When faced with a few too many questions about their philosophy of clothing design, designers have come to rely on a choice retort: “It’s not brain surgery.”
How right they are.
Perhaps they should have kept that in mind a year ago when they insistently pushed clingy shirts, super-tight pants and skinny suits in their men’s shows for this summer. It certainly didn’t take a brain surgeon – or a rocket scientist, for that matter – to predict that these unforgivingly body-conscious clothes would languish on markdown racks.
Turns out that the man who can afford designer clothes isn’t a buff young high school quarterback. “The average customer is 45 to 50 years old, and he doesn’t have a 31-inch waist,” pointed out Greg Van Bellinger, men’s trend director for Dayton Hudson and Marshall Field’s.
Retailers complained, and – judging by thespring/summer ’98 runway shows here in late July – designers saw the error of their ways. “Somebody was getting through,” said a clearly relieved Stanley Tucker, vice president and fashion director of Saks Fifth Avenue.
While some European designers continued to promote tight contours, and others reacted by going the ultra-baggy route, American designers struck the right balance. They let out jackets, loosened up pants and created sweaters that hang from the shoulders instead of hugging the torso.
For Donna Karan, it was about the “juxtaposition of fit and ease. Ease is so sensual.” Which is to say that a guy who is comfortable is far sexier than a man in constricting clothes, even ones that prominently display pecs and deltoids.
Designers did more than ease up the fit. They validated the whole casual movement, showing that relaxed doesn’t have to mean sloppy. Drawstring pants as comfy as pajamas were often teamed with unconstructed jackets. Shirts were worn out, not tucked in. A knit T-shirt or light sweater often replaced a starched shirt under a tailored jacket. And everything from suits to side-striped athletic pants was sent down the runway with sandals, usually leather slides inspired by the popularity of soccer sandals.
Many of the actual trends are a repeat from last year, but with a realistic fit. So expect to see more shallow V-neck tops, flat-front pants, knee-length coats and zip-front golf jackets.
Because the men’s shows were the first gathering of the fashion world after the slaying of designer Gianni Versace, the mood was somber and subdued. As the week began, alleged killer Andrew Cunanan was still at large, and major designers were conspicuously absent from industry events that they’ve attended in the past.
Calvin Klein led off the week with a collection dedicated to the memory of Versace. He widened the legs of unpleated trousers, making them infinitely more wearable, and elongated his jackets to create a columnar silhouette. Like many other designers, he favored tonal color combinations and fabrics with a slight iridescent sheen.
The Boss collection by Hugo Boss used quiet colors to make a powerful statement. Steel-blue suits were shown with pale gray shirts and gray ties, while combinations of pale gray, white and ice blue will let men look cool and collected no matter what the temperature. The show, which was watched by Denis Leary, Jason Priestly and golfer Phil Mickelson, proved that even metallics can earn a place in men’s wardrobes, as long as they’re in discreet shades such as pewter and bronze.
Karan made metallics not only palatable but supremely sexy in her collection. Inspired by urban images of oxidized metals and granite, Karan’s sleek suits exuded quiet authority. The sheer, iridescent shirts might prove a bit too daring for the typical man, but no matter. They were still beautiful to look at, and there will be other options in stores.
Even something as basic as the white shirt can make news, and it did for spring as designers contrasted it with cream, sand, pale gray and khaki suits, adding tonal or pastel accents in ties. Ralph Lauren took a stone safari jacket and belted it over white pants and a gray turtleneck instead of the more expected shades of khaki.
But not all the colors were quiet. Wilke-Rodriguez revved up sweaters with gradated stripes in vivid shades of blue, orange or green. Gene Meyer stroked jersey shirts in broad stripes, then added striped ties in bright jewel tones. John Bartlett showed tangerine, turquoise and coral in suits, partially sheer camp shirts and embroidered suede cabana shirts.
Texture was its own story. At DKNY, sweaters were crunchy and shirt jackets coarsely woven. Cozy French terry turned up as zip-neck pullovers and knee-length shorts at Nautica. Suede and leather were strong throughout the week in shirts, zip-front golf jackets and knee-length coats. Bartlett punched holes into leather sweatshirts to create a different take on mesh.
Although several designers toyed with sheer shirts, Nicole Farhi pulled it off most successfully by turning them into a layering piece, showing a sheer patterned sweater over a solid T-shirt in a contrasting color.
Drawstring waists offered a completely relaxed trouser, the antithesis of last year’s constricting cuts. Although most designers treated them as a casual item, some showed pinstriped versions with suits. “For me, it’s a new way to show suits,” said French-born designer Nicole Farhi, whose company is based in London. “I wanted to get away as much as possible from the sharpness of a few years ago.”
Not everyone loosened up. The design team at Richard Edwards stuck to skinny cuts while giving argyle sweater vests and granddad cardigans a hip attitude.
Helmut Lang, who premiered his men’s collection here for the first time, stayed true to the looks that have made him a hero with the fashion crowd: tightly cut pants with tab waists, clingy jersey shirts, short suit jackets and slim, knee-length coats. But in a nod to the influence of American activewear, he showed nylon coats that zipped into pouches worn around the waist like a cummerbund. He ran stripes down the sides of pants, bringing to mind the bottom half of a ’70s jogging suit. Given his strong influence on other designers, Lang’s mesh shirts and paint-splattered jeans are likely to turn into mainstream trends.
TRENDS TO WATCH FOR SPRING ’98
Tone on tone: Clothes are worn monochromatically or in tonal shades. Colored dress shirts are matched to solid-color ties.
Gray has its day: In shades from pale pewter to deep charcoal, gray comes on strong in suits, coats, shirts, sweaters and ties.
Stand-alone shirts: In leather, suede, sheer paisley or ethnic prints, these shirts don’t need a jacket. Usually short-sleeved and meant to be worn out.
Suitably stylish: Jackets are longer and still slim, but the fit is easier than in recent seasons. Side vents, ticket pockets and other sartorial touches remain strong. Pants are full-legged, usually with flat fronts. Many designers are using a bit of stretch to ensure comfort.
V-necks: In sweaters, T-shirts and vests, the shallow V is the neckline of the moment.
Pajama pants: Drawstring waists make pants that are born for lounging. They won’t cut it at the office, but they look great with a sweater or shirt jacket on the weekend.
Shirt jackets: A hybrid between a shirt and a jacket, these make a perfect topper for all those in-between times.
Tennis togs: Designers are breathing life into preppy courtside classics from argyle patterns to cabled sweater vests.
Expose those toes: Sandals are required footwear with everything from suits to shorts. Slides in leather or suede are the top choice, often with a back strap to hold them in place.
