As the menswear shows for Fall/Winter 2015 come to a close in London, Milan and Paris, there are several trends that have caught the eye of trend analysts at FFT. As always, the menswear shows offered an insight into what we’ll all be clamouring after, come Autumn/Winter 2015. We have broadly categorized them into five themes which are the most promising product trends for the coming season for exporters and buyers. While designers focused on outerwear as the main separate to innovate on, the military-look continued its reign. Skinny-fit legwear was replaced with wider ones; denim was the most popular fabric including shearling and 1970s theme for the general mood of the season.
This is an insight into the key themes, product trends, fabrics, prints and colours which were backed by the biggest designers that will prove to be commercially viable in the long-run.
Outerwear in Focus
Statement outerwear was the centre of attention at the Fall/Winter ’15 menswear shows as designers presented luxurious fur versions that were seen at MSGM, Dunhill, Lanvin; black leather ones that bordered on the gothic theme; puffed up and sleek quilted silhouettes at Christopher Shannon, Alexander McQueen, Paul Smith; technical rainwear coats and the parka. Parkas were the most popular last year too because of the ease in adaptability and casual style, which is why a lot of designers experimented by adding fur to them. Capes have now become an eminent part of outerwear as they were visible on the runways of Sacai, Christopher Lemaire and Valentino. The most popular fur was sheepskin and outlandish colours proved popular; close attention was paid to the detail elements like pockets, zips, drawstrings, toggles and patched leather.
Teddy Boy
This season has marked the official end of the Dandy Boy who wears skinny jeans and has a put-together look as there was a major shift towards the relaxed silhouettes. The Teddy Boy look embraced wide legwear and relaxed tailoring with a hint of the 50s decade that suggests sartorial elegance. The models wore double-breasted suits with high-waisted trousers that were airy. The palette incorporated shades of cobalt, grey, navy and stone shades on trouser turn-ups, Prince of Wales checks and slouchy pants at Paul Smith, Dries Van Noten, Dior and Prada, to name a few. While the 1970s theme and Military-look satisfy the casualwear category, Teddy Boy is Fall 2015’s opportunity to bank on the eveningwear and workwear segments.
Denim Age
Denim was one of the biggest themes for womenswear this Spring/Summer as it revolutionized luxury, and passed over from casual to eveningwear with fabric mixing and embellishments. Consequently, it saw an overhaul of the workwear fabric for menswear too. Designers like Christopher Raeburn, Dior Homme and Bottega Veneta incorporated all-over looks with denim on denim, looser more relaxed jeans, denim paired with shearling coats and worn in a single shade of indigo. While all kinds of washes were present on the runway, deep blue stood out the most. Denim being a versatile fabric, it can be experimented on formalwear and outerwear garments. This theme will take over the sports luxe trend as denim will replace jogging bottoms and sweaters.
1970s Decade
Interestingly, the men’s and women’s apparel industries are moving in coordination. The 1970s influence was not only backed up by the entire womenswear industry but also the menswear. For Fall 2015, fashion capitals gave ample options to pick from disco glamour and Woodstock Bohemia. In addition to velvet which was worked into slim-fit suits, shaggy furs and rock ‘n’ roll knits were key fabric’s too that were seen at Gucci, John Varvatos, Etro, Saint Laurent and Topman Designs and many more. Rightly so, the palette matched the era and shades of browns, mustards, maroons and oranges were the dominant shades that were used on separates and styling. As for prints, plaids and paisley prints were played on formal suits and shirts.
Military Man
The military trend has been going strong for a year now for menswear and womenswear, and it continues to do so this fall too. The most sought-after separate was the bomber jacket which either came with an aviation twist or in a camouflage print. The military trend was spotted on the Fall ’15 runways of Calvin Klein, Coach and 3.1 Philip Lim; they either bent towards the 40s or the 90s with streetwear and propelled roll neck tops, parkas, army issue plain tank tops, sweaters and an entire palette of green and khaki shades. Since contrast panelling using patch pockets and plain-coloured cable knit sweaters have been working well for brands for the last four menswear seasons, they now have a strong theme to align these trends with.
