James Gabrillo chooses his top 10 favourite looks from the New York Fashion Week: Men’s — and suggests the perfect occasion to wear them.
For a sweaty workout
Designers: Humberto Leon and Carol Lim
This just makes us smile. Humberto Leon and Carol Lim created this look, showcased during the opening ceremony, while thinking about what a modern man would wear to a 6am workout. We don’t know about 6am, but we would happily don that spirited sweater and those tailored track trousers on an outdoor run. Their unorthodox mix of light and heavy textures on that sweater is a thoughtful touch.
For a big pitch at work
Designer: Tommy Hilfiger
This look is pretty easy to replicate. It’s for those days when you want to dress to impress, looking just the right amount of natty without threatening to upstage the boss. Tommy Hilfiger, now 64, has been selling these preppy staples since the 1980s — and they have become classics for a reason. Here, he updates and upgrades his garments by playing with bold colour, subtle patterns and sleek proportions.
For a night-out
Designer: McQ — Alexander McQueen
A handsome and moody leather jacket that men of any age can pull off. (Those thigh-high leather boots, on the other hand, are a different story.) The zipper detailing, zigzagging all over the jacket, makes its owner look both tough and tender. It’s something you can wear with a T-shirt or a sweatshirt, paired with chinos, denims or even formal suit trousers.
For Friday brunch
Designer: Theory
That is some handsome tailoring right there. “We’re not trying to create whimsical clothes that don’t have an end use,” says Theory’s menswear honcho Ben Stubbington. “There are no frills, and deliberately so.” From the high-waisted cropped trousers and versatile jacket to the easy black shirt and high-cut leather shoes — we would wear everything, everyday, everywhere.
For your next big holiday
Designer: Michael Kors
This is for a high flyer with a flair for high-style comfort. That almost-athletic grey cashmere jumper and trousers would feel so at home in your lie-flat seat. That’s right: try checking in for your flight wearing this ensemble and you might well get an upgrade. That leather backpack, by the way, is a winner.
For loitering at home
Designer: Greg Lauren
Who does not enjoy some good-old lazy lounging around? We just look at this ensemble and already feel relaxed. The best thing about these pieces is that you could wear them separately to other occasions. That stylishly loose cotton jacket can be worn with a white shirt to work, while that sweatshirt can be rolled up and nonchalantly tucked into a pair of shorts for a beach trip.
For strolling in the mall
Designer: Engineered Garments
Or forget the mall and wear it on a fishing trip — because you might as well make use of that bucket hat. Wherever you decide to wear this mildly cuckoo (but surprisingly dapper) ensemble, it’s all about looking good regardless of how mundane your task is. The stripe detailing on those trousers is glorious.
For a weekend road trip
Designer: Michael Bastian
For a daily foolproof uniform that will make you look good no matter what the occasion is, turn to the ever-reliable American designer Michael Bastian. This ensemble, in particular, is ready-made for a spontaneous weekend sojourn out of town. Those slim chinos are absolutely covetable, while that subtly striped sweater is a standout. While preppy is the core of Bastian’s brand DNA, his clothes don’t look staid.
For a wedding
Designer: Jeffrey Rüdes
Wedding wear, that is, if you’re the type who likes to stand out from the crowd. This box-cut velvet blazer in bright yellow is probably our favourite piece to come out of this week’s shows (that grey headband, placed on the neck, is a close second). Jeffrey Rüdes, who cofounded J Brand in 2004, left the denim giant a year ago to start his own menswear label.
For your one-way journey to space
Designer: Patrik Ervell
Because at the end of the day, you should do you. Jokes aside, that’s a pretty fly navy-blue anorak. We doubt we could pull it off with that slick metal-grey hoodie, so we’d wear it with a plain black jumper instead.
Spotted in the front row
Colour combo
At the Nautical show, models Ollie Edwards and Johannes Huebl sat next to actors Chace Crawford and Colin Egglesfield. Edwards’s sock-less look – in the dead of winter – stole the show. The gents’ respective watches looked smart, too.
All day long
Saturday Night Live's Colin Jost, New York Jets wide receiver Eric Decker and all-around cool chap Cuba Gooding Jr looked snazzy at the Perry Ellis show.
Denim on denim
American footballer Victor Cruz is a regular at the Fashion Week. He showed up at the Dockers opening party slaying a denim pea coat, smartly worn with a simple white tee and torn denim jeans.