Cally Blackman - 100 Years of Menswear

Via http://www.chroniclebooks.com/

   Ah, coffee tables

   Cally Blackman’s 100 Years of Menswear was curated with a more general, and pictorial, approach than was taken in other 2009 works such as Nicholas Storey’s History of Men's Fashion and Eric Musgrave’s Sharp Suits. However, it is no lesser for it and its juxtapositions of traditional style with the shifts and challenges of fashion are certainly worth more than the occasional glance. The languid posture of the younger, rockabilly-haired David Bowie on the cover, clad in a pale mustard shawl collared suit and a yellow/white horizontal striped  towelling shirt – ever straddling boundaries – typifies this approach rather well

   It is light on words – though the paragraphs contain the necessary amount of elucidation – and heavy on imagery, which is, of course, the true draw. Unearthing a rich seam of photography from the early days of the 20th century onwards is an accomplishment I hope Blackman is proud of, and her consummate approach is testament to her knowledge and passion. Although she is careful to touch on the major – and by now obvious – style leaders and designers we all know (Astaire, Grant, Eden, Wolfe, Windsor, Saint Laurent, Gatsby/Redford, Jagger, Nutter, Ford, Lauren, Armani), a welcome inclusion of cultural context often pervades. I did wish at times that she would concentrate on some less trodden paths such as the aesthetes of Paris (although her curation of artistic styles in Europe between 1900 - 1939 is characteristically spot-on, at the very least, I feel that I know too little about the French creativity, dandyism and bohemianism of the period) the Suedeheads of the 1970s and the less clichéd side of Edwardian England, but there were, for me, genuine moments of enlightenment such as the Zazous of the 1940s, a nonchalant European counterpart to the Zoot Suiters

   The overall effect Blackman seems to aim for is one of clothing through culture and time of place rather than technicality, although the evolution of design and technique is obviously not ignored. Nevertheless, given that her foreword asserts that menswear is in fact as diverse and interesting and more influential than womenswear, the sheer variety of pictures almost flawlessly supports her on each point

   In this respect, and that of the changing fashions depicted within, the book champions a concept I'm rather attached to - menswear has far more to offer than we may think today. As the selection of modern day images of celebrities and fashion shoots somewhat ironically displays, we stopped trying, to our disadvantage, no less. It's cultural degeneration portrayed through morphing and dying sartorial codes; the old adage about pictures and words  is more than apt, for once

   The book is divided into sections by period of time and also by title. Naturally, my favourite section is "Peacock", which starts with the tweaks and experimentations of late 50s Continental tailoring and early 60s Pierre Cardin before flowering into the daring (and drugs) of the Peacock Revolution, the Counter Culture and the continued rise and rise of pop music. Second to this - despite its brevity - the use in "Suit" of a Laurence Fellows-drawn Esquire advert with the advice still intact (and an Anthony Eden-inspired one, no less) made me smile appreciatively. I don't yet have a third, but that will come in time - a strong contender is "Culture Clubber", since 1980s street fashion is rather close to my heart. 1980s hip hoppers and their oversized eyewear are more woven into my dress style than some might think

   Though this is not truly a history book - in this respect, we have enough of those - I was reminded why I, in my youth, thought I wanted to be a historian after my first read-through. It was not to lecture about Vietnam or The Battle of Agincourt; it was about learning about what changed and why. Pop culture dissection that so ably combines two of my interests is certainly worth purchasing, and so 100 Years of Menswear may become one of my favourite Christmas presents ever

   Even if it was from myself

The Dearth

Via L'Express.fr

   Throughout the year (and, if canny enough, last year), bloggers, journalists and coolhunters have thrilled and trilled to the exploits of the Congolese Les Sapeurs, the funkily dressed flaneurs not far from this corner of the motherland. They've earnt plaudits from Paul Smith, international press and a book of photography by Daniele Tamagni. And they share my penchant for offbeat elegance. But nothing I can say about them would bring anything new to the Google results one can unearth on the topic

   Ghana doesn't really have any such movement, which would possibly be down to the British, rather than French and Belgian colonial occupation and the comparatively relative lack of adversity, civil strife and sartorial aspiration. Ghana's aspirational spirit is more akin to that of Nigeria in that hip hop and the cues of the African American community set the trends. Perhaps the rapper Cam'ron is responsible for my younger cousin, Charles, juxtaposing a purple shirt with a lilac pearl necklace and black jeans earlier this week. I'm almost sorry that there are no photos

