Les Hommes’ Impeccably Tailored Samurai Warriors
Les Hommes is not for the faint of heart. Inspired by Asian culture and ancient samurai warriors, the Spring 2018 collection had no shortage of sleek embellishments, sharp-as-a-knife tailoring, and ultra-masculinity. It may sound farfetched to construct a collection with such an eclectic range of influences, yet Les Hommes designers Bart Vandebosch and Tom Notte manage to do so with refinement and the sleekest of tailoring. Intense black suiting with bugle bead embellishments and neutral colored staples in stone, taupe, and white veered on the side of sophistication rather than monotony, whilst serving as the perfect backdrop for the collection’s stunning silver metal embellishments.
A slim tailored, single button, metallic leopard print suit was youthfully styled with chunky white high tops while rich embroidery of ancient Asian art symbols adorned some of the more urban pieces, including bomber jackets and hoodies. Throughout the show, there were numerous zippered bombers and joggers, buckles, and belts, but most recognizable for the brand are the criss-crossed, laced up grommets appearing in liberal doses on nearly every look. It’s a new style of brand identification that serves as a more stylish means of replacing a logo and is undeniably Les Hommes.
Not For the Faint of Heart
Complementing the looks are uniquely crafted pieces of jewelry that warrants a spotlight of their own. Each look was styled with multiple gold and silver earrings sculpted into ornate shapes and designs, some featured pearls or face piercings jutting off the ear, others came dripping with tassels, chains and safety pins. These elements further enhanced the edgy aesthetic, coupled with nose rings, lip rings, and the most captivating faux piercings crawling up the models’ cheeks. Each one more elaborate than the next. For Les Hommes’ Bart Vandebosch and Tom Notte, there’s no such thing as too much bling.