NYFWM ss16 : the vibe

another look at NYFWM + vibe… The Menswear takeover rocked the industry for the first New York Fashion Week: Men’s. More than 50 labels across several days of menswear action gives us reason to believe the substantial efforts of the CFDA implies the menswear showcase is here to stay.  From backstage to front row, our Editor-in-Chief Brigitte Segura hit the scene to bring insider insight to FashionDailyMag’s ss16 coverage.

Things kicked off with New York Men’s Day featuring a host of designers, twelve total spread across a morning and afternoon block at Industria. First stop, the Garciavelez presentation highlighting a casual cool with a cleaned up surfer vibe. The neon pop added a youthful vibe like with the striped tee on cutie Michael Lockley. On to newcomer Boyswear with an offbeat yet cheerfully colored offbeat debut. Moving on to carefree clothiers CWST and a smiling Ben Jarvis. Designers Derek Buse and Joe Sadler dressed up the coastal collection  with button downs and a neutral palette. It was black and white for the boys at Plac, which featured outerwear and too cool for school poses a la Piero Mendez. David Hart dressed to impress with sunny suited fellas in funky patterned shirts and blazers. The look was artistically topped with wooden necklaces and two tone sunglasses for unmatched style. True to its name, Cadet created an assortments of military influenced pieces that mix and match in a variety of combinations. Part deux included Eponymovs by Hvrminn which tailored traditional to unconventional for flair. A semi-circle spectrum came into view at Kenneth Ning. Models with tude’ at Matier showed off textiles and texture with outerwear.  Keeping cool with long-haired models rocking shades and simple silhouettes in ebony and ivory at Chapter. Japanese inspired looks were modernized for Fingers Crossed. The collection included cropped trousers, satin sashes, and fiery hints of color as seen on Abiah Hostvedt. And last but not least a moody view with contemporary construction at Carlos Campos. Brigitte navigated the waters with a woman’s touch, keeping a keen eye in an approach that comes from experience as both an influencer and a consumer. Between the shows hello with curly headed comrade Yassine Rahal, and a quick catch up with CFDA Ceo Steven Kolb.

With the official shows at Skylight Clarkson Square, the vibe was cool and tone was professional. The chaos and drama of women’s was left to the wayside, as the show crashers sat this one out, leaving the the intrigued and inspired to focus on the very relevant fashions at hand. From the venue outfitted for chill with fashion x artwork in the lounge to tasty treats from Dig Inn for those on the go between shows, the four day event was organized meticulously.  The exceptional care and almost seamless delivery came much to the surprise of many of us.

Toasting the talk of the town Public School on Tuesday. The design duo behind the brand continues to woo with composure with made in New York manufacturing and a cool cast including Nick Wooster and Ben Jarvis. Backstage action at Robert Geller revealed hidden talents in the line-up, while the front of house indulged in a collection of sophisticated luxe layers. The creative pair behind Rochambeau presented a sleek chic with a sporty slant. An unofficial player Malan Breton put forth a gorgeously refined representation with fabrics and marvelous prints. Wednesday followed suite with an equally impressive batch. A Brazilian beat at Asaf Ganot sexed up the activewear elements and lent confidence to tailored style. Well worth the jaunt off the beaten path to catch D’Marsh who extracted a tropical taste of debonaire a la designer Glenroy March. A new designer at Nautica heightened the tried and true with modernity and mix and matchability. On the other end of the spectrum Gypsy Sport channeled the freedom of style with a vibrant ethnic inspired medley. Loris Diran fused function with flaunt in a street chic take on draped dapper. And just when we thought the party was drawing to a close, day four popped off with full force. Another Stephen Kolb sighting, this time in presentation mode at deTROIT where the silken layers popped in yellow and blue, and the boys wore charcoal eyeliner with dignity. Catching up with the fellas pre-show for offsite favorite Franco Lacosta. The sunny inspiration transformed the look for the ultimate in breezy style. The Capsule unveiling lived up to it’s name, a collection of seven designers that showcased talent that ranged from edgy to elegant. Going a little more kitsch at Ricardo Seco with a colorful palette of eye popping prints for playful posh. A few more stops off the grid before heading back to the CDFA venue. Rooftop runway at Sergio Davila enhanced the natural aesthetic, meanwhile there was a rock-n-roll rampage (in red socks) on the loose at Pyer Moss. A stark scene set was set off by camo accents and all overs at Edwin D’Angelo. Coming to a close on a high note with Lucio Castro and a casual cool with quality construction.
Despite the laid back vibe and friendly atmosphere, enterprising order presided.

After four days of impressive outlays we have to stop and think about all the power that went into putting  this movement into action. In terms of the CFDA’s production, heavyweight Amazon made a big splash with sponsorships from its fashion sites Amazon Fashion, East Dane, and MyHabit with the help a handful of other supporters Cadillac, Shinola, DreamWorks Animation, and Dockers. Designers, both newcomers and seasoned veterans have a place in the showcase where big name collaborations help build the foundation for a financially viable industry undertaking. fdmLOVES selects and commentary by Brigitte Segura, written by Sarah A. Freiseis.

photo credit:  Audrey Froggatt | FashionDailyMag

live photos: Brigitte Segura + Betty Lo.