ISTYLEU

Saturday, February 14, 2009

Monarchy mixes edgy with classic euro at NYFW

Its been a day of great shoes so far. And what better way to cap Day 2 of New York Fashion Week but to see Monarchy's much anticipated FW09 collection. Led by Chief Designer, Eric Kim, Monarchy continues to blow my mind with the creativity and originality of their pieces. The category they're in is fairly saturated with the same designs from brands like Diesel, G-Star and Sixty. And to survive in this business, Monarchy sets itself apart by integrating a variety of pieces and fabrics in a way that no one else can. Fashion forward. Eclectic. Euro Rock. Edgy. Equestrian. Raw. Classic. These are some of the terms I would use to describe this season's line. Motorcycle jackets with high necks. Leather coats with built in hoods. Three piece separates. Military inspired pea coats. As much as I wished I had every piece in my closet, here are my top picks.

Three piece suit seperates, with the bowler hat, and riding boots.

Motorcyle Riding Jacket with a Zip Up High Neck

Military Inspired Coat with the Cross Stitching Detail

I loved each and every piece in the line and can't wait to see them at the following stores in the United States:

Images by Dan Lecca for Mercedes Benz Fashion Week FW 2009.

Lacoste suggests stuffing your pants into your socks.

Lacoste has gone a long way from the preppy tennis shirts and crocodile logo we all have learned to love. Seen a lot during the summer time, I don't doubt that the pieces shown in this FW09 collection will soon be staples in men's closets everywhere. Sticking to the monochromatic and layered textured trends, Lacoste dares to be different by going with the Trinity Creme colored suit ensembles and the Sandy Beige coats. From there, they extended their color palettes to tones like Ash Grey and Cocoa Brown. The two most notable trends were the oversized sweaters, ankle high boat shoes and this whole "stuff your pants into your socks" thing.

My favorite looks from this show are:

Cocoa Brown Crushed Velvet Blazer with Gray Cardigan.

Three-Toned Striped knit sweater

Oversized Knitted Sweater

Sandy Beige Overcoat

Images by Kris Krug

Friday, February 13, 2009

Tyson Beckford had his swagger going on at the African Fashion Collective

Seeing the African Fashion Collective Show at Fashion Week was like being taken to a new time and place. Africa is such a powerful nation with a deep culture and history. Being in line with individuals that represented this country either by the color of their skin, or through their lineage, was an honor.

Tyson Beckford, co-host for the new reality series Make Me a Supermodel, was the only male African-American that graced the runway for this showing. Wearing a black suit with cherry red stitch detailing by designer Lamine Badian Kouyaté for Xuly Bet, Tyson's look was also complemented by a teal-tan plaid duffle.

Supermodels Alek Wek and Tyson Beckford wearing Xuly Bet

Side note, the whole "Mens Purse" trend has been kicked up a notch this season. Models and attendees alike are carrying both oversized attaches', messenger bags and duffles. Something to keep mind if you're looking for an accessory to finish off your look.

Images by Dan Lecca for Mercedes Benz Fashion Week FW 2009.

Duckie Brown starts the week off with Multi Textured Layering and Oversized Scarves.

At around 1:30pm this afternoon, New York's Bryant Park was filled to the brim with good looking people. Most of them in line to see the Duckie Brown collection for FW2009. The label started by Steven Cox and Daniel Silver in 2001 continues to put out great pieces each season. Generally speaking, fall winter wear for guys tend to be monochromatic. But Duckie Brown sets the pace by isolating pops of color and layered textures in a guy's wardrobe ensemble. From a mixture of fabrics to a mixture of colors, Duckie Brown is a wizard in creating a balanced look for the sophisticated man.

Some of my favorite pieces from this show:

Jail Break Orange Rain Coat