Runway Review: NY Spring 2009 Men's Collections

If there's one thing that designers made clear this season, it is that they can't fool around so much. Times are hard, people are scrimping on the luxury, and fashion being a business still, the best—and probably the only—way to weather this climate is to bring out clothes that guarantee sales.

A very commercial vibe invaded the men's collections for NY Fashion Week, and I guess it's necessary, simply because of the abovementioned line of thought. It's not a bad thing, and I'm pretty sure those that went to the shows looking for some sort of fantasy or an escapist feeling that always pervades fashion shows will forgive the designers for this one season that they couldn't go too OTT.

Michael Kors, for one was in a very retro mood for his Thursday show. Retro is a favorite springboard of many designers. Could it be because those were bygone days filled with luxury and the feeling that everything is just swell that we so laboriously want to bring back? Only Mr. Kors knows for sure.


His show, much like every Michael Kors show, had very heavy Americana references—he goes to this so often that it's quickly becoming his signature. As the show progressed, you'll see peach jackets, neoprene swim gear with contrasting piping, even white trousers with printed fruits and flowers. Mr. Kors favored blue heavily, coloring his rain coats, blazers, and pants with it. Printed shirts were in white and slightly blousy, again to keep the wearer comfortable as he bakes (or perspires) under the Portofino sun.


There were hints of Thom Browne in his pants. Intentional or not, cropped pants were the preferred bottoms; some stopped higher to resemble clam diggers—though guys, no one can pull off clam diggers, no one.

William Rast, with its spokesperson Justin "Sexy Back" Timberlake, showed early in the week. Think of the William Rast man (from the way I perceived the show, at least) as someone who lives a very suburban, midwestern life that suddenly got a taste of the urban chaos and wanted the experience to last.


He'd wear denim jackets when out for a drink with friends; but he'd switch to a tan or brown blazer with curious, almost boxy, lapels for when he's on a date with Ms. America. There weren't any leaps or innovations on the show, but considering Mr. Timberlake's appeal to the general public, the clothes will no doubt fly off the shelves. When in doubt, I guess, offer your customers a full wardrobe.



(To be continued)

Photographs all from Vogue.co.uk / CondeNast.co.uk