   Business dress is simply subdued, baring a few "fun" shirts here and there. TM Lewin, well established in Nigeria by now, set up shop in the 2-year old Accra Mall last year, whilst labels such as Hawes & Curtis, Gucci and Ferragamo have been available to the successful through importing. Yet rarely is a full suit worn during the day; they come out at night if one's old and important enough and they tend to look like slightly gaudy cousins of the classic American Sack

   The closest cousin to Les Sapeurs here is, of course, my father, who is commissioning around 4 suits per year from a local tailor and producing some rather interesting results that I'll photograph when I receive a new camera. But ultimately, he needs someone to pass the baton to. Someone he's trained and nurtured, whose development he has somehow shaped or guided or influenced

   Someone like me? Watch this space

(Oh, and some of the fashion here will merit some future investigation. I really tease, don't I?)

Glamourous

And now for a post that doesn't feature me in it

   As an addendum to The Party Post, I'd like to reiterate that we're rolling headlong into the party season; a time of frivolity, stupidity, overconsumption, enjoyment and your parents being overly embarrassing/overly affectionate/overly or not so overly generous/overbearing pompous asses. For those of you who have more strings to your social bow than the ritual cheese overload and rite of humiliation/schadenfreude/sexual misadventuring that is the office Christmas Party, get dressed to express, impress and flounce the night away in as strut-worthy a manner as possible. Be glamourous. And if you cannot, be mildly insane:

Sammy Davis Jr.

From the aptly named Iconic Photos, Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson in a London nightspot in 1936. The photographer, James Jarche, covertly concealed his camera in his bowler for just such an occasion. When did the paparazzi stop being so creatively underhanded? Today, such deviousness means that you're also paid to write about it or are reporting to a superior in at least one governmental departmment

Alain Delon

Claus von Bulow; socialite, theatre critic and Man With a Dark Side

Truman Capote accompanied by then Washington Post president Katherine Graham at his Black and White Ball, November 1966

Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones; the suit is actually an appealingly carefree shade of purple

Keef's bandmate and dandy drummer par excellence, Charlie Watts, in good company

On the far left, Julian Ormsby-Gore, late son of the also belated David Ormsby-Gore, 5th Baron Harlech and diplomat, accompanied by his sister, Victoria, and interior designer David Mlinaric, who sports a Mr. Fish suit since donated to the Victoria & Albert Museum. Alongside the other Ormsby-Gore siblings, the lifestyles of all three existed at the intersection of rock, aristocracy and hippydom during the Swinging 60s; Mlinaric was once asked to leave Annabel's for his flagrant sporting of a white suit. I can't help but approve

Andy Warhol and Edie Sedgwick

Liliane Bettencourt with her late husband, André

The late Brooke Astor, long-lived socialite and social activist

Antonio Azzuolo A/W 2008

Renowned operatic soprano, the late Maria Callas

A recently departed pop colossus

   Note the stylish proliferation and use of accessories, from signature eyeframes to louchely held cigarettes, nonchalantly draped scarves to ethnic jewelry, studded sparkling belts to lustrous furs. Looks that kill

(Author's note: I'm shocked at how easily the opening paragraph wrote itself. Misanthropy Mode has its advantages. Perhaps by (re)attaching my "Keep Away" sign to my forehead over the holidays, I may finally get to catch up on my reading)

The Party Post

Photograph by Daniel Barnett

   Always wear something interesting to a party, even when it's a costume. Parties are a dime a dozen for the average social animal, so don't count on the atmosphere, guests and copious alcohol consumption to make it memorable (especially the last one, unless your braincells happen to be of singularly resilient genetic stock)

   The most "young" party-friendly piece I own is the tailored tracksuit-derived jacket from Junya Watanabe Man S/S 07, which, perhaps too literally, puts the "sport" in "sportjacket." At least a third of its brilliance rests in the fact that it's publicly unwearable beyond flamboyant social occasions and the occasional "Go to Hell" day. Another third is that the construction is absolutely amazing, showing off an array of decorative stitches and nylon strips set on top of practically seamless patching and shaping. It looks utterly insane... and it's nevertheless an utter dream to wear, even moreso than the more subtle trenchcoat I wear from the same collection. It pairs well with rollnecks, with bowties, with scarves and very judiciously selected neckties

