Menswear runs like a continuous story, season after season, tailored, minimalistic, military, which will prevail? But menswear is a good gauge as to what the retail sector of fashion is thinking; after all it is menswear that usually sells no matter what the economic climate, over the trendy seasonal-obvious pieces sent down the catwalk for women.
If the fashion community is saying “classic conservative and back to their routes” menswear designers have answered this season, but that is not to say Fall 2010 did not have its flourishes. The rebels like Ecco Domani’s award winning indie Siki Im and veterans such as Ann Demeulemeester and even a usually conservative Bottega Venetta had interesting points of view including skirts, drop-crotch jodhpurs and rockabilly brights. Here are Nolcha’s picks for the most influential Menswear Trends Fall 2010.
(Dunhill, Bottega Venetta, Raf Simmons, Billy Reid, John Galliano)
Dapper Double Breasted: From the very beginning of January’s mens shows, the tailored elegant man reigned supreme and nothing echoed this sentiment more than the return in full force of the double breasted jacket. Everyone from the classics of Dunhill and Hardy Aimes to more contemporary counterparts like Billy Ried and Diesel Black Gold multiplied their buttons. Within that trend a new silhouette for men emerged, that of the hourglass but as far as the standard cut went Tomas Maier’s Bottega Venetta came out pumping color through the veins of what is normally an super conservative look. Z Zegna turned out the double breasted jacket in multiple textiles from flat grey wool suiting to shearling; but it was Raf Simmons with his elegant cut and modern snap closures that brought this look up to date and will force the well dressed gentleman to invest in something new for their closet.
(Brands that Followed Suit: Adam Kimmel, Bespoken, Calvin Klein, Galliano, Givenchy, Hermes, Simon Spurr)
(Lanvin, Dries Van Noten, Prada, Tommy Hilfiger, Gucci)
Color Me Camel: Amongst all of the grey, and there was a lot of it, arose a warm tone of camel. It represents hope; it steers away from the masses and allows the wearer to be cozy yet polished, classic yet new. Tommy Hilfiger produced perfect preppy American camel coats, Dries Van Noten piped his with black, Louis Vuitton, Dunhill and Lanvin all went toward the classic approach, Gucci produced tone-on-tone suiting for an overall 70’s effect, yet when speaking of camel, Prada’s chic layers of knitwear, jackets overcoats and trousers made us long for falling leaves.
(Calvin Klein, James Long, Costume National, Z Zegna, Maison Martin Margiela)
(Rag and Bone, Thom Browne, Dirk Bikkembergs, Michael Kors, Lou Dalton)
Alpine Retreat: For the sportswear set it was all about life in the lodge. Whether it be chunky knits or buffalo check, the outdoorsman came, well… out. Throughout the look a subtrend emerged being that of “hunting” with flap hats/hoods, camouflage and waterproof parkas, but for those designers that were more into recreation, collections were stock full of Icelandic sweaters (Trussardi, Thom Browne, Sibling, Rag and Bone, Paul Smith, Lou Dalton, Gucci and Cavalli). Carolyn Massey more than hinted at a long-john, however Dirk Bikkembergs did more than hint at the alpine theme. He made clothing for athletics; he made pieces for après ski. US Mountains and basically covered all of his bases while still giving his fans something they could buy.
Show-off Shearling: Modern and icy at Balenciaga, sleek at Cerruti, shearling was the textile of the season with its plush cozy comforting vibe. It gave the entire menswear genre a more sophisticated classic edge over the broken down grungy distressed leathers of the past couple of seasons. Most were hip length typical jackets with huge wooly collars; others came to the thigh in a car coat type that was perfectly paired with the drop-crotch trousers and plaids seen on runways at Ferragamo and YSL. It was Z Zegna who gave shearling its stage, constructing moto jackets, toppers, pea coats and maxi coats all out of the substance in multiple colors and pliability’s. It’s going to be a warm winter!
