Suits may have gone out of fashion, but now fashion has its eye on the suit leading to a renewed interest in louche and elegant suiting for fall 2019. After a decade of streetwear, men once again want to look polished. Young men are discovering suits for the first time, but prefer to wear them in fresh, new unconventional ways. For fall, suits have been transformed into luxe elevated versions of the streetwear styles that have been around for ages. Even designers like Virgil Abloh and Demna Gvasalia who became cultural icons by putting streetwear on the map have branched away from their streetwear roots to bring couture level craftsmanship to menswear at both Louis Vuitton and Balenciaga.
Thanks to the predominance of streetwear, and the acceptance of gender fluidity along with the evolution of less traditional masculine roles, mens fashion is undergoing a striking transformation. Perhaps it’s this colossal change that has loosened the suit’s stranglehold on traditional business attire, where relaxed casual dress is a lot more common now a days. In a welcome turn of events, this has opened up the suit to more creative possibilities in terms of proportion, styling, materials, embellishments, and structure. This season we embrace the suit’s return not as a symbol of tradition, but as an exploration of change, creativity, evolution and freedom of expression. Straight from the AW19 shows in New York, London, Milan, and Paris here’s our pick of the best men’s suits you should be wearing this season.
All Out Glam
The sex appeal of the suit has reached new heights, and there’s an endless number of ways to wear them. There’s almost nothing you can’t wear with a suit. Fall 2019 sees suits covered in rhinestones at Dolce & Gabbana, loud prints at Kenzo, or fabricated in shiny satins at Fendi, Tom Ford and Saint Laurent. Givenchy reworked 70’s silhouettes in sequins in some of the most elegant and glamorous suits we’ve seen, while Versace accessorized traditional plaid suiting with feathered boas. For a maximum bad boy vibe, accessorize your suit with chains like Charles Jeffrey Loverboy, or follow Prada’s lead and simply go shirtless!
Epic Proportions
One of the most exciting trends this season is an exploration of shape and proportion. Designers expanded the suit to new volumes, with huge shoulders, elongated boxy jackets, and billowing wide-leg trousers, some cut double layer jackets with cropped waistlines and or asymmetric fronts. Gucci suits looked deliberately several sizes too big, or had huge trousers cuffed at the ankles. Marni’s oversized gangster suits and rainbow hued silky shirts were styled with thick chain necklaces and chunky brogues that look fresh with an offbeat elegance. The proportions of pinstripes and pattern were also up for interpretation. And though most designers played with proportions by enlarging them, a few went the opposite direction, as seen in the shrunken fit of Palomo Spain’s nipped waist jackets with slim tapered trousers, not to mention Thom Browne, who wrote the book on the shrunken fit. Though Browne kept sleeves and trousers loose, they were severely shortened, which was all the more dramatic in contrast to the almost knee length jackets.
Neo Traditional
No matter how you slice it, there’s something comforting and nostalgic about the suit. Some designers have capitalized on this traditional mood by sending out modernized versions with strong ties to the classic form. From Balenciaga’s boxy, nouveau business suits to Todd Snyder’s comfy corduroy to Celine’s slim, mod rockers with skinny ties, these suits reference nostalgia while exuding a fresh new attitude.
The Blues
A striking upgrade from the navy suit, blue is still one of the most popular hues that nods to the tradition of navy, but covers new territory in bold, modern shades. The brightest shades come in vivid cobalt, as seen at Neil Barrett, and Kenzo’s purple tinged cornflower. Givenchy paired a bright orange shirt under rich teal, while Armani, Dior, Armani and Zegna sent out full on monochromatic looks in softer nuanced blue stone and cold blue steel. Whether you want to make a bold or subtle statement, these suits are memorable for good reason.