   Despite being my second choice for the Psychedelic 60s party I swaggered about at recently, as displayed above, it proved a hit where accuracy was concerned (I aimed to channel a fusion of Jimi Hendrix and The Who's Pete Townshend, though suffice to say, a combination of Nutter's and Mr. Fish was my ideal. It helps to actually own such things first)

(Author's note: the hat was acquired at a party; I awoke wearing it the next morning and I never saw its previous owner again. I do hope she's not missing it much, six years down the line)

   As for more traditional, and sedate, occasions, you cannot go wrong with the old black tie. If inclined, or required, to jazz it up, I find a patterned white scarf and a crushed velvet double breasted go a long way, even when everyone else at a "Black Tie With a Hint of Après-Ski" party is dressed more ostentatiously:

What do you like to wear to parties?

Fall To Earth - Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche A/W 2008 (A Look Back)

   On rare occasion, people e-mail me regarding the designer reviews I occasionally do and some of them like to ask why I do them at all, citing reasons such as a disconnect from my or their aesthetics, quibbles with the designs, a minor grievance with the styling, skinny models. You know, serious stuff

   I know where they're coming from, but it must be said that classicism should not involve an ignorance of fashion. Everything changes - even menswear - and it's a passion of mine to look for the good amongst all the mutables. Your father's 1980s suiting is not your own 2009 look because fashion and common sense reasoned that oversized shoulders and chests were nothing short of unbecoming and lacking in refinement and sleekness (though I readily note that most of my suits are from the 1980s and buck many of the cliches of the time with nary a care). Over this year, I've noted that older gentlemen, some of whom read this column, are appreciative of my ensembles, but frankly, those outfits would be worthy of no one's attention if I wasn't able to take inspiration from more than the history books or my father's wardrobe

   Still, if there's one thing I'm unashamedly fond of, it's exhuming a particular past and bringing it back to life. So it is with Stefano Pilati's YSL Rive Gauche collection of la dernier automne et hiver, which ran with menswear designs that were seeded in the same decades that the House first came to prominence under its not forgotten founder; the 1960s and 1970s. Retro-modern is an awful, hackneyed label, but it's an easy shorthand that does partially describe these garments and the ethos behind them. Thankfully, I swallowed a dictionary once, so I'm certain more erudite vocabulary shall be forthcoming, perhaps somewhere in the final paragraph. And even if the clothes are now a year in the past, 'tis the season for old inspirations

   Totally swank and utterly energetic, the collection and presentation succeeded in evoking a time that, if not necessarily better dressed, was certainly more sartorially attuned to days and nights of luxe, glamour, fantasy and awe. Capably memorialising an era in which men dressed to get away from it all; to feel like stars, Pilati's creations seemed attuned to a particularly louche but elegant and creative spirit. This feeling was instantly encapsulated by the Thin White Duke stylings of fitted jackets with sweeping lapels and the floor sweeping lengths of Oxford Bags that comprised the suiting and immediately let onlookers discern where Pilati's heart was at

   One of the core values of 1960s and 70s tailoring was about accentuating of the male form, expressing this ideal through grand and form fitting cutting. Pilati modified this vision for the days of now through a classically autumnal colour palette, a lack of flaring (in reality, the wide dress trousers are cut more or less straight), an emphasis on fine, if not ultra-luxurious materials and a pinch of the psychedelia and pure glam that characterise his source material. The coupling of this restraint with a more generalised reference to two distinctive decades distinguishes the collection from the similar regenerative nostalgia produced by Tom Ford, whose boldness of colour and slim cut trousers only somewhat apply here

   It's actually the use of colours that proves to be one of this collection's secret strengths. Much of the outerwear took on this aspect, being proffered in apple green, pale salmon, peach, electric blue and yellow, and all of it to a particularly natural effect. Rather than a garment that used colour to shock, what actually resulted were pieces that were very well constructed and realised and which so happened to be made in colours less rarely seen on most men's outer garments. As an extra mark of characterisation, the selection of fabrics for pieces such as motorcycle jackets tended towards the unexpected such as wool felt. The most unanticipated item of all was the hybrid of an overcoat, a cardigan and the classic opera cloak that made me curious as to how many besides myself would covet it.

