Yes, skirts have made their seldom appearance in prior seasons (mostly kilt-looking & inspired), but nothing like Spring 2012 where some collections presented had as many skirt options as pants, and in some cases, full-on skirt collections. As mentioned in my article, skirts have always been predominantly a womenswear staple, however trendsetting designers are pushing forward the notion of a masculine man wearing them, pushing the boundaries by playing with length and fit. And the variation in detailing & silhouettes was astonishingly different and fresh for Spring 2012.
Rick Owens, for instance, showed a floor length, figure-hugging dress-like skirt in an almost skirt-only collection, while others like Riccardo Tisci's Givenchy collection as well as Thom Browne showed above the knee, wide width, almost kilt-like versions, playing with patterns and textures. Volume, flow and movement, terms usually employed in women's fashion, were predominant at Yohji Yamamoto and Issey Miyake.
(Patterns.at.Thom.Browne/Givenchy/Yohji.Yamamoto)
(Long.Ankle.Length.at.Rick.Owens/Yohji.Yamamoto/Damir.Doma)
(Knee.Length.at.Givenchy/Comme.des.Garcons/Givenchy)
In all honesty, even I am having a hard time keeping a straight face on while trying to describe the different design components and their variations designers used as this trend is only at a beginning stage of what fashion normally calls a trend. Again, we have seen the skirt in menswear before, but nothing like the onslaught for Spring 2012, hence calling it a "trend". I am quite sure that it will still take a bit of time for the world to embrace terms like a-line, pencil, pleated or flared skirts when describing updates and changes to the men skirt, if the trend takes on of course!
All kidding aside, do you think the men skirt is here to stay or is it just a one season figment of a (many) designer's imagination? I would really love to hear your opinions, comments and feedback on this subject.
But for now, Men, you better start shaving those legs! ;)
-The.Shoe.Freak
(source: Gq.com/Style.com)
Fashion is all about creative expression reflecting the ideologies of the society we live in. That being said, the men-in-skirts trend will most likely take flight only for an esoteric few since our perception of the male gender remains wearing the pants.
ReplyDeleteIt's too bad, I find it rather masculine especially those seen at Givenchy and Yohji Yamamoto.
Candice
xo
whether or not the skirt will stay for men, is the wrong question. The actual question is will it have its revival?
ReplyDeleteThe last depends the styles offered. If one sees that the skirts for men even at stiff prices over USD 1000, which are sold out within weeks, one would say that there is a trend.
I do wear a skirt from time to time and must say it's more comfortable than trousers.
There are even suggestions which suggest it would be better in order to prevent cancer in the lower regions.
Present day one does see pictures of men in skirts but in my opinion they lack tatset most of the time.