LivingWells Style Archives -

Best of Menswear Spring/Summer 2017

Duane Wells — Fri, 19 May 2017 07:38:58 +0000

Best of Menswear, Spring/Summer 2017

Taken as a whole, the Spring/Summer 2017 menswear collections were among the most wearable presented in some time despite the fact that they offered something of a mixed bag as designers took radically different approaches to the warmer months ahead – that is at least, in the Northern Hemisphere. That said, there were some overarching themes from the runways of Milano and beyond that offer insight into the looks that the stylish set will be hewing toward this season and next.

One of those themes is volume, or should I rather say, fuller silhouettes. While many collections still included slim-fitting styles, there was definitely a trend toward fuller and, dare I say it, pleated trousers, which have slowly been creeping back into fashion over the last few seasons. For those of us who have grown accustomed to those pencil-thin pants, wonderfully tailored within an inch of disaster, I fear we may need to start entertaining a bit of diversity in our choices. Likewise, looser fitting jackets, shirts and sweaters are also trending, in some cases, with exaggerated proportions from designers taking their cue from urban street style.

In terms of the color palette for Spring/Summer 2017, neutrals dominate the collections of the leading lights, with occasional pops of color being provided by the usual suspects like Moschino and Roberto Cavalli. Below we have picked the best of several categories, in hopes that they provide a bit of a style guide to you on what to wear as the temperature rises and the days grow more casual.

LivingWells Showcase

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This season, in LivingWells Showcase, we decided to especially highlight the collections that, in our opinion, served up the best, most cohesive looks for Spring/Summer 2017. Each of these highlighted collections is filled to overflowing with bravura pieces that we would wear from day to evening. They are a celebration of all that is modern in menswear distilled through a classic lens and they are filled with the essential building blocks of a standout Spring/Summer 2017 wardrobe.

At Joseph Abboud, that means a fashion-forward selection of beautifully tailored raw-edged silk and lined blazers in a creamy neutral palette, paired with full trousers, though not so dramatic in their volume as to detract from the classic elegance of the total look the designer channeled for the season. Meanwhile for New York-based designer Jeffrey Rüdes it means 70’s retro style flared pants worn with long coats and matching scarves, tailored suede jackets and black leather in various iterations all evoking a clean beautifully put together look. And finally, at Michael Kors, who has been on and off this list, it means a fashion oasis filled with classic pairings of blue and white in every conceivable combination. There are polka dots and then there are polka dots on polka dots and then there are even polka dots on polka dots on polka dots. What we love most about Michael Kors Spring/Summer 2017 collection is that it is so clean and classic and wearable. Truly one of the best outings from Kors in recent memory.

Of special note is LivingWells favorite Haider Ackermann, who, through all the whimsy of his outrageously creative designs, always manages to create stellar ensembles that are the highlight of the season. (Thankfully this season, among those are some more fitted looks that had us standing up and cheering with delight).

Classic Style

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Season in and season out there are collections that deliver timeless looks without fail. These collections serve up the classically chic staples of our wardrobes in the most meticulously luxurious manner possible. The pop may not necessarily be in the design, but it is instead found in the indisputable tailoring and fine fabrications employed to take the classics to ever soaring heights. This season, a tonal dusty rose suit from Bottega Veneta embodies the concept. As does the staple of all American staples, Ralph Lauren where double-breasted suits have a second coming in various hues. Ditto for Tod’s, Bruno Cucinelli, Berlutti, Cerrutti 1881 and Ermnegeldo Zegna the standard bearers of unadulterated sartorial perfection.

As mentioned above, one of the major trends in menswear for Spring/Summer 2017 has everything to do with fuller, more fluid silhouettes. Inspired, drapey ensembles from Issey Miyake and Y-3 offer superlative examples of the trend as do more structured offerings from Yohji Yamamoto and Dries Van Noten. Oversized proportions are also on trend as showcased in collections from MSGM, Takahiromiyashita The Soloist and Vetements.

On the absolute flip side are the retro inspired collections of Roberto Cavalli and Alexander McQueen, where the silhouettes are slim and summon up a vintage conflagration of glam rock and disco era chic.

Jumpsuits

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Jumpsuits (or flightsuits as we prefer to call them) popped up in several collections for this season, making their presence known and their rise in popularity worthy of note. Shown casually in Ralph Lauren’s collection paired with flip flops and also as a decidedly more evening, late-night option by Valentino, the jumpsuit appears to be one of the trendiest and most daring menswear options for Spring/Summer 2017.