   The earlier citing of Tom Ford as a comparison point is key beyond the obvious connections to the House of YSL, the fondness for the 1970s and both lines having their production handled by Zegna. Superficially, one could present arguments as to why the two collections could not co-exist during the same season, but there are clear differences in vision as well as nuances. Ford's styling is quintessentially Nutter's of Savile Row, with particular attention to the shoulder and chest in a manner that is almost brash. These tics, combined with nipped waists and fuller sleeves tend to make for a more British affair that is then infused with colours and fabrics that are halfway between patrician heritage and old Hollywood. Pilati's, by contrast, is softer, a touch more relaxed and beguilingly playful. Physical examination of the jackets also revealed that they were rather lightly structured and softly tailored, in a manner that befits an Italian designer and the legacy of continental tailoring. It's no small gift to make such heavier and warmer wools handle and wear almost as lightly as summer cloths - such attention goes a long way in promoting desirable clothing

   Pilati's flights of fancy are at their best when they take direction from his own "Last of the International Playboys" dandified aesthetic; seemingly, he's one of the last men on earth who upholds a somewhat Romantic ideal in his manner of dress and deportment. Favouring cropped trousers, silk scarves, loafers and rollnecks, he embodies a now rare classical style of discreet glamour, often with nods to the open shirts, slim dress trousers and high heeled boots that adorned young men in the 1960s. Therefore, his best work tends to manifest when it contains references to his own manner of mode, which in turn can anchor imaginative flights of fancy such as a blazer cut to mimic a cardigan and military cuff dress trousers:

   Some time ago, I designated a past Junya collection as my ideal summer aesthetic. It would be more than safe to say that this is mine for winter. It motivated me to purchase a rollneck and the two pairs of trousers I own from it are easily amongst the best in my rotation, well made for preening and dancing. And it reminds me that sometimes the thrill of dressing to enjoy one's nightlife is reward enough. So, that was YSL's A/W 2008 - a collection to make any lounge lizard put a little more grace and swagger in his step

   Laisser les bon temps rouler

Accessory Service Announcement

   My rose pins, which I wear in the manner of boutonnieres, have entranced and mystified both regular readers and the people I interact with outside of this column

   Having tired of being asked if I'm making a political statement in sporting them, I've officially lost discarded them for the time being. If you wish to take up my baton, hie thee hither to Rose Paradise and place an order or three

   This season, I shall be wearing a Remembrance Poppy and, post Remembrance Day, actual boutonnieres whilst I upgrade my lapel accessories

   This is for the anonymous reader who keeps asking about them

Fashion Thought of The Day

For now, this says it all

From The Fashion Museum, Bath. Image by Master-Classter at StyleForvm

Necktie Abuse (Adventures on High Street)

  Be far from it for me to discourage creativity, especially when experimenting within the myriad offerings of the British High Street, but some things need to be considered inviolable, in the name of not looking like an idiot if nothing else

   Exhibit A: sporting a bow tie on a recent visit to Uniqlo begat a conversation with an enthusiastic young salesman in a hipsterish uniform of plaid shirt, jeans and braces. We exchanged friendly, if perfunctory, insights about menswear, such as ongoing preparations for the incoming season (bright accents on duller palettes, the apparent return of corduroy jackets, and fair isle vs. argyle, in case one's wondering). He offers that bow ties are too old fashioned for him. I don't mind because I'm fairly certain he'd simply buy clip-ons if he was so inclined. It's his next pronouncement that reminds me that we're only conversing because he has the capacity to work the buttons at a till*:

"I like to use regular ties like bow ties. Have you ever tried it? You just tie it up and it just sits across your collar like a shoelace"

'So that's how those Face Hunter kids are doing it,' I think. I respond:

"That just seems excessive. It's also likely to damage the tie. Why not wear a bolo tie?"

"What's a bolo tie?"

"...Thanks - gotta run!"

