Conceptual conformity. Thom Browne Autumn-Winter 2014
(CNN)— This is an exciting time for menswear, whether you're
designing it, buying it, or admiring it.
On July 13, New York will at last join the other fashion capitals in
hosting a men's fashion week of its own for the first time. This isn't
surprising. Market research has shown menswear outpacing
womenswear in terms of growth year-on-year since 2009, and that
millennial men are more interested in fashion than previous
generations. But let's talk about the clothes.
For those who believe there's more to style than a suit that fits, a new
generation of designers is presenting a varied and unconventional
vision of what menswear can be, bringing off-beat design from the
fringes to the center with the support of the industry at large. These
designers further a legacy of anti-establishment design that has been
around for decades, enhancing the menswear tradition while
challenging it with work that could be called avant-garde or, depending
on your tastes, bizarre. In any case, they're never boring.
So what's the thinking behind these highly conceptual visions of men's
dress and, perhaps more importantly, how do you convince the modern
man to buy into it? CNN brought the question to godfather of avant-
garde Yohji Yamamoto , New York standard-bearer Thom Browne, and
celebrated London newcomers Agape "Agi" Mdumulla and Sam Cotton
of Agi & Sam .
The Veteran, CNN
Posted by Adebayo A J