Dries van Noten

Lanvin

Already with the slew of buyers at press appointments for their variegated store schedule, the Spring 2012 denoted just one element: whichever designer created their own arithmetic unit of logic and with equated success, would develop a focused and disciplined collection running a total gamut of menswear ensembles comprising of technological fabrics to gauzy layering.

It was Printemps in 2009 and Belgian designer Dries van Noten is conversing closely with Claudia Riedel of German published title Mono.Kultur. He explains what he attempts to do with every eponymous prêt-a-porter collection he produces is his own logic, his universe where as ‘god’ controls and manipulates prints, fabrics and silhouettes. For Spring 2012, the presence of van Noten’s male literally left his daywear back in his wardrobe. Dismissing a superseded utility of an umbrella, a series of bonded silk zippered jackets with an undercarriage of lightweight tailoring whisked a bondage between protection and nonchalant luxury. Just as impactful were the blood red markings on the bolted steel pillars drew a graphic dimension within an underground garage space, so did the striped vinyl-like motifs (shaped as ‘V’ for victory) on light padded jackets and lattices on long-sleeved pullovers. The lightweight diaphanous rain jackets appeared to have Dries in a complete methodical state – one in yellow appeared to have the same fabricated process like the three-ply Gore-tex application for water-resistance by the Swiss Ski-wear maker Mover. Revealing some of the inner garments such as a drawstring suit and singular tailored jackets, Dries implied that his collection did not restrict movement, rather with the ‘technical composites’ he incorporated gave a sense of ventilation to a new spring dress code.

The first look at Lanvin opened with monochromatic shades of leather in a t-shirt blouson incisioned with a grosgrain button placket. Such are the touches of feminity in the sensual lightness of the drop shoulder suit tailoring. At beating pulse of this gallant anti-hero was a controlled stampede assemblage of camouflaged attire: gauzy tiered layers of clasped jackets and cotton tunics and t-shirts in crepe de chine. Were these neo-mods with a razor-edged softness or Alber Elbaz and Lucas Ossendrijver questioning a mistaken identity? Ossendrijver comments by saying, “When you go to fashion school, you have to be linear and precise and to do a focused show. But at Lanvin, we try to do the opposite – we propose for people, different body types and different men.” In the leather shoulder mail bags that were carried, perhaps alpha-male career ambitions are unshackled by the embracing of ambitious unknowns which in Lanvin’s case to become suitable missionaries.

AMI by Alexandre Mattiussi

Away from the vanguard of menswear createurs, lies a new baptised Parisan designer in Alexandre Mattiussi. Rising through the ranks at Dior Homme and Givenchy, Mattiussi forgo the esteemed ateliers to envision his own telescopic eponymous menswear collection. One that could be labeled as dressing just so, Mattiussi devised an open affair fete with sprite drinks in hand at bench tables. With the allure of overhanging illuminating bulbs and the commune of his models – they were attired in understated light suiting, beige and navy blue epaulet trenches, which sheathed away from the body to reveal single and double-breasted jackets in olive green and a distinguished Prince of Wales check
that unusually gave a youthful mystique. T-shirt, checked and light cotton shirts underneath knitted sweaters and ribbed cardigans quintessentially underscored mannish insouciance but wedged between a Parisian bien habillé attitude.

Ute Ploier

Observing through the window panels at 12 rue Commines, Viennese men’s designer Ute Ploier arranged a gallery showroom from which by her most valued buyers including Beams Japan, Komakino and RA 13 in Antwerp stocked her conceptually driven menswear. Season to season, Ploier has continuously been determined to methodically understand the male identity through man versus machine, the looping of time and her current collection titled ‘Hybrid’ which look to non-discriminate age and gender in elongated dark grey coats – one with leather trimming and an indigo leather button mohair sweater cardigan. Serendipitously, it maybe that Ploier’s Spring 2012 shown at 12 rue Commines that uniquely sums up the best men’s collections as a whole – a flux of fabrics in filmy textures, nylon/cotton mélange outerwear instead of an atypical straight forward spring collection. Reaching far beyond in material composites, finding new ways to invoke leathers as an archetypal garment and suede underlining for Alexandre Mattiussi’s trench coats, functionality can be incredibly seductive.