   Even to me, the fact that my first reaction was to stifle laughter and my second was to avoid a double-take appears childish. And considering my own penchant for offbeat and non-traditional uses of accessories, I should have admired his gumption. But I couldn't. Because his ingenuity seemed misplaced where it should have been clever. Neckties aren't generally built for such use - their very design and proportions go against it. The wonky, stringy mess of silk and pattern his iconoclasm conjured up in my mind was second to the fantasy image of Dali productions created after a 96 hour crack binge that was followed with a ketamine chaser

   Funnily enough, I haven't seen the guy since

  Exhibit B: while I don't want Gok Wan's job for love nor money (alright, I'd like the money), I was approached by a fellow in H&M as he closely scrutinised his own appearance in the mirror. He was sporting one of the new season's TREND(Y) print shirts with the same line's Dries Van Noten-esque jacket currently on sale as a suit separate and for whatever reason, he wished to benefit from my wisdom. I told him he was making a mistake. Actually, two. The first was in thinking me to be wise. The second was the silver skinny tie that adorned his neck like a Junk de Luxe cast-off faux cravat. But he was not to be put off. And in my head I heard two words: "Diplomacy Time"

   The upshot was that the intrepid shopper left the store with the jacket and shirt in the correct size - for what it's worth, both suited him well, unlike myself - the conviction that he should cut open the jacket vents when he reached home, and the persistent notion that he should buy a nice scarf with which to decorate his neck because what did a tie ever do to him?

   I should have charged a fee


   * I actually wish I could work a till. It's not like I'm doing much better

On the Other Side of the Mirror, I See Lukas Renlund

   Lukas Renlund is one of the most interesting, and surprising, photographic talents that I've come across in some time. With his instinct for settings, layouts and posture, that isn't revelatory - it's the work that needs to be experienced to be believed, and there's a good deal of it available on his website

   Lukas is a 2008 graduate of the London College of Fashion and is currently based in Copenhagen, Denmark, creating his stylish, and somewhat abstract, images for a variety of clients and competitions. But I wouldn't wish to simply regurgitate his website

   In the manner of early Cecil Beaton and Horst P Horst, Lukas' work shows a particular affinity for surrealism, altered perspectives, trompe l'oeil and dream landscapes made bright, crystal clear reality. The imagery has a certain maximal quality due to the amount of detail contained therein despite appearing deceptively stark and minimal on first viewing, whether these be elements of the cloths, backgrounds, models or a combination thereof. As a fashion photographer, his work serves the dual purpose of soliciting a fantasy element to dressing that can often be overlooked, and bringing his craft one step closer to art by absorbing and rechanneling the creative teachings of the latter

   Lukas was on show last week at The Crate in Notting Hill as he wound up his Mirror Universe exhibition before departing for projects anew. The year may be well into its second half now, but he's still one to watch for 2009, and beyond

   And as a bonus; a full-body shot of my Apparel Arts/Junya S/S10-inspired outfit that was not taken by Lukas:

The eBay Post

   Well, I guess it needed doing

Via www.itworldcanada.com

   This post is not meant to discuss the state of the nation at eBay, for indeed, I think it's in excellent health at the minute. Despite judicious editing and dwindling funds, I've actually swooped in on more auctions this year than last and the one before. Or at least I think I have

   What I am appreciating is that the offerings over the past 6 months have been better than they've been for some time, starting from the extremely cheap second hand Edward Green loafers that I missed out on due to an unlucky event befalling my proxy, to the Dries Van Noten jacket posted below. For the pursuit of elegance, eBay is an effective and bounteous treasure trove, and on assessment, I'd gamble that a fifth to a quarter of my most favoured pieces have been acquired through such an opportune channel

   Which brings me to my point: a lot of people of my acquaintance do not know what they're missing, due mostly to unknowingness and fear. For them, and for any passers-by who've wondered, here's a quick "How to eBay For Clothes Safely" guide:

