COMME DES GARÇONS HOMME PLUS

The thing about fashion is that what we see at Target or Sears or H&M or wherever it is that we buy our clothes is only a reflection of what the runways produced a year ago. I know it seems almost impossible because some of the fashion seem so out there on a runway, but it’s the way things seem to work. Yeah, when there's Fashion Week and the designers show their collections, we are, like it or not, getting ready to wear what they said it is going to be cool a year from now. Every year. I would not want to be a designer. Those collections seem to come at a breakneck speed!

I loved this Comme Des Garçons collection, btw (even if it's on the surface less accessible that the one Junya collab with Jay Kay). The colors, the shapes (I am a sucker for contrasts and silhouettes) and the ingenious pared down simplicity of the garments. Not for everybody, of course. Because these clothes are not meant to be worn as they are shown. No collection is supposed to be worn as the garments come down the runway. It's the details, the shapes, the colors what we will be seeing in our neighborhood mall in a year.

The whole collection has a mobile air to it (I've seen it in others for the Fall-Winter 22 season too) and the inspiration seems to have been being a 'Nomad'. Nothing like what we cannot have to inspire us, right? In these times of limited travel and after a pandemic, this theme comes just handy. The red, orange green and purple are earthy but cosmopolitan. And the shoes! Love me some creepers, so here I was in heaven. Love the laid back vibe and the layers, of course. 

My favs? The ruched-up suit, ALL OF THE HATS, the purple/violet pantsuit, the gray coat, the blueberry suit (OMG the details!) and that black midriff-buttoned jacket. I loved the pops of color with the black, too. And the whole pink ensemble with the gray jacket. I also love the proportions and the layers upon layers because of course I do. I'd even wear the skirts, natch.

If you have instagram, you'll notice that the fashion denizens are all wearing huge boots courtesy of Balenciaga, or balaclavas courtesy of Louis Vuitton  and puffy jackets courtesy of almost everybody. Well, they are wearing the trends from last year's Fashion Week. And that's where it starts. That's what retailers see and then you'll see the distilled product (affordable, tamed down and ready to wear) in your local stores. Those comfy sweatpants? Influenced by Comme Des Garçons, dahhlink. 

There's this scene in The Devil Wears Prada where the Miranda character reads down Andy cause she kind of mocks their cerulean dilemma. You see, we the people who wear khakis with a blue button down untucked and  feel edgy and shit, have no idea how the multi billion dollar fashion industry works. And we really don't care. Because all we want is to be comfy when we go for that walk or drive to the office. But THEY are watching. 

Don't believe me? Because I'm just another guy with a keyboard and an internet connection? Well, check out the Business of Fashion. They know what they're talking about. Meanwhile, I'm keeping an eye out for the next thing I will be getting to spice up my clothes. After all, they are making me go back to the office, so I might as well look good. Right?

XOXO