Michael Bastian Spring '13

It's that special time of year that only comes twice every twelve months, New York Fashion Week. The spring shows were kicked off with Fashion Night Out this past Thursday, then the mirage of fashion shows and presentations took over Manhattan until this coming Sunday. The best show thus has definitely been the Michael Bastian runway show. The entire collection is almost like an homage to warm weather with the loosely tailored suits, the thin but layered knits, and the light-weight fabrics. The sexy collection is still sophisticated, like all of Mr. Bastian's collections. The top 15 looks (out of 42) are shown below.

Hemingway Inspires Woolrich Woolen Mills

Mark McNairy is a designer that can take a played out theme and turn it into something so interesting and so cool, you'll think you stumbled upon the future. The old school American theme of collections have been done so many times before, but Mr. McNairy's playful interoperation of pairing Americana with African jungle, circa Hemingway's days on safari. The classic American designs paired with tribal prints and safari jackets contribute to an overall theme of suburban jungle. The outwear of this collection is really enticing, with a pullover that I definitely need (pictured below), and a couple of khaki and green jackets that will come in handy when I'm on safari, or walking down Michigan Ave. This Woolrich Woolen Mills Collection does the modest color palette well, with pops of paired down colors in solids or lively prints. It's no surprise that I'm into this collection, it's simple in its designs and colors, but always has a pop of personality. 

Antonio Azzuolo Spring 2012

There was a certain ease to the models in looks by Antonio Azzuolo; comfortable looking models could only mean one thing, they're well fed, or the clothes feel great. Mr. Azzuolo's Spring collection has a certain nautical quality, but still managing to keep it super chic with white pants and blue blazers, and super chic double-breasted blazers and tuxedos with white buttons. This collection has the right amount of fashion-foward interest, but still manages to have an ease. 

Bespoken my Language

The double sets of brothers at Bespoken never fall short of impressing me with their cool and modern threads for the everyday casual-dressing male. Their neutral to grey color palette is a definite plus in my book, making every outfit look casually formally with luxe fabrics with a roughed up quality too. The few outerwear pieces in this Spring collection really caught my eye; whether the black trench with a sheen, or the mid-thigh grey coat seems to be the perfect match for the tricky weather that is Spring. Not only are the trenches in this collection packing a little bit of sheen, but also the suiting has a little sparkle to it as well. The shine in this collection is a perfect way to make up for the less than colorful garments, but still does nothing to the cool-factor. I don't have any brothers, but wouldn't mind having any of these guys in the family. 

Buckler, Spring 2012

Buckler definitely takes the prize for most creative venue for their Spring collection. The "runway" show was held on a cobblestone street in the Meatpacking District, the home of the brand's flagship store, in downtown New York. I can't say that I was too impressed with the designer, Andrew Buckler's drab blacks and grays for Spring, however I did like the looks that included khaki, I think you'll get an eyeful of khaki this coming spring and summer. Basically, Buckler's minimal designs and minimal color palette fell short in my book, but I have to say that the collections accessories, bags mainly, seemed to be very interesting; the mix of cross-bodied bags, totes, and briefcases look really practical and really luxe. 

Photos courtesy of style.com