1. Know your style. Like Armani trousers? Great. Know your size, know which colours you like and make sure you narrow down the options so you can navigate through a lot less womenswear while you're at it
2. Know your size. Worried that it won't fit? eBay a tape measure and find out exactly what you're working with where your figure is concerned. If you want added entertainment, do it in a mirror. Either way, know exactly what this year's chest, shoulders, waistline and inseam are, so you know whether to drop that otherwise impeccable Mackintosh from your watchlist. If the seller isn't providing enough information, send over a list of pointed questions about the garment post haste
3. Assess the seller's feedback. This is vastly self-evident. You are casting your money into the unknown should you choose to, and nothing helps the choice like getting an idea of a vendor's history, as well as those of his satisfied customers, just to make even more certain
4. Don't be afraid to cast the net wider. I've had next to no problems with American sellers, who I feel have the best to offer overall where my aesthetic is concerned, not to mention in terms of rarity and uniqueness in their wares. And they're nicer communicators. I just wish that shipping could be faster overall. A recent proxy purchase I undertook for a fellow StyleForum member in New York City arrived within 5 days of my posting it, which, to be honest, is roughly the same for an eBay purchase in a different part of the UK anyway. UK-to-US airmail is ostensibly rather swift, but I think the Son of God will return to the Earth before the reverse becomes reality
5. Fakes can be avoided. Ask pointed questions about style, material, close-up photographs, laundry tags even. If you've a collection of, or history with, particularly imitated items such as Ferragamo ties, for example, you should be familiar and astute enough to discern tell-tale signs of forgery. And if they dodge the issues, you'll definitely have your answer
6. Be critical of second hand goods. Yes, I am a booster for them and yes, it's riskier assessing them via computer than from the luxury of actual handling in a charity shop. But that doesn't mean you can't assess them via a computer, nor should you expect the worst just because they're not in a brand or as-new condition. I do wish more sellers would accept the dry cleaning costs themselves, but generally, the quality of the product is not greatly diminished, as long as it's a good product to start with
7. Finally, treat eBay as what it is - a tool with a wide variety of uses. You will find a lot of interesting, cool and useful things for your wardrobe, as long as you know what you're doing. And if you do, you'll also save a heck of a lot of money. And that's a thought that keeps me vaguely assured at night after indulging this addiction "just one last time"

   Happy eBaying

Junya Watanabe's Year of the Gentleman, Part Two

   I'd never known a fashion collection speak so directly to what I feel could be my idealised aesthetic, particularly in the summertime. After all, for this moment, I've almost achieved it. I'm happy to thrift, to inherit, to use eBay, to go High Street and discerningly acquire at deep discounts, but the JW CdG Man S/S08 show had me considering its extraordinarily high retail prices with genuine intent

   And that almost never happens

   It was the show that sealed my fate. The average runway presentation puts my mind in one of about 3 places: "must have the entire outfit" "would wear that jacket, nix the trousers," "what the hell is that meant to be?" While the latter two speak for themselves, I've never actually purchased and worn an entire runway outfit - this isn't "Monkey See Monkey Do" - nor have I worn an outfit entirely inspired by one. But I've come so very close to this and the current summer collection, and it isn't hard to appreciate why

   With the exception of the more outré ensembles featuring effervescent paisley shorts, sportcoats or trilbies - perhaps de rigueur for the likes of Patrick McDonald on a resort vacation - the show presented an improbably sustainable run of desirable appearances that flirted with practically every trend that has seen men's fashion through the last few years, pushed the bounds of Watanabe's self-imposed traditionalism for all it was worth and somehow ended up as the last word in contemporary dandy gear

It's particularly notable, and impressive, just how much different a lanky man looks in the Lacoste safari jacket compared to myself

   Certainly, something of a mannered, elusive, better-dressed-than-all spirit pervaded matters. The models's walks intermingled with the stationary gathering of the guests, who stood and assessed the viewing in an austere, brightly lit space, waited on by an impeccable man in a double breasted white jacket and a black silk necktie. One of the models was snapped whistling through a turn and doffed his dark Panama hat to the waiting photographers, while another strode with nonchalant ease, a hand in his pocket and confidence and haughtiness hinted across his face. Yet such mannerisms seemed rather unplanned and in full accord with the theme that Watanabe aimed for, terming his creations "Relaxed Suiting"

   This was very much a presentation for the smart dresser who wore his clothes to live, much in the manner that dear old Fred Astaire would roll up and throw his freshly bespoke suits against the wall to rid them of their "newness." And roll ups were certainly driving many of the ideas. The wrinkles evident in so many of the garments were created by tightly tying them into a ball and leaving them overnight. Meanwhile, every single trouser on show was roll cuffed for maximum offbeat elegance (and some jacket sleeves too)


   Having seen and purchased some of the clothes, I can confirm that they're a genuine delight, but the true value certainly lies in its tailoring. A Lacoste safari jacket made out of recut, overdyed polo shirts and utilising features such as armpit guards could quite possibly be the apex of lightweight outerwear, but the other collaborations were just as thrilling. A short safari suit made out of Brooks Brothers Oxford cloth was similarly inventive, while the ante was upped on the longterm Levi's collaboration when Watanabe actually recut the jeans jackets into sportcoats and safari jackets rather than simply cutting them in different fabrics as before, though the gingham cloth certainly helped in that regard

