side by side with monochrome Donegals, black curly lamb, mixed furs, vividly patterned satins, jet beading, fluid crepes, and gilded brocades or jacquards, all worked as separate garments or collaged into constructivist shards within one silhouette
Print & pattern: Japonesque bonsai and floral patterns, constructivist linear geometrics, vivid spatter prints, swirling op-art all-overs, tonal morphing motifs
Details & trims: Fur facings, mismatched piecing
Footwear: Ankle boots, which came in solid colours, in snakeskin or in bright colour-blocked effectsAccessories: Patterned socks, narrow leather belts, amber-coloured deep cuff bangles, clutch bags, colour-blocked totes

Felipe Oliveira Baptista

A vaguely 20s look from Felipe Oliveira Baptista, who cited Nancy Cunard among his many influences this season. The designer tapped into several of next winter’s key trends, with his dropped-waist silhouettes, mannish trouser shapes and fur gilets. 

The look: 20s hybrids
Silhouette: Short versus long
Key items: Long, lean coats with funnel necklines exaggerating the narrow silhouette; masculine wide pants and side-split knee-length skirts teamed with sheer shirts etched with vivid beaded trims; full fox gilets and sleeves on reed-thin hip-belted coats contrasted with the more sporty appeal of soft elongated blousons and tunic knits, paired with narrow cuffed pants. For evening, short shift dresses with bright sequined trims
Colour: A brooding palette of black, with bright accents such as poppy, jade, ochre and bright turquoiseFabric & knit: Luxe wools, leather, silk chiffon, velvet, sequins, fox furs, jersey, mohair knits
Details & trims: Sequinned trims, beaded collars and cuffs on sheer blouses, tulle trims on tailoring
Footwear: Buckle-side high-heeled ankle boots
Accessories: Scarves, fur hats

Rochas

According to his press release, Marco Zanini was on a quest to determine the meaning of chic for his autumn/winter Rochas collection. It turned out to be a quest without an answer, as chic is surely in the eye of the beholder. For many it could be Coco Chanel’s fluid but feminine androgyny, Jackie Kennedy’s 60s flair, Audrey Hepburn’s timeless gamine quality, but for Zanini, chic turned out to mean a procession of innocuous tailoring, neat day dresses and unadorned satin eveningwear. 

The look: Unchic chic
Silhouette: Softly structured
Key items: The tailored SB was at the core of this collection, worked in solids, print or as part of an opening mid-blue genderless pantsuit. Subtle striped or colour-blocked knits came teamed with A-line skirts, cropped pants and a floor-sweeping maxi, while dress shapes were worked to the knee as basic shift shapes or A-lines with zipped fronts. Boxy coats had a trapeze-line unstructured appeal, paired with narrow leggings and toeless mules. The collection moved into a lighter vein, which had a certain chic appeal, with brushed mohair coats and lightly ruffled silk dresses and skirts, morphing into columnar satin eveningwear
Colour: A palette of intense winter darks centred around black, ink and aubergine, undercut with midtone blue, soft peach and rose, grey and white
Fabric & knit: Brushed mohair, satin, cashmere, moiré silk. Fine-gauge knits
Print & pattern: A tonal rose jacquard, an exaggerated cheetah print, a childlike Bucol print in brights
Details & trims: Zipped fronts on dresses
Footwear: Toeless winter mules, high-cut pumps with an elongated toe
Accessories: Long gloves, astrakhan hats, crochet bonnets

Gareth Pugh

It doesn’t seem so long since Gareth Pugh was the adored dark prince of London’s club scene, his shows the must-have ticket for a thousand fashion wannabes at LFW. That was before he took the plunge and his signature goth looks on to the broader fashion stage, where his particular brand of monastic-meets-dark-forces womenswear has attained a new level of professionalism, starting to appeal to real fashionistas worldwide.

