The long nights are rolling in and there’s just a hint in the air that temperatures are already starting to drop. It’s time to commit your summer look to the deeper recesses of your closet and reinvent yourself for the cooler seasons to come. Thankfully, the way has been prepared. The world’s biggest designer fashion brands have readied their closing clothing collections of 2016, outfits to augment your autumn and to help you weather the worst that winter has to offer. Whether your personal style tends to the more conservative or even if you favour the more outré stylings of the ostentatious end of the haute couture market, you will find something in the following pages that you will do with due delight. From the chic to the sheltering, from the off-the-peg to the off-the-wall, your look is just waiting to be found. For the man about town, there is nothing worse than sporting Last Year’s Thing. You are, after all, most indubitably, a Man for All Seasons.
BERLUTI BOSS BOTTEGA VENETA BRIONI BURBERRY CANALI CORNELIANI DIOR HOMME DOLCE & GABBANA DUNHILL ETRO GIEVES & HAWKES LANVIN MICHAEL KORS PAUL SMITH ROBERTO CAVALLI SALVATORE FERRAGAMO TRUSSARDI VALENTINO VERSACE ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA
Berluti
This collection is all about silhouettes; outlines that are very long and lean – elegant and elevated. Tailored pieces are worn with sweaters; double-breasted sets help to accentuate the silhouette. Fabrics are key, from the softest cashmere and needle-punched wool checks to cotton/linen velvet and heavy rubber. Clearly, Tomas Maier (Creative Director) is always mindful of materials and the way they are best combined. Accessories include a near weightless tote in the softest matte calfskin that can be sealed with a zip. Document holders are in crocodile leather, ID bracelets come in heavy silver, while round sunglasses are colour-tinted. There are no frills, nothing ostentatious. While the collection is discrete, it still exudes an aura of magnificence.
Boss
BOSS Menswear for Fall/Winter 2016 presents a juxtaposition of shiny and matte, textured and smooth. Brushed textures are paired with neoprene; wool contrasts with rubberized finishes. Clean cuts and sharp silhouettes are the signature, and balance is key to the collection. Sharp tailoring is completed with clean sneakers or a backpack. Craftsmanship is also key to the soft, tailored coats made from double cashmere. The handmade construction results in garments that are cleanly finished and super light. Full monochrome looks feature a pop of yellow, rich red or bright blue. Water-resistant jackets are crafted from bonded cotton. Each piece is made in Germany, and pays tribute to master craftsmanship. This season’s message is clear; precise, masculine and sartorial.
Bottega Veneta
This collection is all about silhouettes; outlines that are very long and lean – elegant and elevated. Tailored pieces are worn with sweaters; double-breasted sets help to accentuate the silhouette. Fabrics are key, from the softest cashmere and needle-punched wool checks to cotton/linen velvet and heavy rubber. Clearly, Tomas Maier (Creative Director) is always mindful of materials and the way they are best combined. Accessories include a near weightless tote in the softest matte calfskin that can be sealed with a zip. Document holders are in crocodile leather, ID bracelets come in heavy silver, while round sunglasses are colour-tinted. There are no frills, nothing ostentatious. While the collection is discrete, it still exudes an aura of magnificence.
BRIONI
Brioni’s first collection with Creative Director Justin O’Shea at the helm, recently debuted to much aplomb at the Paris Haute Couture fashion week. The “Paris One” collection pays tribute to the brand’s handmade prêt-à-couture heritage while also marking a new emphasis on what they call “the Brioni lifestyle”. The collection presents soft velvet, leather and patterned shirts and ties in glowing shades of navy, forest green, charcoal and black. Particularly striking were Brioni’s classic three-piece suit lines and how they appeared to be sculpted to the body while the extraordinary use of monochrome colours were another highlight on the catwalk. Brioni once again playfully presents diversity in formalism.
Burberry Prorsum
The “Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue,” collection was revealed at the custom-built venue in London’s Kensington Gardens. The collection was a celebration of the unification of the brand’s different ready to wear labels and styles, while British singer-songwriter, Benjamin Clementine, performed live from the centre of the venue. The collection celebrates outerwear shapes redefined for relaxed weekends, including; topcoats, duffle coats, military coats and parkas in a combination of Burberry colours; navy, black, claret, purple, camel, mustard and honey. The collection also introduces a new bag, The Satchel, alongside new shoe designs; The Driver and The Derby. In acknowledgment of the sad news of David Bowie’s passing, several of the models wore glitter eye makeup in honour of the fallen star.
CANALI
For Fall/Winter 2016-17, Canali presents a collection that is an exercise in equilibrium, one in which contrasts take centre stage. A range of checks in varying dimensions appear in suits, pants and outerwear. Silhouettes tend to follow the body’s natural contours while sleeves, pant legs, collars and lapels slim down on traditional tailoring. Voluminous coats conceal an unexpectedly lightweight air, thanks to extremely soft wool and alpaca blends. Wool features prominently throughout the rest of the collection in heavy gabardines for suits, jackets, pants, coats and sportswear. The palette takes on a shadowy and industrial air. Belts are integrated via oversized loops directly into pants and coats. Once again Canali renews its style with a meticulous attention to detail and the use of premium fabrics.
