1. Random graphics haphazardly chosen. Anything that looks gothic, tough or reminiscent of tattoo art is highly valued. Anything with feathers, crests, crowns and royal symbols are bonuses. Angel wings make you the king of all douchebags.
2. FAIL at graphic design 101. Layer as much shit as possible. The more complex it looks, the better the design. No need to pay attention to negative and positive space or the relationship between elements. Just make it symmetric and everything will look great.
3. A fitted cut makes it "hawt" looking. A very deep v-neck is even better. Keep the cut of the sleeves round to fake the impression of broad shoulders. Give it a box silhouette because even tho it's a tight shirt, men who probably shouldn't wear them will be the first customers in line.
4. Keep the sleeves shorter than usual to show off the "guns" and the "hawt" 90's tribal armband tattoo. Got some free space? Quote a line from a good hard rock song or a really important dead poet and put it in script font. It's not only stylish but intellectualizes the look.
5. BIG ASS BOLD TYPE IN THE UGLIEST FREE GOTHIC FONT center and upfront. Men aren't used to clothes with more than 3 colors and 2 prints. You need the gothic font to butch that shit up. It speaks volumes about your seriousness. Choose words that tell it like it is. Placing it on the back reminds people of your hardcoreness. Remember, the bigger the font - the bigger your dick.
6. For that final touch of class, glitz and sparkle ; throw in a couple sequins or better yet bedazzle it. Men don't like to wear too much crap at once so if one shirt can do it all then you're golden. Gold stars are awarded to any shirt with sequined gothic crosses because you're not only stylish but you believe in God.
I'm underwhelmed with Y-3 this season but there are a few choice looks I can't wait to squeeze into, namely the mesh nets which remind me of sacks used to carry balls. I'm also glad the loose Yohji Yamamoto aesthetic made it into a few pieces and of course no Y-3 collection is complete without the Japanese sun emblem somehow sneaking in.
Slowly but surely more and more Korean menswear designers are appearing in New York. Not to group them all into one category but just as the Japanese wowed the world in the 80's with their clothing aesthetic, the Koreans are doing the same. There's a definitely emphasis on structure juxtaposed with soft drapes. General Idea's S/S 2010 collection is graphic and urban. I love the shoulder caps prints. My favorite piece is probably the dark blue short sleeve trench. A short sleeve trench! Hell YES!
In an short but sweet interview with Dazed Digital, Thom discusses the inspiration (mermaids) behind his Spring 2010 collection set in his new retail space. I love huge theatrical shows but I also love smaller intimate viewings. You can really get a sense of the clothes. They sometimes don't feel three dimensional on runways and Thom's latest collection is definitely one you want to get close up to. It may seem unwearable but take the pieces separately and you'll find lots you can wear. I have no fear so I would wear it all.
Thom you better GET IT! I love his latest collection. Browne is best known for his shrunken men's silhouette usually void of any color or pattern. This time he's steered away (a tad) from his tailoring funkiness and brought in bold colors, patterns and unique fabrications. I pulled some of my favorite looks but can probably only afford 2 pieces.
Black Fleece is the luxury menswear line designed by Thom Browne for Brooks Brothers. The clothes are unapologetically different emphasizing everything Brooks Brothers was while embracing all of Thom Browne's idiosyncrasies. The new fragrance continues that tradition.
I promised my bank account that all 2009 clothes shopping would be suspended after going nuts on last year's shopping spree but a recent excursion to ZARA pretty much voided that and rendered any future promises null.
I am loving Jun Takahashi's second menswear collection. Undercover is a perfect mix of futurism, sportswear, and unattached historic influences. I love the mix of wools, knits, and techno fabrics. I want a pair of those metallic leggings in every color. The more traditional pieces like a man's blazer borderline sharp Calvin Klein-like tailoring with the relaxed comforts found in Bottega Veneta jackets.
More pics after the jump.
Color me shocked when most of the colors from Burberry were dark, and for the Spring/Summer show no less! The focus seems to be on outerwear with techno fabrics and finishes. There's a slight homage to Helmut Lang with all the strap work - but in a less severe fashion - certainly more wearable for mainstream men. I particularly like the washed out pastel colors.
I'm not feeling the tailored bohemian looks from most of the collection. Standouts for me were the Native American inspired garbs. The embellishments look almost like armor or plating softening the feminine textures and colors.
I swear I'm going to buy damn near every look in the Stone Island S/S collection. Fuck the recession.