#WMCFW: Christopher Bates Spring 2015 Menswear

I love the Christopher Bates Menswear show at Toronto Fashion Week.  His runway is always a treat to the ladies (or men) with a debonair line up of gorgeous gentlemen in fantasy characters (ok I am projecting). 

Christopher Bates always produces a sophisticated menswear collection with roots in Italian tailoring, but approachable to the most basic of fashion-shy males.  For spring 2015, his World Mastercard Fashion Week collection was inspired by the movie The English Patient.  You see the influence in the posh safari styling, tailored shorts, with some retro formal wear looks.   Even though the theme is recognized, each ensemble is wearable by most men.  There aren’t any gimmicky catwalk pieces, just stylish clothes to suit a projected lifestyle.

The savviness of Christopher Bates is that every model is styled to appeal to an archetype to tickle your fancy.  The rugged explorer, the adventurer with trendy beard, urban moto-riding vagabond and the posh gent are all there to accommodate your fantasy.  It’s a perfect marketing move where the designer understands that men ultimately dress to attract and please a mate, therefore he presents his collection as such.

I don’t wish to disrespect the designer’s success or talent, but it doesn't hurt that the handsome Bates is the embodiment of his brand.  How hot would it be to live in this world?

photos by David TW Leung

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Christopher Bates Winter 2013

The Canadian fashion industry calls Christopher Bates the "James Bond" of menswear.  That doesn't mean he has a license to kill.  They are talking about the handsome designer's suave personal style which also translates into his collection.

I thought I would spend the next week paying tribute to the guys by featuring menswear.  Christopher Bates' Fall/Winter 2013 collection for World MasterCard Fashion Week in Toronto was sophisticated and refined.  That did not mean stuff.  The well dressed gentlemen strolled down the runway in a relaxed manner as the tuxedo clad creative director described the elements of each look.

This fashion presentation felt intimate.  From a writer and buyer's perspective, I found his format highly effective as you heard about the design intent, fabric and tailoring details directly from the designer's lips.  It reminded of the old-fashioned collections in designer ateliers, where fashion "shows" really were for the important people there to do business.

Christopher Bates is a highly skilled business man who drew quite a crowd in the panel discussions for new designers.  Prior to his fashion training in Milan, is career background was in marketing and sales. I guess such an impressive background does earn him a "Bond" nickname in these circles.

What is your favorite Canadian menswear brand?

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