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Boys Just Wanna Have Fun

It's safe to say that for most of the past three decades, mainstream men's fashion has been boring in comparison to that for women. It's not just because that department has generally had fewer and leaner product categories. The rundown of any red carpet would tell of the classicism that's dominated the scene. Even the Pitti peacocks - the term used to refer to the preening male street style stars of the biannual menswear trade show in Florence - who emerged in the early 2010s were largely defined by prep (yawn). In recent years, though, something's changed. Menswear designers have started to experiment more and the industry welcomed radicals such as the late Virgil Abloh and Ludovic de Saint Sernin. And, with revenge dressing going into overdrive now, brands have stepped up on the joie de vivre and playfulness to rival the women's collections. Let's hear it for the guys, with our favourite trends and highlights from the Men's Fall/Winter 2022 season.

WELCOME TO THE MAGIC SHOP

Every December since 2002, Chanel has presented a Metiers d'Art collection. (Yes, this means that the latest - revealed six months ago - marks the 20th edition.) It's the annual showcase/bonanza/tribute to the all-important esoteric craft ateliers that orbit the French luxury maison (Karl Lagerfeld even used to refer to them as satellites). The 2021/2022 collection, which launches in boutiques towards the end of June, marks a new chapter: It's inspired by and was shown in the new Le19M hub that Chanel had purpose-built as a centralized home for 11 of its most crucial suppliers.

PORTRAIT OF A GENTLE MAN

A new generation of young artists in Singapore is exploring and dissecting masculinity with inclusivity and tenderness. Keng Yang Shuen spotlights five who are redefining what being a man means and looks like.

7 mins read

THE LEGACY

She's the daughter of a Cubism great, but it's her bodacious taste and style, and boldness in building her name as a jeweller that has made Paloma Picasso a muse to designers, including most famously Yves Saint Laurent. Now it's his present-day successor Anthony Vaccarello's turn, channelling her sexy, high-meets-low brand of glamour into Saint Laurent's Summer collection. Together with the maison, Female offers an intimate close-up look at the star accessories.

1 min read

THAT TICK-TOCK AESTHETIC

Going by their size and serious looks, the watches here would traditionally be considered more of a guy thing. Going by their versatility when it comes to expressing personal style, do such conventions really matter?

NEO URBAN MALES

In the '60s, it was referred to as the peacock revolution - when rock stars such as The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, and David Bowie redefined the look of virility with their gender-blurring wardrobes (paisley shirts, slim-fit pants, silk kimonos!). Fast-forward to the present day and a whole new generation of men is bringing back that same enthusiasm and adventurousness towards dressing up. They love to shop (a lot of them from vintage or vintage-style stores). They tend to mix and match garments, accessories, and influences - including those traditionally considered to be from the women's wardrobe - to create their personal look. And they're unafraid to show it off because, if they're anything like the 22 men here, why not? Welcome to the new era of sartorial liberation when (to paraphrase Damon Albarn) regardless of gender, one should always be wearing something they really love.

LA VIE EN ROSE

The Les Eaux de Chanel fragrance line from the house of double "C"s was considered fresh in more ways than one when it debuted in 2018. Besides evoking lightness and effervescence in its own way, each scent was a tribute to a different destination dear to Coco Chanel and meant to be unisex. Last month, it ushered in its sixth and latest addition that might also come across as its most feminine: the pink-hued Paris-Paris that's inspired by the city's chic women and boasts a heart of Damascena rose. Yet - as Chanel's in-house perfumer Olivier Polge puts it - the emotions that a fragrance stirs up matter more than a gender label.

4 mins read

CALL HIM BY HIS NAME

Our ode to Timothee Chalamet.

1 min read

What Makes A Great Fashion Magazine Today

He’s the second-generation owner of Basheer Graphic Books that has become a haven for the local creative community for its exhaustive range of niche, rare and exclusive design-related publications, fashion periodicals included. Entering the business in his 20s (the store on the fourth floor of Bras Basah Complex has been around since 1991), he’s witnessed not just the evolution of the print trade, but also trends and tastes. So what’s in now? Keng Yang Shuen finds out.