EASY DOES IT
A new austerity prevailed at the recently concluded Paris
Menswear Collections for Spring 2013, which was all about a stripped down aesthetic
dominated by clean necklines, a loose fit, a lack of decoration and a monochromatic
palette. This represents a complete break from recent seasons which saw menswear trends
escalating towards the baroque in terms of elaborate detailing, heavy
accessories and rich fabrics. Even a label like Balenciaga (left), which routinely
shows challenging, conceptual fashions, showed just 21 pared-down looks which
highlighted an easy volume in its tailoring in grey, black and white,
with nothing more challenging than a big Hawaiian print to leaven the monastic
mood.
It was plain sailing (and very plain clothes) at
Louis
Vuitton. Inspired by sea sports,
Kim Jones was all at sea in
his third collection for Vuitton (right). The most successful looks were actually the
most traditional, like the deluxe double-breasted tailoring which were sharp
yet relaxed. Pyjama-pants, sailor-style flares and wide shorts (micro to
knee-length) were shown with scuba tops and patchwork shirts; Yellow
hoodie slickers, T-shirts and sweaters, though undoubtedly luxe in fabric, looked
predictable and safe. It was the accessories that saved the day: Unfussy and
practical bags, shoes and sandals, looked utterly
desirable.
The archetypal sailor of
Jean Cocteau and
Jean Genet is something
of a house icon at
Jean Paul
Gaultier and this collection was completely dedicated to this figure (left). The sailor theme sharply clarified the designs at
this collection which previously suffered from a wild heterogeneity of ideas
and inspirations. Forthwith, Gaultier’s classic suitings shone — sharp jackets (some
with short sleeves) and gilets were shown with high-waisted sailor's pants, a
couple of precisely-pleated kilts, and a few overalls that looked elegant, not
louche. Sailor stripes, a bold slicker red and sporty yellow supported the
seafaring theme, which looked modern and chic, not clichéd or lazy.
Kris Van Assche used a strict palette of regimental blue and grey at
Dior
Homme (right). This superbly un-hyperbolic collection was anything but boring, serving
up a clean-cut military discipline (the models looked like cadets with cropped,
shellacked heads) in classic jacket in every variation: some cropped, some
sleeveless, some boxy. These were paired with sweaters and shirts that were
buttoned all the way up, and easy-fit pants, or shorts that had the look of a
schoolboy. The military theme was subtly hinted at in the brass buttons that
never looked costumey. Everything unnecessary was edited away, so that the
cutting and construction of the jackets were brought to the fore, especially in
a passage where the cutting lines were traced in a contrast piping. This
collection presents discipline as charm, perhaps an antidote to an age of
excess.
At Rick Owens, it was Owens Lite this time around. Owens’s refined his usual
propositions into more accessible form. The gothic robes have become roomy
coats, the ragged dresses have become ascetic tunics, the skirts look less
ridiculous designed as kilts and flapping shorts, and paired with what looked
recognisably like zippered blousons (almost Police
Academy),vests and turtlenecks. There
was even a traditional black suit! A new trimness prevailed, with very few
excessive flourishes. This season’s trend for black socks worn with everything here
became chubby leg warmers and the footwear, usually an exaggerated Flintstones
platform boot was simplified into a clunky toeless slide - on platforms.
Shorts, which are everywhere this season, were the startling highlights
at Raf Simons’s eponymous collection. Styled with black dress socks and black
lace-ups, the daringly short shorts highlight the bareness and vulnerability of
the legs on the pale models. The fact that the shorts were paired with
beautifully austere, perfectly correct jackets and shirts brought home the
point that they were, in fact truncated pants, shorn off where the jacket
ended, and made more revealing with splits and slits. The simple colour
blocking (a pale powder pink was especially memorable) of the outfits had a
tenderness, and combined with a passage of fine floral prints made this collection
a study of how the genders have balanced out in sexual politics.
The collection
Veronique Nichanian showed for
Hermès (left)was colour blocked in
monochrome outfits of blue, griege, tomato, absinthe and black but the effect
was a youthful, unambiguous masculinity. The collection has a brisk, breezy
feel that mirrored the season’s general vibe of ease and simplicity. These were
simply elegant clothes that you can stride out in with great confidence on a
sunny untroubled day. The high luxury of the label and its fabrics was made
fresh and light by subtle design and tweaking of the proportions, so that the
menswear classics like blazers, windbreakers, parkas, and coats looked athletic,
clean and cool without looking staid or boring. There were shorts here too, but
these, sensibly, reached the knee.
Perhaps the collection that best crystallises the season’s key
messages was presented by
Lucas Ossendrijver for
Lanvin (right). Ease is in the generous
fit of the tailoring: the jackets have a softness and movement and the pants
have fluidity and waft. Shirts with wide sleeves, and wide necklines, were cut
big, so that they drooped a little at the shoulders, and bloused at the belt. The
volume is anchored at the (very) high-waisted, for some shape and sensuality. The
silhouette is admirably clean, as every item seemed reduced and precise, shorn
of details and embellishments. The palette too is reduced to a monochrome black
and white, with a passage of futuristic shine right at the end, a pinch of
florals, and sparks of blue as accents. The athletic sandals, which owes
something to traditional Tevas, have a space-age shine and elegance. The
pleated pants do not look back to any era past, thankfully. Instead, this fiercely modern, forward-looking collection gives the
new austerity a positive spin.
