Milan Fashion Week Men 2025 starts January 17th. For all the coverage on the latest menswear style from Italy keep looking here.
Tag: ootd
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A Sneak Peak Look
As we prepare for Mens Fashion Week Month have, here is a look from luxury brand Brett Johnson’s FF24 collection. We will get the lowdown on what Mr. Johnson has in mind for SS 25 at Milan Fashion Week.
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A Birkin at WALMART! YES!
Just when you thought the luxury handbag narrative could not get any crazier, it does. Now retail giant Walmart has entered the fray. The Bentonville discounter chain introduced a version of an iconic bag and social media has gone wild over the copy. Birkin handbags are suppose to be the exclusive domain of the rich and famous with buyers sometimes waiting for years to purchase the ultimate accessory. Walmart made getting hands on one, at least a sort of respectable fake, a bit easier with a dupe that looks almost exactly like the famous piece at a price of only $78. Given the recent headlines of heritage brands skimping on handbag craftsmanship, perhaps, maybe the “Wirkin” is worth the investment.
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Trends in 25
Trends 2025
The Luxury HandBag Bubble could pop as buyers turn away from overpriced labels.
Quiet Luxury continues to make inroads but expect a consumer shift away from big brands.
Hyper Fast Fashion will continue to dominate the headlines and consumer wallets. The app shopping platforms show no signs of slowing down.
An easy one to predict, more brick-and-mortar stores will close.
Experience shopping will evolve, with more customers searching for expertise and personal retail.
Gender free style will slowly fade away as society shifts to a more conservative outlook.
Sustainable fashion, buyers are shopping based their wallets not their conscience.
Will young people go on the conformity road or more individualistic path?
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Has Luxury Fashion Come To This?
At the end of 2024, the Luxury Fashion Industry finds itself in a major predicament of its own making. Consumers have caught onto the game, now brands are bracing for the backlash. Buyers are no longer charmed by the “expensive” handbag and other accessories with sky high price tag.
The recent headlines report shopper fatigue for luxury goods. When a major newspaper reads “Death Spiral of Luxury Fashion” there is a big problem. In lock corporate step, houses evolved in Overpriced Zaras, neglecting quality for quantity, big fast profit over long term customer loyalty. Speaking to a colleague concerning these issues, he told a story of buyer’s remorse of people complaining about a certain top tier brand’s handbag coming apart at the seams after a few months of carriage.
It will be an interesting 2025 to see if the Luxury Fashion can regain its footing or continue on# a downward spiral. Only time will tell.
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The Fashion Musical Chair
The Fashion Musical Chairs Contest continue. In one week, three brands made big changes. Thankfully, I have a chalkboard to help keep up with who is where, just erase then add a new name.
When John Galliano took over as Creative Head of Martin Margiela, the British designer had come in from the cold after being ousted from Dior. Ten years later the partnership has ended. After months of rumors, Mr. Galliano announced his resignation from the Paris House. Admittedly sad news, the 64-year-old brought a creative romanticism to the label. The runway shows were fantasy run from surreal to vintage sumptuous fantasy of diverse materials. There was no announcement on where John Galliano will go. Perhaps, his own label or retire, we have to wait and see.
Chanel finally announced a new head six months after Virginie Viard’s exit. The uber luxury brand named Matthieu Blazy as the new creative head. Coming from Bottega Veneta, Bailey will be in charge of ten collections a year. I see a lot of energy drinks in the Belgium born designer’s future. Chanel is more than a brand but a cultural tentpole for fashion and style. How will Blazy interrupt the classic Tweed Jacket? Recently, the Chanel runway shows have lacked the grand pageantry typical under Lagerfeld, possibly, the dull period in the Grand Palais is over.
As one designer leaves, another enters, Bottega Veneta placed Louise Trotter as Matthieu Blazy’s replacement. Coming from Carven, a brand known for oversized looks and exaggeration, Trotter’s view with Italian Tailoring should be interesting.