The look: Theatrical religious iconography
Silhouette: Covered-up, sharp-shouldered and A-line
Key items: There is a certain Alexander McQueen-ish theatricality in a Gareth Pugh collection, full of sharp angles and hourglass A-line shaping, so it was an unexpected departure to see his more fluid semi-sheer wrap dresses and wide-cut pants in among the customary leather-sleeved body-con sheaths, taut leather breastplates and zipped jackets with their flaying asymmetric hemlines. Appliquéd leather crosses added to the religious feel, a look mirrored in the cope-like capes. Sculpted neoprene shapes were broken into angular appliquéd shards before the tempo changed and a softer new look came into focus, with sinuous columnar dresses spliced with a tabard panel or colour-blocking
Colour: Black, Yves Klein blue, gold
Fabric & knit: Leather, jersey, sheers, neoprene, wool, suede, fur
Details & trims: Appliquéd crosses, sharp-angled shoulderlines, asymmetric hems
Footwear: High ridged leather boots
Accessories: Gauntlets

Rue du Mail

Martine Sitbon is one of the stalwarts of the Paris schedule, now showing under her Rue du Mail label rather than her eponymous name. Like Sonia Rykiel, she can always be relied on to bring a flirtatious touch into the season, with her “je ne sais quoi” brand of feminine dresses and knits. 

The look: 60s meets 20s, by way of Sylvie Vartan
Silhouette: Below-the-knee and softly unstructured
Key items: Dresses were a strong suit, simple below-knee shapes acting as a canvas for print and pattern, or worked as flirty knitted silhouettes. There were serious pencil skirts teamed with knitted shell tops, and a play on the Chanel cardigan jacket, here worked in bold blocks of satin. Neat-fit jackets featured the season’s trend for contrasting fur sleeves, and softly tailored pantsuits came in satin and velvet black-on-black effects. Cutouts and devoré patterns were used to effect on cap sleeves, yokes or bib-fronts on dresses, and for evening, semi-sheer shifts were etched with narrow pin tucks and applied rosettes
Colour: Black and white, bright orange, purple, bougainvillea pink
Fabric & knit: Jacquards, mohair knits, velvet devoré, duchesse satin, velvet, sheers, lamé
Print & pattern: Stylised Art Nouveau patterns as all-overs or cutouts and burn-outs, Constructivist appliqués in black and white
Details & trims: Pintucks, applied self floral trims
Footwear: Low-cut front ankle boots with a high heel and cutaway platform
Accessories: Fur scarves, black or white hosiery

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Live From... Paris Menswear, Day 1

Viktor & Rolf

 

Last season Viktor & Rolf reworked the classic shirt into a full womenswear collection, this season for men the motif is the suit. Running with the idea that a suit is simply two matching items, the designers offer leisurewear jogging suits and cotton shirt suits alongside their well-tailored traditional options. 

The look: Re-imagined suits for every occasion
Silhouette: Lean and straightKey items: As an exploration of “the suit”, matching two-piece ensembles are the mot du jour, with examples ranging from a grey marl sweatshirt and jogging pant to a shirt-and-trouser set in matching white cotton poplin; more traditional tailored suits arrive as slim 2SBs with notched lapels and skinny pants or an unstructured DB suit with cutaway jacket closure and long-john leggings, and tuxedos for evening; outerwear comprises slender trench coats including one in quilted nylon, a fly-front commuter coat with quilted sleeves and cord collar, while shearling coats and jackets have both revers and a zip-up funnel neck collar; other on trend pieces include cord trousers in cropped length and a pieced sweater with exaggerated polo neck
Colour: Black, white, grey and camel with singular shots of midnight blue and vermilion red
Fabric & knit: Silk wool suiting, a lustrous check jacquard, brushed buffalo check flannel, shearling, corduroy, suede, check-quilted nylon, melange jersey, crisp cotton poplin
Print & pattern: Buffalo checksDetails & trims: Contrast-coloured shirt plackets and collars; peaked lapels in velvet or beaded check pattern for tux jackets; check quilting
Footwear: Formal lace-ups – some in buffalo-check printed leather, others with rubbed toes; monk-strapped shoes; suede loafers; military-esque boots with deep tread
Accessories: Shearling gloves; knee-high socks; shopper, briefcase and weekend bag in embossed and drummed buffalo leather

Rick Owens 

With a signature aesthetic so distinct, Rick Owens collections are variations on a theme – monastic lengths, apocalyptic leather and androgynous dresses and skirts. Autumn/winter 2011/12 continues in much the same vein, with the addition perhaps of on-trend quilted nylons and puffas seen in Milan last week. 

