The men’s shows seem like they happened a fashion lifetime ago now, beginning in early June and extending into early July in NYC, where they finally ended. We trotted around the globe, seeing what wondrous creations that world had to offer.
Was there a theme? Was there a moment of global fashion unification? Honestly, no. In fact, the most refreshing dialogue this season for me, which united everyone, was the expression of individualism. Everyone had definitely embraced the idea and creative confidence to celebrate their differences wholeheartedly.
It was refreshing to be inspired by the individualism of brands big and small. Younger brands such as Charles Jeffrey have created a dialogue that really encapsulated for me this confidence, this unashamed ability to express their DNA without hesitation, without apology, celebrating their vision and taking us all on their journey – not followers but trailblazers.
Gucci, as a bigger brand, under the leadership of Alessandro Michele also evolved, and honed even further Michele’s unique dialogue with fashion, which gripped our imagination further and transported us deeper into his realm of creativity. He also pushed further and created one of the biggest changes in our fashion landscape by amalgamating his mens- and womenswear collections into one presentation. No longer separated but combined. Following suit with Burberry, who initiated this change, announcements came that Dsquared2, Bottega Veneta, Paul Smith, Vivienne Westwood, Kenzo and Vetements will also combine. These changes represent a major shift in the menswear landscape and the approach to communicating and showing the collections. The reality is and has been that more and more men are buying womenswear and more and more women are buying menswear. This “cross-dressing”, as I have christened it, has been happening on the downlow for years (ask Alex Fury) and I love the idea of the endless possibilities it represents. So, in our very 10 way, we have tried to have these conversations. Hopefully, you’ll find something that calls out to be yours. Men’s or women’s – the sky’s the limit.
Sophia Neophitou
Editor-in-Chief, 10 and 10 Men Magazine
Illustration by Charles Jeffrey