CORNELIANI
For A/W 2016 the Corneliani man assembles his look by looking to the fashion of the 1940s. The centre of gravity for trousers and jackets are considerably higher; shoulders are wider, as are waists to a lesser degree and lapels. The retro feel comes courtesy of crocheted details on the waistcoats to micro-geometric effects. The colours reflect classic elegance in caramel, brown and tobacco coloured suits, peacock green and lead grey jackets. Mid-length cashmere coats are oversized and designed to be tied at the waist. The stiff, textured feel of post-Second-World-War fashion is hinted at subtly in the contours of the designs, which break away from the body to restore a sense of independent strength in fashion, all with a whisper of nostalgia.
DOLCE & GABBANA
Dolce & Gabbana’a Men’s Fall/Winter 2016-2017 collection is a declaration of love for Italy and its culture, inspired by the iconic “Spaghetti Western” movies directed by Sergio Leone. The scores composed for these movies provided the soundtrack for the fashion show while 79 male models, nearly all of Italian descent, walked down the catwalk in line, in impeccably tailored Dolce & Gabbana creations. It is clear that for Mr Dolce and Mr Gabbana it continues to be important to always convey a story through their collections, and to create and present clothes with a heartwarming soul. The BIG FINALE playfully took the form of pyjamas paired with jackets and embroidered knits.
DIOR HOMME
“How does an individual grow and morph into his present self without nostalgia?” This is the question, Kris Van Assche (Creative Director) posed for Dior Homme’s A/W 2016 collection. In “Ritual Show Square”, lit by stark red neon to the sound of electronic music the collection was presented in a palette of black, red and white. Silhouttes appeared in a combination of exaggerated volumes and shapes. The Oxford bags could be seen to have been transformed into voluminous ‘WORKWEAR”, with couture techniques used to almost disruptive effect, with Dior’s flora prints presenting a symbol of provocation. There is a sense of celebration and rebellion evident throughout this sublime collection.
DUNHILL
This season Dunhill presents the finest traditions of the English gentleman. Protective, hand-engineered pieces, warm and durable: leather coats lined in rich shearing; driving blousons in British racing green; a leather driving topcoat in chestnut goatskin bonded with cashmere are directly inspired by the Dunhill archive. Knitwear is in luxurious Scottish cashmere, Aran patterned and traditionally cable stitched. Sweaters have a long-tail stripe; Jeans are cut from specially-woven hardwearing Japanese selvedge denim. These robust pieces are teamed with polka-dot accessories such as fine wool silk scarves and big, blanket-heavy tartan scarves, traditionally woven in Scotland. Warm, earthy ochre colours contrast with cool blues.
ETRO
A call back to nature echoes Etro’s roots with its latest Fall-Winter’16 launch that features a selection of supremely crafted cashmeres, fuzzy mohair wools, glowing jacquards and silky wools. Without a tie in sight, classic pieces are shaken up with jacket trims appearing subtly tattered and leaf patterns gently printed over plaids. Pattern building is evident in this new look with traces of shaggy jacquard coats or cashmere wool jackets paired with dandy shades of purple, polenta or green suede pants. Mismatched materials lining up against one another complete the look and helps mirror the essence of nature “wherein lies a universe of possibilitiy and the opportunity to disconnect from the world at large and escape into the unknown”.
SALVATORE FERRAGAMO
A pair of Andy Wahol paint-splattered, Ferragamo Oxfords heralded the starting point for creative director, Massimilano Giornetti and this season’s Autumn/Winter 2016 collection. The Oxford shoes’ mix of artistic splashes of paint with the classic styling transforms the whole outfit, oozing character, emotion and depth. The mismatching and clashes are offset by sharply tailored single and double-breasted suits. The winter Macintosh is presented here in pure white, a statement piece in itself. The collection was designed to be assembled, deconstructed and personalized according to each man’s individual identity, lifestyle, needs and desire celebrating nuance as a statement of freedom from the increasingly homogenous world in which we live.
GIEVES & HAWKES
Gieves & Hawkes go casual this season with their latest pieces that are ideal for country house parties or exploring the streets of a foreign city. The foliate country jacquard in bronze comes in a relaxed double-breasted jacket worn with a cashmere/silk polo neck and black wool dress pants that chracterises the signature look in this season’s Fall/Winter 2016 collection. Reflecting the adventurous spirit that lies within the brand, the oversized cable-knit scarf worn with tailored style clothing further enhances the sporty country look that defines the collection. The richly textured knits in basket weave and twist-cable are a layering staple and makes an appearance in this collection worn under tailored sports coats.
HERMÉS
It’s all about the detailing and popping of colours this season with the new collection featuring creative pieces which has got detailing to a T. The khaki glazed calfskin parka jacket thrown on top of the grey flannel cashmere V-neck pullover and paired with a raspberry coloured narrow straight trousers echoes colour vibrations on all levels.l In addition the Etrivière belt in red H Hunter cow skin helps break down the colour blocking.
