Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, June 26, 1990 TAG: 9006260078
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: E-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
At the Men's Fashion Association fall press preview held this month in Rye, N.Y., designers, manufacturers and retailers showed off garments with a relaxed sense of style.
Cotton, suede and leather coats and jackets - specifically anoraks, toggle coats and parkas - invoked a rugged, outdoorsy feeling. Paisleys, plaids and other patterns made an impact on clothing from sweaters to socks. And fabrics from traditional wool tweeds to soft sueded silk, the star of spring, appeared during the four-day whirlwind of seminars and shows for the fashion press.
During the first show of the event, Tom Julian, the MFA's associate fashion director, said last fall's looks have been refined and redefined for the coming season "because they were so successful."
Stellar looks from this spring also are expected to turn up for fall, with a few modifications. For example, tapestry patterns will replace spring's fresh floral ones, Julian predicted.
Men can expect to see the rich-looking patterns - in autumnal colors such as burgundy, taupe, olive, gray and gold - on sweaters, vests and even socks. Lord West and After Six even pair tapestry-printed vests and bow ties with tuxedos for a fashion-forward formal look.
"Fabrics like silk and rayon are transferring from the spring market," said Chip Tolbert, MFA fashion director. "Silk will be an important year-round fabric."
Silk is among the fabrics used in an abundance of quilted garments for fall. Quilted coats, jackets, vests and sweaters are fashioned in wools, nylons, cottons, silks and leathers.
New York-based Mirage, which specializes in distinctive leather outerwear and sportswear, has a stone-washed Indigo denim jacket with detachable quilted silk sleeves. "Denim takes on a fresh new look when combined with new patterns and quilting," Julian said.
Many of fall's most imaginative looks are inspired by the growing concern about the environment. Companies such as Cotler and San Francisco-based Joe Boxer, which specializes in novelty underwear, have created sweatshirts and T-shirts with messages that reflect that concern.
Alaska is the primary theme for the fall line from High Point, N.C.-based Ruff Hewn, said Jim Winship, director of menswear design. That feeling of unspoiled frontier comes through on a white cotton flannel shirt with a dogsled print.
With the use of natural fibers and fabrics like denim, cotton twill and canvas, "we really try to embody the American spirit. We're as mom and apple pie as you can get," Winship said.
The environmental influence also shows up in Henry Grethel's leaf-patterned and floral sweaters, which feature intense, earthy colors, including a deep, dark blue Grethel calls midnight oil, and squash, a deep gold. Grethel also used natural fibers and blends, such as cotton and polyester, in his fall collection. "That whole feeling of ecology is going to go forward, and it's a very natural way to design," Grethel said.
Environmental concerns are expected to be a continued influence on fashion after the fall, Julian said. "I don't think it's going to be a fad for this season."
Soft fabrics should be one of the hallmarks of the '90s, Tolbert said. And they are especially evident in pants. The trend in trousers for fall involves fluid fabrics, such as rayon and wool crepe, and a tubular silhouette: uncreased, pleated, wide in the thigh and narrow at the ankle.
"For that at-home, comfortable, couch-potato look, you'll start to see more details like this," Julian said.
Corduroy, which embodies a comfortable, classic look, promises to be one of the most prevalent fabrics this fall.
A cornucopia of corduroys was displayed at the MFA event - from pants that looked and felt more like plush velveteen to the widest of the wide wales. Also, "you can expect to see corduroy used as a trim or an embellishment on a wide variety of fabrics and fashions," Tolbert added.
Even traditionally functional activewear didn't escape the season's emphasis on soft, plush, luxurious-looking fabrics. a.b.s. Men has crafted a black velvet ensemble - T-shirt, pull-on pants and jacket with navy, red and gold accents - that looked too sumptuous to sweat in.
Bold patterns and the two color palettes of fall - spicy and subdued - also appear in men's furnishings, primarily socks and neckwear. Designers Ron Chereskin and Marco Wachter of Mondo di Marco have included fancy footwear in their fall collections. And socks that are snazzy instead of staid are becoming a bigger part of the well-dressed man's wardrobe.
"The sock market is demanding more and more space in stores. It's not shoved in a little corner anymore," Julian said
Ties in floral, retro and novelty prints are becoming a staple of the neckwear market, where "more and more whimsy" is coming, Julian added.
Two of the nation's leading retailers made an impact at the MFA press preview with slick, impressive fashion shows. The presentations by Merry-Go-Round and JCPenney were proof that the two chains have become fashion forces to be reckoned with.
Merry-Go-Round, which caters to fashion-conscious teens and young adults, showed its strength with sophisticated and sporty styles. Male and female models danced down the runway to the hippest tunes in equally hip clothes - from funky denims and activewear to spicy suits in oranges, browns and golds.
JCPenney's show featured clothes to appeal to a slightly older customer, who can appreciate soft, easy, yet stylish pieces. The chain is introducing a collection by Henry Grethel in about 400 of its 1,400 stores, featuring hand-knit sweaters, houndstooth slacks and other items in the rich colors of the season. The Grethel collection will also be sold through the chain's catalog, said Joe Sapienza , the chain's vice president and fashion director.
Roanoke's JCPenney stores will carry Henry Grethel dress shirts, ties and suits this fall, said Byron Paddock, men's merchandise manager at JCPenney's Tanglewood Mall store.
The chain's selection of fall clothing for men includes chic suede and leather jackets from St. John's Bay and traditional tweedy looks from its own Stafford line of tailored clothing.
by CNB