MENSWEAR SHOWS: MY WRAP UP

paris & milan - the menswear shows have wrapped up. but i wanted to catch up on a few other notable collections i liked and didn't like. n joy. zb

CALVIN KLINE - this show was a perfect example, to me of how despite the trends and the times - each label has a dna that it must keep. i am tempted to call their latest collection a snore, but that would be rash. ultimately, it was classic calvin kline: clean lines, modern shapes, cool tones. i'm sure buyers and connoisseurs of the brand were happy with it. in future, i'll learn to look for my thrills from other labels, like galliano's below.

LOUIS VUITTON - overall, the collection felt a bit gimmicky - a feeling played up by the use of helmets and umbrellas on the models. it's clear that this season the vuitton man is a working man - a graphic designer in europe perhaps? whatever his vocation he makes money. how else to explain his penchant for well tailored and well made pants, jackets and sweaters. as it turns out - that's exactly what the designers were thinking: sort of. the collection was loosely based on a french film about hoods who dress up in order to rob from a swanky casino. as such references to money and a "fast getaway" can be found throughout the collection. if i could steal one thing though: it would be the dynamic new gray damier bags which were trotted down the runway in a variety of styles.

Yves Saint Laurent - i'm really starting to like stefano pilati. the ysl designer is proving that he is at once classic and modern - a combination which can be awkward at best to pull of. yet, his mens collection showed him combining both traits effortlessly. the results were clothes that are relaxed yet urbane. i loved the slim pants and the relaxed pants. the velvet smoking jackets were simply brilliant as were the more modern ones in electric colors.

VIKTOR & ROLF - the glasses might seem comical, but there was nothing funny about viktor & rolf's latest collection. instead everything about it felt slightly antique and largely fanciful. according to one media review, the inspiration behind the show was the main character from the book, around the world in eighty days. the strikingly similar looks between the models played up that effect. you got the sense that the same guy was suiting up for different adventures. loved it.

GALLIANO - so what would henry viii be wearing if he lived in modern day england? john galliano has the answer. the king, it seems, would held on to the voluminous silhouettes and sumptuous fabrics that comprised of his costumes of old. except - he would have been much sexier. at first blush, the collection which included jester hats, macabre make up, and ass-less underwear should not be wearable. but it is! the pieces are very wearable, very fashion forward, and again - just incredibly sexy. far and away, this was one of my favorite menswear collections this season. see my favorite pieces from the collection, above.