Milan Uomo: Edmund Ooi

Cities |  Milan | 

This is a vibrant, colorful and interesting collection which BDMOTP would qualify first and foremost as younthful.  Yes the designer Mr Ooi is young but somehow the show and his collection for fall winter 15 /16 seem to hark back – to the future. There is a lot of deconstruction going on the runway here in Milan Day 1 with all types of materials in Mr Ooi’s rather marvelous comedia dell’arte cacophonia of creative menwear design. He uses fabrics as well as molded rubber as well as faux fur, faux leather and bonded sequins in the form of scales. Other trends noted were wool, unorthodox tailoring, different cuts and seams, a whole array of contrasting colors (although black & white with red stand out), everything cut up, only to be re-cut and cut again by the seams as well as across and over the surface, the language in this paragraph so much cut up and deconstructed so as to mimic the event itself; yet all this with grand focus and overarching purpose because what you see and witness by the end of the show is something which trend spotters usually look for in vain in movies (the Hunting Games or I am Number Four), in the latest game releases, in buzzed updates on social media: A clear vision of the future!

We imagine college sophomores or young working men in 2022 when style is no longer related to fashion. Because all style is home made every day. Every man has become a creator and a designer. Every man has a three D printer at home and each man by will and whim creates his own and latest style by adding several substances, layers, materials, cuts, patterns to create a suit or why not a dress for himself – created on computer the night before only to roll it all out on the 3D printer the next morning before going to school or work. Yes I do want to wear large red bands across my heavy rocker boots tomorrow (great signature in the collection this) and yes I do want that retro gothic trench coat made out of rubber because today I want to freak out my teachers a little bit – so that my friends will be proud. Oh and I like wrist bands across my coat arms, and a wooly collar scarf for good measure, and this pattern I am using was designed as non-repetitive last night at home – it took me a while to create. Let’s have the computer cut across the seams in odd geometrical figures for this is the space and information age and we are all made of stardust. The cosmos has become our home and creation our destiny. And lest we forget that it is indeed 2022, that whole thing with the blurred-lines started a decade ago. But today it is normal that men are wearing dresses and skirts and we love it.  We are looking to ‘break the classic menswear silhouette’ (words from the Edmund Ooi press release for the show) after all. Today we all adorn our mixed-media suits adjusted each day for the purpose of each scheduled meeting – just as we would love to have them. You see, in every man, deep down, there is a stylist and a creative designer and it was Edmund Ooi seven years ago in 2015 who first dared to express this with so much passion in his grand vision of what the future for men’s style may hold. Because in order to be able to build and to create, we must first learn how to deconstruct.

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Posted by Sandro Joo and photos by Paloma Canseco.

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Milan Uomo: Corneliani

Cities |  Milan | 

Corneliani is show of the week Fashion Week Milan 2015 opening on Friday January 17 and there is a damp and rainy cold hanging over Milan – climate conditions ‘adverse’ – so that we are here to see the Corneliani Fall / Winter 2015 show appropriately helps with the ambiance because deep inside the Villa Eugénie, which is really an old Pallazio, it is warm and comfortable despite the smell of musky underwood emanating from the fallish and winterish underground created for the show on the runway – a nice touch for the gents to walk on leading to and fro a gigantic and strangely contorted snow covered tree which would remind of something out of Tim Burton’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, if it were not for solemnly pleasant piper and piano music accompanying the show’s choreography.

The tree signature comes back on several sweaters or pullovers during the show’s performance which rhymes and fits in with the overall ambiance of what is being presented – we see many shades of grey (there are 23 shades imaginable in what some call the fourth spectrum, all that is within range of black and white), and interestingly as the stand out color to emphasize the large range, some ochre and very little burgundy.  All designers these days are very much aware that in order to make one thing stand out from others (in this case all the shades of grey) you need something in the opposite (some ochre here, a little burgundy there). This would not work well in military parades but it works magic on the runway at a good fashion show.

As for style the show is dedicated to what the creator calls a rendez-vous with a prince. But if all things princely were the reason for the show then it was hard to spot.  Indeed the classic Corneliani style and look is deft, daft, stylish, neat, nice, elegant, aye, even chic comes to mind, and there are some old aristocratic overtones to be found in the way these coats, capes, sweaters, pullovers and gentry trousers flow discretely in all their myriad forms and perfect fits, but the Prince did not come to mind once except perhaps in the materials that are being used to fabricate this truly wonderful collection. But that was good.  Because a rococo or baroque approach to things would have ruined this discrete but beautiful show.

