#NYFWM Grungy Gentlemen Fall 2019

Grungy Gentlemen is still all about the six stripes for Fall 2019. I find this menswear collection kind of brilliant. It is not because it is radically fashion forward or luxurious. It is because of young designer Jace Lipstein runs the collection like a textbook marketing exercise. His signature six stripes are presented in every location, print, applique, what have you so that it looks fresh on every look for detail so simplistic. The stripes look sporty, so it appeals to many of his celebrity athlete following, also earning him licenses for major sports teams right from the start.

I remember when I studied intellectual property in law class, there was a classic case study of how you cannot use 2 or 4 stripes in your designs or Adidas will sue your ass, but 5 stripes were ok. It looks like Lipstein was also savvy to this case and added one more stripe.

The name Grungy Gentlemen is the ideal, trendy, contrasting name to pair two sides of appealing personas. Casual but refined, rustic but cosmopolitan, rough, but elegant. Any word except hipster right? The model casting also reflects the image. Models of all heights, body shapes, ages and ethnicities graced the runway, (hosted by nightclub pool hall Slate NY). The majority of models had very current beards. I am not cool enough to know who all of the athletes and music celebs were in attendance or modeling, but hello there rapper Dave East and NFL player Jesse Palmer. I will observe that they all looked good and made the Grungy Gentlemen look their own.

You could call this a street style brand, but the jackets, sweaters and overall styling take that up a notch. You could call this a great lesson in how to execute a modern menswear label, for those who want to be schooled. The Grungy Gentlemen here know how to strut.

Photos by Mariana Leung

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#NYFWM: Parke and Ronen Spring 2017

Here are a bunch of cute boys in swimwear! Parke and Ronen's spring 2017 collection was all about collegiate athletics. The clothing had a lot of upgraded varsity graphics like letter jackets and sweaters. Whimsical motifs accompanied some of the logos. Sport stripes were prominent in the ready to wear separates and swimwear.

While there were a few board short styles, most of the looks were short and TIGHT! Better get in shape guys.

The two designers Parke Lutter and Ronen Jehezkel met two decades ago as recent fashion school graduates. They partnered up to build their innovative menswear brand and also in life. Their spontaneous moment of celebration during their finale was adorable.

That has got to be one of the best trends in fashion this past year. Many of the creative couples I know got married in the last two years. How wonderful is it to collaborate in life and in love? Parke and Ronen's spring 2017 collection makes it all look good.

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#NYFWM: Black Lives Matter - Making Street Style Count

Downtown New York is all about menswear style right now. Bloggers and fashion wannabes have 
been posing inside and outside the runway venues hoping to be photographed. One fashion influencer took that opportunity to make it count. Hannah Stoudemire, a model, and Lanvin employee rounded up fellow citizens to stand for Black Lives Matter outside Skylight Clarkson Square. She is normally a fan of the designers showing at fashion week but was frustrated at the industry's lack of response to the most recent illegal killings of Black citizens by the police. Names of victims Walter Scott and Sandra Bland were displayed on t-shirts.

Designers have made a social statement with their collections in the past. Unfortunately, that's generally an exception, not a rule. Pyer Moss showed a short film paying tribute to victims of police brutality to open his spring 2016 fashion show. Outfits within the show were spray painted with "I can't breathe" in reference to the killing of Eric Garner.



In 2014, during the Dapper Q's showcase of masculine fashion designers, Mary Going's fashion show for her label Saint Harridan had their models carry signs for Black Lives Matter following the deaths of Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown. 

The fact that year after year, the fashion industry even has cause to protest because of new tragedies is appalling. Many bloggers or fashion industry figures often shy away from "controversial" topics because they are afraid of losing followers or customers. There is nothing controversial about #BlackLivesMatter. It is wrong for human beings to be murdered. There really isn't a debate about that is there? Hannah Stoudemire stands to lose both followers AND customers as a model and salesperson, but she has stayed the course.

Fashion doesn't have to be shallow. Fashion week has a lot of fans and a lot of viewers. There is nothing wrong with showing you are socially aware while showing stylish clothes. Wouldn't an outfit be more memorable if you associated it with changing the world? I was happy to see fellow photographers and influencers being moved by Stoudemire's protest. The protest was silent, elegant and moving. The fact that she has already garnered press from many of the top media outlets lets me believe that fashion people are not apathetic. They just needed a worthy influencer to start the movement.

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NYFWM: Nick Graham Spring 2017

Woo hoo! More partying in Cuba! Men's underwear guru Nick Graham took us away from the tobacco fields and back to the 1950s when Havana was a global playground for everyone from mobsters to royalty. For the Nick Graham Spring 2017 show, the venue was filled with tropical foliage while samba dancers kept it festive.

Warm weather suits in seersucker, madras fabrics and linen were the standouts of the collection. Vibrant florals and tropical prints were a nod to the famous Tropicana club of Cuba. The hints of military camouflage patterns were an acknowledge of the revolution that was brewing during this time period.

The music had models and guests dancing. I loved the International spirit and "getaway" theme of the show. There was an enthusiastic announcer introducing each model and their nationality when he was about to strut down the runway. Ushers were dressed as airline stewardesses and the programs were designed to look like a plane ticket. As with most menswear shows, there were female models wearing the tailored looks as well. With Nick Graham, the cross-dressing aspect was given a cheeky acknowledgment with the model sporting a dramatic mustache.

