August 5, 2014

Capsule NY SS15 Recap

The two-day long men’s show, Capsule, concluded last week after a showing of over 700 designers, including a mix of new independents and big names in the business. The event took place on the southern tip of Manhattan, in Basketball City. This great, open arena produced a laid back atmosphere, and mimicked the feel of the menswear products presented in the show. Capsule was all about casual convenience, even offering shuttles from Lafayette and back, discounted Uber rides, and access to an outdoor terrace with stunning views of the Brooklyn Bridge.

photo via Capsule

Since the show began in 2007, it has grown from only 45 designers, to well over 700 as of this year. Even with so many designers at the SS15 show, there seemed to be an overriding theme – an understated sophistication that left us with the feeling that our lives are serious enough, and fashion doesn’t need to be. This West Coast, vintage inspired vibe embraced Hawaiin prints, short-sleeved button downs, and even the bucket hat! As an overall, we saw soft tailored pieces with a sportswear attitude – predominant colors of earthy tones ranging from moss green, dark greys, caramel and navy, with pops of color like yellow, orange and teal. If you haven’t already, invest in navy pieces for Spring/Summer 2015, because it is going to be huge!

Capsule was able to show a little bit of everything in men’s fashion. Overall, we saw brands not just selling clothing, but a lifestyle.

Iron & Resin, a California brand, based its designs around the surf lifestyle, while brands like Timberland focused on performance wear for men, showing breathable button downs in natural colors, Cordura shorts, and Hyvent Jackets – technology designed by their sister brand The North Face.

Japanese Company, A. Four from designer Kazuki Kuraishi, focused on minimalism, representative of the culture and enlisted the help of graphic designer, Lucas Price for a line of graphic tees previewed here.

Goodlinens, a new bath and kitchen towel brand, set to launch later this year displayed towels made from natural fibers out of flax pants and naturally colored.

Herschel Supply Co. showed off their line of wearable storage in coordinating colors, introducing a new salmon pink to the collection.

Men’s lifestyle and fashion mags like Cereal and Man of the World featured men’s street style and photography from around the world.

photo via Arpenteur

One design team that embodied the vibe of the show was Arpenteur, who were first timers to Capsule NYC. Arpenteur was created 3 years ago by two Frenchmen who took on making wearable and sustainable clothing – everything from raincoats made from the same material as sails, to a collection of knits from the same heather grey yarn. There is ease to the collection that clearly reflects the personalities of the creators and cartoons they watched as kids inspire the simple colors and lines.

photo via Men in Cities

And then there was Men in Cities a lifestyle and accessories brand based out of New York City, with an innovative take on selling to men. Men in Cities does all the work for you! They have created boxes inspired by different cities across the world that are filled with products that embody that location. For example, Men in New York would get gloves while the man in Paris may get a paisley print pocket square.

photo via Meg Company

Meg Company had one of the most exciting displays at Capsule, with everything from hats to men’s apparel and shoes…tons of shoes! Meg Company is ahead of the game when it comes to footwear for men with their camo print loafers, open toe lace-up sandals, and leopard print sneakers – all trends that we are only starting to see in men’s street style. Meg Companies practices in sustainability and quickly won us over. They make jackets from old US Army tents and use natural dying methods in the process.

Overall, Capsule was an amazing show filled with innovation and refinement – a move from serious to easy going is in store for Spring/Summer 2015 and we can't wait!

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