As it stood – only the hidden color burgundy and the contortions of a mangled tree aspired to new princely heights – but when the models returned for one last stand on the runway their faces all aligned with military precision gazing into the same direction one thing became clear: This show oozed class, and in the cold of winter or in the misery of the fall, to brave the elements, you do not need to dress so warmly as long as you dress WELL and in impeccable Italian style – in Corneliani of course.

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Posted by Sandro Joo and photos by Paloma Canseco.

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London Collections: Men: Louis Leeman Paris

Cities |  London | 

The AW15 Louis Leeman Paris collection was inspired by manhood, bravery, strength, pride and elegance…all words that seemingly describe the Navy. This goes hand-in-hand with the uniform inspired looks seen walking the London runways for Fall of 2015.

The colors present a sharp blue and white as well as a khaki and army green. Prints, tassels and studded hardware show give the collection that extra bit of trend, and represent the strength and design of a traditional Navy uniform.

Despite the sharp influence, a noticeable trend in this season’s footwear is heading down casual lane with sneakers, moccasins and slip ons. Red seems to be another color big for Autumn, in various shades of course, that was well represented in the Louis Leeman Paris footwear. Despite the casual influence, Louis Leeman Paris collections always exude an elegance and sharp sense of style in each and every shoe or boot created.

BDMOTP favorite: Red suede boot and polka dot slip on moccasins

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Posted by Lori Zaino and photos by Paloma Canseco.

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London Collections: Men: CMMN

Cities |  London | 

The CMMN SWDN AW15 collection was filled with bold color, a grand switch from their previous spring collection, which was entirely made up of white and grey garments. For fall, we see CMMN branch out to using a vibrant orange as well as a blue in addition to blacks and browns. Color-blocking and mixing prints (plaid and window pane) was also prevalent within the collection.

The idea for the collection was to bring “Armani to Manchester”, meaning bringing some high fashion and mixing it with the daily working sub-culture of middle class Britain. We see the heavy “uniform” influence, as well as the high-style of long coats and tailored sportswear.

This season, we see a great deal more of “design” from CMMN. In fact, many a man would be thrilled to wear a CMMN outfit, as it could really appeal to an Italian “Rico Suave” or just the average Joe.

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Posted by Lori Zaino and photos by Paloma Canseco.

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London Collections: Men: Thomas Pink

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Let there be pink. In a unique environment in the center of London, we are granted access into the presentation of the brand new collection of the master of shirt design, Thomas Pink.

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Establishing an on-going dialog between tradition and innovation, an incredible set up design left us all in awe, as it was made completely out of paper and Technical Fibre Products. From a 30 foot ornamented long bar up to lamps, paintings, flowers and vases and even the most impressive martini “glasses”, everything was manufactured and designed to the finest detail by James Cropper. All with one clear purpose, to create a blank canvas in which all the guests could leave their opinions about the collection using bright pink pens.

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To the rhythm of The Clash and Rolling Stones, we are pleased to discover that the well-known brand has decided to go far beyond cotton and twill shirts broadening to a complete look with more outerwear, tailoring and knitwear, including checks and herringbone patterns.

Inspiration comes from the classic tailored style of Sir Michael Caine in “Get Carter” and that great British sport that is rugby, represented in this event by former player Thom Evans, who lined up with the rest of the models.  We are able to distinguish some urban influences like the usage of Dr. Martens loafers, which, along with the rest of garments, creates a “daringly bold and eclectic in style” collection.

Along with the classic range of shirts, now available in a more autumnal palette including raspberry, amber, mustard and hues of green, we spot some very delicate but wearable knitwear in cashmere, wool and merino, as well as travel suits made of wool and mohair, perfect for every occasion.

Last but not least, some of the best next season’s pieces form the capsule collection inspired by Alfred Hitchcock, which covers a very mysterious palette such as teal, magenta, indigo and purple.

Beyond shadow of a doubt, it is a magnificent collection that would enlighten next winter with one major motto: any color as long as it is pink.

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Post and photos by Paloma Canseco.

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London Collections: Men: Belstaff

Cities |  London | 

The Belstaff AW15 collection takes its inspiration from the 1950’s, especially the “greaser”. This typical rock n’ roll dude was reckless, cool, emitting masculinity and style always. Think Marlon Brando in his iconic leather jacket.