Swimwear / Activewear

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Two things that go hand in hand with spring and summer are swimwear and activewear. For Spring/Summer 2017 Moschino once again offers up a sexy explosion of color with rock n’ roll-esque flair. Some might call the creations gaudy, but we call them deliciously over the top for those with the anatomy to do them justice. Ditto for the latest collection from Pieter by Felix Gonzalez-Torres, where speedos in black and silver lame peek out from underneath nearly floor-length backless tank tops, severely low-waisted pants, cropped hoodies and, of course, shorts. Talk about bringing sexy back.

On the activewear front, though it might not necessarily be officially categorized as such, the latest collection from Siki Im takes a winningly Zen approach to active casual wear for Spring/Summer 2017 with looks inspired by the aesthetic of monks. Though it might not sound sexy on paper, the realization of the look in this collection is absolutely inspired.

Outerwear

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Though many might not necessarily associate spring and summer with outerwear, depending upon the part of the world you call home or perhaps where your travels might take you (i.e. the Southern Hemisphere of the globe), great outerwear is a wardrobe essential.

In keeping with the most popular silhouette of the season, loose-fitting cape-like ponchos are singularly preeminent. Best in class for this trend comes from Y-3 with a hooded black number that meshes urban street with city chic; Public School with its casual ponchos in black and yellow; Acne with a camel colored cape that could be the new trench coat; Comme des Garcons with a see through double-breasted vinyl cape trimmed in black that may well be the season’s outerwear standout; and Rag & Bone with a sporty poncho in black so versatile it could be worn to the gym or on an evening out.

On the tailored side of things, the Spring/Summer collection from Pal Zilieri featuring silk parkas and leather trench coats is a real stunner in terms of outerwear for the season. As is a sleeveless trench from Louis Vuitton and everything Marni, where jackets and coats kitted out with straps and quirky details are hipster chic incarnate.

See all our picks for Spring/Summer 2017 on Pinterest and be sure to follow TheDuaneWells.

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Canali | A Well-Dressed Man Defined

Duane Wells — Wed, 22 Mar 2017 13:17:05 +0000

Canali Spring/Summer 2017 Runway Show

Tis a harsh truth but it must be said – If you don’t know Canali, then you probably don’t know much about menswear. It is perhaps not as flashy as other Italian labels, but the essence of great style is neither flamboyant, nor does it demand the immediate attention of a room. Superlative style instead relies on qualities like being intimately acquainted with oneself, understanding the cut and craftsmanship of a jacket, knowing, without hesitation, how to identify the perfect break in a pair of pants, and always choosing the most impeccable accessories.

Every season, I look forward to reviewing the new suits and menswear collection from Canali quite simply because it makes all of the above easy. Put even more plainly, Canali never disappoints. However, the reason for this winning track record on the menswear catwalks of the world has nothing to do with any particular mystery or substantially complicated formula. It instead has everything to do with the fact that classic elegance is timeless and classic elegance is the very thing that Canali does best.

Which is not to say that Canali is stuffy or in any way trapped in a former era of sartorial splendor, but rather to suggest that it dances the fine line between modernity and classic style with the grace and form of a world-class ballerina. It is a feat achieved in no small part due to the label’s more than eight decades long devotion to the uniquely “Made in Italy” brand of elegance that has become synonymous with the finest tailoring in the world.

In furtherance of this point, below are just a few highlights from Canali’s Spring/Summer 2017 collection which continues to demonstrate the label’s commitment to sophisticated style and unerring good taste.

Casual

Perfectly swell for an afternoon cocktail party, a day at the races or a smart lunch meeting, this micro terry effect jacket with double chest pocket paired with a linen-cotton mélange shirt, pants with slant pockets, silk pocket square, silk scarf, tumbled calfskin pouch and loafers with tassels is an undeniably winning look.

Contrary to popular belief, the end of the week isn’t necessarily synonymous with denim. Smarten up your casual Friday with this two-tone jacquard polo shirt, pants in malfilé fabric, cotton-linen gauze neck scarf, belt bag with retractable handle and perforated leather sneakers.

Work

Looking for a new blue suit that says something special when you enter a room? What could be more classic than this wool-silk-linen Kei suit with applied pockets and waist pocket and flat front pants worn with a pure linen shirt, a neck scarf used as a tie, silk pocket square and scarf and calfskin derby shoes?

Fine and dandy is exactly how you’ll look in this Kei suit in malfilé fabric consisting of jacket with waist pocket and flat front pants worn with a cotton shirt and a leather single monk strap shoe.

Evening

If the invite doesn’t call for black-tie, why not be daring? I’m all for the classics, but I’m also a big fan of tweaking tradition when given the appropriate opportunity. And that is exactly what this tuxedo jacket in malfilé fabric with contrasting silk shawl lapels and piping paired with a cotton shirt, denim-like flat front pants in wool-silk, neck scarf and leather evening loafers, does in spades.

