Over the past few weeks, we’ve shared with you our favorite menswear collections, from conceptual London to dapper Milan, but there was still much to long for in New York. As the final destination in the biannual men’s fashion calendar, New York Fashion Week: Men’s offers the definitive take on the latest looks, from the sartorial to the sportswear-influenced. Now in its third season, NYFWM boasted a wide array of designers—both emerging and established—who all strived to bring something new to the runway. Some were, of course, more preferred than others, but as we take a look back at the final week of men’s Spring/Summer 2017 we found our true favorites in the works of Ovadia & Sons, Siki Im, General Idea, Brett Johnson and Kenneth Ning.
1. Ovadia & Sons
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From traditional tailored clothing to leisurewear, twin brothers Shimon and Ariel Ovadia’s Spring/Summer 2017 collection took a more tone-down approach this time around, with influences coming in from all walks of life—hippies, New York and the military. What resulted from this merging of inspirations was a leisure-heavy lineup of souvenir jackets, patchwork denim and leather biker jackets. Tie-dyed sweaters and leopard-print coats offered a noticeable sense of nostalgia.
2. Siki Im
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This season found designer Siki Im opting for a more intimate studio setting for his presentation during New York Fashion Week: Men’s, where his Spring 2017 collection explored an intelligent approach to proportions with the main source of inspiration coming from Zen monks. However, unlike his previous runway shows, this decision to host a presentation was a statement on the importance of showcasing the products, rather than the spectacle of a runway show. In his series of drop-crotch cotton jersey pants, blazers and deconstructed sweatshirts, Siki Im’s sophisticated casual aesthetic paid off here with several notable athletic options and running shoes.
3. General Idea
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Another label to lighten things up for the S/S 2017 season, designer Bumsuk Choi and his General Idea continued the play on proportions from past seasons to present a line of elongated shirts and oversized outwear. His choice to incorporate lighter hues of beige and pink this season was a bold move away from his characteristically dark color palette, but one that will certainly be rewarded in the increasing heat of summer. The favorite this time around were the ever-classic oversized metallic bomber and a black patch-pocket flight suit.
4. Brett Johnson
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For his second appearance at NYFWM, Brett Johnson cited the state of Arizona as his main source of inspiration this season, featuring a strong assortment of dusty hues pulled from the red rocks of Sedona and the dry desert terrain. As a continuation from his Fall 2016 collection, Johnson’s Spring 2017 line highlighted several utilitarian functions, from vests to linen pants, and reinforced the already much-loved denim look that has been taking the men’s runway by storm over the past few weeks; but, it was the jean jacket, chambray shirt and Japanese denim pants combo that transported Brett Johnson into double denim territory.
5. Kenneth Ning
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Stanley Kubrick’s 1987 British-American war film, the “Full Metal Jacket,” paved the way for Kenneth Ning to explore a range of militant ensembles and hues for his Spring/Summer 2017 collection, where ghillie sniper suits and camo jacquard contrasted a lighthearted range of shirts featuring mismatched checks and solids army tones. Decidedly utilitarian and sometimes deconstructed, this collection presented a vast cargo vibe with several standout looks, including a sleeveless field jacket and a vest in solid jacquard.
Brent Taalur Ramsey is an American fashion journalist based in Paris. Follow his latest runway adventures on Instagram.