The Best (and Worst) of Men’s Fashion Week « Sharp – Canada's Magazine for Men

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May 2013

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The Best (and Worst) of Men’s Fashion Week

<b>Who</b>: Burberry Prorsum
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<b>Where</b>: Milan
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<b>The Gist</b>: Channel your inner Humphrey Bogart with a slim one-and-a-half breasted jacket. Cut a little narrower than its than a standard double-breasted jacket, it’ll give off an illusion that will make you look lean and tall.

<b>Who</b>: Ermenegildo Zegna
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<b>Where</b>: Milan
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<b>The Gist</b>: When wearing a bold print, balance is key, which means making sure the rest of your outfit will complement, not compete. Choose a shirt in a neutral colour with pants that will draw attention away from the boldness of the jacket. It’s also probably a good idea not to match with your wallpaper, too.

<b>Who</b>: Marc Jacobs
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<b>Where</b>: Milan
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<b>The Gist</b>: When in doubt, go for what you know will work. A navy blazer and pair of white or tan trousers is a classic look that will never fail you. Dress it up with a button-up and tie, or down with a simple white cotton tee for a cool, relaxed summer look.

<b>Who</b>: Missoni
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<b>Where</b>: Milan
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<b>The Gist</b>: For an understated look, go for a tone on tone look by choosing pieces in similar colours that complement each other without looking like a uniform.

<b>Who</b>: Neil Barrett
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<b>Where</b>: Milan
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<b>The Gist</b>: The varsity jacket is a classic piece, and this season Neil Barrett shows you his own interpretation with the slightly more tailored, futuristic look. As with any varsity jacket, make sure the armholes are high and the fit is trim, not baggy. You want to look like the athlete, not the coach.

<b>Who</b>: Balmain
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<b>Where</b>: Paris
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<b>The Gist</b>: What’s more badass than a leather jacket with some serious attitude? Throw in a beat up tee and you’re all set to start a Fight Club of your very own. If you want to dress it up, try combining it with slim cut pants and a pair of double monkstrap, as shown. Pleats are fine, just make sure the pants are fitted.

<b>Who</b>: Berluti
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<b>Where</b>: Paris
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<b>The Gist</b>: The safari jacket is making a comeback next season with a bevy of designers showing Hemmingway’s favourite in all shapes and sizes. Lightweight and breathable, today’s version is decidedly more streamlined and slimmer (surprise, surprise). Unless you’re looking for a built-in saddlebag, you’ll want to avoid cramming all your things into those pockets to avoid unnecessary bulk.

<b>Who</b>: Paul Smith
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<b>Where</b>: Paris
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<b>The Gist</b>: Colour blocking (choosing pieces in bold blocks of colour) is still going strong this season, as seen in this look from Paul Smith. Earthy tones, like forest green or a burnt orange, are good for a more masculine aesthetic.

<b>Who</b>: Richard James
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<b>Where</b>: London
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<b>The Gist</b>: Colour is not something men should be afraid of. It all comes down to balance, and this electric shock of blue makes a statement in all the right ways when worn with a simple, clean button-up. You can also tone down the look by wearing the pieces separately.

<b>Who</b>: Trussardi
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<b>Where</b>: Milan
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<b>The Gist</b>: Often seen on a double-breasted jacket, there’s something about a peak lapel that adds that magic touch of bravado and machismo to the man who wears it. The Italians are often seen sporting the look, and if it’s anything they know how to do well, it’s dressing to the nines while still looking casual.

<b>Who</b>: Valentino
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<b>Where</b>: Milan
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<b>The Gist</b>: Wearing camouflage will do anything but make you blend in with the rest of the herd. The decidedly more rugged trend is fast becoming menswear’s biggest new thing, coming in a variety of different colours and patterns for guys. A good place to start is with a light, casual jacket like this one.

<b>Who</b>: Walter Van Beirendonck
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<b>Where</b>: Paris
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<b>The Gist</b>: Pulling off a whole white ensemble can be challenging enough for most men (<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fndeDfaWCg">BSB</a> excluded, naturally). But when you throw in a little <a href="http://durancemagazine.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/wallpaper_DrSeuss-1.jpg">Dr. Seuss</a> for good measure, it's evident that this outfit translates about as well in real life as <i> The Cat in the Hat. </i>

<b>Who</b>: Dsquared2
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<b>Where</b>: Milan
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<b>The Gist</b>: We know Soulja Boy can crank that <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGFXUsWtT8Y">All Black Everything</a>, so we can understand your curiosity to keep things monochromatic. But unless you're a hipster biker with a penchant for draping yourself in seaweed, it would be wise not to lead with this outfit as your inspiration.

<b>Who</b>: E. Tautz
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<b>Where</b>: London
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<b>The Gist</b>: Remember when Frank Costanza hired a divorce lawyer to handle his affairs? You know, the infamous man in the cape episode? Well, unless you want your friends to <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDbN9TZqFcg">cross the street</a> when you walk by, you might want to leave the whole cape thing to our beloved superheroes.

<b>Who</b>: Versace
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<b>Where</b>: Milan
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<b>The Gist</b>: If Maximus from <i>Gladiator</i> had an illegitimate lovechild with Rocky Balboa, he likely would have looked something like this. While a similar ensemble might have been appropriate in 13th century England, you might run the risk of looking just a tad peculiar wearing it in line at Starbucks.

<b>Who</b>: John Galliano
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<b>Where</b>: Paris
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<b>The Gist</b>: Some people buy lobster, some people <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDLm08StCwQ">poach it right out of the ocean</a>, and others (like Galliano) advocate wearing them front on centre on your chest as some sort of symbolic representation of this tasty crustacean. Given Galliano's <a href="http://www.popyacollar.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/john-galliano-arrested-for-assualt.jpg">personal sense of style</a>, you probably shouldn't be taking his style cues too seriously.

<b>Who</b>: Rick Owens
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<b>Where</b>: Paris
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<b>The Gist</b>: There's really nothing like strutting around town in a brown paper bag, wouldn't you agree? In all seriousness, though, we give Owens some much deserved props for expanding his collections outside of his all black comfort zone. But really, did it have to go this far?

<b>Who</b>: Thom Browne
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<b>Where</b>: Paris
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<b>The Gist</b>: We take it Willy Wonka wasn't very stealth during this paintball session. Nevertheless, we appreciate the extra effort he took to knot up a tie and shine his shoes. Bonus points for paying homage to <a href="http://www.andrewgarvey.com/wizard/characters/Images/The%20Tin%20Man%201.jpg">the Tin Man.</a>

<b>Who</b>: Craig Green
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<b>Where</b>: London
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<b>The Gist</b>: It's a bird, it's a plane, it's a kite? Yeah, we're still trying to figure this one out, too. Perhaps, a gothic take on beachwear?

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