SPRING / SUMMER 2014 RUNWAY REPORT Y
ears later, when one looks back at the spring of 2014, it ought to be remembered as the beginning of a trend that lingered on for many seasons. Not only couturiers, but influential fast fashion brands have also been engulfed by the rampant athleticism evident in both menswear and women’s wear. As we enter this edition of spring, shelves at stores are getting prepped for the unisex bomber jackets, agile sweatpants and sporty crop tops; needless to say, the batch of health conscious consumers is on its way to translate into a collective culture – a culture that evokes a sense of relevance in fashion. This relevance has enabled ideas in fashion that would have previously been abandoned, one of them being the introduction of slack fit in formal ensembles. The ease with which designers have blended silhouettes through multifunctional hybrids-shirtdresses, pyjama trousers and roomy tunics – empowers people caught in a world of exhaustive options. High street brands will only strike a chord if they manage to include this streak of versatility in their collections – ensembles which could tick more boxes than one on the trend checklist. The question remains, what do we take forth from this feisty spring? We take forth relevance, a fashion ideal that is beyond its shock value and, to the relief of many, a mood of relaxation. The will to unravel the culture of sports and knead cultural influences, developing silhouettes that rank high on functionality and more importantly, exploring the underdog category of knits.
Menswear The dandy man and the technical geek coexist amid abstract plaids and geometric florals
Womenswear Sporty silhouettes coloured in an icy palette of pastels gush in with ultra relaxed formals and translucent sheers
spring/summer 2014 | menswear | runway trends | FFT magazine
What started at resort of 2014 for women continued to gain momentum and take form in menswear as well. With sporty chic being the keyword, sportswear came about full circle at menswear S/S 2014, emerging as the underlining theme of the season. The conjunction of formal wear and sportswear towards a modish whole, attributed by a casual but well put together man, will be the business propellant for the season. Recurrences of sweatshirts and futuristic jackets – sporty and technical – together with knits and jacquards, were a notably frequent affair, so was the long length of the overcoats and the occasional tunic silhouette. Sporty separates aside, formals were presented with an effortless culmination of athleticism with designers trading in buttons on classy jackets for zippers. Loose pants and roomier shorts, fold ups and boxy vests were frequented by many, accounting for an easy, formal vibe. While there were traces of the swinging ‘60s, dandy gentlemen were evinced by the cropped and tapered trousers executed with the suit sets and the loose sleeve tee. There was also a footprint of short suits promising to break commercial grounds, perfectly in sync with the short sets in general. Florals set the category of prints afloat with a dark charisma and thought, merging with geometric quirky takes; the technique of splatter and brushstrokes called for considerable attention after repeated occurrences at Paris. Resultantly, colour in the men’s wardrobe has its fair share of hopping between bright hued layers and icy tones. Leather defies convention once again penetrating the summer game. Fabric innovation and technology were the prime streaks manifested in constructions that account for the changing trends in the menswear markets. Unfussy but classy, aggregates to be the season’s vibe with silhouettes that were at relative ease and sportswear was undeniably the plinth on which the fashion weeks were firmly fixated.
Costume National
Dolce & Gabbana
Moschino
Tom Ford
Futuristic Formals
MENSWEAR
Fashion Forward Trends
E. Tautz
T
Dolce & Gabbana
Saint Laurent
his is the perfect look to standout in the crowd and shine brighter than thy neighbour. Designers tailored formal suits of various shapes and sizes in shimmer, sequin, foil and glistening silks. While some preferred the toned down approach of wearing a shiny coat on a monochrome suit, there were others who went guns blazing in light reflecting fabrics head to toe, starting from the tie to the shirt to finally, the pants. Instead of the usual gold, silver and copper; light green, blood red and royal blue were colours that were used beautifully this season too.
