Hello, Tailor

The main on-trend detail was the lack of tie, which in this instance actually worked quite well. First of all, a full suit, buttoned to the neck but without a necktie, is traditionally the outfit of nebbish weirdos — which fits in perfectly with the unsettling, serial-killerish vibe of this collection. Secondly,  these suits are far more mature than the typical buttoned-to-the-collar shirt outfits we’ve been seeing on the catwalks (and on hipster guys. And Jonny Lee Miller’s Sherlock Holmes.) for the past year or so.

There’s a trick to wearing a collared shirt with no tie, and it’s mostly to do with the shape and spread of the collar. As a rule, the distance between the points of the collar should correspond with the width of the tie, meaning that wider ties go with collars that spread out at a wider angle, and so on. If you think about it, this makes sense because the closer together the points of the collar, the less room there is for a tie. If you look at the shirts in this McQueen show, the collars are all long and thin, and point almost directly downwards. If you were to wear a tie with these shirts, there would barely be enough room for the knot. — Fall 2013 Menswear: Alexander McQueen.

There was something almost inhuman about the cleanliness of this show. Even the models wearing warm-weather gear looked as if they might not have a natural pulse, or were crafted entirely from plastic. — Fall 2013 Menswear: Dior Homme and the Illuminati.

For whatever reason, Illuminati-inspired triangles are everywhere at the moment. Look up “Illuminati” on Tumblr, and half the tag is full of hipster teens taking pictures of themselves making triangle symbols with their hands. Ke$ha’s latest music video was a mess of triangle/Illuminati imagery. There is even a subReddit for triangle enthusiasts. Dior Homme has taken this idea to its cleanest, most formalised extreme, with a single geometric pattern emblazoned across the chest and arms of several outfits in this season’s show. — Fall 2013 Menswear: Dior Homme and the Illuminati.

In a way, I almost feel like I have to defend this show. It’s not uncommon for either menswear or womenswear collections to feature one “extreme” accessory like a mask or hat, but have the rest of the outfits look perfectly reasonable. Taken individually, most of Craig Green’s designs have a definite appeal — especially the patchy sweaters and striped trousers, which show signs of a Yohji Yamamoto-like talent for rugged texture-mixing.  — Menswear Fashion Week, Fall 2013: Agi & Sam, Astrid Anders, and Craig Green

With some predictability, this was my favourite outfit of the collection. The cut of the suit is sleek and dapper, and the studiously bland jacket balances out the loud patterns of the trousers and waistcoat. Also, this is a rare moment when I can get onboard with the trend of men buttoning their top buttons but not wearing a tie, because in this particular case another colour or print would have overloaded the overall look. — Menswear Fashion Week, Fall 2013: Agi & Sam, Astrid Anders, and Craig Green

Cartoonish exaggeration is pretty much the only context in which I can muster any interest in sportswear. Astrid Anderson’s designs, partially made from mink, are just about glam enough to make the grade — particularly since they’re paired with gold lipstick.  — Menswear Fashion Week, Fall 2013: Agi & Sam, Astrid Anders, and Craig Green

A couple of Agi & Sam facts:

1. Their ideal design client is Ace Ventura: Pet Detective.
2. Their inspiration for this season’s collection was Alexander George Thynn, Seventh Marquess of Bath (pictured above).

Menswear Fashion Week, Fall 2013: Agi & Sam, Astrid Anders, and Craig Green