As most of you well know, last week was a very significant happening for menswear, as American designers debuted their Spring/Summer '17 lines at the 2nd Annual New York Men's Fashion Week. The set list was filled with legendary designers who have been around, rockstar brands that are killing it right now, and up'n'comers that are starting to make a name for themselves. In those 4 days in the bustling city, I was able to see a number of shows, but most importantly, made some lasting connections with great people from all over. Here's the story of my NYFWM SS17 experience.
Day One
The first day of the week is usually on the slower side of the week as influencers, buyers, wholesalers, and all manner of industry professionals begin to flock to the city; this meant that many shows weren't until 11:00am at the earliest. For me, this meant getting to adventure the city in the morning and really explore the surrounding areas of Chelsea, SOHO, and the Meatpacking District that surround the central hub of NYFWM. Artistix with Andy Hilfiger was the first show on the docket, a new designer that I had covered a year prior who was doing something truly original by combining his affinity for abstract art and applying it to his clothing label, filled with rugged biker details alongside some new found sartorial nature. Greg Polisseni introduced a markedly monochrome collection with splashed of aqua accents to mirror his latest work, "Equality". The result was an interesting mix of classic designs like white denim, perfecto jackets, and tailored sport coats that married with aggressive print details from his art. As the show dwindled down and the prosecco glasses began to vanish, the time for my next appointment neared.
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Suit Supply, the now famous Dutch clothing brand, had their show in the middle of SOHO at their Broome St. flagship and would put on quite a show. There was a bit of confusion to start as the doors didn't open until 2:45pm on a 2:30pm start time, but then the street started to clear of traffic and all of sudden, the Tour de Style aka all of the models for the presentation rolled up on bicycles in fantastic fashion. What followed was the journey to the 3rd floor showroom in a sheisty five person elevator set-up that managed to cram in about 8 people. It was well worth it though as the group covered every possible need that a gentleman could have for warm weather. The resort wear was phenomenally light with an Italian heritage and the the tailoring was impeccably crafted with lightweight fabrics and blended the influences of Italian, English, and American prep motifs for an all-around crowd pleaser.
Day One Look
With my first look of the week, I tried to create a look that was light but powerful, based in blue and white with an edgy double breasted pin stripe blazer and white denim paired down with a crisp white tee to keep things casual. I accented the look with a vintage paisley bandana and one of the hottest pieces of menswear at the moment, tan suede chelsea boots.
Day Two
Tuesday seemed to underwhelm the masses as many of the brands showcasing their latest collections were niche brands that covered a very specific part of the vast menswear spectrum. That didn't stop me from taking full advantage of the opportunity I had to attend the Liberty Fairs x GQ Insider lunch, an event that brought some of the most influential people in menswear together to meet, collaborate, but most importantly, get some tasty grub; many thanks go out to Pamela Kaupinen of GQ for not only bringing together all of us, but for also hosting a great event right after her Portugal vacay and looking great as always! After lunch, some new found friends and I wandered around Liberty Fairs to see all the great brands out there like Scarci, Paul Taylor, and Robert Geller (a show I unfortunately missed while wandering around). As the time got close for my next show, I decided to get a quick action shot at a fun trampoline photography set up; I wish I had some higher quality pictures or knew the photographers name because I looked pretty good.
N-p-Elliott was next on the list to attend, a brand that I didn't know much about, but had heard some good things from fellow bloggers. What I came to find was a brand that merged contemporary silhouettes and styles with classic sartorial patterns that made for a compelling delivery. Glen plaid on basketball shorts or a hunter green suede jacket? Sign me up! With only 16 looks, the presentation only lasted so long, but I made the most of it, chatting with other attendees to get their thoughts and catching up with other bloggers before heading back to basecamp for the night cap at the MAN'edged Magazine Party. DJ Nick Dean was killing it, a few brands like Snake Bones Jewelry had their new lines on display, and there was even a photo booth to capture the crazy moments shared with all my new party people!
Day Two Look
This was a fun look for me as I combined retro details in the polo and sneakers with a classic tan suit, both trends have been very popular this season. It was pretty hot out that day, but the gabardine wool fabric of the suit made everything very breathable and my Saucony Originals kept me walking comfortably all day long!
Day Three
Appropriately dubbed Wildcard Wednesday after one of the most eventful days I have ever been a part of! Let's start off by mentioning that my initial schedule was to attend Nick Graham, Kenneth Ning, have an appointment with Passavant & Lee, Thaddeaus O'Neil, and the launch party for Feng Chen Wang. I did make it to Nick Graham (best show of the week), Kenneth Ning, checked out Passavant & Lee despite missing my appointment, and attended a cool Thaddeaus O'Neil collection at the Cadillac House, but on top of that schedule, I added on Nautica and both Tommy Hilfiger's presentation and after party. I was all over the place! I think when i had last checked at around 11:00pm, I had logged over 10 miles of walking, which was before I left the Electric Room for an after-after party at around 2:00am.
The collections that I attended were by far the best from the week, with Nick Graham's SS17 show being so rich in back story and such great pieces, even a dance party at the end where Nick Graham pulled me onto the runway to dance with one of the Samba girls (she was the lovely lady in pink)! Nautica is always a refreshing surprise with their trendy swimwear, on-point sweaters, and everlasting outerwear pieces, but I was very jealous of the models as they all had something to drink and eat while I was fighting for position to take their pics. Where Nick Graham succeeded in theatrics, Tommy Hilfiger succeeded in thoroughness as he featured all of his looks, individual pieces, and accessories all in one event with Tommy clad models running around with Champagne, beers, and mixed drinks to serve.
Day Three Look
This was one of my favorite looks for a few reasons, most important of which was that I got to wear shorts when it was sweltering hot out with the other being that it was inspired by the French Riviera, one of my favorite motifs to work with. The look was very simple, featuring classics like a shite oxford and a navy blazer so that the details, like the scarf or the repurposed denim pocket square, could stand out.
Day Four
The last day of NYFWM was loaded with some of the most recognizable American designers around, like John Varvatos and Todd Snyder. There was no shortage of hype surrounding the last day in terms of the shows and various events that were going on, but scheduling required me to cut my day short to make sure I made my flight on time. I took advantage of the time I did have, making my way uptown to Central Park and attending a very interesting presentation by Landlord, but I wish the day couldv'e been longer. After some last minute exploration and souvenir shopping, I was on my way back to South Florida on one of the longest cab rides I have had the displeasure to ride in, but let's not focus on the negatives here.
Day Four Look
City utility met safari rugged for my last look of the week, based around a white henley and selvedge denim and accented with one of my favorite safari jackets from RRL. My idea here was to play the navy off of the olive jacket while keeping the rest of the look monochromatic, and it helped that I got to shoot this style in Central Park to highlight its outdoorsmen sensibility.
Final Notes
Last year's fashion week experience didn't even come close to the amount of success and fun that I had at this year's. I can't even begin to thank all of the event coordinators for inviting me to such great shows or all of my new friends that I was able to meet that truly made this a week to remember. Every time I make may way up to the Big Apple, its like a spark is reignited in me and I plan to keep that fire lit for a long time. Be sure to click on the links for all the looks from the shows that I attended and be sure to hop on my social feeds to keep up with all the happenings of Sparry Stylings. Again, to all of those involved in making this week so great, thank you! Be Dapper, Be Different.