Mood board: On the streets there are always well dressed men over 40, no matter how much the world excites itself over the sudden appearance of actor Timothée Chalamet or a bevvy of instafamous teenagers at the latest fashion show. ‘Older men possess stronger personalities and are cooler than the younger men,’ a statement from Junya Watanabe read. ‘I designed this collection thinking for people of my generation or older.’ A good jean. A bold jacket. A heavy soled shoe. A confident, assured and lived-in look breezed through Watanabe’s A/W 2019 collection. The show opened to the gusty, brassy jazz of James Brown. The soundtrack had an upbeat, gentlemanly oomph.
Best in show: The theme of the show was ‘Silver Swagger’ – Watanabe’s expression for a hip, mature style made up of New Balance trainers, patchworked jeans and smart army surplus coats. Good shirts. They were all worn by a cast of older models with street-savvy panache and played to a wider mood as noticed by Ollie Arnold, style director at Mr Porter. More than ever, the dress codes of different generations are merging. ‘Nostalgia can play a big part and we’re finding that as trends are recycled they’re resonating with older men that may remember it the first time around. I think Watanabe’s show did this. It presented a perfect mix of traditional and modern menswear,’ Arnold said. Levis were cropped and lean with cargo detailing – a hallmark of Watanabe’s. Recognisable staples were cut up and rearranged. Denim jacket sleeves were added to tailored blazers. Double-breasted styles boasted quilted leather biker sleeves. A casual stripe shirt came with a technical hiking jacket back. This was tailoring but remixed; a patchwork of masculine wardrobing.
Team work: Prints and graphics applied to sweatshirts and T-shirts were lifted from American dad iconography. LA-based screenwriter Youthana Yuos supplied the motifs for a pig and chicken shirt. The L’Antica Pizzeria in Milan lent its logo, as did UCLA. Elsewhere, tweed caps continued the partnership with Béton Ciré. Standout was an ivy green down-jacket made in collaboration with Canada Goose. §
