5 TRENDS FROM THE SS19 MENSWEAR SHOWS

Menswear’s fixation with all things 90s continues with another of its cult pieces, the bucket hat, getting the high-fashion treatment for SS19. Thought the Britpop favourite is reserved for wavy festival looks? Think again. From the era’s original style icons (namely Liam Gallagher) to the skaters among us and now menswear’s key players, the bucket hat is a style mainstay.

Fendi, Versace and Valentino all offered luxe Italian takes on the accessory. In Milan, Fendi’s much-hyped, logo-heavy collection (Pic. 1) featured black, red and brown printed designs worn with cool Matrix-style shades. Over in Paris, Valentino’s collaboration (Pic. 2) with Nas, A$AP Ferg, Keith Ape and The Internet's Syd produced haute hip-hop bucket hats in luxe textures.

Sure, lightening things up in summer isn’t exactly groundbreaking, but we’re not talking your usual holiday fodder here. While we may have been championing all white steez for a while, come next spring, full-tonal looks in neutral hues are going to big news with white, cream and stone tones mixed for best results.

At the most anticipated show of the season, Virgil Abloh opened his Louis Vuitton debut (Pic. 1) with a clean, well-cut statement of intent, sending his models down a rainbow runway in icy tailored looks. At Hermès (Pic. 2), the trend was executed in typically sophisticated fashion – think cream marbled knits, grey shorts and leather H-cut sandals.

Every season the fashion gods offer up a trend to challenge even the most eccentric dressers, and this time around menswear’s more avant-garde players are looking to sportswear’s less celebrated portions. From swimming goggles to waterproof phone pouches and quirky training kit, sportswear is about to go offbeat.

Cult label Palm Angels collaborated with Under Armour (Pic. 1) for its take on obscure sports accessories. It forgoed the tiny sunglasses trend in favour of techy goggle styles, hi-vis accents, protective gear and techy kicks. Elsewhere, MSGM opted for a more Club Tropicana-meets-retro-volleyballer vibe (Pic. 2) with printed two-pieces, fluorescent swimwear and white wrap-around shades with contrasting lenses.

If neutral tones and minimalist steez aren’t your cup of tea, look no further than SS19’s unapologetic prints. Bold, bright and anything but understated, colourful designs punctuated much of menswear’s vision for the season, with Italian-maestros Versace, Prada, Marni and Iceberg leading the charge.

Donatella Versace (pronounced ‘Versa-chay’, not ‘Versa-chee’, she’ll have you know) advocated a rave-inspired approach (Pic. 1) with acidic highlighter hues, graphic tees, newspaper prints, busy florals and bucket hats. For Iceberg’s first London showcase, it took inspiration from Italo Disco and football (Pic. 2), with flashy shades, oversized logos, Snoopy prints and coloured checkerboards. 

From its iconic stars and stripes to cult pieces like the denim jacket, American culture never really goes out style. Whether you wear your Americana in earnest appreciation, or with a hint of anarchistic irony, there’s no denying its influence and it's a trend that’s set to continue for SS19.

Inspired by Las Vegas, London boy Liam Hodges paid homage to the City of Sin (Pic. 1) with his maximalist vision of America, made up of casino motifs, bowling shirts and an ironic take on the Strips famous signage. Back at Palm Angels, designer Francesco Ragazzi’s tribute to rural California (Pic. 2) came via oversized Bald Eagles and dusty desert landscapes. Yee-haw.