(Brands that Followed Suit: Band of Outsiders, Burberry, Ermenegildo Zegna, J Wanderson)
(Gucci, Armani, A Child of the Jago, Dolce and Gabbana, Lanvin)
Our Daily Dose of Velvet: A formal occasion? Sure, but velvet morphed into a mix and match fabric at the Fall 2010 Mens shows. Adam Kimmel and Armani took towards the literal side with evening attire, but Kimmel’s came in a burst of crimson while Armani worked the velvet vest and jacket with a metallic pant. Lanvin’s sweeping velvet suit was paired with a slouchy turtleneck. Hermes and Gucci accessorized their velvet jackets with a simple trouser and a scarf. Dolce and Gabbana deconstructed the look even further by pairing their velvet vest/jacket combo with black denims, but London’s A Child of the Jago by Simon "Barnzley" Armitage and Joseph Corre gave their grey velvet suit such a youth filled playfulness, we can see the fabric adopting a whole new crop of admirers who might pull the suit apart and wear it as separates.
(Marc by Marc Jacobs, John Bartlett, Phillip Lim, Rick Owens, Etro)
The Cavalry: What is menswear without a military theme… especially come fall? And something evolving in the past seasons came to full flourish (and heavily influenced future women’s collections as well.) Dries Van Noten – military coats. John Bartlett – military coats. Prada, Etro, Marc by Marc Jacobs, Rick Owens… need we go on. But it was less the staunch khaki we are used to when we think of military regalia, and more of a cavalry effect. Phillip Lim produced this trend the best with his long vests, shin guarded boots, across the chest belts and bags and a textured leather gilet that looked like part of a modern fencing uniform, which brings us to another sub-trend… fencing. 
(Simon Spurr, Dries Van Noten, Gucci, Ferragamo, Prada)
The Seventies Revival: Every season needs its throwback, be it Victorian elegance or 80’s punk. This season it was an ode to the 70’s. All sorts of influence came into play from the Mick Jagger-esque dandy at Dries Van Noten, Ferragamo and Simon Spurr to the nerdy almost co-ed type at Prada with their shrunken sweaters and printed topper coats. There was also a late seventies glam rock instance nailed by Maison Martin Margiella, but when you think of 70’s and glam there is no other house with which to associate than Gucci. Frida Giannini recalled the sexy days when men’s clothing had a feeling, and guys weren’t afraid to were things like Bordeaux colored velvet and skin tight pants. Exposing clavicles in that oh so groovy way were v-necks underneath super fitted blazers but don’t worry there was a fair share of suede envelope pockets, turtlenecks and fade out aviators to style magazine editorials, dress celebrities and sell to the international fashion plates that are her fans.
(Neill Barrett, Gaspard Yukievich, Dries Van Noten, Louis Vuitton, Cerruti)
Separated Sleeves: For all of the “classic” that was spinning around men’s fashion there was a bit of quirk to throw the common suit for a loop. Separated sleeves, whether they be leather shoulders fading into cloth arms like Louis Vuitton and Neil Barrett or sleeves made of lining, different fabric or completely missing all together the arms were a stand-out detail for Fall 2010. Gaspard Yukievich and Cerruti both executed this trend of simple suit jacket gone rogue. Yet when having to mix patterns and textures to create a mood, there is no one else to turn to but Dries Van Noten. Look after look of classic tailoring (a denim trench with plaid arms or a belted blazer with chino sleeves) all thrown off whack by contrast only he could do with panache.
(Yves Saint Laurent, Missoni, Lanvin, Thom Browne, Dior Homme)
Elongated Layers: A vague trend that could mean so much, all we can say is that Fall 2010 is going to great lengths. Long in the chunky layered scarves seen at Ferragamo and Missoni. Long in the oversized coats seen at Thom Browne, John Varvatos, Dior Homme and Calvin Klein. Long in the drop-crotch trousers that were deemed the “new pant” of the season, seen everywhere from Ann Demeulemeester’s Victorian-type wanderer (equipped with vests and capes as well) to the modern man at Kris Van Assche and Dior. A hybrid of the elongated layer created the sub-trend of skirts on men, seen at Siki Im, Rick Owens, Givenchy (which might have technically been a skort) and even Yves Saint Laurent. But if we are speaking of elongation and movement alone, Elber Albaz and Lucas Ossendrijver gave us a beautiful display of tough yet elegant street wear, reminiscent of left bank buskers, East-side social slickers and a bit like Albaz himself, any of those jaunty men not afraid of fabric.
-Lynn Furge
