Theory Fall 2019 Menswear

As luxury houses commit anew to tailoring and champion a certain masculine elegance, contemporary brands that tend to traffic in more casual fare face a quandary: to follow suit or not. Theory, a brand with its roots in officewear, back when offices required suiting, would seem to be better positioned than many other labels to succeed in 2019. Indeed, the company’s menswear designer Martin Andersson noted a behind-the-scenes focus on improving fabric quality. It was noticeable in a pair of suits, one black, the other a deep shade of burgundy. He showed layered knits, crewneck on top of mock-neck. The label isn’t giving up on that casual fare entirely.

Design and art world names both relatively unfamiliar and famous were among Andersson’s references for Fall. Faye Toogood’s Roly Poly fiberglass chairs, with their scooped seats and thick legs, seemed to inform his tailoring. A bonded twill duffle coat was cut with rounded kimono sleeves, and an unlined wool jersey blazer was constructed with raw edges. The results in both cases were clean and structured yet yielding—easy to wear. The painters Soulages and Rothko, meanwhile, informed the palette, with its understated emphasis on black layers and varying shades of red. All around, this Theory collection felt in step with the season’s dominant themes and talking points.

Source: VogueRunway

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Palomo Spain Fall 2019 Menswear

Palomo Spain has returned to New York City, with designer Alejandro Gómez Palomo revealing his Fall collection on Manhattan’s West Side early this afternoon. There was a reason, besides his love of Gotham (he showed here circa Fall 2017), for the decision: “This season is called ‘1916,’ ” he said. “It’s about the moment that the Ballet Russes went from Russia to Spain, and Sergei Diaghilev and the Spanish avant-garde got together and created these mixed, unconventional pieces. Ballet has a lot to do with traveling around, going around in a caravan. We carry on with this attitude.”

There’s no arguing that Palomo Spain emits nomadic feedback: Palomo’s group, his tribe, is both dedicatedly fierce and fiercely dedicated. They go where he goes, whether that’s Andalucía or the Big Apple. This inherent tight-knitted-ness, plus his narratives—always strong when it comes to research and personality—are what make this brand so unique. And while the rearview abstraction of Diaghilev in the Iberian Peninsula initially felt a little dated, Palomo was able to entwine in it a modern heat.

That came with an expanded accessories roster (including sharp new slip-on shoes and doctor bags) and new textiles, like nylon. “My take on sportswear, taken into my universe,” said the designer. See: a wide-collared, short-sleeved optic white anorak, cinched at the waist, and styled over a netted dress. Another parka was done in velvet and finished with a massive bow. And yet another was made again in nylon, this time salmon-hued, curving from the shoulders to the hem in what had to have been a wink to Spain’s most famous designer, Cristóbal Balenciaga.

Palomo’s variety here was wide but calibrated; a polka-dot motif, which deteriorated into melted bubbles, shone through with a Pop Art aestheticism, while elsewhere structured and tailored trenches nodded to the original designs of the clothing type conceived by Thomas Burberry. On top of that, there were sequined bodysuits, sheer slip dresses worn over underwear made in collaboration with the Spanish lingerie brand Andres Sarda, and a raven-feathered closing dress duo. The show’s soundtrack switched from orchestral strings to a gritty techno for the finale lap; it was a smart idea, as it placed these clothes, at least spatially, in a more contemporary zone.

If Palomo Spain sometimes feels repetitive, or if it still seems, at times, like too much visual reverie and not enough of an exercise in commercial practicality, it’s a forgivable charge. Palomo should be praised for the message he sings; his casts are always diverse, and they always include openly gay male models (being an out model can still hamper one’s chances at certain jobs). And with the weather vane turning in terms of male dressing—no matter how one identifies or what one’s sexuality is—the distinction of what is the norm will eventually be redefined. But in Palomo’s world, this freedom, this openness, this love—it’s all already deeply entrenched and steeped in irresistible appeal.

SOURCE VogueRunway

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Destination Skypointe Takes Flight in Atlanta

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the busiest airport in the world, came in for a landing just long enough to produce a sleek & glossy print publication. The inaugural issue, which I am honored to be on the cover of and featured in its pages along with my (almost) husband Alex Page, highlights all the wonderfulness that is Atlanta. From dining to shopping and all things to do during your stay, Destination Skypointe delivers first class service all the way.

E. Vincent Martinez + Alex Page

Destination Skypointe will be available at every concourse at the airport starting February 1st, just in time for the Super Bowl! Pick a few copies up during your next travel date OR enjoy the digital version HERE!

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Introducing the All-Black Monsieur de CHANEL Watch

Turning its focus back to its Monsieur de CHANEL watch, Chanel recently unveiled a new all-black take on its flagship watch.

Set to officially launch at Baselworld 2019, the Monsieur de CHANEL Édition Noire features a 42mm matte black ceramic case paired with a matching grained dial. Markings on the dial are raised and done in a silver tone for a classic look.

