Need Now: Maison Martin Margiela Ligne 1 Le Smoking

Menswear-inspired dressing is nothing new, but you need only look to the Pre-Fall 2014 collections to see that deconstructed (and amply slouched) suiting is on the rise for the next season. The blazer is a timeless essential; now with stern tailoring, an intriguing mix of juxtaposing textures, and a decidedly non-nonsense vibe, it feels right-on right about now.

The Piece: (above) Maison Martin Margiela's Ligne 1 single-button blazer, featuring softly curved lapels, with the top portion constructed of lightweight wool and bottom half with a satin-sheen finish. Available now for $375.

The Contemporaries: (from left) 3.1 Phillip Lim, Michael Kors, and Preen Pre-Fall 2014 collection looks

The Inspiration: Stephanie Seymour on the cover of W Magazine, circa 2000, looking strong, sexy, and sensually dominant

The Beauty Pairing: Whether you opt for a flash of bra underneath, a la early-'90s Madonna in Gaultier, or get androgynous with a pair of wide-left trousers, slicked back hair is the way to go. Don't be afraid to break out the hair gel. Try Kiehl's Strong Hold Styling Gel ($15).

Best of Menswear Fall 2011

After 9+ weeks of women's pre-fall came a tiring two week slot for menswear sandwiched in between the couture shows that just started the other day. The speed at which collections are being thrust upon fashion patrons now is head spinning to say the least. How can one remember what to buy, especially when the seasons deliveries aren't in sync with the reality of the weather at the time?

That being said, here's a look at our favorite menswear shows for Fall 2011, even if they did happen in the blink of a forgettable eye...


Dries Van Noten(and above)-


If compiling these lists has proven anything to us, it's that we are faithful to our favorite designers, and Dries continues to be a perennial in our books. Fall's fluid legged pantsuits were anchored with half fur lapels, one of the wittiest uses of fur we've ever seen in menswear.

Jil Sander-

Raf Simon's consistent appropriations on the codes of Jil Sander's ardent minimalism continue to produce stunningly wearable collections season after season. Fall's outing was yet another exercise of his mastery of stimulating color, cleverly energizing his lean take on traditional layering.

Alexander McQueen-

Amidst a drab Milan fashion week shone Sarah Burton's confident take on the regal side of Britannia and McQueen.

Marni-


Simple, spare and fuss-free, Marni's relaxed take on basic standards gives off the perfect air of uncomplicated cool.

Miharayasuhiro-


Ditching the techno heaviness of past efforts for an exaggerated take on classic menswear elements made this one of Miharayasuhiro's best collections to date.

Check out every single one of our favorite Fall 2011 Menswear looks here

Best of Men's Spring/Summer 2011

We know these collections came out weeks ago, but you know what, they don't even hit stores for months. So we've taken our time to reflect. After all, fashion is moving too fast, we need some time to digest as we've noticed that we are forgetting about the collections by the time they actually hit shops. Until then, here's a look at our favorite men's shows that are destined to inspire future buys.

Yohji Yamamoto(above as well)-

Besides the genius tailoring you can expect from any Yohji Yamamoto collection, it was Spring's dandy Baroque squire meets sci-fi Beethoven meets 80's zoot-suit riot that really got our emotions running wild. It was upbeat, avant-garde without frivolity, poetic and best of all, completely wearable. Here the capability for a man to dress with passion without having to sacrifice his dignity was on full display. Bravo!


Dries Van Noten-


DVN is well known as the king of color, the king of print and the king of refined sportswear with an artful ease, yet from him you can still expect a few welcome surprises. Here his preppy foundation and confidence lead him to play with a range of powerful contrasts, such as bleached denim sleeves on an otherwise classic camel coat, and somehow, it looks good, plain & simple.

Kenzo-


Over the past few season's Kenzo has become one of our favorite brands and even though minimalism is going strong elsewhere, Antonio Marras was at it again with a collection full of wondrous whimsy. He seems to have a brilliant hold on maintaining the giddy print-oriented codes of Kenzo while updating them with today's expected ease. From the floral printed suits to the outerwear in a soothing palette of muted khakis, this is the one collection of the season we want everything from.

Dunhill-


For the man who needs an impeccably crafted classic yet forward thinking suit, or a range of precise sportswear, Kim Jones at Dunhill should become your go-to man. After a few season's, Jones, well-known throughout the fashion world for his street-savvy yet now defunct eponymous label, seems to be making a name for himself at Dunhill with smart collections that riff on the traditional without having to sacrifice a refined level of taste and a sense of self.

Alexander McQueen-


Sarah Burton(Alexander McQueen's right hand prior to his death) sent out a somber yet beautifully crafted collection that highlighted McQueen's dedication to tailoring & historical pretense that was so well executed you couldn't help but feel elated after such a traumatic year for the house.

