Men's S/S 2012 Outfit Ideas

It’s almost spring and I’m sure you’re wondering: what am I going to wear when the temperatures are starting to rise?

Well, I hope you have enough clothes from last year. Remember that you have to have a timeless wardrobe if you don't want to seem out-of-date. If you did that last year, this year you shouldn’t have too much to worry about… except maybe buying this or that.

Let’s see where the designer houses are steering trends away THIS year. And we’re going to start with…

D&G

Lots of colors and lots of foulard prints in the D&G collection. They propose a very relaxed look this year and, trust me, you’ll feel relaxed just by looking at the clip below:

Did you notice how much denim they have? Ok, we get the hint!

Here’re are some more interesting things I noticed with them:

• Those waistbands on the pants really make for a casual look. If you’re looking to look really casual this summer, you probably need a pair.
• The hats look great but what’s even greater is the way they matched them with the rest of the outfits. It’s worth taking another look at the clip just for this.
• I spotted a really nice pair of moccasins as well as some butt-ugly sneakers. As style hobbyists we have to learn to separate the good from the ugly.

Gucci

Classy as always, Gucci is showing us some really nice sports jackets along with well fitted rolled up pants. You can really see the difference by comparison with the D&G collection from before.

One of the best pieces in my opinion was that gray glen check suit, black moccasins and light blue shirt. I’ve also seen a glen check sports jacket paired with solid grey chinos, if you’re not a “suit guy”.

I noticed very few colors if any. Mostly black, white, grays and some brown. That’s Gucci all right.

One outfit did catch my eye as it took the black tie dress code and gave it a twist: black dinnerjacket with silk lapels, white shirt, black bow-tie. So far so good. Then glen check pants, black shiny penny loafers and no socks. Is this the future of black tie?

Overall, you’ll find Gucci to be a good business casual inspiration, as always.

Ermanno Scervino

This show by Ermanno Scervino can teach you one great thing if you watch it: how to match grays. Totally love this designer.

Vivienne Westwood

Although I wouldn’t wear most of these outfits on the street, they did gave me a few color matching ideas.

Bottega Veneta

This is probably the most balanced collection that we’ve seen for SS 2012. It’s balanced, wearable, not too much color and most of the outfits have good contrasts. If you’re looking to get inspired this summer, you should definitely watch it.

Jake.

Revolutionary Topman LFW 2012

It’s been brewing all season. From Kenzo’s romantic Hawaiian idyll to Givenchy’s menacing tropical prints, Comme des Garcons’ layered pyjamas to Walter Van Beirendonck’s exuberant Caribbean patchworking and even the obliquely tribal swagger of Christopher Shannon’s monochrome tassels. But it was Topman Design who pulled all that latent, vividly eclectic globetrotting energy together, a rich, decadent Marrakesh blitz of sunburnt colours and languid silhouettes.

For a whole generation of postwar writers, artists and designers – from Bowles to Genet to Saint Laurent – the louche exoticism of Morocco represented a luxurious modern Eden, ripe with guiltlessly hedonistic sensuality.

But the success of the Topman team’s spin on this well-trodden route lay in adding a blast of breezily modern youthfulness. Intricate scarf patterns and psychedelic landscape prints were tempered with taut, long-line tailoring in sombre urban shades. jackets and silk shorts skewed the silhouette in a relaxedly schoolboyish direction, emphasised by loosely-tousled banded knits in slabs of earthy colour.

Bohemian in spirit but coolly urban in its’ execution, (and evocative of Scottish designer John Ray’s underrated work at post-Ford Gucci) this latest outing from Topman Design was a further step in its’ evolution into a standalone menswear voice, mining iconic period reference and filtering through its’ own distinctively London Edge.

Jake.

Backstage Images by: Sam Wilson

5FWS RECOMMENDED OUTFITS

As you know I love man clutch and I think they are really fashionable and trendy. I really appreciate that Topman re-invented it and put it in his S/S 2012 collection. I also love bulging jackets and straight leg trousers.

Totally in love with those extra shorts in chic fabric and this floral shirt.

Coveri by Iazza - S/S 12 AD

The soundtrack made only for the ad spot of the new collection by Enrico Coveri P / E 2012 has the sensual Italian artist Paola Iezzi voiceprint, the brunette one of the duet Paola & Chiara.
"XCept you" is the title of the song arranged for the occasion by DJs Marco Bastianon and Stefano Tirone, fits brilliantly to the colored spot directed by fashion photographer Paolo Santambrogio in collaboration with Luca Parrini.

Enrico Coveri - Spring Summer 2012 - Ad Campaign
Directed by Paolo Santambrogio
Starring Emma MacLaren & Pete Bolton
Filmed & Edited by Paolo Santambrogio and Luca Parrini
Styling Raffaello Rivi
Hair Enrirco Mariotti - Make-Up Seiko Nishigori
Original Soundtrack "Xcept You" by Paola Iezzi
Music Arranged by Marco Bastianon & Stefano Tirone

Jake.

Phillip Lim Spring/Summer 2012 collection

You can usually count on Phillip Lim to be squarely on top of the direction of the season. But this Spring, as so many zigged to Technicolor and try-and-top-this prints, Lim zagged toward something refreshing, airy, and minimal—a sartorial sorbet. His reference, in fact, was an object made to fly away: the kite. It was taken literally in tops and dresses sewn from rectangular panels with loose edges that fluttered as the models walked. Colorful strips were sandwiched inside nylon shells and left long to stream about like tails.
Lim says his guiding principle is "sophisticated youth." At a time when lady clothes seem to be the default setting for New York designers, it's nice to see a different approach.
In my opionion dressed in those outfits you will hit the streets and everyone will appreciate it!

Jake.

Low cost Karl?

Karl Lagerfeld has unveiled his debut collection for his new, more affordable line Karl for the first time in full today. With prices starting at £50 for fingerless gloves and detachable collars, highlights include sequinned dresses and skirts, crisp white shirts with cut-away back detailing, tough leather jackets and T-shirts bearing the Chanel helmer's famous face. I think that if you want to be fashionable and really glamourous to a party without paying too much, you can consider the idea of wearing a Karl Lagerfeld low cost dress, it let you stand you out from the crowd and make you a star!

You can find some outfits below! Enjoy it!


Jake.

A stunning Japanese designer.

Nowadays Japan is very popular in Occidental world, not only for its amazing customs and traditions. Japan is fascinating also for its fashion designers. In my opinion Issey Miyake is one of the most popular and established fashion stylist in the world. His clothes are really simple to wear and the lines as well. I love his latest show in Paris, where he presented his F/W 2012/2013 Men Collection. The men’s design team at Miyake created the illusion of layering via a variety of techniques: assembling checked cloth like pieces of a puzzle to produce wavy patterns; and dip-dying check flannel jackets and trousers using a traditional Japanese technique. I really love his trousers, they are pure and comfortable. I liked shirts and jackets but not coats. If you made trousers SO SIMPLE, you cannot exaggerate on coats color and its fabric textures. What I totally appreciate is an oversize coat similar to a poncho, the color and lines are really fashionable and glamourous. I also love coats with large metal studs, STUNNING!

Below you can watch the entire Issey Miyake's fashion show brought to you by FTV and looks I prefer the most.

Jake.