One of my favorite colors is sunrise.
Especially when painted in water colors.

And to make the theme of a menswear collection, inevitably called “Renew”, is an inspiring move indeed. Sports brand Zachary Prell explored an immersion of the warm and cool at New York Fashion Week Mens (NYFWM): like a rising pink and gold sun, reflecting its calm yellows and whites in the light blue waters. Similar to last season’s laid back leisure styles, the texture play of fabrics and the juxtaposition of casual with refined made for a calming visual. Compounded with soft tailoring, natural fibers, refined textures and modern silhouettes, the lookbook was truly a renewed dream for the eyes.

Prell himself stated that he wanted to showcase a place of color like a sunrise, and teamed up with Billy Farrell for a video which aptly described the color spectrum. From an almost rose quartz pink to a virtually serene blue, it was almost reflective of Pantone‘s official colors of the year.

Moving beyond the soothing tones and calm hues, the styles themselves were frequently layered, and mostly preppy. Several boys sported head-wraps and bandanas, often matching with their shirts.

The shirts themselves were often completely or mostly unbuttoned, akin to the retro 80s. Sometimes sans undershirts, showcasing boyish chests which were thankfully un-accessorized, and other times with matching undershirts.

There was a remarkable consistency in the color palette: dark pink and purple plaid shirts were paired with light pink shorts. A dark olive pair of shorts was paired with a lighter hued military style jacket. While most designers steered clear of tonal matching, Prell showed how these can lead to a visual unity, while complementing each other too.

Several suit separates were also part of the collection, with blazers and trousers or shorts modeled separately to showcase versatility. Some kept with the 80s theme of rolled up sleeves.

One favorite was a grey blazer with peach shorts and a pink plaid shirt, which sounds like it would have clashed, but blended seamlessly. A nylon parka with linen pleated shorts were also fresh and aptly juxtaposed to create a unique style.

Grays, whites and olives formed a large part of the palette, almost like the shimmering reflections in between the water and the suns. Many were suit separates, or simply crisp white cotton and linen trousers with coordinated blazers.

Ending with true blues, the game of matching and mismatching continued, which elevated simple looks with the focus on fabrics in monotone. A faded ombre grey and teal cardigan, and an indigo shirt with white trousers in terry cottons and linens were all standouts. As well as a collection of disparate blue suits: textured navy, retro blue plaid and faded teal, showcasing how the classic looks could also be dressed preppy or casual depending with linen tank tops, cotton shirts and casual sandals.

One layered look felt at ease with my own style: a matching faded navy shirt and trouser duo with a darker indigo scarf and a grey blazer. Truly a way to use smart color choices to create a striking, unique and effortlessly cool look.

With an abundance of scarves, cardigans, and other layers, the laid back statement in the style was accentuated by a set of matching sandals by Teva on every model. Overall, the collection boasted of deconstructed accessories that could be mixed and matched in countless ways.

And thus, going beyond simple prep style, Prell’s style statement was multi-functional, visually calming, and fabricated with freshness.

Feeling refreshed, renewed and inspired, it was time to look at the sunrise in a new light.