Men’s Fashion

Tim Hamilton | Hamilton designs for men in the same way other designers do for women. His collections are sincere proposals of new ideas and new garments that may or may not be absorbed into an already established system of dressing. With his graphic silhouettes, angular tailoring, and unconventional fabrics he makes an unapologetic and sometimes brash statement. And it looks just too good. Paneled trousers that shape to the leg, doubled breasted cardigans that nip the waist but soften the torso, and his insistence on masculine signatures like epaulets and rivets that frame up the figure rather than leaving it to a tired military reference. It brings to mind the work Claude Montana or Thierry Mugler who worked in a similar way. He looks to the past, historical references are plenty, but it can only feel like the future. It’s such a look and if anything it’s too much of one. Hamilton’s take on menswear is so wrought with his aesthetic it glares and for a practical man’s wardrobe it’s not the most digestible. Doesn’t seem like Hamilton is concerned with such things and that can only be a good thing.

DKNY | Nope.

Shipley and Halmos | These aren’t the clothes you’d think required a runway show but then a static showroom presentation would have been severely underwhelming. There’s not much of a story to tell that someone else hasn’t already told. Shipley & Halmos runs the full gamut of conventions regarding young American menswear. They’ve got that retro twang, twisting up tried and true classics with a hint of sartorial wit making it very of the moment. It’s a game we’ve all played and that helps to make this collection immediately accessible and wearable. And perhaps it’s that familiarity that makes it disappointingly less evocative of the hum and drum of high fashion.

Discard any conception you have of old world charm; bicycling through Paris with a bottle of wine and crusty bread in your basket, a gondola ride through venetian canals, slurping that last string of pasta with your lover ending in an unexpected kiss. There’s a kind of romance that can only be had this side of the Atlantic. You’ll find it in the literature of Cooper, Emerson, and Twain, in the fantastic and wildly lush landscapes of the Hudson River School, or maybe hear it in the triumphant yet melancholy music of Philip Glass. It’s a romance that springs from a uniquely American perspective.

And this kind of romance can inform your style and even, if you let it, transform you. You don’t need a French label with a name you can’t pronounce sewn in under your jacket’s breast to feel fancy. Why, instead you can throw on a simple tweed jacket, classic, understated, the kind that Polo does so well. Wear it casually with raw dark jeans or perhaps matching trousers, a crisp oxford, chili brown Allen Edmonds, and an eccentric tie - Ivy League style of course with an animal jacquard motif. The American way is not sultry and lacks the sophistication a Euro accent provides (no rolled r’s, froggish throat speaking, or mispronouncing s-h-e-d-u-l-e here). Instead it’s rugged, it’s slouchy, and it’s got all the bravado and swagger than can inspire the most insatiable libido.

What is it about the American look that makes it so appealing at this moment? Perhaps we’re sick of Tom Ford (ironically enough from Texas) and his Europeanisms. Or maybe the Slimane slim attitude, in a petit noir suit, has become a bit drab. Maybe as the U.S. takes a step down from the world stage there’s some new found nobility in our humility. Fashion swings as does our idea of romanticism, dress accordingly.

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Across the Atlantic Topman has been forging new grounds in the realm of high street/designer collaborations opting to price up rather than down ensuring a quality and standard closer to the designer originals. While I enjoyed Tim Hamilton and Loden Dager at Uniqlo, the high profit margin and cheaper production didn’t make for the most desirable clothes despite the low prices. Topman has simplified the process and enlisted 5 young designers to develop a lone pair of black pants in their own signature style, all retailing for a mere $120 (well below any of the designer’s normal retail). Tim Hamilton, Patrik Ervell, Aitor Throup, Anne-Sofie Back, and Todd Lynn will have their designs available at the new Topshop and Topman flagship at 478 Broadway when it opens in October.

And of course, this is only a taster as in November we’ll be privy to H&M’s collaboration with it’s Japanese design partner. I’ll give you a hint: they play like the boys…. — JEREMY L.

Photos by Will Davidson

Faggoting*: Weekly observations on fashion from someone who knows better.

With all the designer brands out there vying for the dollars of suave and wealthy men, finding a good go-to label can become tricky. So, for those who simply don’t know what to wear and don’t want to invest real thought in choosing you have Dries Van Noten doing the hard part for you. Come February, as the spring collections trickle into retail, make your way to Barneys on the third floor, be sure to try on one of the fine jackets or the handsome pants. Stand in the mirror, examine the effect. Why yes, you do look far more attractive and intelligent. That strange glow you’re exuding? It’s called unaffected style. Why shouldn’t something so good be so easy? No deliberation, no choices, wear the look right off the runway if you can afford it. There, you’re done. — JEREMY L.

*FAGGOTING: “A decorative stich used in sleaves, fronts of blouses and dresses. Attach two separate pieces of fabric together, leaving a little space in between.” -SINGER SEWING DICTIONARY