The watch utilizes Chanel’s proprietary movement developed by independent watchmaker Romain Gauthier, expressed via a 240-degree retrograde minute scale and accompanying hour window. A sapphire window on the steel case back spotlights the Caliber 1 hand-wound movement, which features twin barrels and a 72-hour power reserve.

No official pricing details just yet, but Chanel’s Monsieur de CHANEL Edition Noire watch is set for a 55 unit limited release sometime in September.

SOURCE WATCHES BY SJX

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MARIA ARISTIDOU COUTURE SPRING SUMMER 2019

You don’t always know what ‘s hidden behind a closed door and even when you think you do, you always wonder if you are right. A closed door is, more often than not, a mystery to all of us. We are humans and curiosity is, whether we like it or not, a human imperfection. And when that door has an arch and a keystone, intertwining to form a coherent symplexis, it becomes a mystical and wondrous gate, behind which imagination can run wild! So, open it. If you dare.

Maria Aristidou’s Spring/Summer 2019 knit couture collection was quite the challenge. Inspiration for the pattern came from a single vintage arched door found during a walk inside the old city walls of Nicosia. The simplicity of the door’s facade, together with the complexity of the engineering behind it, gave rise to a series of design trials that lead to this fine timeless pattern for the fabrics of SS 2019 collection. Hand embroidery embellishments on a colorful palette of luxurious knit fabrics made by the designer, capture the beauty and the essence of a woman. Unexpected cuts on timeless classic designs with modern details are the signature of the designer's Spring/Summer 2019 "Symplexis" collection.

In 2015 Maria Aristidou introduced her first A/W 2015 Limited Knit Scarf Collection, a beginning of a new concept in her designs. The magic of knitwear inspired her to first explore and then create, using luxurious threads and elaborate techniques, various knit patterns. The craftsmanship of detailed hand embroideries adds to the uniqueness of Maria Aristidou's fabric collections for the couture evening and accessories.

The process of fabric production for each collection starts from the very beginning. Yarns such as wool, viscose, lurex, cotton, silk and velvet (depending on the season the designer works on) are ordered from Paris and Italy. Then, a series of patterns, first designed on paper, are passed on to the computer knit programmer to be then processed by the programs set for the knitting machines. What follows is a series of testings to establish which yarn will be used on which machine and for which pattern, how thick or thin the fabric will be, color sampling combinations, hand-embroidery design testing, quality and durability checks etc. The only fabric that is actually bought, and not produced by the designer, is the lining needed for each garment.

Once the desired patterns are developed, and the fabric samples are finalized and tested, the fabric production takes place. That is, cutting and sewing (with finishings done with knit trimming on each piece of the garment) along with hand embroidery. All production takes place in Cyprus.

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Viktor & Rolf SPRING 2019 COUTURE

Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren titled this collection Fashion Statements. “To what extent can you say something with clothing, literally,” they said backstage. Their studio had imagined 18 outstanding, outsize dresses constructed entirely in brightly hued tulle: some with puffed sleeves, others with tiered skirts, all very colorful and very voluminous. And, well, each creation spoke for itself.

Who were these ingenues with their Rapunzel hair meant to embody? I am my own muse, said the one in solid green. Is fashion overrated? Less is more, replied the extra-wide one in gradient pink and blue. What is your position on climate change? Give a damn, declared the one in white trimmed in white and fluorescent green. Will you watch the Super Bowl? No, exclaimed the one in striped blue.

Naturally, with their characteristic monotone, the designers said they were not imposing any meaning, inviting us to arrive at our own readings. One impression was that such exaggerated volumes, while familiar territory for Horsting and Snoeren, could be a visual metaphor for the noise of likes in the virtual world, where these language memes live (Snoeren seemed pleased with this idea). What’s more, there was no mistaking these creations for actual slogan T-shirts or variations on the infamous Melania Trump jacket. All the assorted typography and graphic design—the text as well as the eagle head, the skull, the candy hearts, and so forth—resulted from layers of additional tulle. Trite sentiments backed up by technical prowess.

Altogether, the collection showcased Viktor & Rolf in the brand’s finest, sweet-meets-sinister form. As a fashion statement, it was ironic in attitude; historically inspired and Pop in presentation; detail obsessed and sophisticated in execution. The perfect formula, in other words, for the Costume Institute’s forthcoming exhibition on camp. Otherwise, several pieces could prove quite impactful on the red carpet, unwieldy shapes notwithstanding. The obvious choice: No photos, please.

Source: AMY VERNER / VogueRunway

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La Métamorphose HAUTE COUTURE PARIS FASHION WEEK SS19

In the gardens of La Métamorphose, the woman is certainly a flower that opens, but this woman conquers her femininity. Though delicate in her strength, she is a multifaceted woman, muse, but also leader.

Pastels emphasize opened rosebuds, the whites for purity and light. The sharp shapes symbolize determination.

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