New York Fashion Week: Jack Spade musters an urban floral army
Reporting from New York — Menswear label Jack Spade presented its spring 2015 apparel and accessories collection on Wednesday during New York Fashion Week.
The inspiration: Calling it a “transitional moment,” design director Todd Magill focused on the melding of motifs -- military and floral, sport to sportswear, the urban grid to the floral field, and the interplay and interaction of color. (The show notes name-checked Minimalist painter Josef Albers.)
The look: A tad more whimsical than some of the label’s recent seasons, the result of that inspiration is a kind of urban floral utility -- grab-and-go gear for the man on the move. “That’s the way guys are dressing now,” Magill said, “going from work to meet friends or running to and from the gym.”
The urban part is further underscored by a navy-blue-and-white grid print on several pieces of apparel as well as a few bags. Created by artist Ian Hundley, it was inspired by aerial maps of New York City streets.
A brown floral camo combo (certainly not new territory but Magill and company give it their own twist) finds its way onto dress shirts, hooded pullovers and shorts.
Speaking of shorts, Jack Spade is clearly on board with the most noticeable menswear trend to emerge from the first two days of the shows here -- the luxe sweat short. The short-legged cousin to the fall and winter high-end sweat-pant trend, designers are serving up all manner of roomy, baggy, drapey shorts -- often with a drawstring waistband and in a heather gray colorway.
Key pieces: Standout pieces include a business casual blazer in a technical nylon that makes it suitable to rolled and stowed, and a full suit in a chambray floral print.
The verdict: Look for Jack Spade’s spring 2015 collection to go bloom all over a city near you.
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