Recent York Men’s Day helped kick off Recent York Fashion Week by providing a showcase for emerging menswear and gender-fluid brands — and drew a crowd desperate to shake hands, hug and air kiss because the pandemic lessens its grip. The event, organized by Agentry PR, brought together an eclectic group of 11 brands that showcased all the things from wrap skirts and neon puffer coats to embellished suits and updated sports apparel.

Title sponsor Nobis, the Canadian outerwear label, was the one brand to point out at each the morning and afternoon sessions. It was joined by A.Potts, Terry Singh, Amirok, Atelier Cillian, Teddy Vonranson, Todd Patrick, So.ty, Fried Rice, Holo Market and Nicholas Raefski.

In his second collection, Nobis designer Michael Kerr offered up an assortment that looked familiar but in addition managed to maneuver the brand forward by ticking all the boxes for today’s consumer. Most of the pieces were genderless, some were sustainable and all were each functional and performance-based. Amongst the important thing items was a seamless puffer that was waterproof and breathable in addition to a vest with an array of pockets and a hooded bomber in a camo print. Kerr hinted that although the corporate is concentrated on outerwear at once, he expects to start adding complementary shorts and pants within the near future.

For Teddy Vonranson, it was Joshua Tree that inspired his collection, which was recently added to the assortment at Neiman Marcus and other retailers. “I’ve at all times loved doing a desert collection,” he said. “Much of my time and exploration happened within the early hours, which gave me a special perspective on desert colours and hues because the early morning light forged a ‘coolness’ in undertone to the normal desert palette. When one looks beyond the pale landscape on rock formations, crushed gravel and sand, one begins to see the pale tones of dried grasses, desert floral and mosses canopied by wealthy blue skies that hug the mountainscape in deep teals fading into clear and vibrant blues as they touch the sun.”

That mood defined his collection, which was grounded in gray, ivory, brown and teal that served as a complement to his black and navy classics. He used the palette on quite a lot of camp shirts, cardigans, tanks and shorts in addition to his signature open work polos, a few of which were embellished with palm trees or Nordic prints.

Key pieces included an oversize parka in teal silk and linen basket weave, a classic trench in brown linen, workwear-inspired chore coats, tie-dye printed pullover and shorts, a metallic bronze motocross jacket and a striped Baja hoodie. These more casual pieces served to enhance the suede suit, deep brown trench and other classic pieces.

A.Potts designer Aaron Potts for his collection titled “Hiding the Horizon” looked to the 2021 documentary film “Summer of Soul” concerning the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival that celebrated Black American music, culture and pride. Potts said he felt the film and event were joyous and liberating and saw the figures within the film, similar to Stevie Wonder and Nina Simone, as angels on earth. The designer captured the concepts of angels, wind, air and nature through his signature unisex voluminous ensembles, including his bestselling jumpsuits, and recent styles like an A-line silhouette, loose shirts and trenchcoats, and recent gendered options made for girls all in shades of white, shimmering silver, purple, turquoise and highlighter green.

At Todd Patrick, creative director Desyree Nicole’s influences ranged from ’60s and ’70s style to her grandmother’s lounge for the brand’s collection, called “Small Town, Big Dreams.” The Michigan native produced recent colours for the brand’s popular leather pants and introduced recent styles, like cropped double-breasted jackets and suits; leisure camp collar shirts with either utility pockets or no pockets, in mesh fabric and one with a tank top overlay; flared pants referencing the hippy and disco eras, while net pants, a recent style for the brand, elevated classic jeans.

Newcomer So.ty, a Los Angeles-based brand founded by Neil Montgomery earlier this yr, tapped former Banana Republic designer Charles Harbison to appreciate his vision of making a brand that he hopes shall be “meaningful and impactful and make a positive mark on the world.” Harbison’s interpretation of that mission took form through a fuchsia pink bomber jacket and fringed vegan leather basketball shorts while tanks sought to supply a playful and soft update to masculine archetype pieces. Most of the items within the launch collection used deadstock or recycled fabrics and others, similar to the split tank and flared trouser in a jersey fabric, were designed to be worn by all genders.

A newcomer to NYMD, Holo Market’s designer Riki Yoshida presented an edited lineup titled “What a Wonderful Day!”, alternating between urban Kyoto on weekdays versus the suburban life on Lake Biwako on weekends. The 2 contrasting lifestyles of city and nature served as the point of interest wherein Yoshida incorporated botanical motifs and infused the important thing color palettes of the nice outdoors, creating day by day wear for various occasions. The offering included trend-friendly pieces similar to retro crochet polos, oversized floral silk shirting, a forest green graphic floral jumpsuit paired with a pastel striped cardigan, and matching floral sets — all meant to be unisex. A highlight of the gathering, a multipaneled flared dress utilizing various prints from the collections, melded into one, created in collaboration with Naoki Tomizuka, a former Comme des Garçons design team alum.

One other newcomer to NYMD, designer Terry Singh presented his namesake label with a group that reflected freeness for men despite societal norms that dictate how a person should dress. Singh set out along with his interpretation of the Recent York suit (sans pants) — an array of structured tailored jackets paired with wraps. The wraps, which mimic skirting, are all one size (with buttons on the within wrap to regulate for sizing), flowy and pleated with ample spacing to permit for movement. They were presented in an array of textures and colours — paired with button downs and tailored jackets.

“This truly shows what you may achieve with fabrics, as fabrics don’t have a sex,” said Singh at his presentation.

A continuation from his resort 2023 collection, Atelier Cillian’s designer Stephen Mikhail presented a lineup inspired by famed British archaeologist and Egyptologist Howard Carter, who discovered the intact tomb of Tutankhamun in November 1922. “I actually have been fascinated by Egypt since I used to be a baby” professed the designer at his presentation.

The varied iterations of masculinity through the ages were reinterpreted in a classic yet contemporary manner by Mikhail, with looks featuring sleeveless explorer jackets with multiple pockets (all in a crisp white palette), Bedouin draped shirting, a tan tweed suit (a must for every of Mikhail’s collections), and a surprise — tailored suiting in raffia, done in an all black and vibrant blue version.

The lineup, which mixes textures and shapes, expanded this season with wide-legged trousers in addition to drop crotch and carrot fitted trousers, all in a tailored context with a light-weight fluidity.

Nicholas Raefski presented his third and last chapter of an introspection that began two seasons ago. His spring 2022 collection was an acceptance of the person he had grow to be, for fall 2022 he explored false nostalgia and jejunity archetypes and now Raefski has his eyes on an optimistic future, imagined from a still uncertain present.

The retro futuristic lineup included boxy wool trenchcoats, an identical jacket and short set embroidered to mimic a circuit board (worn by American rapper Flavor Flav) and a vegan leather cropped jacket with a cinched waist — a transparent reference to Marty McFly from the “Back to the Future” film franchise. Raefski continued to deal with tailoring this season with two recent iterations of the classic suit, one all black with appliquéd crystals and a red and grey paneled version (a nod to Captain Picard of “Star Trek”). “I did a suit for the primary time last season and desired to get my foot within the door,” said the designer at his energetic futuristic presentation.