NYC Fashion Week Continues: The Highs, the Lows, the Hotpants

Our NYC Fashion Week Spring 2007 coverage plods on like a vacant runway model wearing something ill-fitting and embarrassing. Today, we look at a few more collections bound for... being ignored.

Or are we being a bit too hasty?

John Varvatos
Indeed, we are jumping the gun a bit -- but who can blame us, since it's John Varvatos that delivers the goods... which is either a sign of how bland the entire menswear segment is these days, or is a sign that the brand is, somewhat, more hipper than usual.














Photos from New York Magazine.

Of course, the latest collection from John Varvatos should remind you of stuff you've already seen, from younger brands, from recent years. But, hey, it still looks good now, is fun, youthful, reasonably cool, and entirely wearable.

Cloak
On to Cloak, a brand that burst onto the scene with great-looking, eminently original looks perfect for the workplace (if that workplace happens to be KGB headquarters) or the nightclub (Club Gulag). Its Russian-military chic now a thing of the past, along with Fall's far more restrained looks, Cloak today served up another anachronistic collection: This time, the inspiration seemed to be New Wave... in a sort of hulking, scary, European way.

At any rate, the suits looked fantastic, very slim and hip. Here are some of our picks, and note the pervasive sheen -- an unfortunate trend in menswear these days.









Cloak: Go for the freakshow, you stay for the suits.

Duckie Brown
That also reminds me of Duckie Brown, another label we've typically associated with, ah, "distinctive". The strange was (mostly) absent from Duckie Brown's collection this time around (barring some playing around with sizing, as you'll note.)









Paging Dr. Fashion! The scrubs-looking drawstring pants are probably not for everyone. But the shirt and jacket are boss.

Some other goodies from DB:





So hot right now
Meanwhile, the Fug Girls at NYMag.com wrap up the menswear at the Darth Vader-inspired (you read that right) Narciso Rodriguez show:

But as far as the menswear went ... well, let's put it this way: Darth Vader — Luke Skywalker, for that matter — wouldn't be caught dead in a black tulle tank top. Nor, we suspect, would he be interested in wearing formal briefs (that is, man-shorts) or well-tailored suit jackets sans shirt. The Narciso man, on the other hand, is apparently uninterested in wearing what's required in any of New York's finer eating establishments — namely, SHIRTS and PANTS.

Egad.

Link: "Narciso Rodriguez: Inspired by Darth Vader, Men's Hot Pants" (NYMag.com)

Perry Ellis, Lacoste, and others also came out in support of a man's right to wear short short. I trust you can take my word on it. (But if not.)

Bring in the Bland: It's NYC Fashion Week!

I've been saying it for some time: This past season has been little more than bland, boring, generic, and uninteresting. And if Fashion Week Fall 2006 is any indication, Spring 2007 is going to be more of the same. Egad.

That being said, we here at Stylezilla remain dedicated to bringing you the latest in looks you can use -- with the caveat, of course, that many of these looks are fairly simple. For some, that's a blessing: Those without a great deal of innate fashion sense should continue to do well for the foreseeable future. And getting decked out in the same sort of looks you see on the runway has never been easier. That being said, if you're into something a bit more envelope-pushing, there's still hope for Paris.

Today: DKNY and John Bartlett, photos from New York Magazine's Fashion Week "Live" coverage.

DKNY: Spring 2007

Note: Unless you are actively working as a runway model, don't ever wear your dress shirt like this.






Incidentally, fashion press... YOU CALL THIS COLOR?

John Bartlett: Spring 2007

Note: Not an easy look to pull off for most.

Hugo Boss Orange at Saks

Hope you all survived the stampede over at the Barneys Warehouse Sale.

Today, I'm having a look at the new Hugo Boss Orange collection over at Saks. First, however, here's a primer on how Hugo Boss' collections break down: "Boss Black" is considered the brand's upscale and classy mass-market label. "Boss Orange" is a more casual sportswear look, and a bit more adventurous. Plain "Hugo" (AKA "Red") is Boss Green seems to be comprised largely of ski jackets, weirdly.



Brushed Gabardine Pant, $175



Savanno Zip Sweatshirt, $185




Wils-Crafted Shirt, $155
Odd hem detail, but otherwise, the shirt looks great.


Eh. These were the only ones I pulled out that seemed anything other than generic and uninteresting. You've got to admit, despite some of their cool runway looks, when it comes to what's actually available in retail, Hugo Boss is in danger of becoming the new John Varvatos. Then again, John Varvatos has IGGY POP, of all people, in their current ad campaign -- so who knows what's really going on. I didn't think Iggy even knew how to wear a shirt.