Fall/Winter 2020 Trend Report: Menswear

HANDS OFF

Gloves are a winter staple, but this season, a number of designers have given the underrated accessory their own unique spin with the general mood being almost over the top in its fabulous fashion edge. At Dior, Kim Jones overtly, wholeheartedly nodded to the romantic, bygone glamour by incorporating the velvet opera gloves while others used gloves in more subversive ways, like Armani and Xander Zhou, who added neon pops to their sober coats and suits. Though they won’t ever form the foundation of an outfit, be mindful that they can change how one looks and nothing elevates an ensemble quite the same way a pair of gloves does.

EVERYDAY CARDIGAN

If you’re looking for a way to update your a/w wardrobe without giving the closet a complete overhaul, it’d be wise to add a cardigan to your cart. Besides the usual outerwear staples, this piece is bound to be a major player this season with many of the men’s collections embracing oversized cardigan to offset the rise of slimmed-down silhouettes. Gucci, Ferragamo and Givenchy took the preppy staple for a high fashion spin, but we suggest you start by scouring your dad’s closet first to get on the trend.

WRITE A CHECK

Although tonal dressing certainly dominated most A/W ’20 collections, there was one print that definitely made itself heard and that was checks. This season, checks are styled in courageous, eclectic colours, with designers trying out in a less referential light head-to- toe plaid dressing and unconventional mixed patchwork patterns. The traditional checked was seen in various incarnations across the cities, finding itself in chic check jackets at Loewe, Raf Simons and Dries Van Noten, expanded gingham at Prada and embracing its more traditional roots at Giorgio Armani and Burberry. JW Anderson and Comme des Garçons Homme Plus were among those who made checks work.

SHOW SOME THIGHS

Contrary to popular belief, it wasn’t all covered and layered up on the A/W ’20 runways as shorts were everywhere this season. This might be the divisive trend of the season for some, but according to Gucci, No. 21 and Per Götesson, showing some skin in cool seasons won’t hurt. If the thought of wearing shorts alone in low temperature is enough to make you shiver, here’s the trick: pair them with knee-skimming boots or socks. How much to conceal and reveal? That’s up to you.

TOTAL WHITEOUT

Timeless and beloved but always playing the safe foil to showier pieces, this season designers deconstructed and reconstructed new identities for the classic all-white outfits. There’s growing subset of fashion fans who find themselves increasingly frustrated by the way clothes are now geared towards online virality, resulting in over-shouty showpieces. The return of the unfussy all-white piece symbolises a rejection of flash in favour of quiet chic.

TOTAL LEATHER

Leather is no newbie during this season. However, the question is no longer “if” but “how” leather will be styled. While recent years have given way to leather in bold colours, this season is forecasted to be dominated by heavy, black leather in head-to-toe looks. Thick, tailored pieces, leather trench coats with leather boots, and matching, matte leather separates are now the new black–again.

PURE UTILITY

To no one’s surprise, utility garments are staying on, with (enormous) pockets appearing in good proportion all across runways. Putting fun in functional, designers proposed the more pocket the better and stacked the maximalist details on some vests, jackets and cargo pants for your essentials and built to stand the test of time. Tony Snyder, Louis Vuitton and Casablanca experimented with extra pockets on jackets and vest while the cool- kid brands such as Maison Mihara Yasuhiro and Private Policy pushed for more pockets on cargo pants. It’s low-effort but definitely high-impact and useful.

CUT IT OUT

The traditional tailoring will remain a perennial menswear code but this season, designers enlivened the pieces with a sculptural element. With unexpected slits and slices on the waist, chest and other random areas, the cut-out treatment gave tailoring a very good run for its money because that tiny slither of skin can make far more of an impact than you might think. A slash of skin looks particularly alluring peeking out as seen at Sacai, GmbH and We11done.

WELLY, THEN

While the glove was an unexpected dose of traditional elegance, one of the more prominent footwear trends to come out of the shows was quite the opposite. Gone were the chunky sneakers we’ve become familiar with Prada, Loewe, Sacai and Ferragamo all giving the humble Wellington boot a high-fashion makeover, suggesting that clunky comfort is set to rule the seasons. Waterproof and cozy, this is a shoe you can look forward to stomping through the wintery slush in.

THE BIGGER THE BETTER

Mini bags and backpacks? Been there, done that. This season, up your bag game with a larger than life carry-all. For those who’ve been holding out for the perfect specimen, A/W ’20 is here to serve. The options are many, from Dior Men’s Saddle Soft to Givenchy’s Antigona Soft Bag. This season also marks the return of handbags, as evidenced by the various houses that have given their own interpretation of it on the runway including Gucci and Stefan Cooke.