Park & Bond polled 12 fashion experts to see what to expect
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dam Derrick, founder and designer, To Boot New York
“This is the year that men discover a world beyond black and brown shoes. Blues and greys, especially, not only work with everything we own, they put a personal and interesting spin on any outfit, even jeans and a T-shirt.”
Billy Reid, designer
“Menswear seems to evolve without drastic changes. One thing I’ve noticed is that customers are buying better things. There’s a bevy of great clothes in the market at all prices, so the more special items have become more important.”
Cory Ohlendorf, cofounder and editor in chief, Valet
“We’re going to continue to see even more of this casual Italian influence. It’s a relaxed way of looking put together. Those unstructured, garment-washed blazers in bold colors personify the look perfectly. They’re comfortable yet Continental. And they look good layered over everything from oxford cloth button-downs to lightweight sweaters to striped T-shirts.”
Dexter and Byron Peart, founders and designers, WANT Les Essentiels de la Vie
“We’ll see a greater demand for high-quality materials engineered with a technical or functional element. Arc’teryx Veilance, for example, is sourcing the most advanced outerwear fabrics—fabrics that are not only waterproof, but will respond with greater durability and breathability (with a refined sophistication). It’s the intersection between fashion and technology, form and function.”
Ian Velardi, designer
“We’ll see more unexpected layering. People are starting to get really creative with what they’re mixing, like nylon windbreakers with finer wools and tailored pieces. The beauty is in the impulsive and unpredictable choices—messing with color, proportion, and texture. If at first it doesn’t quite work, it may just be perfect. Like the way your grandpa used to wear his robe over anything, and it worked.”
Jesse Thorn, blogger, Put This On
“I have a friend named Lino Belles who owns a wonderful furniture store off Valencia Street in San Francisco called The Apartment. I’ve known Lino almost all my life—he used to cut my hair when I was a kid. Anyway, Lino has always been a bold dresser, but for the last 10 years or so, he has taken to wearing blue zip-up jumpsuits almost exclusively. The kind that an airplane repairman might wear. He usually accessorizes them with loud Converse All-Stars or a colorful scarf. I should mention here, for the sake of the mental picture, that Lino is Filipino, bald as a cue ball, and has got to be coming up on 60. I can’t honestly predict that everyone will wear jumpsuits in 2012, but I can predict that Lino will wear jumpsuits in 2012. And he will look fantastic.”
Marisa Zupan, blogger, The Significant Other
“We’ll see more British-influenced design and textures. There were a few signs of this already this year—Fair Isle, Harris Tweed—and it will only grow. American heritage and Italian designers have been huge these past couple of years, so it’s only fitting that the last great school in menswear, Saville Row, sees a renaissance soon, too.”
Mark McNairy, designer
“DROOPY DRAWERS, CHICKEN SLACKS, AND COLOR LIKE A MOTHERF—KER.”
Matt and Carrie Eddmenson, cofounders and designers, Imogene + Willie
“Carrie and I are not really big on trends. We believe in buying in terms of quality, not quantity. If you have the choice between three chintzy-but-trendy blazers that will end up at in the back of your closet when the season is over and investing in a well-make jacket with classic lines and a timeless cut, go for the latter. Classics never go out of style.”
Michael Bastian, designer, Michael Bastian and GANT by Michael Bastian
“All the excitment is going to come from online—both on the social media/blogging front and the designer sales front. Men have a lot of catching up to do with women in this regard, but they’re learning fast.”
Nick Wooster, fashion advisor, Gilt MAN
“Starting with Fall 2011, we saw tons of Nordic and Fair Isle designs on outerwear, knitwear, socks, and accessories. For Spring 2012, we saw the emergence of tribal-inspired prints. The common denominator is the idea of introducing a strong pattern into your wardrobe: foulard, paisley, camouflage, Fair Isle, tribal, batik … the list is endless. I think 2012 will be the year of the print.”
Sam Shipley and Jeff Halmos, designers, Shipley & Halmos
“We’re fairly certain you’re going to see a lot of really relaxed, garment-washed, casual silhouettes mixed with clean, modern, tailored, formal looks. Oh, and even some studs and leather—very rock ‘n roll. We have a feeling there will be lots of pop color as well as black and white. As for S&H, we’re already planning our inspiration trip to St. Tropez where we will read The Great Gatsby, listen to the Ramones, and research the best types of oils and waxes to apply to various forms of cotton canvas.”
(Spotted at Park & Bond)
