Alas the most wonderful time of the year has once again come and gone. No Im not talking about Chrismukkah y’all, Im talking about the Fall menswear shows! While other fashion seasons are also great times of year, there’s something about a good coat (or even better a great cape!) that just makes me warm and alive with the glory of designer clothes, thus I love Fall menswear more than all the other seasons (yes even more than Haute Couture).
Being that I am a fashion forward man, and thus the target of these shows, I have decided to make a list for family, friends, and other people looking to buy me things cause I’m awesome of the pieces from the menswear shows I would most like to have in my closet come the next Fall/Winter season. The list, in order, is as follows:
12. All The Geometric Motif Pieces from Alexander Wang
While some fashion people question the design merits of Alexander Wang, I do not. I am all about some Alexander Wang (and not only because he was nice to me that fateful day we met outside of Barneys)! In his second outing for his main line menwear collection, Wang showed pieces that, well, guys would actually want to wear. What a novel concept, high fashion clothes that everyday people can wear in their everyday life!? While it’s not a concept I’m completely into, as I live in a fantasy of my own making, menswear sometimes gets a bit ridiculous (New York Magazine’s blog, The Cut, made a list of the season’s most ridiculous here). These pieces sit right in that comfortable place where they’re interesting enough to be noticed, but not too outlandish that a mass amount of self-confidence (which I have in spades btw) is needed to pull them off. I am particularly partial to the peacoat and the grey sweater, just saying. While this collection stayed in the same territory color wise and aesthetically as his Spring menswear collection, the geometric shapes showed the lurking potential for really interesting, yet wearable, pieces to come. See the entire collection here.
11. An Overoat from Prada
For a very long time I did not understand Prada. I even once tweeted, “I don’t get what everybody sees in Prada.” I have, however, come to understand the genius that is the work of Muccia Prada. Somehow she always seems to be a season ahead of the curve. For Spring she worked with a major trend of this Fall, all over prints, and I’m sure next season we will see echoes of this collection all over the runway. While this Fall has been deemed “the season of the suit”, Ms.Prada made her Fall menswear collection “the collection of the coat” and what exquisite coats they are! There’s a slight 19th century gentleman vibe (that I LOVE), but the coats maintain their modernity in the cut and the fabric choices. My favorite piece is a printed red coat with a black and grey shearling collar. I can totally see myself rocking it with a pair of black skinny jeans, ankle boots, and a plain white tee. This is the most tailored I’ve seen from Prada since I’ve been paying attention (which really isn’t that long) however, I like! See the full collection here.
10. A Two Tone Topcoat from Balenciaga 
Balenciaga. Even the name alone sounds luxe. Just say it one time to yourself. Balenciaga. The house that Cristobal built continues to take their menswear in an innovative direction, while maintaing their luxe roots. Creative director, Nicholas Ghesquiere, made tailoring a priority foe the second season in a row. The stand out pieces in my expert humble opinion are the two-tone topcoats. A huge trend I’m into is single garment color blocking, especially when done with two different fabrics. The topcoats of this season stood out to me as pieces that would easily fit into my, or any man’s, closet and give an automatic artistic edge to any basic outfit. See the complete collection here.
9. A Pair of Pants from Gucci
I am going to make a statement of which I’m pretty sure : If Frida Giannini weren’t a designer, she’d be a rock star. While reluctant at first, I have come to love Ms.Giannini’s work for Gucci in both menswear and ready-to-wear. After many seasons I’ve realized that I am the Gucci man! (Or I would be if I had a trust fund at my disposal and other rich friends to notice and envy and me looking amazing in my Gucci.) My favorite parts of this collection were the printed pants. Giannini’s Gucci man is one part Mick Jagger and another part Oscar Wilde. The tailoring of the pant suggests a modern rock star, while the print on the pants suggests a dandy entertaining at his London castle, especially when the pants were accompanied by a matching suit jacket. I can see myself in a pair of those pants, fighting off paparazzi, hanging with models, getting into the Boom Boom Room… ahh. Well until that day comes (and its coming y’all) you can check out the whole collection here.
8. All the Studded Accessories from Burberry Prorsum
Christopher Bailey and I have a total love hate relationship. A good 85-90% of the time I love what he does for Burberry Prorsum, but there is that 10-15% of the time where I hate the mere thought seeing somebody in the garment (i.e. many pieces from his Spring 2012 ready-to-wear collection) Fortunately, this collection fell solidly into the love category. One of the things I love most about this collection are the spiked accessories. While Bailey did a spiked collection for Spring 2011 ready-to-wear, he hasn’t used the spike motif much in menswear. It added some edge to a collection of closely tailored suits. The entire affair was very English,very Bailey, and I was very much into it. See the entire collection here.