Prada-


Miuccia Prada's Spring/Summer 2011 outing seemed to channel fashion's quieter vibe while somehow managing to address the reality of how a man approaches fashion, by comfort. That doesn't mean she sent out xxl basketball shorts, but she did throw in quite a few clever variations on hospital scrubs, albeit with a convincing Euro-preppiness. Heavy denims, crisp khaki's and a range of blue lent the collection a subtle nautical flair but what really got our motor-boats running were Prada's stacked adaptations on the classic brogue.

La Roux at Viktor and Rolf Monsiueur

Check out La Roux's performance at Viktor & Rolf's Monsieur presentation above.

Menswear: Mjolk Fall/Winter 2010

Living & working in New York city, we are often blessed with inspiration as New York ladies know how turn heads with their inventive sense of high & low dressing, however the city's men, mainly the hipsters who tend to pay attention to their attire, seem to be stuck in a perpetual rut. A typical uniform consists of facial hair, thick black glasses or Wayferers, a trilby, a buffalo plaid button-down, skinny jeans and high-tops or military boots, and we've had enough to say the least... Get your man to say au revoir to the typical, bye to the sporty/preppy 80's redux, bye to the severity brought on by Dior Homme and hello to the wonderful hybrid of norms that makes Mjolk's Fall 2010 collection so quietly strong. It's a bit preppy, a bit nostalgic of the 40's, a bit dandy, and a bit sporty with just the right amount of playfulness brought on by variations in proportion. There's nothing awkward, or too forward thinking, everything is simply dead-on in it's simplicity & ease.

The Best of Men's Fall 2010

With the end of the last decade's heady maximalism behind us, and the dawn of a new era upon us with a loud call being heard for palette cleansing essentials in a time when the economy ain't so pretty, many are looking for easy, fuss-free propositions that are not only right for the times, but right for the future even. The day of instantly recognizable runway pieces is long gone and many venerable labels are looking back at not only their own heritages, but also the fundamentals of a smart wardrobe. The urban warrior, the svelte mod, the 80's electro playboy and the avant-garde techy futuro man we've seen many times around throughout the last decade have all taken a backseat(but that's not to say things are about to get too classic). In his place comes a clever use of house signatures for Fall/Winter 2010 that epitomize easy sophistication from institutions that you can always turn to for guaranteed quality. Three stand-out collections with "investment" potential & forward thinking clarity in this latest menswear movement were Dries Van Noten, Lanvin & Prada.

PRADA-(also above)For the first time ever, or at least since V can recall, Muiccia Prada showed her latest menswear collection alongside her women's Pre-Fall for 2010. Like any Prada presentation, the setting here was a statement making collage composed of mixed media from large screen installations to a printed runway illustrated to denote the political, cultural, environmental and economic climates of the decade past. Thankfully though, the nostalgia ended there. The show opened with a natty take on familiar 60's & 70's inspired garb, a beautifully cut camel jacket paired with classic navy trousers, simple yes, yet at the moment it feels fresh. And in Prada's hands, her smart suiting was met with abbreviated and awkwardly geekish sweaters in a myriad of offset dulled gemtones. Leaving much of those arty "Prada-isms" behind, the range moved on to offer a serious assortment of outerwear options that each had their own distinctive flair. They came in lean mod shapes from rubberized black peacoats to double necked toppers and parkas with updated camo prints. Most of all, it was nice to see such a forward thinking directional designer create modern riffs on timeless ideas that felt anything but timely.

Lanvin-
Since taking over in 2001, Alber Elbaz has transformed venerable French house Lanvin into one of the most sought after, beautifully executed and delightfully wearable labels around, and that's why we have begun to reconsider it as an institution, fashion doesn't get much higher than this. The Lanvin woman is known for her off -kilter and somewhat disheveled easy take on classic haute Parisian style in couture fabrications and he's brought that relaxed luxe quality to the the house's menswear label alongside Lucas Ossendrijver. Known for sophisticated takes on Parisian streetwear and refined suiting, this fall the Lanvin man walks a fine line between the dualities of rough and refined with a tougher overall edge. Coats and outerwear, the standouts of this collection, came raw edged, some with dropped shoulders, some in dulled black leather, some nipped at the waist with a v shape and many with ingenius contrasting detachable sleeves. Best of all were shots of soothing pale pink, muted mushroom, cinnamon, cranberry, and Atlantic blue.

Dries Van Noten-
Dries Van Noten is a man who knows his fabrications and how to make them achieve an emotional response, after all, he is the prince of prints and a man with an eye for serious color. And this may be off the subject, but in womens wear at the moment Phoebe Philo at Celine is creating great buzz for her clothes that have an easy minimalism and a studied intellectual cool about them, and when we saw Van Noten's fall show, it felt as if he had channeled that same sensibility brilliantly. For fall, Van Noten re-imagined familiar fabrications from collegiate letterman jackets, preppy plaids, sweat fabrics and rugby stripes and collaged them with classic camel, pinstripes and windowpaine plaids with a result that somehow felt sophisticated, upbeat and undeniably contemporary all at once.