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Design
Inspiration
Six mega-designers.
Hundreds of new, luxury pieces.
One fantastic fall wardrobe.
BY WILLIAM KISSEL
Technically advanced yet luxurious fabrics, combined with an element of sport, top the list of ingredients that men’s fashion designers are applying to their collections for fall. In womenswear, it’s all about flattering proportions and clever details that add femininity without appearing too fanciful. Each of the designers on the following pages offers his or her own rules for dressing with confidence this season. Although the strategies are different, the goal is the same: to make you look street chic and style savvy in clothing that reveals your, not their, personality.
 Ermenegildo Zegna
Thanks to the family-owned company’s ability to produce its own fabrics, manufacture its own elegant suits and
 Clockwise from top: Ermenegildo Zegna’s gray wool Elements jacket and messenger bag; black leather Elements jacket with scarf; herringbone pure cashmere overcoat, burgundy cashmere v-neck sweater, charcoal trousers, and brown alligator case; charcoal pinstripe suit, brown pure silk tie, and brown leather briefcase |
 | sportswear, and sell everything out of its own signature stores, Ermenegildo Zegna is one of the largest Italian menswear labels in the world today. Adding to Zegna’s (pronounced Zane-ya’s) cachet is its pioneering high-performance fabrics like wrinkle-free wool and Cashco, a blend of cashmere and cotton. The company was also the first to successfully market made-to-measure suits, which account for nearly 25 percent of all suit sales in America today. Ermenegildo Zegna, (212) 421-4488, www.zegna.com
How would you describe the Zegna collection for fall?
Precious fabrics once again play the most important role in the collection. From the signature fabrics of our suits and jackets, these fine materials have also been extended to outerwear, leather pieces, and knitwear for what has become the fast-growing and very elegant sportswear collection.
Zegna makes everything today — from suits to sportswear to shoes. Do designers really expect men to buy all of their clothing from a single brand?
We like to give our customers the opportunity to wear all Zegna without losing their personality, and they do greatly appreciate that. We also don’t mind our customers mixing and matching our product with other brands. We certainly believe that the mono brand store, as the 500 that we have around the world, must have all the product offerings to satisfy today’s customer.
What is the proper balance between sport and elegance in a man’s wardrobe? In other words, what’s the proper ratio of suits to sportswear and why?
In today’s world, formalwear and sportswear are blurred. The ratio depends very much on a man’s lifestyle. Some people wear suits every day and casual wear on weekends, while others wear sportswear all the time and more formal attire only on special occasions.
What is your favorite item in your collection for fall and why?
I travel a lot and also love sports. The Elements jacket for fall can be perfect on a winter trip to New York or on the slopes while I am vacationing. As a water-repellent jacket, it provides the versatility I need for both my travel and leisure.
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 Brunello Cucinelli
The conventional sport coat takes on a completely different connotation in the hands of Italian designer Brunello
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| Top left to right: Double-breasted navy cashmere jacket, cashmere sweater with red jacquard, polo shirt, and Kent heather-gray double-pleated pants; one-and-a-half breasted tan cord jacket, button-down white shirt, navy cashmere tie, wool heather-gray pants with double pleats, and leather bag |
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| Above left to right: cashmere cardigan and white vest; gray printed cashmere sweater with white shirt; gray cashmere sweater with red jacquard and white shirt; leather belt; and cashmere hat with snowflake print | Cucinelli, whose collection is all about sport despite being made from cashmere and other fibers far too precious for physical activities. “When I go to a football game, I want to wear something quilted that keeps me warm, but I also want it to look luxurious, even from far away,” says the boyish designer, whose collection is sophisticated yet ever youthful. Brunello Cucinelli, through IMC Group, (212) 627-9202, www.brunellocucinelli.it
Why do you incorporate a sport element in all of your collections?
I think the element of sport gives men a younger style, while at the same time it’s still a very elegant and comfortable style.
What is the most important thing a man should have in his wardrobe this fall?
A blue suit — not too dark — with patch pockets. In fact, I spend a great deal of time researching different types of materials to constantly re-create this familiar style.
What is your favorite piece in your new collection?
My double-breasted zippered jacket, named Pilar, after Ernest Hemingway’s motorboat. It is a couturier-made garment in terms of its construction, detailing, and lining, but is also high tech in terms of its padding and function. For trousers, flannel stands in for white cotton matched with reefer jackets in micro-herringbones, Prince of Wales plaids, pinstripes, and checks. |
 David Chu
Most fashion-conscious men know David Chu as the pioneering spirit behind the hugely successful Nautica clothing brand, which he left in 2004. Chu reemerged with an upscale
 Clockwise from top right: charcoal worsted wool fresco “Morgan Fairbanks” single-breasted suit, ice blue/gray pinstripe cotton “Windsor” dress shirt, and brown Macclesfield silk tie; navy double-faced seam-sealed wool Melton officer’s coat, heather-blue soft Shetland wool “Morgan” sport jacket, olive/white pinstripe cotton “Grant” sport shirt, corn cotton corduroy “Flatiron” trousers, and brown plaid cashmere tie; bark wool tweed “Chelsea” topcoat, navy felted cashmere reversible zip-front cardigan, orange/white cotton gingham “Grant” sport shirt, navy wool denim riding pants, and spruce wool tie |
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signature collection intended for the man who prefers to have custom-made suits hanging in his closet alongside elegant, yet functional sportswear. “With this collection I really wanted to express my point of view about modern dressing,” says Chu, whose design inspiration is often rooted in the past, even though his collections are always thoroughly modern. David Chu, (212) 277-6400, www.davidchudesign.com
What is the look in menswear for fall 2007?