The look: Urban tribes
Silhouette: Elongated layers and cutaway fronts
Key items: Layered looks comprise funnel-neck wrap dresses, kilt-like leather skirts, polo-neck sweaters with extra-long sleeves, cutaway wrap coats and jackets either long and trailing or cropped at the chest with dipping hems; structured outerwear including duffel coats fastened with two rod-like metal toggles, zip-through jackets and coats with quilted nylon funnel necks
Colour: Strictly limited to black, white and pumice grey
Fabric & knit: Leathers including a polished and slicked finish, suede, shearling, cotton, quilted nylon, ridged wool, raw silk, shaved furs
Details & trims: Samurai-style stitched/ridged cotton edging, metal strips tracing jacket edges, puffa funnel necks, contrast trims
Footwear: Tall boots with asymmetrical zips working around the leg, boots with a central front zip worn open and flared
Accessories: Long suede gloves worn scrunched, three-quarter-length leather gloves

Jean Paul Gaultier

Theatrical to the very end, Jean Paul Gaultier plays with a James Bond theme this season, with deconstructed tuxedos and suave evening looks, sporty action-man puffas, wetsuits and lashings of metallics just perfect for Goldfinger villains. 

The look: James Bond heroes and villains
Silhouette: Wide top halves, skinny legs
Key items: Peaked lapel tuxedos in multiple reincarnations including a sleeveless 8DB jacket, wide-cut 1SB lamé option and a trompe l’oeil zip-up shirt with pant shapes ranging from slim-leg pants to cropped gauchos and tailored micro shorts, as well as signature long-rise and dropped crotch styles; broad and abbreviated puffa jackets and wide-cut biker jackets; zip-through cardigans and polo-neck sweaters, scuba wetsuits worn as leggings, blousons with ribbed knit sleeves; signature bateau-neck sweaters and striped polo tees  
Colour: Black, sandy beige, gold and flashes of orange and violet
Fabric & knit: Lamé, silk wool, pinstripes and yellow chalkstripe suitings, metallic-glazed knits, silk, satin, neoprene, cotton shirting, leather including bonded, shearling, Lycra jersey, quilted and padded nylons and rubberised technos
Print & pattern: A multicoloured paisley bandana print, a space navigation graphic, crackle effect in gold foil and gold foil stripes
Details & trims: Matelot buttoning, zipped trouser ankles, leather revers, all-over sequins, a sequinned skeleton-rib motif on tees, fox fur trims
Footwear: Chelsea boots, tall pull-on biker boots
Accessories: A new opticals range with Alain Mikli; extra-long scarves – silk with long fringe, white dress scarves, wool with short fringe; bow ties, miniature satchels

Juun J 

        

Channelling a film noir mood, Juun J taps into shadowy spy chic, with caped-sleeved trench coats and 40s-inspired DB suits with wide pants. 

The look: Film Noir redux
Silhouette: Caped, wide legs
Key items: 40s-style suits with oxford bags and DB jackets that fold upwards to act as a matching overcoat; double-sleeved (regular sleeve and cape slit) outerwear including biker jackets, trenches and puffa coats; striped shirts with knitted sleeves, mid-gauge polo sweaters and chunky V-neck tunic-length sweaters with sleeves that morph into a coiled scarf; there is also a slimmer pant shape – pleat-front but tapered
Colour: Black, grey and camelFabric & knit: Plaid wools and suitings, chalkstripe wool, striped cotton shirtings, flannel, tweed, leather, quilted and padded nylon, curly Mongolian lambPrint & pattern: A grainy pointillist effect, large-scale plaid checks
Details & trims: Leather edging, banded quilting, stitched leather, double sleeves and collars, spliced sleeves
Footwear: Chunky boots with abstract extended sole
Accessories: Detached Mongolian lamb collars, part-framed optical, skinny ties, knitted over-the-elbow gloves, zip-round leather document cases

Issey Miyake

There’s always a touch of surviving the elements in any Issey Miyake menswear presentation. This season didn’t disappoint with an easy mix of unstructured tailoring and weatherproof outerwear.The look: Town and countrySilhouette: Relaxed and unstructured 

Key Items: Billowing unstructured macs and padded coats provided protection, layered over slim trousers, waterproof zippered pants and easy cuffed joggers, then teamed with chunky DB knits and cosy gilets. Apron-front details update relaxed-fit pants and tailoring comes as soft unstructured SBs or plaid tailored cabans with scarf-effect collars
Colour: A countrified palette of rustic greens like moss and olive are offset with rich bark browns, ochre, grey, taupe and aubergine
Fabric & knit: Tree bark textures, nylon, waxed or coated finishes, flannel, plaid, small-scale bicolour check and striped seersucker-effect shirtings
Print & Pattern: A splatter blot print, herringbone patterned tee, degradé striped shirtings
Details & trims: Apron fronts on soft tailored pants, scarf neckline on an SB
Footwear: Suede sneakers, laced ankle boots, rugged walking boots
Accessories: Bow ties, knitted beanies, plaid scarves, soft fisherman hats, overscaled bumbag

Louis Vuitton

A modern minimal look from Paul Helbers at Louis Vuitton, where the designer plays with reinventing classic shapes in a graphic cinematic-inspired palette. 