These motorcycle dudes sport lots of leather, shearling, as well as the traditional British tailoring.  Belstaff is a very elegant British brand, and combines this class along with their cool 1950’s “bro”inspiration for a fabulous modern twist. In addition to leather (in various colors–definitely a coming trend for this fall we’ve seen all over the runways) and shearling, we see a lot of waxed cotton jackets, outerwear and knitwear. Fur hoods and motorcycle boots completed this outfits, making the models the envy of every man in London.

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Posted by Lori Zaino and photos by Paloma Canseco.

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London Collections: Men: Joseph

Cities |  London | 

The Joseph AW15 collection is all about winter volume.  With a 70’s inspired color palette featuring browns and beiges, the otherwise basic, work-appropriate clothes see a modern twist do the the voluminous silhouettes and trendy knitwear.

The appearance of leather, a staple in almost all AW15 collections we’ve seen thus far at London Collections: Men, of course makes its flash showing in the form of pants and a jacket. Warm, fuzzy sweaters are layers on to create even more volume and funky knit gloves and scarves accessorize the looks.

Knit grey pants are also a fashionable, original addition to the Joseph collection, and one we haven’t seen elsewhere!

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Posted by Lori Zaino and photos by Paloma Canseco.

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London Collections: Men: Soulland

Cities |  London | 

Soulland is a Scandanavian brand dedicated to providing original and stylish clothing and fashion to men all over the world. With their first store location in Copenhagen and their second in Bangkok, Soulland is all encompassing, coming up with unique designs that worldly men love to sport. They are famous for their “fedora meshed with baseball hat” design, and continue to to create fashionable and modern clothing.

The AW15 collection was presented with models chilling against a neon green wall, a bold, unforgettable statement. The designs were heavily influenced with print and graffiti and also delving into autumn trends like layering and leather. The models looked confident and cool, and the designs ranged from day-to-night, office-to-club, city and country wear.

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Posted by Lori Zaino and photos by Paloma Canseco.

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London Collections: Men: Ede & Ravenscroft

Cities |  London | 

Staying true to British roots, the Ede & Ravenscroft collection at London Collections: Men took its inspiration from Edwardian roots. This heritage is not only seen within the the designs, but each look is named after towns and villages across Ireland, and taking its form from four main concepts: Uniform, City Gent, Out of Town and Formal Dress.

The Uniform looks were inspired by the idea of “staff” in a royal household (think, Downton Abbey butlers), like peaked lapels and double-breasted looks. The City Gent looks were just as named, casual city looks with luxurious fabrics like cashmere & wool. The Out of Town garments featured traveler shades like hunter green and deep burgundy and of course, tweed. The Formal Dress garments, rich in color and texture, drew to velvet, jewel tones and classic dinner jackets.

Among the immense amount of “pushing the envelope” with modern and futuristic designs seen this season at LC:M, it was truly lovely to see the traditional British looks and tailoring come to life through Ede & Ravenscroft.

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Posted by Lori Zaino and photos by Paloma Canseco.

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London Collections: Men: Cambridge Satchel Co.

Cities |  London | 

If there is one accessory that is a must-have not by whim but by necessity, that is the Satchel. Some claim to believe it has its origins in Ancient Rome, known by that time as the loculus, but having no evidence of this, it is commonly believed that their immediate antecessors are those vintage school bags and mail carriers circa 1940.

Perfect for every daily occasion and being completely unisex, the Satchel has become an indispensable accessory. That is the main reason why The Cambridge Satchel Company, founded in 2008 with the aim of recovering an iconic British piece that had everything but somehow had disappeared, has decided to take a step forward creating a collection just for men with a wide range color palette, including pine and russet among navy, black, oxblood, sand and dark brown.

Following the classic leather Satchel, we can also find new designs such as The Map Bag, The Folio Group, available in three sizes including a backpack style, The Cartridge Collection, perfect for photographers, and the Expedition Collection, made with Sahara leather. But the star of the presentation was, undoubtedly, The Saddle Collection. Made with saddle leather, as its name states, is a classic working bag that matures over time and use, making this piece is unique.

The objective is clear; cover every possible necessity but always bearing in mind the quality of manufactured leather and the well-known brass hardware. As the founders say “stylish in their simplicity, perfect to treasure.”

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Post and photos by Paloma Canseco.

 

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