MARNI MEN’S F/W 2014-2015
A far-ranging foray into masculine iconographies and the way they are expressed through clothes. Elements and obsessions running from sport to classic, workwear to tailoring, utility to luxury, army to office are taken apart, dissected and re-arranged in a mix that is quintessentially Marni: dry yet soulful, precise with a certain carelessness, graphic. The result is a comprehensive wardrobe that covers the needs and demands of daily life using what is known and familiar in an off-kilter kind of way. Cohesion comes through a loose sense of volume, deceptive textures, fur used as an accent.
The pillars of the masculine repertoire are distilled to their essence in a quest for soft classicism that keeps a slightly subcultural tingle: the tailored suit, slim and crisp, halfway between urban staple and work uniform; the crombie coat, seen in a textural vein; the trench coat, reduced to a blueprint; the bomber and the parka, occasionally morphed into one. Function creates forms with a stress on texture: goat fur is used for trousers and shorts worth a polar expedition; parkas are layered and extended; sweatpants with matching crewneck jumpers are actually knitted.
The fur collar recurs throughout, in and out of context, replacing the scarf to provide warmth in a graphic way. Thrown in the mix are elements that alter the whole balance with a tingle of the unexpected: printed silk shirts with matching ties worn under sturdy coats; knitted sleeves. The silhouette is soft yet firm: a vertical line highlighted by natural shoulders, topped with a work cap, with thick-soled shoes as a base.
The classic color palette ranges from charcoal grays to camel, from blue to black to army green. Prints alternate phytomorphic motifs with dynamic grids. Fabrics are dry yet voluptuous to the touch: alpaca/wool blends; double-faced wool knit, light twisted flannel; washed technical polyester.
Lace-up derbies with thick rubber soles, oversize sheepskin totes and postman bags, astrakhan scarves and caps complete the look.