The look: Minimalist menswear
Silhouette: Sharp and clean with minimal detailing
Key Items: Tailoring is a strong statement throughout this collection, reworked as belted wrap SBs and tuxes or with flat fly fronts and curved cutaway hemlines, all layered over collarless shirts or high-fastening vests. Seamed details add a linear touch to shirtings and suits with vertical panelling, matt-sheen fabric mixes or contrast panelled inserts. Helbers takes the season’s preoccupation with outerwear and reinvents it with puffa-style cagoules, leather puffa gilets, and parka hybrids. A padded parka hemline morphs into a tailored tuxedo jacket. Elsewhere the emphasis is on a luxe touch, with velvet trousers, tactile fur jackets and plush shearling, with an LV monogrammed velvet tux for evening
Colour: A strong graphic palette of black on black, winter white, rich espresso brown, anthracite and charcoal greys and a flash of vermilion red
Fabric & knit: A play on matt-shine fabrics sees a mix of luxe suitings, sooty black or grey velvet, satin, nylon and taffeta, leather, denim, flannel and rugged furs and shearling. Herringbone pattern knits, plated rib sweaters
Details & trims: Fur collars, velvet trims, panelling details with black-on-black matt-sheen mixes
Footwear: Mudguard soles, contrast toecap boots
Accessories: Crocodile document cases, weekend bags, plated rib scarves, bumbags and fanny packs

Dries Van Noten 

David Bowie’s alter ego, The Thin White Duke, supplies the inspiration for Dries Van Noten’s playful collection, where the designer confidently twinned disparate silhouettes to great effect.

The look: Glamorous
Silhouette: Louche 40s vintage-meets-slick sportswear
Key items: The 40s-inspired louche DB suit set the scene for looks that combined slouchy tailored pleat-front pants with slick motocross jackets, zippered biker pants or an embroidered hussar’s jacket with chunky sleeveless fisherman knits, three-quarter-length tie-belt jackets with panelled skinny pants, a shawl collared blazer with voluminous cargo pants and classically-styled DB Crombies reworked with biker-style zips
Colour: Black, winter white, grey, camel, espresso and indigo with rich aubergine, a flash or cobalt and tanFabric & knit: Lush cashmere blend suiting and coatweights, tonal pinstripes and subtle banded stripes, velvet, flannel, brushed wools and mohair, rabbit and chinchilla; technical nylons; chunky heavy-gauge marled knits
Details & trims: Fur collars and revers-shaped tippets, contrast facings, biker style zips ,gold embroideryFootwear: Chunky soled boots
Accessories: Cross-body satchels on striped straps

Yohji Yamamoto

Yohji Yamamoto has no truck with trends, plying his singular vision with a Zen-like disregard for fashion. With an upcoming exhibition at London’s V&A museum this spring, that vision may be set to reach a broader appeal. 

The look: Haphazard mismatched dressing
Silhouette: Voluminous and overscaled
Key Items: Voluminous throw-on coats and oversized DB suits have a dishevelled appeal, along with hiked-up paper-bag-waist trousers, high-button vests or waistcoats, chunky intarsia tunic knits and soft-collared shirts
Colour: Black, taupe and grey form the core of the palette with playful accents of cobalt and red
Fabric & knit: Softly structured tweeds add to the haphazard look, along with patchworked checks, mismatched pinstripes and chalk-striped flannels, with silk velvet adding a touch of vintage glamour
Print & pattern: Cherry and skeletal intarsia, Botticelli-style goddess prints, alpine jacquards
Details & trims: Soft tie belts on voluminous pant shapes, sequin or velvet top collars
Footwear: Laced work boots, sneakers
Accessories: Watch chains, high-crown trilbies, leather belts

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