Alex Mullins
Alex Mullins is a designer that understands how to make dressing fun and fresh while simultaneously serving up an array of outlandish options for the more daring. For Fall 2018, Mullins plays on the duality of the left and right sides of the brain, harmoniously bringing together creativity and sensibility.
A full-on super bright tie-dye suit is a playful attempt at serious dressing, while a mosaic print of faces made out of ceramic plates is juxtaposed with simple trousers and jackets. “I wanted to visualize thinking with these broken, fragmented ideas,” said Mullins. Crisp dress shirts feature large, unexpected cutouts front and center, showcasing the models’ torso. Abstract pieces were toned down with pinstripe suit separates. This playful mix and match way of dressing is now becoming the new norm for the modern man.
Christopher Ræburn
Recycling master Christopher Ræburn, known for his upcycling and innovative reuse of discarded materials, stuck to his mantra of Remake, Reuse, and Recycle for Fall 2018. His latest collection entitled “Immerse” features fantastic outerwear made out of repurposed fluorescent orange neoprene immersion suits, along with other materials. From Russian and Danish navy blankets, to helicopter jackets emanating from Britain’s Royal Air Force. A series of Kraken patterned knits further drove home the theme of being lost at sea.
In addition to being environmentally conscious, Ræburn’s collection doubles as the ultimate cold weather protection gear in terms of heavy duty materials and smart layering. Everything is designed to be suitable for surviving subzero temperatures. From the military grade blanket derived jackets, to the neoprene coats, and merino wool made to look like shearling; all made to withstand the elements. Then there were the collabs with cold water surfing brand “Finisterre” that resulted in mega size puffers, and foul weather “Palladium” boots.
Chalayan
Hussein Chalayan is an artist to the core. As a highly conceptual designer, Chalayan sought to make a statement for Fall 2018. That statement is illustrated visually by the Périphérique in Paris. The highway that separates and bifurcates the suburbs and the dense immigrant areas from the rest of the city. “We should be worried about immigration and integration in the same way that we were worried about the Holocaust.” “It’s the same thing,” Chalayan asserts.
The clothes, represent an “imaginary journey beyond the center of Paris and back again” on the Périphérique. The two realities easily transform one garment into another. Panels on a coat loop around the shoulders like a cloak or drape over shirts like a scarf. Many of looks were paired with thick black leggings and tough Dr. Martens boots.
Lou Dalton
“This isn’t going to scare the horses,” says Lou Dalton of her laid back Fall 2018 collection. Which, is not necessarily a bad thing. The collection of thick Shetland wool, velvet, and cozy tweed layers is anything, but boring. Dalton let the materials speak for themselves in sporty, luxe silhouettes of relaxed, casual tops and bottoms that prove simplicity really is best when you’re working with the finest materials.
Dalton said she was inspired by the men in her life and what they would want to wear. “My brother has this group of friends that are really cool, and we just hang out.” I was just trying to get elements of that…” The beautifully made clothing in luxury materials is ideal for the everyday man. Chunky tactile knits and wide leg pants in earth tones are as comfortable indoors as they are outdoors. They’re exactly what you’ll want to wear to stay cozy on a crisp fall day.