Grey is the new black? Perhaps it could give the old black and white a little competition if it was used as brilliantly as it in this ensemble comprised of a tuxedo jacket in malfilé fabric with shawl lapels and piping, cotton shirt, flat front pants in wool-silk with denim effect, granite effect scarf and leather evening loafers.

Outerwear

Spring weather is becoming more and more unpredictable but this classic soft leather jacket with stand-up collar and zip guarantees that you will be fashionably warm no matter which way Mother Nature blows.

This trench coat in burnt sienna is perhaps my personal favorite item of the entire collection because it epitomizes how a classic can be transformed into a statement piece that will not fade with the trends but instead become a treasured and signature purchase.

Bottom line: Bellisimo.

To shop the entire Canali Spring/Summer 2017 Look Book, click here.

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Fendi Celebrates 90th Anniversary in Iconic Fashion

Duane Wells — Sat, 09 Jul 2016 21:06:34 +0000

Kendall Jenner, Fendi 2016, Trevi Fountain

What better way to celebrate a storied 90-year history in the fashion world than by staging an extraordinary and unique fashion event at Rome’s iconic Trevi Fountain with none other than Kendall Jenner opening the show?

Such was the case yesterday in the Eternal City as celebrities including Kate Hudson, Bella Thorne and Lottie Moss joined the fashion glitterati which included Vogue International Editor Suzy Menkes and fashion blogger Chiara Ferragni for Fendi’s second ever Haute Fourrure Show, entitled “Legends and Fairytales”. Karl Lagerfeld, the long time Creative Director of Fendi, was also of course on hand as his elegant, whimsical designs inspired by the illustrations of the early 20th-century Danish illustrator Kay Nielsen took center stage before a star-studded crowd at the otherworldly once in a lifetime event.

See video below:

Founded in Rome nine decades ago, FENDI opened its first boutique in 1926 in Via del Plebiscito, featuring a small fur atelier and leather goods workshop. Still today, the luxury Maison not only continues to host in-house ateliers and creative temples where highly-skilled artisans convey all their expertise to unique creations, all made-in-Italy, it simultaneously continues a tradition of great revolutionary worldwide achievements, avant-garde experimentation, unlimited research and innovation, proposing new luxurious and modern fur designs and accessories.

To mark the occasion, The Maison is also releasing the “FENDI Roma” book at the San Luca Academy inside Palazzo Carpegna, alongside “FENDI ROMA – The Artisans of Dreams” exhibition at Palazzo della Civiltå Italiana. The exhibition, open to the public from 9th July, is conceived to celebrate the Maison’s unique fur craftmanship and creativity, founding and distinctive elements of the luxury Roman House’s core values.

Find out more about all things Fendi by clicking here.

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Best of Menswear Spring/Summer 2016

Duane Wells — Tue, 03 May 2016 06:08:26 +0000

Step into Spring/Summer 2016 looking your fashionable best. Neutrals are all the rage, as are pops of color and relaxed silhouettes. Greg Lauren’s collection was an all around standout. As were the collections from Loewe, Ports 1961, N. Hoolywood and Balmain.

Below LivingWells picks the best looks in menswear for Spring/Summer 2016:

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Best of Outerwear | Menswear Spring/Summer 2016

Duane Wells — Tue, 03 May 2016 05:36:31 +0000

Wrapping up in style.

As the thaw of winter gives way to balminess of summer, a few smart wraps are generally essential to fashionably straddling the bridge between seasons. As the season dictates, be bold, be colorful or be classic, but, for the love of all things holy, be chic,

With that though in mind, here are my picks for the best looks in outerwear for Spring/Summer 2016:

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Best of Outerwear | Menswear Fall/Winter 2015

Duane Wells — Sun, 15 Nov 2015 16:25:35 +0000

Don’t hibernate. Celebrate!

Layers! Oh glorious layers! If you’re sad because temperatures are taking their annual nosedive, I implore you to find some comfort in the knowledge that cooler temps are merely opportunities to wear more rather than less. Instead of two pieces, you can now wear 5 or 6. How brilliant is that? Fall/Winter 2015 is all about leather and fur, bold colors and best of all ponchos and capes.

This season, don’t hibernate…celebrate. Think of every chilly day as a fashion challenge and I suspect the thought might help to turn your frown upside down when the newscasters scream ‘bundle up’ at you through your television screens.

Enough talk, here are my picks for the best of Outerwear from the Menswear Fall/Winter 2015 collections. What are yours? Let me know @theduanewells!

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Men in Black | Best of Menswear Fall/Winter 2015

Duane Wells — Thu, 15 Oct 2015 20:19:53 +0000

No matter what your style, it’s almost impossible to go wrong with classic black.

