REVIEW OF THE MENSWEAR FASHION WEEK FOR FALL WINTER 2023

This fashion year started with the new menswear collections for Fall, and Winter showcased in Milan. We saw regular Italian brands like Prada, Fendi, Armani, Dolce & Gabbana, and Moschino but also non-Italian and more emerging which are more into our focus, like Simon Cracker and Charles Jeffrey Loverboy, the Scottish fashion designer known for his punk-inspired and gender-fluid designs. We liked bright color puffers by South African sustainable brand K-Way, deconstructed sportswear merged with street style sense. It is wearable but still playful in color and shape, allowing you to incorporate it into your style and wear it differently. Milan is always conservative compared to Paris, where fashion week moved afterwards. Famous New York-based interdisciplinary artist Daniel Arsham collaborated with many brands before starting his label; his Fall 2023 collection showcased in Paris is both wearable and artistic with its deconstructed and sculptural layers. Hed Mayner had an earthy and monochrome palette collection, as usual. Oversized garments mixed with cut ones were styled well, and we love eye-catching leather bags. Walter Van Beirendonck, a famous professor and the head of the Fashion Department at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp, had another signature collection full of colors and happy prints merged with sci-fi details. Moreover, we must attend the most special ones, Rick Owens and Yohji Yamamoto, not only because of their massive army of followers but the excitement that every new collection brings to the fashion world. Rick got back to the Goth mood with an almost black collection - an ode to German Expressionist movies, the vampires in dusty castles with sounds of The Cult's "Brother Wolf, Sister Moon". We are reminded that he is the king of Goth fashion. Another king, Yohji Yamamoto, had another breathtaking collection with subtle layers of the most delicate fabrics, sometimes gently printed. The whole collection is very artistic and wearable. Dries Van Noten had an elegant but playful collection with prints. Junya Watanabe stepped back to more deconstructed and sculptural design, like when he collaborated with Rei Kawakubo. Altogether, it was an excellent menswear fashion week, and we look forward to the women's collection at the end of February.