Fashion Forward Trends
spring/summer 2014 | menswear | runway trends | FFT magazine
Balenciaga
Calvin Klein
Givenchy
Fendi
Christopher Shannon
BLK DNM
Dries Van Noten
S
Richard Nicoll
Hermès
Salvatore Ferragamo
Giorgio Armani
porty Suave – the term would best be described as the zeitgeist in context of Menswear S/S’14. There was hardly a show without an element of sport on display. Bomber jackets inset with shirts, sweatshirts with shorts, track pants, ribbed cuffs and the panels, all bear testimony. Then there were the blazers and pants worn with sweats and the formal trousers with jerseys and bombers all forming the genesis for Sporty Chic. Embraced by all, the mood took full form when the buttons were replaced by zippers, knits found a slot and the sleeves were rolled up.
Transparency
Sporty Suave
Dsquared²
A
Paul Smith
MAN
clear winner for Autumn/Winter 2013, transparency has clawed its way to spring 2014 too. Frequenting shirts and coats, pants were added to the list, playing on sheer fabrics, such as net, mesh, lace and more. Some designers chose to leave a bit to the imagination by using opaque pockets, collars and plackets on a filmy bodice, while others picked the ‘got it, flaunt it’ strategy. Layering was quite prominent, taking the trend over to a wearable zone. Instead of its usual colourless forms, bright green, gray and pale yellow were experimented with at ease.
Fashion Forward Trends
spring/summer 2014 | menswear | runway trends | FFT magazine
Dior Homme
S
Dsquared²
Alexander McQueen
Diesel Black Gold
Jil Sander
Kris Van Assche
hort suits have convincingly matured from an experimental streak to a mainstream phenomenon. The tapered short suit, this summer, is succeeded by an air of comfort underlined by a serious tone of formal. Loose bottoms – inclining towards three-fourths – have replaced the skinny shorts; rationally, so the longer blazers leave sufficient room for slouch. Ranging from monochromatic short suits to peaking lapels on a double breasted coat safely played along the side walls of formal.
KTZ
Michael Bastian
The Hybrid
A Not-So-Short Suit
Agi & Sam
C
Kris Van Assche
Kenzo
Emporio Armani
Giorgio Armani
Alexis Mabille
onsidering the number of designers rolling out sweatshirts in their collection, it wasn’t hard to decode one of the key silhouettes of the season. However, designers looked past the regular sweatshirts, creatively employing elements of it on classic menswear separates. In a hybrid fashion, office blazers boasted of hoodie caps and bomber sleeves (ending in gathered cuffs), with some variations replacing zipped closures for the usual buttoned plackets. Inversely, sweatshirts and bombers too were diced in a flavour of formal wear, with designers constructing them with suit lapels, welt pockets and button fasteners.
Fashion Forward Trends
spring/summer 2014 | menswear | runway trends | FFT magazine
Kurta Clad
John Galliano
T
Billy Reid
Fendi
KTZ
Siki Im
Meadham Kirchhoff
he Indian kurta got a contemporary avatar after numerous variations and sightings on the international runway. The length varying from short to mid-thigh to knee-length, cut in simple fabrics and fits, the kurta shirt is an official season trend. The mandarin collar is the distinguishing characteristic of this fashion. Layering over T-shirts and extended sheer panelling can be incorporated well with a kurta for a more edgy vibe. This kurta shirt lends an air of ease and transforms the ensemble into an effortless laidback one.
Balenciaga
Diesel Black Gold
Tech(Y) Jack
Duckie Brown
O
Gucci
Salvatore Ferragamo
Christopher Raeburn
Burberry Prorsum
Dries Van Noten
uterwear for spring had a major moment with Frida Giannini’s innovative technical transformation at Gucci. While the fabrics got tech(y), the jackets got techno. The sporty jackets made of technical fabrics embodied neater constructions – with zippers and Velcro – a spring highlight of creativity for menswear. Anoraks with sharp flaps worn with sci-fi glasses made the jacket look no less than a futuristic entity. The construction of some others was relatively easy and slouched but with an edge of its own rendered through the sheen and sheer shirts.
