PETALING JAYA, Jan 15 — Gentlemen, listen up.
Dressing down has bottomed-out and the time is just right to add style and maybe a bit of flamboyance, if you wish, in your wardrobe.
Gone are the days when designers could not do much when it came to being creative in menswear.
But for several fashion seasons now, sartorial style heralds a new direction in menswear with much punch and panache.
Menswear today has evolved so much that masculine glamour is no longer reserved for the daring, dandy dude.
Here’s a look at some fashion choices out there:
Printed Matter
Check out actor Darren Criss at the recent Golden Globes Awards in a Dior suit with a jacket that’s printed with cherry blossoms.
He stood out in style in a sea of black tuxedos.
Both bold and modern, Criss presented a look that was sophisticated and confident in the floral-covered top.
Local designing duo Rizman Ruzaini are not left behind in this trend when it comes to patterned options as one of their spring/summer 2019 looks feature a spunky suit for evening.
As seen on singer Hael Husaini, the three-piece number includes a pair of trousers, shirt and bow — all in black — and a white jacket emblazoned with the designers’ monogram in black.
Baju Melayu reformed
Rizman Ruzaini have also designed a form-fitting baju Melayu in black accented with gleaming epaulets and tassels, for Hael which the singer wore during a TV performance last November.
Although a tad glitzy, the designers’ glamorous twist on tradition is way better than the baju Melayu creations of seasons past by other designers which featured glaring colour-blocking or shiny, satin fabric.
There were also jubah designs in a flowy, feminine cut — for men!
Call of the wild
Glamorous getups for guys do not stop there.
Animal patterns appear at Versace, Marni and Philipp Plein’s latest autumn/winter 2019 runway shows, held last week in Milan, in the form of leopard, tiger and python hides.
Such wild prints can be tacky especially on men but brands like Marni offers a shirt with a pattern of a python’s scale in subtle black and white, while designer Philipp Plein presents a leopard bowtie.
Exotic appeal
Also cool right now — and P.Diddy please take note — is pony hair. Fluffy, flashy furs are so J.Lo.
Men can keep themselves warm and snug in either a Marni jacket or a sporty top with a hoodie by Ermenegildo Zegna, both in luxurious pony hair.
Creative director behind hip Parisian label Y/Project, Glenn Martens goes a step further by proposing an oversized bomber jacket in exquisite leather trimmed with fluffy, lamb fur.
Modern fashion
Function and performance come to the fore at Neil Barrett, resulting in waterproof, biodegradable plastic coats styled like a trench, while at Ermenegildo Zegna there’s a pair of pants in a thin, lightweight yet durable metallic nylon material that promises to keep the wearer warm throughout the winter.
This comes with a matching zippered top with a hoodie.
Talk about high-end, high-tech togs!
