High-Fives for Spring
Designers showing their spring collections last weekend at the annual Men’s Fashion Assn. gathering at the Biltmore hotel summarized the season with five easy sportswear pieces:
* An attention-getting shirt
* No-pleat trousers with tubular legs
* A dual-purpose anorak
* A “deconstructed” sport coat
* A fashion-forward T-shirt
Clearly, the economy is keeping frivolity to a minimum. Yet these simple items--reshaped, re-colored or merely redefined for the recessionary wardrobe--create looks that appease the man of style as well as the guy who puts function before fashion.
Sport shirts with casual elegance are making a comeback. The shirt and matching necktie designed by Isaac Mizrahi and worn by Wesley Snipes in “Jungle Fever” may have inspired Rick Dunnington’s shiny silk version. Bert Pulitzer’s iridescent linen shirt features raglan-cut sleeves.
The new pant lacks pleats but has a roomy, tubular shape. Andrew Fezza’s five-pocket linen slacks are inspired by baggy jeans. Girbaud adds a double waistband and cinched ankles for an active interpretation. And Pepe trims its colored jeans into a comfortable mid-thigh-length short.
The anorak, or stadium jacket, is the season’s most versatile layering piece. Basco, M. Julian and Falke update the once cumbersome cold-weather coat in lightweight rayons, cottons and silks. Timberland, Ruff Hewn and Pendleton layer canvas, poplin, nylon and wool coats over shorts or jeans, mirroring the look on TV’s “Northern Exposure.” At the designer level, Jhane Barnes’ washed-cotton jacket covers a graphic-print sport shirt.
The new, slouchy-fitting ultra-light jacket has been dubbed the “deconstructed” sport coat. Without padding, it is a more versatile, highly tailored alternative for the boardroom or ballpark. In his last collection for Perry Ellis, the late Roger Forsythe created the quintessential soft blazer in a spongy linen-viscose blend.
Finally, the simple T-shirt has been elevated to high-fashion status. Always a staple with jeans, the newest Ts showcase bold graphics, bright colors and intricate embroidery, making them the perfect companions for a soft jacket and casual slacks. Ron Chereskin’s feature nostalgic Olympic images; Jamie Sadock’s (for Ixspa 2000) sport computer-looking graphics. But new designer Lorenzo Vega’s multicolored and -pieced silk pullover best illustrates the sophisticated new look.
