Every year we are asked to name our favourite trends of the seasons and although we do think that men’s fashion is moving more and more into seasonless dressing without trends, we cannot ignore the rising temperature or the modern updates to classic menswear staples. So here is our rundown of what you should add to your wardrobe from the coming spring and summer (and keep in rotation for the future).
The 1950s are back
We all should have expected this to happen with the re-opening of the American markets to Cuba, menswear got a shirt update for spring summer 2016 care of the 1950s Cuban collar shirt. This season’s favourite new shirt looks more like grandfather’s favourite short-sleeved shirt and that is perfectly okay with us. The Cuban collar shirt was initially designed to look stylish while combatting the intense summer heat, so why not learn from the Cubans? These lightweight shirts feature modern retro patterns that are perfect for those hot summer nights. Just don’t be afraid to go bold.
Grey is still going strong
Year after year we are told that summer is the time to pull out colour and print, and while this is not untrue for this upcoming spring and summer, you might want to try grey to look more modern. We saw many designer collections that all leaned towards the more subdued colour palettes – and most were very heavy handed with their use of grey. We all have used grey as a staple in our wardrobe over the years but this year it’s all about layering gray on gray with textures and patterns.
Jeans get more distressed
After seasons of over-dyed raw denim that looked crisp and crunchy, we are now fully entrenched in worn-in denim. We saw more rips, tears, and stains on denim than we have in a long time. But remember, you want it to still look fairly natural – like you have been wearing those jeans for years.
Baseball caps are finally being embraced by fashion
Over the past few seasons hats have made a comeback in menswear fashion circles, we have seen the era of the fedora come and go. And now Americana rules in the headwear games thanks to the classic baseball cap being reinvented in luxurious materials (leather, wools, suede and exotic skins). You can rock this look with suits during the week (a modern update) or jeans on the weekends. Just please don’t wear your hat backwards.
Suede is for summer
We can all thank Hedi Slimane and Saint Laurent for ensuring every kid and his father now rocks a black leather motorcycle jacket but if you want to be a step ahead of the game you should be looking towards softer suede for summer. Still heavily influenced by the 1970s, we see the return of the classic zip up jacket (and jean jacket shape) in classic brown suede. Invest in this jacket, as it will carry you into fall.
Backpacks are good enough for the office
Backpacks have been taking over for a while now but it wasn’t until this season that we saw more designers up the luxe factor of this classic shape. While we saw them at every show from Paris to Milan, we like to keep it understated with a classic leather backpack from WANT: les essentiels.
