warning Hi, we've moved to USCANNENBERGMEDIA.COM. Visit us there!

Neon Tommy - Annenberg digital news

Best Of The Men's Spring 2013 Collections

Chloe Lauter |
June 29, 2012 | 3:53 p.m. PDT

Staff Reporter


1.     

Marni

(Image Couresy @helenseamons)
(Image Couresy @helenseamons)

Stripes, layers, oxfords, bias-cut jackets – utilitarianism with an edge. Marni’s Conseulo Castiglioni men’s 2013 collection is enough to make any Marni lover want to borrow from the boys. While the collection’s ‘brushstroke’ stripes and pastel-hued anoraks give an effortless cool, the genius is in the details, such as laser-cut collars and cuffs and fabrics bonded together rather than stitched. Each piece is dynamic in its own right, but layered together the collection is crisp, off-beat, and totally Marni.

One of the collection’s standout pieces was a geometric-print tailored suit. It’s versatile enough to wear as separates and still stand out, but wear the entire suit at once and the look is surprisingly striking rather than clownish.

 

 

 


2.     

Valentino

(Image courtesy @itsallstyletome)
(Image courtesy @itsallstyletome)

Speaking on the Valentino men’s 2013 collection, designer Pier Paolo Piccioli said, “we believe that couture is a culture, a culture that you can translate to all categories, men’s too.” If couture details were what he and Maria Grazia Chiuri wanted for the collection, they certainly delivered. Fused fabrics and sneakers bearing tiny rubber studs brought to mind uniforms, athletic wear, and fetish dressing all at once. Even so, nothing in the collection was impossible to imagine in a modern workplace. Embracing tradition while simultaneously warping it, this collection madinnovation wearable – and desirable.

 

Carven

(Image Courtesy focusonstyle.com)
(Image Courtesy focusonstyle.com)

3.     

Carven's 2013 men's collection was both daring and intellectual in a way that only designer Guillame Henry can make work. His runway show really was a show, complete with costumed waiters and a velodrome, but that kind of spectacle managed not to upstage the collection. Henry has cited little brothers as inspiration before, and the collection's printed shorts suits are certainly meant for the young at heart. However, the collection managed to strick a precise balance between precious and pretentious, business and casual, all with a dose of whimsy courtesy of bright colors and a few head-to-toe prints.

While not for the faint of heart, one of the most dynamic suits was printed with a light blue plaid, overlaid with a pattern of navy blue flowers. Allover printed suits are popping up in many collections, and this is one of the bolder iterations, but it’s a risk worth taking.

 


4.     

Richard Nicoll

(Image courtesy agirlinherwalledcity.wordpress.com)
(Image courtesy agirlinherwalledcity.wordpress.com)

British designer Richard Nicoll kept his 2013 men’s collection simple and sporty with slouchy cashmere sweaters, tailored shorts suits, and baseball jackets cut from vintage jacquard tie fabrics. Cleanly tailored silhouettes got a modern update in shades of white, taupe, and blue. Nicoll’s roots in menswear made for a collection that was simple on the surface, but with underlying suggestions of athleticism, decadence, and self-expression. Nicoll has said before that he designs clothes he wants to wear, and this is a collection any fashion-savvy man would snap at.

 

(Image Courtesy @dubesuk)
(Image Courtesy @dubesuk)
 5. Prada

Style.com called Prada's men's 2013 collection "Margot Tenenbaum plus Richie Tenenbaum", and that's not far off. Male models, some of whom were in their 50s, walked the runway in slick, minimalist coats and trousers. Tennis sweaters with broad borders and covetable trousers with a geometric stripe of color on the inseam seemed suited for the most stylish tennis game of the summer. If this collection is any indication, a bold, clean line may be the summer's best accessory.

If there’s one piece worth buying this season, make it the beige Prada trousers with a blue stripe down the inseam. Athletic but refined, these pants will take you from office meeting to dinner date. Perfect for anyone who wants to stand out, but in a subtle way. 

 

Reach Chloe here or follow her on Twitter.



 

Buzz

Craig Gillespie directed this true story about "the most daring rescue mission in the history of the U.S. Coast Guard.”

Watch USC Annenberg Media's live State of the Union recap and analysis here.

 
ntrandomness