Ann Demeulemeester SS13 Men

[Zenith]

I've never been a fan of boots with a heel (for men at least) so am looking forward to these...

Pimps n'pyjamas

EDIT: Damn beaten by Patroklus

[shiliquan]

ouch! the trousers looks like the pajamas that I have.

[david s]

I have to be honest when I first clicked into the thread, I thought it was from a couple of seasons ago. So true, in one aspect, parts of it are a retread of past themes. The rest of it though seems new, I like it (maybe not those shiny pajama pants).

Seems she gets criticized for not evolving and then gets criticized for experimenting... catch22

[shah]

well i just went and checked all this stuff out in person, it wasn't too exciting to be honest. footwear was really atrocious for the most part

[michael_kard]

Seems she gets criticized for not evolving and then gets criticized for experimenting... catch22

I'm not sure that's the case at all, first of all the main experimentation i see here is the shitty fabrics; the silhouettes are for the most part similar to those of past seasons, perhaps with the exception of that awful cropped blazer. I for one wish she stopped 'experimenting' in this superficial way and focus more on the details which have separated her work from the rest, the things which she has often said herself to be the most important aspects of it.

[gone]

I have such mixed feelings about this....

I would like to hear what Faust thinks.

[Faust]

I thought this was a letdown. And, as MANY others noted, it looked like something Haider Ackermann would do, especially the fancy pajama party of the second half. I don't see this as an Ann Demeulemeester man :(

Having said that, since Ann has always been accused of stagnation by the myopic fashion critics, I am not surprised they are trying something new. And, to be honest, it makes some sense aesthetically and commercially. But this direction is not for me.

[niji248]

I actully thought this collection lacks experimentation - it's all the same old shapes, similar styling, similar styles. If you look closely, although there are 30 looks, they are pretty much all the same jacket/coat/vest/shirt/pant in different fabrics. Even the colors, the so-called new experimentation, that kind of midnight blue, dusty orange, purple, are all colors that she has used in previously without much variation, many many times.

And designers can't really take credit for the fabrics because it's the fabric mills and fabric designers who actually develope, design and weave the fabrics. Design teams meet with fabric salesperson and choose and pick fabrics, maybe customising little things here and there. So no, the fabric is not design on behalf of the AD team.

And as Mail-Moth mentioned above, yes, some questionable tailoring. Those clothes just don't fit as nicely as the older ones, something just doesn't feel right. I ordered 3 shirts recently, and I returned all of them because the fit was just awkward.

I'm quite disappointed and not sure how this is going to evolve.

[Faust]

Actually, in Ann's (and many other designers) case what you say about fabrics is not true. The fabrics are often designed in-house and then they work with the manufacturer to create them. Many designers want exclusive fabrics which only makes sense.

[Peasant]

Yes.. that's what I always thought / knew. They obviously provide the direction and finalization of fabrics, no? You can't create without knowing what you're working with. I find it hard to believe that anyone designs a piece without a specific fabric in mind.. and vice-versa. I imagine the right fabric designs it's own garment, in some cases.

[Peasant]

...but yeah.. never been all that into Ann to begin with. Love the shows and collections but it's not my cup of tea. This however... a better Geller? Even the setting looks like his.

[elephantstone]

Isn't that newly appointed margiela guy the one actually designs menswear nowadays??

This is just meh.....in a sense too haider ackermann...Like Faust said, just some luxury pajamas......Not for me.....

Regarding fit, I never find Ann's shirt fit well on me....Not saying it's bad, just strange....Don't thing they work well unless used as layering pieces for a whole Ann outfit....Other than that I have no problems with the coats jackets pants etc....I do think sizing has gone to the slimmer side for the last couple collections (perhaps has to do with this new head designer??)

[niji248]

Yes.. that's what I always thought / knew. They obviously provide the direction and finalization of fabrics, no? You can't create without knowing what you're working with. I find it hard to believe that anyone designs a piece without a specific fabric in mind.. and vice-versa. I imagine the right fabric designs it's own garment, in some cases.

Please correct me if I'm wrong.

I can totally believe designers such as Dries van Noten and Prada develope their own fabrics because they have the size and budget to do it, not to mention that they really do develope some quite original fabrics. But I have also seen many many cases where a design house claims to develope their own fabrics, but in fabric all they do is cut a swatch off a vintage garment (for the washed effect for example), or scan a photo (for the print) and send that to the mills to develope. There are so much more to fabric developement, the size of threads and the weave and washing and shrinkage, all that needs to be factored in, and I just don't believe that it's something feasible for a company the size of AD, and it's simply too expensive to do it. I do believe that AD of course have the voice and directions of fabrication, but I don't think you can give them entire credit of "developing" fabrics.

Case in study, I don't know if anyone still remembers that bird print from spring 2009, the ink or something was obviously wrong for the fabric because the silk turned out to be stiff like cheap polyester. Where as the georgette was fine with the same print.

In response to the other comments, in case of AD one style always come in many many different fabric ways, some react better than the others to the same style and cut, so I can't agree that the design process is all that effected by the fabric choices anymore. For example, the same shirt comes in that cotton shirting and also in that cotton/cashmere jersey, but because it's the same cut for 2 such different fabrics, the cotton/cashmere jersey stretches out and fits much bigger that that of the cotton shirting. It may used to be, but now it just seems so cookie-cutter, manufactured. In addition, the same style comes in long sleeve/sleeveless/long/short. It just feels that they are filling to a bigger collection by offering different color ways and not actually designing a bigger collection.

You can take a look at Yoox.com for all the leftover stuff.

[Peasant]

I do believe that AD of course have the voice and directions of fabrication...

That's pretty much what I meant. Obviously they're not going to design and fabricate every fabric they use but they do work closely with the mills. And I'm sure there are times when there is an increased effort on the designers part to make something specific.

[akkeri]

Can anyone comment on the quality of construction this season, particularly the outerwear and footwear? The runway images do not inspire confidence...