A report on 4 labels which came to present their Spring/Summer 2012 menswear collections in Paris.
<sld(ado)|right> ADO LES SCENTS presented a collection with a story, realised by Dutch designer Hyun Yeu, who has been at the helm of the label since its birth in 2009. Yeu’s creative vision is manifested in elegant, high-quality menswear aimed at a young-minded crowd and recognisable for its innovative shapes and fabrics. The Spring/Summer 2012 collection, presented during Paris Menswear Fashion Week at the Tranoï tradeshow, showcased modern shapes in a selection of high-technology materials, cotton, polyester, jersey and silk. The Dutch designer actually drew his inspiration for this season’s offerings from the reunion of an imaginary high school, ‘WANNABE HIGH’. The collection documents thus the ADO LES SCENTS man’s return as a grown up, free of worry and filled with dreams for his future. The result is sportswear that hints at the memory of uniform clothing, destined to clad young, confident men. A sophisticated palette of navy, black, white and magenta coloured an entirely wearable and comfortable collection of traditional, tailored jackets, transparent trench coats, knitwear and printed tees, with each look emblematic of this preppy, high school wardrobe.
<sld(sjaak)|right> Dutch Designer, Sjaak Hullekes, has been driven by tailoring and quality in his designs since the beginning of his eponymous label, which has an almost artisanal approach owing to the onus it places on handmade products. Represented at Tranoï Homme for a second year, Spring/Summer 2012 saw Sjaak Hullekes create a collection of unique and in fact limited pieces, rich in attention to detail. The designs included hand-painted pieces, the production of which might be limited to as few as 30 per item; an innovative tie-dye technique; intentionally visible stitch-work, for example Raglan sleeves with French seams shown on the outside. The clothes are a translation of Hullekes’ appreciation for quality and craftsmanship. Natural fibres such as cotton, linen and silk were the basis for the garments, which collectively assembled a complete wardrobe, including blazers, trousers, shorts, shirts, polos, t-shirts and shoes. The collection’s soft hues of browns, navies and whites complement the clean, uncomplicated silhouettes that aim to combine a refined, sophisticated aesthetic with a practical product that is wearable fashion.
<sld(avelon)|right> Under the creative direction of Erik Fenken, Avelon presented a dichotomy between elegance and rough detailing for Spring/Summer 2012 with his menswear and womenswear line. Each season, the Amsterdam born designer carries out trend research in London and Berlin, his two favourite cities for their accent on street style; he dras his inspiration directly from real metropolitan people. This season, Fenken has paid particular attention to selecting and treating fabrics, presenting new effects as well as unlikely combinations, typifying Avelon’s nature to produce understated luxury with an edge. The collection, which featured blacks, whites, greys and blues, re-interpreted colour blocking and showcased cutting edge details in double face fabric merged with washed silks, while leather remained integral to the palette of materials used, with biker jackets featuring zip-off sleeves and trousers with leather patchwork that creates a check-like motif. With his mix of textures and techniques, Henken designs for those who inspire him: these real metropolitan people who are able to express a unique personality and taste through a confident merging of different styles.
<sld(francisco)|right> Francisco van Benthum founded his eponymous menswear label in 2002 and has continued to develop his aesthetic since, taking the traditional men’s wardrobe as his starting point. Through a distinctive approach to tailoring, the Amsterdammer demonstrates his nationality, inspired by Dutch tradition in contemporary design and architecture. His trademark, showcased once more in his Spring/Summer 2012 menswear collection, has become his experiments with volume and proportion. For this season, both formal and casual offerings, which typically reinterpret the classic menswear silhouette, realised this design philosophy. The colour palette is soft, from black to white, hitting different greys, beiges and blues; the wardrobe he proposes is varied in both its garment selection and diversity in cut and fabric choices. The collection is a complete set, ready to equip the modern man with an appropriate, modern style.
Read the interview with Angelique Westerhof, managing director of the Dutch Fashion Foundation
Ben Sharp © Modemonline.com
