As a regular patron (er, addict) of the various fashion weeks held in the major fashion centres each year, I tend to focus on the lesser known designers and design houses and try to guess which ones will become the next Tom Ford, Donna Karan or Prada. This year I am absolutely obsessed with the stylings of a few soon-to-be household names.
Tim Hamilton
We are definitely in the midst of a “New York Minute”. Leading the pack among the young designers working to re-establish the American aesthetic internationally is Tim Hamilton. His looks actually say “screw you” to the hard and fast rules of menswear, yet manage to generate a sophisticated, Clark Kent-like feeling.
Knee length shorts with sweaters over a conservative button down, topped off with a nice silk scarf and black oxfords, sans socks! Add a prominent pair of glasses and a slick coif and the boy-next-door becomes the man-about-town. As the guy next to me commented, life is so varied, why can’t this work?
Squared2
Canadian born Italian twin brothers, Dean and Dan Caten, actually debuted their men’s line in 1994. However, they are quickly becoming, despite their relatively short time on the scene, a fashion force to be reckoned with.
A casual, comfortable and satirical combination of American wit, Italian tailoring and European imagery is about the best I can describe their style. Popular with celebrities such as Lenny Kravitz and Justin Timberlake, their cool, hip style is gaining an enormous following – myself included.
Ozwald Boateng
Born in Ghana in 1960, this London bespoke tailor originally studied computers but gave it up in favour of fashion. He is credited with being the first tailor to stage a catwalk show in Paris. His impeccably mature and tailored look is gaining serious popularity with stars such as Samuel L. Jackson, Keanu Reeves and Jamie Foxx. He calls himself the “bespoke couturier.”
Currently, he is the Creative Director of Menswear at Givenchy, but watch for a hard, dramatic step out on his own that is almost certain to fuel a nostalgic and unstoppable return to the formal, well-thought out looks of our gentlemanly ancestors.
Duckie Brown
Steven Cox and Daniel Silver are the dynamic duo behind this new label. Cox is a former Hilfiger designer and Silver, a former daytime TV producer.
The look is made up of bright, psychedelic colours that look fun and dramatic, yet comfortable and luxurious. If you have a sense of humour, this is destined to be a look that you will gravitate too. Not too serious but just enough to pull off most everywhere.
So while we are blessed with the fashion staples like Prada, D&G, Gucci, Burberry, Ralph Lauren and Armani, the landscape is always changing and the fashion-conscience man is there to reap the rewards.
