Four men – each dressed in Aigner, Brioni, Boss and Emporio Armani – walk into a room. Who is most likely to clinch the coveted business deal?
Ever since the Great Male Renunciation in 18th century, men have pride themselves in being useful, eschewing adornment for pragmatic and functional suits. The third day of Plaza Indonesia Men’s Fashion Week saw four brands, each of them striving towards the same goal of aiding young professional men in looking polished and stylish while climbing the career ladder, but to different outcomes.
As the saying goes, if it ain’t broken, why fix it? Aigner sent out a collection, rooted in tailoring and elegance, for working professionals that easily transition from day to night. Colours came in “easy to digest” earth tone and even the most colourful shirt, multi-coloured stripes, is hidden underneath a black leather jacket.
Brioni also applied the same formula where it gets straight to the business from the start of the show. Models strode out in variety of suits, all in two-button. Blazers are loosely fitted, in double vents and rest slightly below the crotch. Even the less formal looks for casual Friday carried a serious and reserved tone. But denim pants were thrown in for good measure, lest you accuse them of being too stuffy.
BOSS proposed an easy attitude with their signature minimalist Nordic style. All work and no play will make BOSS man a dull boy. The collection consisted equal number of formal and casual looks. Suits are lean and polished thanks to the slim-fitting silhouette and blazers came in both single and double-breasted style. For casual looks, BOSS offered t-shirt worn underneath sleek biker jacket and white crew neck shirt with rolled up sleeves. It’s obvious that BOSS man leads an active social lifestyle and has no interest in being chained to his desk from 9 to 5.
The Emporio Armani collection by Giorgio Armani definitely has both fashion and young professionals in mind. The collection injected a sense of dynamic athleticism using elements of sportswear, which resulted in looks that are ultra sleek, controlled and highly sophisticated. Conventional buttons are eschewed in favour of zipper and snap buttons for outerwear. Excess bulk in jackets and shirts was eradicated through the use of ultra-thin calfskin leather.
Models zipped past in high-speed pace conveying a sense of real urgency. The show was engrossing because it wasn’t a one-dimensional representation of the modern man. Emporio Armani successfully presented a clear and uncompromising vision through this collection. The Emporio Armani man lives in an exciting, fulfilling life while, at the same time, completely in tuned with the spirit of the time.
There is little doubt as to who ended up with that coveted business deal here.
