MILAN MENS F/W 11.12 HIGHLIGHTS.

When ‘evaluating’ show highlights, I’ll pick the overall best from each city. The looks need not be jaw-dropping but show quality and staging of the show is crucial. A noteworthy show will sell even more than those of great designs—ask the local brand-whore, they should know. (Brand-whore: someone who ‘buy brands’ under the belief that it brings prestige to their otherwise lack of taste, regardless of quality or value. Thank you, urban dictionary.)

First up; Burberry Prorsum by Chief Creative Officer, Christopher Bailey. Upon seeing the new Burberry collection, I would like to think that Bailey was thinking of me when editing the looks. It is everything that I would wear; oversized sculptural outerwear, bonded wool and slim leg trousers— what more can I ask for?

True, some pieces were tacky and looked like the interior of a Texas trucker’s truck but I’m not complaining. I have to say, if not for the teal, tangerine and the rain at the end, the show might just be boring. When you mix model and wet, it is always a good thing.







Muiccia build a two-storied ‘house’ for guest at the fall-winter show with flooring coated with a prep of linseed oil and powdered cork. It should be an amazing experience if you’re at the show but for us who have to rely on the Internet, it’s a little underwhelming.

Following last season’s wonderful compilation, no wonder most of us were disappointed. I see Prada as the tastemakers for the lesser-known brands and as the ‘dictator’ of next season’s trends. Glitter tops are no longer groundbreaking in the menswear scene but the play of proportion is current. Sad to say, the current menswear collection fell short. And it looks like the women’s collection is forecast to be as dull as dishwater.







Lastly, Monclear Gamme Bleu (still have no idea what that means) by Thom Browne. Every season is like a guessing game—what will Thom Browne do next? The latest show doesn’t sit well with me. I like how it was presented but poor beagles was suffering and models were pissed. It really doesn’t matter how the clothes were because no one was looking at it anyways. There are better ways to stage a spectacular show; to me five horses and 20 beagles is not one of them.

Dinie.

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PARIS MENS S/S 2011 HIGHLIGHTS.

Call me crazy but I’m showing a little more interest in Thom Browne’s works. In a season where sporty, shorts and suits were highlighted on most shows, Thom Browne made them to perfection. If Monclear had bicycle prints, the suits here are embroidered with cute little fishy and sharks. Still a little gimmicky for me (the models had to unzipped themselves from space suits) it was definitely less theatrical than Monclear.







Sweet-Sugar Papa Pilati, thank you for fulfilling my design fantasy. Like you, I would wear every look from this collection. With every season past, the collection gets even more refined and abstract. Many disapprove of this collection because of the high-waist and the pairing of polka dots shorts and that it was too ‘soft’ for the average Yves Saint Laurent man (Whatever that means). I would have to agree but I don’t find any of the pieces ill fitting or too feminine. I guess it all comes down to the casting of models; it was a little ‘demure’ then usual. Then again, it’s his vision and for me, it was all I ever dreamed of designing! (Talk about missing design school,ugh.)






Like any other Lanvin collection, it’s the close-up that matters. It brings so much more worth to the garment itself, the work that was put into every single pieces were stunning. This was more captivating of the recent menswear collection; it had lots of details, textures and fabrics. I especially like the footwear and the continuation of jewelry designs from the womenswear line. The apprentice learns fast, Lucas echoes Alber’s aesthetic more and more!

Dinie.

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