The much awaited menswear shows for Spring/Summer 2015 took us around London’s mix of tradition and contemporary designs to a sober tour at Milan to a rock fest in our final destination at Paris. There were interesting additions that were made to suiting, streetwear, rainwear and sportswear, in terms of fit, texture and colour. While the suits got more relaxed, shorts got shorter, outerwear got inspired by robe coats and classics like denim were reinvented in new ways. In addition to tropical prints and pinstripes that dominated the collections, traces of dip-dyeing were also seen. Detailing was in much focus, where womenswear trends from last summer, seeped into menswear, in the form of pleats being used on men’s skirts and shirts, fringes being attached to hemlines and kimono sleeves. From heritage tailoring to cutting-edge futurism, the menswear industry has much to look forward to this summer.
Colour Blue Green
The common colour combination that struck a chord across all the fashion capitals was that of blue and green. The green palette ranged from jade green to emerald to pine green, bordering on teal, whereas, the blue palette varied from shades of maya blue to sapphire to aquamarine. Instead of completely contrasting the two colours, many designers chose to pair tonal shades of the same colour together. The best use of these shades was carried out through outerwear, where the coat, sweater or jacket was in a similar shade as the bottom wear and in contrast with the shirt or T-shirt inside. Velvet coats were thrown on denim shirts, trench coats were styled on cardigans and bomber jackets were worn with formal pants with sheen. Designers played around with blue or green plaid shirts and pants too, to break the strong colours while, some made use of accessories such as scarves and hats to add on more shade to the ensemble.
Pattern Pinstripes
While colour blocked and checked suits have led the way in previous seasons, this summer was all about another classic pattern – the pinstripe, especially at the more tailoring-focused shows. Appearing in bold, thick, thin, contrast forms, the pinstripe motif was the popular choice for most collections. Pinstripe appeared on oversized overcoats, classic two-button blazers, as well as, on contemporary suiting. Except for formal wear, loose fitting lowers, short stiff jackets, tank tops, cropped pants and one piece jumpsuits also sported the pattern. Pinstripes were cut and sewn in different directions, mixing the vertical with the horizontal on kneepads, collars and pockets in some collections, whereas, others gave it a futuristic appeal by using graphic effects or went for a modern look by varying it with dark florals. Pinstripes were seen breaking the restriction of being considered as conservative business attire to a rather fashionable option.
Fabric Denim
A staple of every wardrobe, denim again came into the spotlight for this season. Each time, the treatment changes and this holds true for this summer, too. The fabric was revamped in every collection, in the form of top-notch standout stitching and stonewash effects. There were paint-splattered jeans sent down the runway, flannel patchwork on boxy jackets, patchworked coats, frayed denims, ripped shorts, bleached separates, printed shirts – nothing seemed to miss roll call this time. There were wholesome classic denim collections with the entire gamut of jackets, blazers, coats and jeans used for suiting. Many collections showcased double, triple or multi-tone effects of indigo on a single garment by washing techniques. No two garments shared any similarity because of the random blotching, patches, textures and slashing. The diverse and repeated use of denim has made it the key fabric for the season.
Silhouette One-piece
Back in the 1960s and 70s, jumpsuits were a wardrobe staple, but the fashionable onesies have had a hard time regaining their style status. While they were on-trend for women last season, they have finally transpired in the menswear category this summer. Many think, the all-in-one suits are unflattering and hard to get right but designers turned these apprehensions into a myth. Jumpsuits were originally made for functional use for fighter jet pilots, mechanics and race car drivers and these inspirations could very well be seen on the runways. Almost all of the versions seen were cinched at the waist with elastic bands and the other common element was that they were printed – from childish smiley faces to miniature florals in fluorescent shades to abstract prints in black and white. When they weren’t printed, they were, unapologetically, adorned with embroidery, mirror work, patchwork and rivets.
Outerwear Bombers
Continuing the breakthrough from last season’s sportswear inspired trend, bomber jackets were shown in various guises at most shows this season. Previously presented in plain fabrics and classic looks, this time, it charted new territories by being mixed in a variety of colours, materials and value addition techniques. The most explicit versions seen were the ones with beading carried out on floral prints to quoted animal print patterns and the less vivid ones were constructed in shiny polyester and quoted leather or PU. Traditionally, associated with a casual look in blacks, whites and beiges, there was a bomber which was reinterpreted as a calf-length overcoat and in a few collections, where it was worn over a two-piece suit or worn with formal pants beneath. Designers provided a variety of bomber jackets for the summer – to be worn as casualwear, formalwear and eveningwear with fancy ornamentation.
Bharat Tex Special Report 2026 
