Giorgio Armani
Giorgio Armani Menswear Collection, Fall 2010 Milan
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Giorgio Armani is such an unstoppable force in fashion that even though he has a slew of other far reaching labels, his collections are always jam packed with scores and scores of desirable and easily wearable pieces. And while he may not be re-inventing the wheel, he's always turning it in a direction that never looks back. There's always something about Armani that's innately modern, so much so that he's reached a point where he's beyond trend, beyond reference and somehow he's able to escape the cold realms of banality.
For Fall he once again proved that good design needn't be drastic nor revolutionary, here, the statement lie in the use of luxurious and often surprising fabrications. Classic shapes, the shawl collar, the full legged trouser, meticulously tailored suiting and proper top coats came in shades of griege with shots of electirc blue and muted green. Into the mix was a vivid use of sumptuous velvet, tonal prints, shearling, chevron and checkerboard quilting. It was a smart way of updating the ideas of fundamental menswear without having to sacrifice what works so well.
PRADA
Prada Menswear Fall 2010, Milan
Prada Menswear Fall 2010, Milan
For the first time ever, or at least since I can recall, Muiccia Prada showed her latest menswear collection alongside her women's Pre-Fall for 2010. Like any Prada presentation, the setting here was a statement making collage composed of mixed media from large screen installations to a printed runway illustrated to denote the political, cultural, environmental and economic climates of the decade past. Thankfully though, the nostalgia ended there.
The show opened with a natty take on familiar 60's & 70's inspired garb, a beautifully cut camel jacket paired with classic navy trousers, simple yes, yet at the moment it feels fresh. And in Prada's hands, her smart suiting was met with abbreviated and awkwardly geekish sweaters in a myriad of offset dulled gem tones. Leaving much of those arty "Prada-isms" behind, the range moved on to offer a serious assortment of outerwear options that each had their own distinctive flair. They came in lean mod shapes from rubberized black peacoats to double necked toppers and parkas with updated camo prints. Most of all, it was nice to see such a forward thinking directional designer create modern riffs on timeless ideas that felt anything but timely.
Lanvin
Lanvin Menswear Collection, Fall 2010 Paris
Lanvin Menswear Collection, Fall 2010 Paris
Since taking over in 2001, Alber Elbaz has transformed venerable French house Lanvin into one of the most sought after, beautifully executed and delightfully wearable labels around, and that's why I have begun to reconsider it as an institution, fashion doesn't get much higher than this. The Lanvin woman is known for her off-kilter and somewhat disheveled easy take on classic haute Parisian style in couture fabrications and he's brought that relaxed luxe quality to the the house's menswear label alongside Lucas Ossendrijver.
Known for sophisticated takes on Parisian streetwear and refined suiting, this fall the Lanvin man walks a fine line between the dualities of rough and refined with a tougher overall edge. Coats and outerwear, the standouts of this collection, came raw edged, some with dropped shoulders, some in dulled black leather, some nipped at the waist with a v shape and many with ingenius contrasting detachable sleeves. Best of all were sporatic shots of soothing pale pink, muted mushroom, cinnamon, cranberry, and Atlantic blue.
Dries Van Noten
Dries Van Noten Menswear Collection Fall 2010
Dries Van Noten Menswear Collection Fall 2010
Dries Van Noten is a man who knows his fabrications and how to make them acheive an emotional response, afterall, he is the prince of prints and a man with an eye for serious color. And this may be off the subject, but in womenswear at the moment Phoebe Philo at Celine is creating great buzz for her clothes that have an easy minimalism and a studied intellectual cool about them, and when I saw Van Noten's fall show, I felt that he had channeled that same sensibilty brilliantly. For fall, Van Noten reimagined familiar fabrications from collegiate letterman jackets, preppy plaids, sweat fabrics and rugby stripes and collaged them with classic camel, pinstripes and windowpaine plaids with a result that somehow felt sophisticated, upbeat and undeniably contemporary all at once. -- Naveed Hussain, VagabondNYc
Published on January 28, 2010
