2014 Trends To Keep
Like for most men, blowing money on building up my wardrobe is a luxury for me. I – regrettably – don’t come from a background where tapping in the digits of daddy’s gold card is a possibility when making a purchase, and I’m yet to become one of those fabled lottery winners to whom money is no object.
Therefore, it can prove quite tricky to keep on top of each season’s new menswear trends without rendering myself bankrupt at least twice yearly.
Thankfully, for spring/summer 2015, several of 2014’s key trends continue to dominate the list of what’s current, which means that many of you are probably already in possession of the items you’ll need to look on point. Put simply, a complete wardrobe overhaul is not necessary – great news for both your bank balance and general mental health.
Here are the five trends to focus on this season:
1) All-White
2014 saw several designers opt for all-white, minimalist looks, which made a refreshing change to the bold patterns and colors that have inundated menswear over the past few years.
From white tailoring at Jil Sander, Berluti and Dolce & Gabbana to sportswear-inspired white-on-white ensembles at Emporio Armani, the all-white trend drew plenty of attention and was probably responsible for racking up a few hefty dry cleaning bills in the process.
At London Collections: Men spring/summer 2015, the hue continued to make its presence felt. Christopher Shannon’s collection included his signature sportswear (anoraks and baggy shorts) in white, as well as white wash denim jackets and jeans.
At Alexander McQueen, there was sharp white tailoring punctuated by pops of primary color, while Swedish brand Common kept their collection especially clean with both casual and tailored separates in white, including wide- and short-sleeved sheer shirts.
Elsewhere in Europe, the stark white-on-white aesthetic was often softened to creamier shades. Corneliani and Canali featured white and cream tailoring dressed-down with white sandals (Corneliani) and cream bucket hats (Canali).
On The SS15 Runways
Lookbook Inspiration: Spring/Summer
White and off-white shades – including cream, beige and ivory – are perfect for the warmer months, when worries of icy rain and muddy puddles are distant memories.
Head-to-toe brilliant white is certainly the more ambitious look to try here and won’t work for everybody (especially if you’re of a fairer skin tone) – but tonal shades of beige and off-white are often much more doable.
Softer than white, cream is an elegant color that won’t wash you out to the same extent, yet is still versatile enough to complement plenty of other hues.
Key Pieces
- He By Mango Textured Henley T-shirt
- Allsaints Figure Crew Tshirt
- Allsaints Bramford Polo
- Asos Slim Fit Blazer In Washed Cotton
- Asos Bomber Jacket In Jersey
- He By Mango Cotton Linen-blend Sweater
- Reiss Medway Classic Twill Chinos Stone
- J.crew 484 Slim-fit Washed Cotton-twill Chinos
- River Island White Skinny Stretch Denim Shorts
- Hartford Classic Linen Shirt
- Acne Studios Ace Dry-denim Jeans
- Club Monaco Donegal Wool Sweater
2) Vivid Prints
From Louis Vuitton’s statement check tailoring, to micro dot patterns on sports jackets from Hermès, to the clever usage of camo in collections from Valentine and Ami, vivid prints and patterns defined 2014. And that’s without even considering the widespread adoption of florals.
Glancing ahead at what’s to come for spring/summer 2015, print is still paramount – particularly florals, which are part and parcel of the 1970s influence currently making its mark on menswear.
Katie Eary put forward an early case for floral print, with her SS15 collection featuring psychedelic pink, orange and purple motifs sported by long-haired, aviator-wearing models.
Topman Design was another brand that harnessed the power of blooms, showing yellow and black daisy print shirts and flares, while A. Sauvage used bright leaf print shirts as a punchy under layer for suiting and lightweight tailored outerwear.
Camouflage is another print that is now firmly entrenched within many men’s wardrobes. For SS15, N. Hoolywood and Mark McNairy kept things traditional, utilizing khaki and blue camo prints across shirts, tees and trousers, whereas Italian luxury label Valentino gave this timeless military motif a modern twist by applying a rich burgundy variant to classic tailoring and evening wear.
At Dsquared2, Dean and Dan Caten put their signature ostentatious spin on camo, showing a striking neon pink, yellow, purple and green version on swim shorts, blazers and shirts.
