When New York Fashion Week Men’s kicks off ever season, one of the first shows to attend is New York Men’s Day. Correction. It’s not just one show but 12 different shows presenting over 2 sessions.
For those new to New York Fashion Week Men’s, New York Men’s Day is considered the official start of the men’s shows. Agentry PR curated Men’s Day, before the men’s shows were held separately from the women’s. It was a way to showcase the agency’s hottest designers and give them their own forum. While that’s still very much the case, it is also the perfect way to start the men’s shows.
This year 12 designers showcased their looks in a series of different and unique presentations and runway shows held over two sessions on Monday, February 5th. The first session featured David Hart, Project Life Creation, Wood House Army, Head of State, Bristol and Diplomacy. The second session included Descendant of Thieves, Krammer & Stoudt, Private Policy, Maiden Noir, Life in Perfect Disorder and TAAKK. Diplomacy, Project Life Creation and TAAKK were each presenting for the first time as part of New York Men’s Day.
For F/W 2018, David Hart switched up his traditional retro chic brat pack look for a heavily Parisian statement look. It was different from the dressed up style that he’s made look so effortless in seasons past however he’s a designer that always garners great attention. There were still suited looks but this time in a more casual youthful style even going as far as pairing it with the pajama look that’s become popular. And of course we cannot fail to mention the color palette which was much more vibrant and playful than the traditional Fall/Winter hues.
The big news for Project Life Creation was its rebranding. Formerly know as PLAC Richard Chun has relaunched under this new name. While not avart garde or edgy, the collection featured staple pieces that would work well right off the runway. These are great pieces for Washington man who wants to stray a little bit a way from the cookie cutter image that DC is know for but still stay in their comfort zone.
Julian Woodhouse brought his army to the F/W session of New York Men’s Day. A longtime participant of New York Fashion Week Men’s Day, this time it was the outwear that got the attention. Puffer jackets and fur collars reigned supreme with the looks taking on a military inspired aesthetic with the use of the camouflage and thermal tees. However the collection also incorporated bit of glam with the sleek trousers as well as the burgundy fur jacket, which was a delight.
It’s hard to believe that Nigerian born, Taofeek Abijako, started his Head of State streetwear clothing line in 2016 at the age of 17 while still in high school. The concise collection entitled, “Brotherhood,” reflects his youthful sensibilities with more of a refined street look. The standout look was the short bomber jacket worn with mini checked plaid pants. His streetstyle tends to be much more looser and fuller than what’s normally been shown by other brands and designers
Luke Tadashi’s Bristol A/W 2018 collection is much more lighter than the other collections. That is lighter in terms of colors as well as fabrics. This may stem from the fact that he’s based in LA and he’s much not so reliant on the normally colder months of the year to design for. It’s his way of making sweats and shorts look cool. While there was some outerwear, it’s probably best suited to fend off a slight chill as opposed to protecting from the harsh winter elements. But that’s not such a bad thing.