Fashion is about change.
Pitti Uomo 2025 starts January 14th in Florence Italy. The bi-annual menswear fashion trade fair showcases brands, style and trends from around the world. The fashion world faces strong headwinds as economies slow down, consumers cut back and geo-politics rattle business. During a Zoom Call with Director of Communication Lapo Cianchi, the head gave one word, “Unpredictable” is the general outlook in the fashion world. The frank honesty was welcomed. The business model for fashion trade show is being called into question. Since Covid, the attendance numbers have not recovered. Even so, Pitti Uomo is a special gathering for men’s fashion lovers.
With over 800 exhibitors signed, this upcoming apparel forum is an important event on the calendar. MM6 from French house Maison Margiela hits the runway with “do not follow the rules” looks. The other designer on the calendar, Satoshi Kuwata, comes to Tuscany with his label Setchu. According to the brand’s web page “a fusion of two cultures” is the basis of the gender-neutral aesthetic.
Fashion and lifestyle concepts continue to evolve and merge. Concepts of Community and Active Style of Living have emerged as consumers push more into experiences over brand linkage. Producers, buyers and creatives seek shared passions with communal relationships and passions for the same ideas and values.
Knees Up, a new concept store centered around Marathon enthusiasts has a prominent role at Pitti Uomo. The popular retail space located in East London offers fashion, coffee, sportswear and a place to recover from physical training. Several athletic brands will exhibit with the first-time headliner in Fortezza da Basso.
The same questions linger, but have become more obvious. As customers move away from well-known masstige labels, will retailers take a chance on small brands? Perhaps in these rattled times, a small bet can pay back big returns.
Of course, we expect the traditional Dandy pageantry in the center courtyard.
Pitti Uomo starts January 14th until 17th in Florence Italy.
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The 47th Influencer
The Donald Trump influence on Fashion and Masculinity will be felt in the fashion industry. Professionals should not underestimate the influence of a President’s outlook on style. John F. Kennedy’s inauguration, the President went hatless on a cold January day, that styling decision placed a once accessory staple to the back of the men’s closet for a generation. Men dropped the headwear. Of course, his First Lady who needs no introduction, Jackie, is a timeless fashion icon.
This election could mark an unexpected shift in many ways. People turned away from mass media for opinions. Mainstream channels took a credibility hit. Not only did they get it wrong by a September Issue Size Vogue issue, television commentators could not hide the disbelief on live television. The fashion press misread voter sentiments, publications placed a bet on the wrong horse, then lost. What does that say about their insight? No amount of deflection or no comments can cover up the scale of this pubic misread. After putting Kamala Harris on numerous covers, no one expects Head Editor in charge Anna Wintour to have a public make up phone call to Melania Trump.
Creative directors will need a rethink over the next months and years. Since the term “gender” became a political toxin, consumers may move away from gender free fashion, out of style. Sure, the houses can produce it. Who will buy the collections outside of four stores in NYC and SF? The marketing and messaging will take a different course. Companies are ditching DEI initiatives faster than a Shein can copy a runway look. Bottom line decisions trump social movements in boardrooms. The 47th Unites States leader’s 75 million voters are too big a market to ignore.
There could be a silver lining, style hope. Brands could become counter reactionary, more underground. The Gap was born in the counter culture of San Francisco. The Mini Skirt shock off the feminine rigidity of the fifties.
The 47th head of the United States will leave an imprint on the way we dress, like or not.
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That Style in a Bowie Video
Rock superstar David Bowie wore a yellow suit in his 1983 music video single Modern Love. Everyone puts on black or brown. Only a confident man could wear this color and pull it off with such a level of finesse. After watching the concert performing video many times, this hue has been on my Style Bucket List for a long time. It’s time to cross this off the slate. With my fingers crossed for Spring 2025, I’ll be rocking like a legend.
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Time For The Fall Jacket Style
Adding an edgy touch to a Fall Wardrobe is easy just by wearing the right jacket.