   The own label jackets were just as charming - aside from the wrinkles, there was variety to be had in four front patch pockets; foulard or floral print half lining; leather and elbow patchwork; the memorable coffee bag redesigns; madras blazers; cotton, linen, ramie; and a variety of warm weather weights. Some were so thin a camera flash could expose the lining for a single instant and if that wasn't enough display, some of the jackets inventively featured their lining above the second button on a 3-button configuration, displayed by rolling the first button point into the lapels (3 roll 2, so goes the parlance)

   And the JW shorts suit, 2 years on, is still about the only take that doesn't seem wholly silly. The proportional balance of matching a shorter jacket to knee length shorts and opting for a cut with a slimmer, rather than skintight, waist and natural shoulders made them an enticing proposition

   Other strong showings came from the knitwear designs, which were heavy on classic argyle and cricket stripes arranged in a less conventional manner and rendered in bolder, yet considered, colours than by, say, Gucci. The shirts were also delightful and progressed from plain pastels to the currently-ubiquitous gingham to wrinkled foulard-printed shirts. My inner Jermyn Street fanatic was immediately sold by the emphasis placed on French collars, and only a little disappointed that the matching white cuffs were not designed for links. The appearances of the latter shirts were matched to colourful, candy striped loose-fit trousers that appeared initially uneasy, but ultimately seemed to cohere into a witty take on current pyjama-derived dressing

   The preference for smart, sturdy shoes also worked to keep the collection grounded (per se), and were accurately matched to the shorts, chinos and jeans. And the hats were simply fantastic; varied in colour, style and hue, the hatbands composed of the same print cottons as the linings, shirts and jackets. Watanabe was so enamoured of them that he used both the men's and women's hats in each show.

   As he is wont to do, the later women's collection was a fantastical version of this one, utilising the cricket jumper, reworking the shirts into floaty, voluminous wrap dresses or short jumpsuits and even creating a women's version of the panelled, stitched charcoal suit that could be bought with either matching trousers or a shirt. No one riffs on a theme the same way Watanabe can


   And what of the themes? One of the similarities I neglected to include in the previous dissection was a resemblance to Paul Smith’s A/W 03 collection; all sturdy shoes, country checks and somewhat boxy, slim-and-short-cut suiting. This had a beguilingly subdued mix of youthful Paul Smith-esque colours with Etro-like patterns and emphasised a much more European outlook to Junya's work this time. Although his traditional manifesto always holds true, Watanabe is often considered to be an American nostalgist and the instinct was strong amongst some to connect the pastel pieces, cricket v-necks and short suits to Thom Browne and preppydom. And this would be selling the wide-ranging styles of the pieces rather short

   Indeed, a variety of influences can be gleaned if one looks closely. Naval stripes and the prints suggested early 20th century seafaring and resort holidays. The coffee bag theme and the messy formality put one in mind of Deep South river workers, just the types to roll up their cuffs and get soaked, emerging with clothes shrunken and clinging to their frames. And Frillr.com, recognising that there is no single overriding influence, memorably described the aesthetic as "a Coffee worker born in Italy, raised in New York around the 50s, who then went west and worked at some farm with Thom Browne"

   But I think my fellow StyleForvm member, Fuuma, was particularly accurate in citing Lanvin as an influence, pointing out that the European dandyism, "manchild mash-ups" (an all-ages appeal exemplified by the varying ages amongst the models), nontraditionally cut suiting and washed, wrinkled smart fabric was straight out of the Elbaz & Ossendrijver playbook, albeit filtered through Watanabe's own wilder and personalised insights. And such a recombinant form of dress speaks highly of his unerring eye for hybridisation


   I'm still in love with much of this, two years after I first saw the photos. A different way of looking at tailoring but without sacrificing good taste and a gentleman's attention to detail. Wonderful colours and a laid back presentation. Smart shoes, smart socks, smart hats

   Glib as this may be, who says tradition is boring? Or that it should not co-exist with high fashion? Not Junya Watanabe - and clothing is all the better for him

Your author trying on his JW wrinkled sportcoat with floral lining. It will see many more outings in better weather, though I think the buttons may have to be changed

It's been over a year and I still need this jacket in my life. My time will come

Images from Men's Style and Imaxtree.com via NY Mag