On The SS15 Runways
Lookbook Inspiration: Spring/Summer
In theory, camo and florals may not seem like the easiest prints to incorporate into your wardrobe, but with such a wide-ranging variety of pieces available at all price points, it’s never been easier to integrate this trend into your day-to-day looks:
Key Pieces
- He By Mango Modern Slim-fit Floral Shirt
- He By Mango Slim-fit Camo-print Chambray Shirt
- Arvust Floral Printed Shirt With Short Sleeves
- He By Mango Camo Print Cropped Trousers
- French Connection Camouflage Cotton Jacket
- Asos Chino Shorts With Camo Print
- River Island Grey Floral Placement Print Bomber Jacket
- Ted Baker Leerid Graphic Print T-shirt
- River Island Blue Indigo Floral Shorts
- Etro Floral Swim Shorts
- The White Briefs Camo-print Cotton T-shirt 1004760
- Valentino Camo-print Cotton Polo Shirt 1015254
3) Bomber Jackets
Now firmly established in the modern man’s off-duty wardrobe, a bomber jacket is ideal for the transitional months when weather conditions prove unpredictable. Throughout 2014, the silhouette stamped its mark on the runways, where we saw everything from military-inspired designs (Moschino and Tim Coppens) to varsity-influenced styles (Bottega Veneta and Haider Ackermann).
And the bomber jacket doesn’t show any sign of budging for spring/summer 2015. Christopher Raeburn’s collection, inspired by Arizona’s desert boneyards full of decommissioned aircraft, featured technical bombers in black and vibrant orange, as well as distressed leather versions complete with appliqued airplane patterned playing cards.
Other designers looked to re-define the bomber jacket, with Dries Van Noten showing a belted style embroidered with a rich tapestry-like detail at the left breast.
London-based designer Richard Nicoll, meanwhile, included a bomber that incorporated another burgeoning trend: metallics. Featuring a contrast white collar and cuffs, this metallic silver jacket offered a contemporary take on a menswear classic.
On The SS15 Runways
Lookbook Inspiration: Spring/Summer
Bombers and blousons are the ideal alternative to your stifling winter coat once the cold weather begins to relent.
An extremely versatile silhouette, try dressing yours up with trousers and a shirt for a night out on the town, or throwing it on over a simple jeans and T-shirt combination at the weekend when you’re out running errands:
Key Pieces
- Allsaints Draft Bomber Jacket
- Black Chocoolate Bomber With Varsity Detail
- Topman Burgundy Bomber Jacket
- He By Mango Contrast Interior Bomber Jacket
- He By Mango Satin Nylon Bomber Jacket
- Reiss Colorado Jersey Bomber Jacket Navy
- River Island Khaki Green Twill Bomber Jacket
- River Island Ecru Varsity Bomber Jacket
- Kin By John Lewis Lightweight Bomber Jacket Navy
- River Island Navy Blue Twill Bomber Jacket
- Gant Rugger Hopsack-wool Bomber Jacket
- Herno Lightweight Bomber Jacket 1005540
4) Pastels
With notions on what is and isn’t masculine loosening considerably in recent times, we men have been free to experiment with a variety of hues that were previously deemed out of bounds. Pastels have been a prime beneficiary of this new, more liberal attitude, becoming the go-to palette for men looking to introduce subtle colour to their warm-weather looks.
For 2015, the appeal of pastels in all their variants is still potent. London-based brand YMC opened their SS15 showcase by sending relaxed tailoring in a peachy shade of pink down the runway, which was soon followed by shorts and tees in the same soft hue.
Staying in London, renowned Savile Row tailors Gieves & Hawkes, Richard James and Hardy Amies showed a penchant for pastel tailoring, which came in everything from mint green to sky blue and was often anchored with crisp summer whites.
Meanwhile, in Milan, Italo Zucchelli showed a signature set of head-to-toe monochrome and tonal looks at Calvin Klein Collection, this time in a nude, peachy-pink tone, while Versace opted for a shade deeper, applying rose pink to tailored suits, sleeveless tees and shorts.
On The SS15 Runways
Lookbook Inspiration: Spring/Summer
With the warmer weather on the horizon, there will be plenty more opportunities to unearth those pastel tees, vests and shorts you’ve had stowed away since last summer.
But for those dipping their toes into the trend for the first time, consider a simple pair of chinos in traditionally masculine shades such as sky blue, mint green or pale purple. These will slot seamlessly into your current wardrobe and look particularly great matched with neutral spring/summer staples such as white polos, grey crew neck T-shirts and your new navy bomber jacket:
Key Pieces
- He By Mango V-neck Sweater
- Asos Slim Fit Blazer In Jersey
- Reiss Riddle Merino Crew-neck Jumper
- Topman Washed Lilac Chino Shorts
- Asos Skinny Chinos
- Asos Chino Shorts In Mid Length
- Uniqlo Men Cotton Cashmere V Neck Sweater
- J.crew Cotton-jersey Crew Neck T-shirt
- James Perse Crew Neck Cotton-jersey T-shirt
- Doriani Fine-knit Cotton Polo Shirt
- A.p.c. Button-down Collar Chambray Shirt
- J.crew Broken In Slim-fit Brushed-cotton Chinos<img
