Fashion Blog

PARIS, Jun 29, 2008 / FW/ — In a youth obsessed industry, male and female baby boomers had lamented that no new fashion is being created for them; that if you go to the department stores, even specialty boutiques, the latest trends are meant of the 20- and 30-something age groups.

Thank goodness, for Louis Vuitton, Lanvin and Yohji Yamamoto who either by design or by accident have created something for this age group who has lots of disposable income.

Yohji Yamamoto

Instead of just hiring professional models, Yohji Yamamoto also used distinguished men (translate that to old men) in his Spring / Summer 2009 runway show presentation. He also used the equivalent of plus size for men, to emphasize the ‘men of all sizes and all ages’ concept of the collection.

So, for those young and hip baby boomers, the ones who when they were young said, ‘don’t trust anyone over 30’ are now saying ‘don’t trust anyone over 90’, the Yohji Yamamoto collection might just be the one your looking for. It’s high fashion without looking like you borrowed something from your son’s wardrobe.

Lanvin

Lucas Ossendrijver who designs the menswear collections for Lanvin proved that a collection could cater to as many age groups as the designer deem it. With attention to details like pin tucks, pleats and ruche, Ossendrijver’s looked classic yet fresh.

One of the challenges that menswear designers face as always is that the ‘classic’ men’s clothing are so familiar. With innovations in menswear very subtle, it takes a trained eye to see them in the past-paced 15-minute catwalk show. But not with Ossendrijver who used this 15-minutes into the fullest as he sent out trench coats, windbreakers and peacoats in leather, nylon or denim.

In short, it was a timeless and ageless collection. In fact, it is also ‘placeless’ as in it can be worn in the metropolis called Gotham, but will also be welcome in Dorothy’s Kansas.

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Lanvin

Louis Vuitton

Louis Vuitton

Charlie Chaplin might have inspired the collection, but it does not have the greatness that famous entertainer had. For a Louis Vuitton collection, this is actually very disappointing. It is as if Paul Helbers, the Artistic Director for Louis Vuitton menswear took a walk in San Francisco and stopped at the corporate headquarters of The Gap

The collection is not bad looking. In fact, it is very wearable and looks very comfortable. But, somehow, your eyes could not believe what it is seeing. This is Louis Vuitton, but it feels like you walked in at The Gap flagship store.