Does being a gentleman ever go out of style?

This the question I have asked myself every time I perch myself on Suit Supply‘s highest floor in their Soho flagship store, awaiting a new collection of dapper dandies in suits that can take my breadth away for New York Fashion Week Mens (NYFWM). Having seen both a spring 2016 and fall 2016 collection before, the brand had set its pedestal even higher.

Suit Supply is essentially synonymous with dapper styling, probably responsible for transforming many men into gentlemen.

Having lived in Holland before, with several culinary escapades as testaments, the one habit I never absorbed was biking. A selfie and photo obsessed voyeur found bikes to be too quick of a method to get from place to place, and while efficient in a land rooted in efficiency, I preferred wandering and day dreaming whilst walking. However, the Suit Supply team chose to have their models circle the busy Soho block on a sweltering afternoon on bicycles – still clad in dapper suits and blazers, complete with sunglasses and luscious locks.

Causing a traffic ruckus of temperamental drivers and gaping damsels, one could not ignore the sight of dapper dandies frolicking on the streets of New York on bikes, and that too in a flock of sorts!

Distinct from the biker boys seen in previous shows in Milan like Dirk Bikkembergs, this was a juxtaposition of a formal look with a modest form of transport, reflecting the laid back views of the people of Holland. And one of the many reasons I enjoyed living there, once upon a time.

Once upstairs and readjusted from the heat, it made for a more pleasant viewing experience, as I went about examining the fabrics and styles of one of my favorite menswear brands.

The collection itself was inspired by a mid-century German school of design, Bauhaus. With geometry, pragmatics, engineering and square cuts, the inspiration lent itself easily to the dapper lads of the scene.

With ‘Art Into Industry‘ as a philosophy and motto, the styles for SS17 were a blend of formal suits and casual layers, dominated by linen and cotton. Linen featured in many fabrics, blended with cashmere, cotton and silk in everything from sweaters to suits to accessories. Similar to last season, the interplay of casual was phenomenal: waistcoats that could be worn alone, bomber jackets with blazers, and even cardigans as an inbetween layer.

 

Tonally, the checks and plaid were a mainstay to the brand, and appeared on several models once again. The windowpane check remained a favorite.

 

 

Navy was a dominant color, alongside a few darker shades, which were completely offset by the abundance of whites and off-whites.

 

One particular off-white three piece suit was a particular steal, both in fabric and style, especially with an abundance of waistcoat buttons.

Greens, or what they called grass, alongside orange pieces were also prominent, similar to the introduction of reds in Suit Supply’s winter showcase. Orange is one of my favorite colors, and the rust effect was both catchy and fitting for a sartorial wardrobe.

Some pieces were over the top formal, complete with silken lapels on black jackets or nightwear black suits, which while impeccably tailored, seemed like a winter hangover better suited for the city’s snowy months. But nonetheless, I could find a reason to sport them even on a sweltering summer night at an extravagant event.

Going from strength to strength, season after season, Suit Supply once again showed why it is one of the leading suiting brands in the industry. For if a brand can make its men look as dapper on a bicycle as on the runway or emerging from a Corvette, it is truly a force to reckon with!