MEN’S FASHION DEEP DIVE
2021 from Raf Simmons, Hedi Slimane, Hermes +
As men’s fashion continues to naturally morph from season to season, so do our attitudes and shopping patterns. Nick Knight’s SHOWStudio (a favorite of ours), has recently released a short video essay on the meanings and inspirations behind much of the trends and thought processes behind the upcoming Fall/Winter 2021 collections. Although much of the video compares these upcoming trends to the 2009 British crime drama Awaydays, there are some really interesting and thought-provoking insights within. Let’s examine a few of these current men’s trends coming our way – both from the video, as well as our own observations.
The first trend we’ll discuss is one that has been in the forefront for quite some time now, and one that continues to develop: genderless clothing. As you’ve undoubtedly noticed over time, the line between specifically men’s and specifically women’s ready to wear continues to blur and merge, and Fall/Winter 2021 is no exception. In nearly all (if not actually all) of the men’s fall runways this season, there wasn’t a single presidential suit nor even a classic structured blazer to be found. Also missing this season, thank goodness, were “bro” clothes: clothes typically enjoyed by the classic front-page-news set, fresh out of Wall Street, the government buildings, and/or even the frat house. Virgil Abloh may have really been onto something when he declared that “streetwear is dead” back in late 2019.
As you will see with almost all of the designers mentioned in SHOWStudio’s video (Raf Simmons for Prada, Hedi Slimane for Celine, etc), gender-neutral clothing is becoming more and more the name of the game. The source of fuel behind this is quite a simple one: creativity. Prada’s bodysuits, Loewe’s exuberant new volume experimentation, and even Hermes’ playful, colorful separates…all of these point to a refreshing shift in the way we think about menswear. Even the mental approach for male consumers themselves is being forced to change, and incidentally, more aligned with how women approach fashion: how do you want to express yourself through fashion? No more blending in, no more buying what that other dude has on.
Another big trend we are seeing (and keep seeing, whether we like it or not) is the oversized silhouette. More specifically for Fall/Winter 2021, big, ballooning shorts made an appearance, with both Loewe and Yohji Yamamoto sending their own iterations down the (digital) runway. Slightly more user-friendly options (longer and baggier) appeared at Etro and MSGM. To keep the oversized idea from going stale, this time around many of the oversized looks played with the illogical, or “fashion of the absurd.” Several designers are exploring the notion of making sense in a non-sensical world (which Jeremy Scott arguably first did with his “inside-out” collection for Moschino Spring/Summer 2021). Botter’s wearable umbrella bolero, Louis Vuitton’s landmark building coat (complete with Eifel Tower), and Balenciaga’s literal knight-in-shining-armor suit are all examples of fashion absurdity and the injection of deliberate humor into the design.
All in all, the point of men’s Fall/Winter 2021 runways is to force us to rethink how men dress in general. As we re-emerge into an increasingly open and unrestricted world this fall, we will hopefully get away from seeing the exact same outfit in every bar, ball game, or sports park. There’s a strong message of thoughtful independence here. If we plan to re-enter the world a stronger, more creative version of ourselves, shouldn’t fashion then do the same?