7. A Parka/Topcoat Hybrid from Lanvin
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If Joseph Altuzarra redefined the parka for women, then Lucas Ossendrijver and Alber Elbaz have done it for men! This Lanvin collection showed awesome innovation in design (i.e. accentuated upper body proportions as well as the futuristic strap linking the jackets of some interestingly cut suits), while referencing the past (i.e. the Giligan style pants). A great piece marries innovation with function, and this coat certainly does it! This coat/parka hybrid is the kind of piece that can be worn from the office, to dinner, to the opera, to the movies, to the park, to Gradma’s house, to your best friend’s house, to your cousin’s house, to your cousin’s best friend’s house, and you’ll continue to look fresh at every place. Ossendrijer and Elbaz are trying to forge innovation into the classics, and its working. See the full collection here.
6. The Oversized Scarves (and maybe the matching jackets) at Louis Vuitton
These scarves are big, and luxurious, and comfy looking, and obnoxious, and I want one! All I see is me, in my Ray-Bans and my big ass Louis Vuittton scarf (and maybe matching jacket). Four words “Cant tell me nothing.” The suits from this collection were great too. See the entire collection here.
5. A Mixed Fabric Jacket from Comme des Garcons
Rei Kawabubo at Comme des Garcons always seems to be having fun. Boys in skirts, girls in huge white dresses, boys in wigs, the fun never ends! (And thats what fashion is about anyway, right?) This season emphasized prints and, for a second season in a row, boys in skirts. The mixed print blazers were my favorite thing about the collection and one of my favorite pieces from all of the menswear collections. I’m seeing black skinnies, a basic T by Alexander Wang shirt, brown wingtips, black Ray-Bans, and a shit eating grin. In the words of Jay-Z in H.A.M (Hard As a motherexplicit) “Commes de Garcon, fuck your fresh” Enough said. See the entire collection here.
4. A suit from Burberry
In the season of the suit, these were my favorite. They were closely tailored and in fabrics that said “In the day I’m an English gentleman, but at night I get randy”. Yes. See the entire collection here.
3. A Pair of Shoes from Givenchy
It is by no means any sort of secret that I LOVE Givenchy by Riccardo Tisci. I have dedicated countless hours to learning about Riccardo Tisci, reviewing images of past collections, and, most importantly, lusting after the clothes like a starving foster child who has just been seated at a Golden Coral for the first time. For several years (much before the popular fashion media, I might add) I have been a champion of the Riccardo Tisci vision. It is because I have a great love for the work and vision of Riccardo Tisci that it pains me to say that this collection did not do much for me. I died for last Fall’s rottweilers, jizzed in my pants over this Spring’s the birds of paradise print, but Tisci’s “American Dream” collection is just not lighting the spark in me his collections usually do. That being said, I do love the shoes from this collection, specifically the brown and red pairs. The very day I saw the pictures of the collection, I was commenting to a friend about how I only wear wingtips or boots. Behold the Givenchy wingtip-boot. I need a pair of these, and since I’ll be in Paris when the collection hits stores, I anticipate on actually having them. Here’s hoping! See the entire collection here.
2. A sweater from Calvin Klein Collection
The more I see from Calvin Klein Collection, the more I love it! Like it’s ready-to-wear, Calvin Klein Collection’s menswear maintains its minimalist aesthetic. While the designs may be minimal, the fabric choices are super luxe, giving the pieces that “I’m wearing this in the back of the Mabach” vibe. Like Italo Zucchelli’s Spring collection for the label, the silhouettes were loose, giving the collection a sophisticated, urban vibe. My favorite piece is the navy alligator and felt sweater. There is something thing bout this piece that I think sits in the heart of my personal style aesthetic, which is (fundamentally) classic with a bit of edge. This is a piece I would have forever and gladly wear forever. See the entire collection here.
1. Everything at Agnes B.
In a total 180 from Spring, Agnes B. comes back with a collection I want to own every piece of! I could not get down with the Spring offering from Agnes B. The whole save the earth inspiration, with the poorly fitted suits, and all those bad prints just weren’t for me. It felt very “Westwood done wrong”. This Fall however, showed a return to Miss B’s primary client, the 21st century sophisticated dandy, or the person I strive to be everyday : ) There were tweed shorts, great bags, printed sweaters, double-breasted suits in interesting-yet-not-garish prints, awesome coats, and there were capes! THERE WERE CAPES!!!. I’ve lusted after a sick cape ever since I saw the Fall 2011 Dior Homme Collection. Agnes B. left me a sceptic after Spring, but I’m back safely on the believer train after this collection. Choo-choo!!! See the complete, stellar collection here.
So there you have it. These are the pieces I’m most looking forward to hopefully, fingers crossed, praying to God every spare second owing. Should you or anyone you know feel like purchasing any items on this list for moi, don’t ask, just do! I love surprises, and as always I promise to pay you back with a huge helping of my undying love and support (which most you probably already have anyway).
Happy New York Fashion Week!
Kyle
chickenwingsandfashionthings 