Milan & Paris Mens Spring 2009 Part Two
Richard Chai
Menswear meet Richard, Richard this is menswear. This spring in Paris' streets sprung something fantastic Richard Chai's menswear presentation. Richie tied together Cape Cod and CBGB's opening with a pink linen peacoat and rolled chinos finished off with classic Chuck's. The fun went from there, seersucker trousers, drappy long cardigans with tiled looking textured polos and henleys, white m65 jacket and more. Chai's showing was something to behold everything executed perfectly. The cutoff button up looks like a young Kennedy child broke free of the compound and headed to catch a show. Then there was the grey/charcoal trench what a piece with strong shoulders the exaggerated lapels and the great horizontal detail breaking it up in the middle just like on the school boy blue blazer from earlier. Richard's collection was small but potent, a great breaking out show for the man that worked in the shadows for a long time. This menswear collection should and will create a stir. 
Raf Simons
Stark and surgical is what Raf brought to mind with this collection. Simons brought the heat in the form of scary short scary fitted shorts and several one piece looks. This collection of black and white was just that. Raf played beautifully with proportions. The jackets that look as though they were cut by lasers rest on the perfectly sculpted shoulders are over sized and lay just above a pair of barely there shorts and shoes that have seen the future. Sleeves are so passe with Raf as there were just hardly any of them to be seen on anything besides the jackets. Many of the pieces look as though they are sprouting just out of the shoulders and flow just so to the waist. The bits of grey in the collection came in the form of oh so perfectly tailored jackets over shorts that we're well no delicate way of saying it but displaying what your packing. Some of the collection had a very sporty feel to it but only in so much as you would feel it to be sportswear in a land and time we haven't been to yet. There is something strangely intimidating about this collection and thats what I enjoy about it, such waif profiles still bringing forth an image that is intimidating. I'm currently sitting on the fence with this one, but I do see it as much stronger then the Jil Sander offering that was shown in Milan.
Ann Demeulemeester
Dark to light, and only Ann could do it so dramatically and beautifully. The looks that came down from Demeulemeester were at first menacing while still remaining soft and utilized such greatly positioned buttons on the closely placed double breasted jackets. Soon the collection showed creams mixed into the blacks in the form of polka dots under a sheer jacket, or on a pair of silk pajama pants or paired against black and white stripes and it worked well over chinos and sandals. This collection has such a vision yet the pieces all scream how interchangable and wearable they would be in your closet and how they would play nicely with your other clothes. Billowy pants landing mid calf was big from Ann as were the hats and sandals. The collection's use of silks, linens, and cottons of a variety of textures really brought the looks to life. Then there were was the eclectic group of older gentleman to finish the show off and were done up with Ann's typically beautiful necklaces and cloaked beiges, whites, and khakis. A fantastic way to close out the show.
Burberry Prorsum
Christoper and his cardigans. Burberry showed us just how versatile this staple garment can be, worn alone, under a jacket, over drapy shirts etc. Bailey showed us a younger looking collection still with its Burberry teeth still firmly in place in the form of military inspired jackets. These jackets however became soft under Christoper's pen and colorful as they draped just so off the shoulders and typically over a terrific cardigan and slacks. Oh the slacks they were flaired or fitted and worked in tune with the fabrics they were formed from whether they were shiny or matte. There were bags in croc or buttery leather or canvas and were shaped just right as the were slung of the shoulder. Several looks with the scarfs were almost a bit too feminine, several looks were the roll out of bed sheik and were executed just right. Overall a fine presentation not my favorite however but a good one none the less and with plenty of strong wearable pieces.
