For his first birthday, my youngest son, Marcello, received a gift that puzzled my husband and me. It was a ruby red sweater–ribbed, with a little zipper at the top and soft, rounded shoulders, and very fitted. Was this a sweater for a boy–or a girl?
Looking at some of the men’s fashion for fall, many of us are probably wondering the same thing. Is that magenta silk shirt really meant to be worn by a man? Will men start adorning their lapels with all sorts of jewels? Are men ready to take on the world of mismatched polka dots, plaids and pinstripes? Will men ever feel comfortable toting mini-handbags instead of mighty briefcases?
For the most part, the answer is clearly no. Cutting-edge fashion–particularly men’s–has a sharply limited audience, says Michael Hand, president of the apparel division for the NPD Group, a market research company.
It traditionally has been the province of a few eccentric dressers, usually entertainers, eager to stamp out a look they can claim as their own. Pop stars have never shied away from assembling looks that push the gender issue. Note, for example, such singers as the Beau Brummels (the original dandies), Brian Jones (pinstripes, ruffles and gold brocade jackets) and David Bowie (glam makeup, sequins and feathers).
While many men might try a funky piece here or there, it usually doesn’t lead to men suddenly dressing like Ziggy Stardust or Austin Powers.
But never mind. For fall, the push is on again. Hedi Slimane has designed a sexually charged fall collection for Yves Saint Laurent featuring such items as a black leather topcoat with tails and matching tight trousers that seem right out of wardrobe central for the orgy scene in the film “Eyes Wide Shut.”
Tom Ford at Gucci is turning out rabbit-fur jeans and diamond-quilted motocross jackets, and John Bartlett has been pushing skirts for men for a while. Even the usually utilitarian Helmut Lang is outfitting men in magenta silk shirts and tuxedo pants. At just about every men’s fashion show for fall, the models were accessorized head to toe, with fedoras to fringed scarves to diamond rings.
The industry would like you to believe that the dandy has returned and that, yes, there is a market for him.”Men have been dressing down to their most basic elements for the past few seasons” says market expert Eric Hertz, executive director of the Fashion Association. “Whenever that happens, it’s time for a change.”
Colors did sell well last spring. Even the conservative outfitter Brooks Brothers reported record sales of such colors as turquoise, tangerine and pink. Spurred by the success of color, designers are offering a rainbow assortment of plaids, pinstripes, polka dots and florals for fall.
Retailers are aggressively encouraging men to be more adventurous shoppers and are luring them with luxurious separates: leather blazers, cashmere knits, crocodile belts and shoes, even fur. The casual-wear trend in the workplace has given rise to a separates boom and indirectly led to a wide range of eclectic combinations.
“Once we convince people there are no rules to dressing, we have to pay the price,” says trend analyst David Wolfe of the Doneger Group.”It’s an individual’s choice.”
Most men, however, will not be up for the challenge.
“It requires too much work and too much attention to shopping,” says Marion Maneker, a men’s fashion writer and senior editor at New York magazine. “And that’s the distinction between a dandy and an ordinary man. A dandy is interested in shopping, in mulling over the details of what he’s going to wear the next day, the colors, the pieces. Will most men do that? Probably not.”
Still, others point to the boom in the men’s grooming market and say we are entering a new peacock era.
“Hair coloring for men is now the No. 3-selling hair product in the market,” says Wolfe, who at age 59 has taken to dyeing his hair platinum. And a new book, “The Adonis Complex,” reports that 690,361 American men underwent cosmetic surgery in 1996.
But even if men seem to care more about their appearance, that doesn’t mean they will suddenly become shoppers or sharp dressers. Nor does the rise of the men’s grooming industry signal the return of the dandy.
“It just means men are worried about looking good,” says Maneker. “It doesn’t mean they are concerned about clothes for clothes’ sake.”
As for my son’s sweater, I’m still on the fence. It’s not that I’m opposed to red or pink for boys. I’m just not sure he can pull it off.
