Richard Chai had a few things going for him on day one of fashion week. Foremost, he worked the denim and blue “utility” angle to solid results with his menswear; mixing in study car coats and an interesting selection of steel/charcoal color-block separates. His “Love by Richard Chai” line for women, shown intermittently, was a bit rosier, with floral merlots and boho flares… Not exactly to our liking—but wait a minute! The Observer did a double take after a quick scan of the Stage venue at Lincoln Center. “There are more Power Gays in this room than at Le Bain on a Thursday night in September!” cried one friend seated next to us. A discussion of “who exactly attends these downtown men’s runways shows?” ensued…
… A few hours later, The Observer barreled very late into Industria Super Studio, for Duckie Brown’s fall/winter 2012 show. A similar flock of gents gathered to support designers, Daniel Silver and Steven Cox, who showed trousers, suits and coats in smoky colors that came in exaggerated proportions below the waist. Being the all-knowing publication that we are, we naturally scrutinized the bejesus out of each look! (Clothes which commoners, thankfully, can only dream to afford.) But distraction is all too easy in a room of perfectly coiffed bon vivants.
Who are these men of mystery, prancing about town from show to show?
To complement all the silly fuss over the women of fashion week, we’ve amassed an edited list of who to expect—seated front and center— at the men’s shows. Warning: They primp and preen just as much as the ladies!