Some say call it too somber while others call it downright funereal but I believe there’s something extremely elegant about wearing head-to-toe black. A perennial LivingWells favorite, irrespective of season, black is especially well suited to Fall/Winter. So with that in mind I have taken the liberty of picking out my favorite looks in black directly from the runway for Fall/Winter 2015. Which do you love and which do you hate? Tweet me your thoughts @theduanewells.

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Best of Menswear | Fall/ Winter 2015

Duane Wells — Tue, 15 Sep 2015 16:15:47 +0000

There is so much in menswear this season deserving of the happy dance that one hardly knows where to begin. From the surprisingly daring Balmain collection for H&M to Valentino’s plaids and Givenchy’s bold patterns, tis the season to be thankful. Personal favorites f this season include Richard James, whose collection showed such sophisticated restraint, Michael Bastian, whose collection is imminently wearable yet terribly au courant, Balenciaga, which was awash with shades of grey, and Armani (Emporio and Giorgio) which came on strong this season.

Here are the rest of my picks. Shout out some of yours to me @theduanewells.

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Tani | The Luxury Beneath

Duane Wells — Wed, 27 Aug 2014 13:07:01 +0000

Tani Men’s Underwear

From the time I was a little boy, I recall my grandmother telling me that “A man isn’t well dressed unless he’s dressed well from head to toe.” And by ‘head to toe’ she was referring to every article of clothing on my person, whether it was seen or not seen. Failing to meet this standard led to a rebuke that, for all intents and purposes, made compliance the only option.

That being the case, it was a given not only that the primary pieces of one’s outerwear would be coordinated and immaculate, but also that one’s undershirts had to be ironed, one’s socks had to be in tip-top condition and coordinated with one’s shoes or pants and that, perhaps most important of all, that one’s underwear had to be pristine and no less in keeping with the mode than everything else in one’s ensemble. Needless to say, that training left an indelible impression on my sartorial sensibilities. So when I discovered the luxurious pleasure of Tani underwear, I found a welcome addition to my wardrobe of which I’m sure my grandmother would approve (though she no longer regularly sees me in my underwear).

In recent years, underwear for men has come a long way and the choices are plenty. In fact, between you and me, I may take a few more liberties with my underwear choices than my grandmother might approve of nowadays. That said, there’s something special about my Tani underwear that makes me feel particularly grown up.

Made from combinations of the finest natural fibersincluding Swiss cotton, Spanish Modal, Austrian Micro Modal and more, employing state-of-the-art knitting technologies to ensure that the fabrics are the softest, smoothest, sleekest available Tani underwear is quite simply elegant. There are no zany colors, outrageous patterns or hypersexual embellishments, just a clean, modern aesthetic and extremely comfortable design ideal for a man of more refined tastes in search of the perfect complement to a bespoke suit and tailored dress shirt or even a favored pair of jeans.

Best of all, Tani is not only about comfort, it’s also about performance. While my personal favorite, the SilkTouch collection is made from a super fine fabric culled from 100% Austrian beech wood that is so light it feels as though you’re hardly wearing anything at all, the Air Fitness collection combines antibacterial qualities with a special knit designed to manage moisture that makes it the ideal accoutrement for work outs, and the Luxuriance Collection takes luxe to a new level with superfine fabrics that redefine notions of what underwear can be. And did I mention that Tani underwear is perfect for traveling because the fabrics rinse easily and dry quickly? Yeah…that’s an added bonus.

If you ever thought that all underwear was created equal, Tani is proof positive that it is not. And, perhaps more importantly, in full acknowledgment that everything my grandmother taught me was indeed true, I can honestly say that while I feel great when I look great, I somehow feel more complete when I’m wearing my Tani underneath.

Tani is currently available at Nordstrom’s. Prices range from $50 – $300.

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Looking Forward: Best of Accessories Spring/Summer 2015 Menswear Collections

Duane Wells — Mon, 21 Jul 2014 05:06:24 +0000

To accessorize or not to accessorize…can there even be such a question?

Scarves, bags, briefcases, chaussures…here are my picks for the best accessories that came down the runway during the Spring/Summer 2015 menswear collections. Though there were few revelations, there was a fair amount of fabulous.

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LivingWells Style Archives -

Best of Menswear Spring/Summer 2017

LivingWells Showcase

Classic Style

Trending

Jumpsuits

Swimwear / Activewear

Outerwear

Canali | A Well-Dressed Man Defined

Casual

Work

Evening

Outerwear

Fendi Celebrates 90th Anniversary in Iconic Fashion

Best of Menswear Spring/Summer 2016

Best of Outerwear | Menswear Spring/Summer 2016

Best of Outerwear | Menswear Fall/Winter 2015

Men in Black | Best of Menswear Fall/Winter 2015

Best of Menswear | Fall/ Winter 2015

Tani | The Luxury Beneath

Looking Forward: Best of Accessories Spring/Summer 2015 Menswear Collections