It’s all about luck by chance.
Or sometimes, not so much.

Thankfully at New York Fashion Week Mens (NYFWM), newness is acknowledged and encouraged, explained by the likes of New York Mens Day (NYMD), which aimed to display the new and upcoming designers of men’s fashion. With refreshing designs and impeccable presentations, these trends were literally swallowed up by crowds and blinking photographers.

By Robert James

My favorite was by far the By Robert James collection, with a sartorial and utilitarian vibe, easily classified as ‘handsome wear’. Focusing on solely black and white, with footwear by Noah Waxman, it was reminiscent of the classic 1920s.

The twin models displayed athletic style blazer and leather jacket mixes with black trousers, perfect for an after party, with enough goofy whimsy to add character.

There were also formal suits, or houndtooth overcoats or calf length coats in greys. All well cut with fine textures and slim fits, they spoke to modern gentlemen who wanted to add sleek and shine to their wardrobes without going overboard.

I (naturally) liked the leopard print jacket the best, which finally elevated its wild printed roots into the classy, period ensemble.

HVRMINN

My next favorite was the HVRMINN collection, seemingly having stepped out right of the winters of Eastern Europe. Complete with cropped jackets, long coats, and Russian hats, I felt transported to the bygone era.

With hues like olives, mustards, forest greens, camo and dark greys, it was a serious and sartorial collection for those that didn’t want to go the black suit way.

Extremely refreshing on the eyes for its use of color, I quite liked the detailing on supplementary fashion pieces; cropped jackets, back bound cloth vests, doctor white gloves and unique hats and accessories.

The Bombay style hat gave me a pang of memories of ocean side colonial times, and blended well with the entire look that the brand was going for.

Lucio Castro

Almost like an ode to history, Lucio Castro took inspiration from British sensibilities and upgraded them with the right quotient of funk. Called the Stonehenge collection, the style nuances were reminiscent of traveling communities in the United Kingdom from the late 80s to the early 90s, reminding wearers and viewers of spiritual and musical gatherings.

Clearly more for afterparties or brunches or weekend gatherings, these were colorful pieces. The trouser chain clasp made a comeback, alongside long cardigans or skinny turtlenecks, sometimes in contrasting solid hues, other times in horizontal stripes. The paisley and jailer stripe looks were also spotted in retro or pastel colors. Plaids made a comeback too, both as shirts and wide shorts.

While there were isolated pieces that were more formal, like a forest green coat or a dark maroon jacket, these were styled with longer inner shirts, paisley pastel cardigans and elaborate turtlenecks.

Matiere

Continuing the theme of travel, clearly one close to my heart, was Matiere, which took inspiration from modern migration between New York and the United Kingdom. With technical fabrics like specialty wools and crinkled jersey, woolen gauze and mixed fabrics, the silhouettes were all cropped and tailored. The styles were streetwear inspired, with sealed zippers, funnel necks, adjustable cuffs and contemporary coats or collarless bombers for outerwear.

I liked that the colors were a mix of vibrant reds to subtle greys that could be combined with other pieces to dress more streetstyle or sartorial, as per one’s preference.

CWST

With mist blowing in a tree clad studio zone, CWST catered to wanderers. With an adventure travel fetish myself, I found myself intrigued by the hues in particular: grey washed rain, codovan tides, sandstone and olives.

The collection had an early 90s vibe with many patterned and textured coats that were loosely fitted. While not quite athleisure, they were made for movement, and often finished in a grungy manner, giving spunk and character to the wilderness spirit that the brand conveyed.

With the appreciation of seeing this platform for new and upcoming designers, I was content to having been part of their trend-setting growth. For there’s nothing better than being at the onset of the catapult to success.