LANVIN
To mark his 10 years as the men’s wear director at Lanvin, Lucas Ossendrijver has chosen to go beyond a mere retrospective and look to the very heart of his craft. With visibly heavy stitches, this collection is all about the detailing. From the delicate thread that hangs from one side of the sleeve, to the structure of a long scarf with a fringe formed by hanging ribbons he formulates the notion of surprise and highlights the central idea of craftsmanship, symbolically incorporating the tools of the trade itself with pendants and key rings. This wealth of detail also reflects a true sensuality, a kind of nonchalant and comfortable elegance, with generous volumes, wide trousers and fine constructions of merino wool.
MICHAEL KORS
This Fall Winter 2016/17 collection is all about embracing change and facing challenges head-on, clearly evident from the collection is Michael Kors’ focus on performance wear this fall. From the city to the slopes, the relaxed unstructured suiting is made for comfort above all else. This collection is perfect for people who enjoy different outfits for every occasion in their life, after all who doesn’t want to look ultra chic every minute? You will feel bundled up yet still practical with fabrics such as high performance wools in a mix of neutral greys, brown and black. Aimed to suit the individual that lives by the “straight” luxurious 24/7 lifestyle. Streamlined leather accessories include backpacks and duffels paired with the infamous city hiking boot.
PAUL SMITH
For Autumn/Winter 2016, Paul Smith embraces the past exploring some of his signature designs with stripes, prints and unique tailoring. Embracing the free spirit of the late-60s and early-70s, stripes are woven into cashmere knitwear. Getting creative with dinosaur prints appearing on blue flowing shirts peeping from underneath digitally-printed peaches on bomber jackets is a clear reference to Paul’s pioneering use of photo-printing techniques. The focus this year is on outerwear, with bold long stripes symbolising Paul’s longstanding passion with cycling where shades of green and peach are reminiscent of the vividly coloured knitted jerseys worn by his sporting heroes.
ROBERTO CAVALLI
Peter Dundas is Cavalli’s new Creative Director who channels a different direction for Roberto Cavalli this season playfully mixing casual and tailored elements, juxtaposing the precious and the practical for the twenty-first century gentleman. Infused with elements of the late sixties and early seventies, the Fall/Winter 2016 Cavalli man is presented as a rock icon and his masculinity made ever more potent by the touches of femininity in his attire. Cavalli’s big cat prints are once more in abundance, joined by trompe-l’oeil kimono embroideries and foulard silks cut into fluid lounging pyjama styles. The bitter chocolate and rust, dusty rose, sepia and tobacco colours are embedded with jewel tones: amethyst, emerald and ruby and help set a Bohemian mood.
TRUSSARDI
This season Trussardi gathers musicians and rockers and presents a collection with an all-pervasive ’70s rock mood – a carefree, snarling, rebellious mood. The collection appears pulled together from disparate, everyday items – corduroy and tweed jackets; silk shirts with matching ties; a subdued palette of blues, greys, and earthenware tones of sepia and terracotta. While fast and loose it still retains an aspirational vibe, albeit for men who aspire to look cool. Collection highlights include a scarlet leather jacket with bonded wool interior and a lush clay-red shearing with an intarsia of oversize lumberjack check in calf. Luxurious and undeniably cool this collection is ideal for anyone who wishes to make a lasting impression.
VALENTINO
Undertaking an aesthetic exploration of empirical authenticity in their A/W 2016 collection, Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli’s new pieces blend an outdoor spirit with edgy, punk vibes, with Pacific Northwest traces, tribal embellishments as well as beat and bohemian exoticism. Hypnotic geometric Navaho patterns spread over jackets; checks multiply over tailored suits while studs embellish heavy winter outerwear. The recurring comparison between open nature and free elements emerges on waxed camping jackets and slim overcoats with camouflage patterns. Jackets, coats and overcoats are redefined through exquisite workmanship that combines a healthy respect for tradition and the freedom of reinterpreting it.
VERSACE
Welcome to the universe of Versace, where a wardrobe from the celestial heavens has been created for this A/W 2016. Fibre optic tracksuits are the futuristic trend that people are screaming for this season, whether its merino wool zip-ups with a zigzag at the neck or drawstring track pants enriched with embellishments. An iconic Versace astrological print is reworked and revitalized, while a star map Medusa print has been created and looks perfect on white jeans. Other highlights include tech cycling boots, which look like they might propel you into the future. Donatella Versace explains, the collection is about the “perfect representation of the ambitious man that is real, bold and totally connected with the future.”
ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA
In an era where anything goes, Stefano Pilati tones things down with his latest Fall Winter 2016/17 collection by making the act of embellishment a “classic”. An exceptional wardrobe ruled by fearless style with hints of masculinity fused into the lushness of the fabrics that echoes “Haute Couture” incorporating depths of subtlety in an effortless and oh so “Zegna-way”. Each piece of clothing is heavily embellished with three dimensional hand embroideries sourced only from the finest Italian craftsfolk including the woven patchwork of jacquard patterns that stems from the super fine Lanificio Zegna wools. A truly authentic couture collection, where the clothes themselves deliver the essence of an intuitive elegance unregulated in its formality.