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RESOURCES
Cover: Prada black cherry pinstriped jacket (price not available) and Prada black cherry pinstriped pants, $420, at Prada, Chicago. Fendi multicolored silk shirt, $450, at Fendi, New York or call 800-FENDINY. Dolce & Gabbana navy tie with polka dots, $95, at Dolce & Gabbana, New York. Moschino pink knit vest with violet floral detail, $205, at Marshall Field’s and at Moschino, New York. Hermes gemstone pocket square, $95, at Hermes, Chicago. Bulgari gold watch at Bulgari, Chicago, and C.D. Peacock gold and amethyst earring on lapel at C.D. Peacock, Oakbrook, Woodfield Mall Northbrook and Chicago.
GENDER BENDERS
Pg. 21: Gucci camel napa diamond quilted jacket, $3,800, at select Gucci stores. T-shirt, personal collection, Gianni Versace black camouflage pants, $755, at Gianni Versace boutiques worldwide or call 888-3-VERSACE. C.D. Peacock 18-karat gold and onyx ring and gold and diamond ring at C. D. Peacock, Oakbrook. Bulgari gold necklace at Bulgari, Chicago.
Pg. 22: Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche Homme black leather tuxedo jacket with tails, $4,665, and Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche Homme black leather narrow pants, $3,450, at Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche Homme, New York. C.D. Peacock platinum and diamond choker and bracelet at C.D. Peacock, Oakbrook, Woodfield Mall, Northbrook and Chicago. Cartier Tank onyx ring at Cartier, Chicago.
Pg. 23: Gianni Versace silver bomber jacket, $6,696, at Gianni Versace boutiques worldwide or call 888-3-VERSACE. Ann Demeulemeester pink sweater, $818, at Blake, Chicago. Costume National black acrylic-blend pants, $465, at Saks Fifth Avenue and Barneys New York, Chicago.
Pg. 24: Burberry tweed check plaid zip-front jacket, $1,233, at Burberry, New York and Barneys New York, Chicago. Helmut Lang camel shearling zip-front gilet with collar, $1,170, and camel leather punched belt, $190 (for stores, contact www.helmutlang.com). John Bartlett ivory ribbed turtleneck, $335, at Marshall Field’s, Saks Fifth Avenue and Barneys New York, Chicago. Martin Margiela white painted jeans, $425, at Blake, Chicago. C.D. Peacock 18-karat gold and onyx ring, 14-karat bracelet and 14-karat gold and diamond ring at C.D. Peacock, Oakbrook, Woodfield Mall, Northbrook and Chicago.
Pg. 26: Dolce & Gabbana full-length reversible Persian lamb coat, $21,197, at Neiman Marcus. Comme des Garcons red and blue wool/cotton jacquard check jacket, $1,240, matching pants, $700, and navy and red wool zippered cardigan, $605, at Barneys New York, New York and Comme des Garcons, New York. Moschino blue satin scarf with fringe, $150, at Moschino, New York. Makins black velour hat with leather trim (price not available) and brown pony gloves (price not available) at Neiman Marcus. Dolce & Gabbana brown “Chelsea” boots, $470, at Saks Fifth Avenue. C.D. Peacock 18-karat gold and onyx ring, gold pocket watch and chain and diamond dragonfly pin at C.D. Peacock, Oakbrook, Woodfield Mall, Northbrook and Chicago.
Pg. 27: Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche Homme burgundy Spandex double-layered top, $390, at Yves Saint Laurent Boutique Homme, New York. Gucci brown wild rabbit pants, $2,270, at select Gucci stores. C.D. Peacock diamond bracelet and chalcedony necklace and ring at C.D. Peacock, Oakbrook, Woodfield Mall, Northbrook and Chicago.
Pp. 28-29: Valentino ivory hooded coat, $2,500 (for buying information, call 800-785-2347). Helmut Lang magenta ceremonial wool/silk jacket, $760, and matching pants, $400, silk gauze shirt, $320, and magenta silk tie, $98 (for stores, contact www.helmutlang.com). Fendi black leather belt, $350, and purple silk tie, $85, at Fendi, New York or call 800-FENDINY. C.D. Peacock pearl and diamond earring worn on lapel and platinum and diamond ring at C.D. Peacock, Oakbrook, Woodfield Mall, Northbrook and Chicago.
Model: David Longstreth, Next, New York.
Hair/makeup: Steeve Daviault, Link, New York.