Fashion Forward Trends
P
Agi & Sam
Damir Doma
E. Tautz
Iceberg
Dior Homme
Raf Simons
artitioning the garment in geometric shapes so the end product looks like multiple garments sewn together to form one is how designers divided their ensembles. This S/S’14 men’s runway saw a lot of this trend popping up in bold horizontal stripes, using different hues of the same colour strategically to highlight each segment and with creatively placing each piece to resemble patchwork with the pockets starkly standing out from the background shades. Colour divide can be created in formal and casual wear, both by creating a bold impact on suits, pants overcoats, sweatshirts but to keep it subtle and yet fashionable, it can be colour blocked by accessories like ties and belts too.
Phillip Lim
Mad Over Plaid
Colour Divide
Paul Smith
spring/summer 2014 | menswear | runway trends | FFT magazine
Junya Watanabe
T
Comme des Garçons
Jil Sander
Neil Barrett
Damir Doma
Missoni
he criss-cross pattern is more than the customary horizontal and vertical bands, this was proved to be true as the print was shaped into Tartans, Gingham checks and Tattersall or Madras checks this spring. Designers stuck to the customary shades of blue iris, blood red, black and white but played around with the execution. Mixing different plaid patterns in one ensemble and reintroducing it in abstract forms was a break from the ordinary. Except on the obvious formal attire, plaid was spread on shorts, jackets, jumpers and T-shirts, expanding to the territory of casual wear too. Suitable for all fabrics, the unfading pattern deems more than fit for summer.
Fashion Forward Trends
spring/summer 2014 | menswear | runway details | FFT magazine
Agi & Sam
Indigo Age
E. Tautz
O
Hermes
Canali
Lanvin
3.1 Phillip Lim
Alexis Mabille
Balmain
Versace
Kris Van Assche
Robert Geller
Jil Sander
Lee Roach
Missoni
ne colour found in prominence this season was indigo. The shade of wisdom and intuition spans across different channels of fashion, said to have its roots embedded as a strong Indian dye colour. It is one of the shades that stand out in the current fascination for blue. Deep dark tones along with some graded tones ruled the runways. The colour that in itself is a very rich tone of blue works best with neutral shades like white and other light colours like pale limes and pinks in addition to black for more dressy ensembles. With subtle hints of mysticism and spirituality, indigo conveys just the right amount of energy and charm holding a strong position in the palette stories for coming seasons too.
A
man’s waist has a face this season, coming into shape on the most unexpected silhouettes. With a defined waist, designers injected a dose of sartorial finesse in ready-to-wear separates. Work wear ensembles – shirts and overalls – were either cinched around the waist, side seams with a gathered stitch or held by riveted waistbands on either side. Belts were brought out to accentuate form on both casual and evening wear. While leather waistbands on rolled up pants stood for a striking contrast, buckled and knotted belt on coats, blazers and trenches made for a recurring image on the runway. Some designers went as far as belting bombers and longer sweatshirts, adding a calculated fit to their slack contours.
Pinch Of Cinch
32
Fashion Forward Trends
3.1 Phillip Lim
Saint Laurent
F
spring/summer 2014 | menswear | runway details | FFT magazine
Alexander McQueen
Ann Demeulemeester
Versace
MAN
Louis Vuitton
Junya Watanabe
Jean Paul Gaultier
3.1 Phillip Lim
Comme des Garçons
Issey Miyake
lorals for men and that of a dark variety had a charm of its own, in the minds of many. From tropical vagaries to renaissance intricacies, they were big and around. But, what was intriguing this year was the use of geometric prints – stripes or checks – with feminine floral ones. Merged in the same ensemble at some shows and in others, on separates – the upper covered in flowers and the bottom part striped or checkered, this trend breaks all rules of Do’s and Dont’s in prints. Flometrics bring a statistical quality to something that is so inherently immeasurable and free-flowing.
Flometric
S
taying true to the eccentric instinct embedded deep in each artist, designers this time ventured into the outlandish through colour. A mish-mash of colours splattered across the clothes resulted in standout products in many designer collections for men. London witnessed the trend in the form of psychedelic tie&dye from head to toe, whereas Paris and Milan frequented splatter in a hodgepodge manner and fused it with other print forms, such as plaid and stripes. While some incorporated the entire spectrum of colours, others used patterns resembling brush-strokes and splatters executed in hues that were rather dull and subdued.