As a Canadian passport holder, I'm not sure what has kept me from visiting Cuba all this time. Nick Graham Spring 2017 certainly found inspiration there, Maybe I will too.

photos by Mariana Leung

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NYFWM: Carlos Campos Spring 2017

The spirit of Havana was another theme I saw running through New York Fashion Week Men's. Carlos Campos was inspired by the Cuban Nomad and created an updated look inspired by uniforms, tobacco fields and art deco.

You can see jumpsuits, shorts, jackets, many accented with extra long belt ties. The color palette stuck close to classic uniform shades like navy, white, khaki and military green. The utilitarian comfort was emphasized by the range of both men and women of different heights wearing the clothes with ease. There were some graphic stripes and abstract graphic print to break up the solid colored pieces. The classic guayabera shirt is transformed by Campos into a tailored "Jacketbera" for spring.

Carlos Campos Spring 2017 was a great collection of clean wearable pieces for the city or traveling abroad.

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NYFWM: Robert James Spring 2017

The rock n' roll continued through Robert James' spring 2017 collection last night. The Ohio designer has commited himself to making classic menswear with a modern twist. The look had a British rocker slant to it with models who looked like a young Mick Jagger. The fit was very slim on the pants and jackets. Animal print and leather gave an edge to tailored pieces. 

The overall presentation format was highly effective. Emerging designers take note. The venue was not big compared to other fashion week locations. Rock band equipment was places throughout to add some ambience. Models posed on either side of the columns and rotated throughout the duration to strut down the center aisle like a runway. This created multiple photo opportunities for any guest. This also worked for a collection of fewer looks than your standard catwalk show. I loved that the models injected their own personality into their turn on the runway. 

Since the collection rotated through over and over again, it allowed for more guests to see the presentation whenever they arrived. The presentation felt intimate in that space and the models relaxed attitude helped that as well. 

The Robert James collection is a great label to follow for gents looking for a good wardrobe of fashion forward classics to live by.

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NYFWM: Artistix Spring 2017

Day one of New York Fashion Week Men's featured the rock n' roll guys. Artist Greg Polisseni and fashion director Andy Hilfiger debuted their spring 2017 for Artistix collection with the theme of "Equality" yesterday. It was a great mix of rock n' roll with a black and white palette. The signature print was inspired by Polisseni's paint splatter style artwork. The black and white are a balance of equality, but also easy to wear for anyone.

The top floor had a lot of leather and denim with moto styling. Downstairs had more of a grotto nightclub feel. Models danced in their underwear offering plenty of eye candy for those of us who appreciated it. 

The Hilfiger family (Tommy, Andy, et al. ) know how to bring the rockers in. I walked into this presentation with legendary rock n' roll photographer Mick Rock, which instantly gave this collection some credibility just with his presence. Let's hope Artistix keeps the party going all night long.

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NYFW Menswear: General Idea Fall 2016

Rugged and crafted. Korean designer Choi Bum Suk presented a tightly edited collection at New York Fashion Week Men's. The General Idea collection had a color palette of navy, camel, brown with black and white. The most notable features, however, were the oversized details. Zippers, eyelets and pockets were exaggerated in size.

The overall look was urban cowboy. The rustic edge to the collection was not meant for actually roughing it anywhere with real dirt or outdoor work. It was more of an attitude, like a Western set in the middle of Downtown Seoul. The styling of each piece was well thought out. From the multiple textures of the trims, (leather, or vinyl, or wool contrasted with other fabrics or colors) to the overall drape and layering of the pieces to form the entire outfit.

Accessories were a major part of this runway. There were chokers and hats. The sunglasses had a unique octagon shape. The bags offered great alternatives to the typical men's offerings. An over-sized flat envelope bag acted as a funky alternative to a briefcase. A top-handled bulky flap backpack with giant eyelets was a good option for a carry-all. Thick soled shoes with a rich, gradient polish in the deep navy hues of the clothing looked great with the outfits.

I don't quite have a sense of who the General Idea customer is yet. I do know that I like what I see as a whole from this label. It's tough to be a lone wolf designer in this field of fashion. I wish Choi Bum Suk the best of luck.

photos courtesy of the designer

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Nautica Spring 2016

Thanks for the pecs and eye candy! My former employer Nautica presented their spring 2016 menswear collection yesterday. Creative director Steve McSween wanted to exude a feeling of urban city meets the water.

I thought that summed up what the modern Nautica brand was all about. It's simple, yet somehow the company under VF Corp didn't figure that out for years. I see the sleeker direction the clothing has taken that suits the lifestyle of the city gentleman. Referencing the nautical inspiration and water is more about an attitude and lifestyle you want to project towards your weekend.

While their New York Fashion Week Men's paired their sportswear items like blazers and outerwear with their swimwear, it clearly was not meant to be taken literally. The swimwear had a slimmer, flattering fit. The outerwear had a stylish, easy approach. I found it brave, but effective not to show other categories to flesh out the full collection (like shirts, their classic polo knit, etc.) They showed the two product categories where they excelled. Plus, they clearly realized that everyone already knows what a basic woven shirt and polo looks like. (If they don't, Macy's will hit them over the head with ads by Father's Day.)

While I was sad to see all but three people I knew still at the company to give hugs to, I was happy to hear that the new director was a cool guy. Happy spring 2016 for Nautica.
photos by Mariana Leung

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