The fall 2010 men’s shows wrapped in Milan yesterday, and the world’s top buyers say they are happy with the season’s offerings. The clothes were mostly casual, but this pleased most buyers save Bloomingdale’s vice-president Kevin Harter, who lamented the dearth of “actual suits.” But with so many people unemployed, the market might not need so many suits right now. Hence, designers gave us preppy stuff great for Saturdays (or Tuesdays!) spent ambling through parks and museums. And for the unemployed man taking a long weekend jaunt for some brisk winter mountain hiking, designers offered shearling coats, man furs, and plaid.
The favorite collections seem to be Dolce & Gabbana, Prada, and Gamme Bleu, designed by Thom Browne. Dolce returned to their “Sicilian workwear” roots, Holt Renfrew’s Lanita Layton said, but with added sex appeal. In our assessment, the collection was great for the dude who rolls out of bed at 11 a.m., works for a couple hours on his Vespa before cleaning out the coal-burning oven, and then throws a sweater on to drink beer on the pier and pick up tourists filtering off cruise ships. Buyers also loved Prada’s camouflage coats — ideal for stylish hunters trying to save a buck on venison — and Thom Browne’s plaids for Gamme Bleu — ideal for the do-it-yourself-er who prefers cutting down his own trees to purchasing lumber at Home Depot.
Sarah Rutson, fashion director at Lane Crawford in Hong Kong, had her eye on everyone’s favorite man accessory that just won’t quit. “Certainly for me the man bag has been extremely strong, and I’m really looking into growing that area,” she told WWD. She doesn’t cite them, but some of our favorite murses were Gianfranco Ferré’s fanny packs, or as we’ll henceforth refer to them, manny packs (!!!).
In sum, next winter’s most stylish men will dress like preppy lumberjacks with fabulous manny packs. But the men’s shows in Paris haven’t started yet, so all that could change.