Matter Of Splatter
33
34
Fashion Forward Trends
spring/summer 2014 | menswear | runway details | FFT magazine
Calvin Klein
Philipp Plein
T
Costume National
Lanvin
McQ Alexander McQueen
Valentino
Dsquared2
here is a lot more than usual that can fit into men’s pockets this season. The modest pocket square has been stretched wider and longer to make a grand appearance on outerwear and other ensembles. The chunky pockets, with some variations measuring above 10 inches, were mostly topped with buttoned flaps on coats and jackets. Placed on chests and waists, big bellows pockets (with expandable sewn sides and a front boxy pleat) were sewn on safari jackets while structural flap pockets hopped from sweatshirts to bomber jackets. Frontier pockets together with patched pockets on overalls strengthened the adaptability of the trend on other ready-to-wear separates.
Bit-O-Leather
Trussardi
Richard Nicoll
Fendi
Giorgio Armani
Gucci
John Varvatos
K
nits have, very refreshingly, managed to befit the list of summer trends in a capacity more than that of a dull imitation. In peppy colours, optical weave patterns and futuristic prints, knits have staged a playful comeback. Open knits, in specific, were a soothing change from the usual, adding an element of see-through, perfect for the spring runways. Some designers incorporated waffle-knit sweaters too, while others went for abstract jagged patterns.
Knitty Gritty
35
36
Fashion Forward Trends
spring/summer 2014 | menswear | runway details | FFT magazine
Acne Studios
Emporio Armani
Alexander McQueen
Paul Smith
Missoni
Les Hommes
Burberry Prorsum
Shaun Samson
John Varvatos
Hermès
Etro
Ermenegildo Zegna
T
he yoke of a shirt, meant to lend support to parts that needed it, was approached in different ways of creative interest this spring. One was via fabric, juxtaposing textiles for standout looks – sheer on opaque or vice versa – and even using metallic ones for added effect. The second was managed through colours: black on white, white on black and pale pink on white. Variation was also created through pleating the yoke and colour blocking it. What traditionally remains concealed behind layers was seen slowly sitting front row this season.
Duke OF Yoke
A
n accessory that was hard to miss on any designer runway this season was that of a scarf- square, circular and long galore. They were fashioned in various different ways; Loop-n-through, knot, infinity, cowboy, designers got their creative juices flowing with each style. Embracing the summer season, scarves were seen in feminine prints and bright colours; bringing much life to various power suits and casual daywear. Knits and woven were both present, tucked in prim or swaying, slung around the neck. Easily this season’s must have.
Scarf The Issue
37
Fashion Forward Trends
3.1 Phillip Lim
John Galliano
T
spring/summer 2014 | menswear | runway details | FFT magazine
Alexander McQueen
Burberry Prorsum
Balenciaga
Christopher Raeburn
here is a lot more than the usual that can fit into a man’s pocket this season. The modest pocket square has been stretched wider and longer to make a grand appearance on outerwear and other ensembles. The chunky pockets, with some variations measuring above 10 inches, were mostly topped with buttoned flaps on coats and jackets. Placed on chests and waists, big bellows pockets (with expandable sewn sides and a front boxy pleat) were sewn on safari jackets while structural flap pockets hopped from sweatshirts to bomber jackets. Frontier pockets together with patched pockets on overalls strengthened the adaptability of the trend on other ready-to-wear separates.
Colossal Pockets
Dries Van Noten
Giorgio Armani
I
Emporio Armani
Richard Nicoll
James Long
Z Zegna
n a classic tale of functional meets aesthetic, designers felt the pull of statement zippers as seen in their runway offerings. The utility fasteners were face-lifted to two- way separating zippers, making quite an edgy impact on outerwear separates. Flattering a myriad looks, fitted bombers were sewn with sleek zippers, boxy jackets were locked neatly in metallic zippers much like the dandy blazers and taking a futuristic leap were tech-inspired jackets replaced broad leather plackets with the regular concealed closures. The trend came together on sport blazers as well, where the two-way zipper shifted to a front sideway placket.
Zipped 2-Ways