For me it’s an urbane mix ... city clothes that look great in the country, country clothes that work in the city. I have two groups: “Fairfield,” which represents country luxury and “Flatiron,” which is inspired by the sophisticated New York style.
What is your favorite item in your collection for fall and why?
I love the idea of outerwear as sport jacket. My Tudor brown nylon quilted fiber-fill jacket is tailored with three buttons and ticket pockets like a sport jacket, and I like it paired with a wool/cashmere flannel sport shirt, flannel fatigue pants, and a cashmere tie, all in charcoal.
What are the best new pieces a man can buy this fall to update his wardrobe?
There is so much news in coats in terms of both fabrics and silhouettes. I’m using a luxurious, Italian-bonded cashmere for a sophisticated Chelsea topcoat that has a new, slimmer, shorter proportion. I love the functionality of double-faced, seam-sealed wool melton for an officer’s coat that’s truly water resistant.
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 Tomas Maier
for Bottega Veneta
Among Tomas Maier’s accomplishments since taking over the design helm at Bottega Veneta in 2001 was to usher in a new motto and catch phrase, “when your own initials are
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Clockwise from top left: Vernice (patent leather) shoe shown in Nero (black) and Carmine (red); Nero Maxi Veneta bag; light camel silk fringe dress; Nero silk satin dress with blackened silver cornelian smoked quarzo necklaces; Corallo wool crepe dress
 | enough,” to ensure an individual’s personal sense of style always reigns over status-seeking designer logos. This fall the designer’s focus is on bringing curvaceous forms and femininity back to women’s clothing. “Clothes are a means of expression, not an end in themselves,” he says of his sharp-shouldered tailored suits, waist-slimming skirts, and day dresses that are seemingly simple until one discovers all of the imaginative details, such as blanket fringe on seams, ruffled cap sleeves, and gently rolled collars. Bottega Veneta, (212) 371-5511, www.bottegaveneta.com
Who is the BV woman, and how does she like to dress?
The Bottega Veneta customer is someone who is an individualist and doesn’t need a logo to define her style. It is someone with a lot of confidence who appreciates a product that is unique and that has integrity.
What is the best item a woman can buy this fall to update her wardrobe?
A great bag — for example the studded Maxi Veneta — and patent leather shoes can always update a silhouette and make it look different.
What is the greatest mistake a woman makes when putting together a wardrobe or an outfit?
Wearing something that doesn’t suit you and that you don’t feel comfortable in is always a mistake. I also don’t really like a “head-to-toe” look.
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Carolina Herrera
From the sweet, confectionary day dresses she created last spring, to this fall’s darker, slightly rough-around-the-edges skirts with tops and tights and fabulous
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 Clockwise from top left: grape moiré three-hole dress with embroidery detail at pocket flaps; black wool felt coat over ivory organza blouse and ash wool jersey wide-leg pants; grape and black organza fil coupe raindrop gown; bark and poppy optical plaid skirt with beige muskrat three-quarter-sleeve tunic | fur-trimmed jackets, Carolina Herrera seems to exude glamour in all that she creates. The Venezuelan-born designer, known for her fondness of crisp white cotton blouses, which she often wears, has been defining international style for more than 25 years. Her signature, however, is her ability to create refined day and evening wear that is feminine without seeming too forced or fussy. Carolina Herrera, (212) 249-6552, www.carolinaherrera.com
Your new collection seems darker, a little more masculine than in the past. How would you describe the Carolina Herrera collection for fall?
My fall collection was designed to create optical illusions by layering different textures, fabrics, and colors together.
What items in your collection are must-haves for any woman planning her fall wardrobe?
I love the short dresses and skirts that we showed with embroidered tights. I also love my metallic short skirt, because you can wear it with many tops, from a white blouse to a cashmere sweater. And, of course, one of my evening gowns.
What is the proper skirt length this season?
The rule for fall in my collection was above the knee with a pair of tights.
What should every woman understand about fashion to dress correctly?
First of all, everyone should have a full-length mirror in her home. Then, you must wear clothes that fit your age and the occasion. And get rid of the excess.
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O scar de la Renta
It was hardly a surprise to anyone that attended this year’s Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) awards that Oscar de la Renta once again
 From the top: oxidize metallic python Larrabee bag and oxidize metallic python ballet flat with Mosaico hardware; dark brown crinkle patent flat boot with side tortoise buckles; charcoal cashmere cardigan with long sleeves, multi wool tweed slim skirt with soft pleats, and Anthracite alligator classic belt; purple silk taffeta blouse with gathered sleeves, black double-face satin skirt with inverted pleat and ribbon belt, and black satin open-toe d’orsay with strasse |
 | took home the top womenswear prize. New York’s fashion designer extraordinaire, de la Renta has a way of turning the simplest, most common threads into modern, wearable works of art simply by rethinking their interpretation. For fall he turned bulky, often belted knits into bejeweled luxuries and laminated old-world tweeds to give the traditional look a completely modern twist. He also shows there’s often a fine line between sporty and sophisticated by mixing seemingly impossible combinations, such as fur-trimmed motorcycle jackets with dress trousers, and shrugs and boleros with chinchilla and ermine over evening gowns. Oscar de la Renta, (888) 870-7878, www.oscardelarenta.com
What is your favorite piece in the new collection and why?
I love everything. When we design a collection, there are a lot more pieces than we end up showing; roughly 120 looks are edited down to only about 55 or 60. The outfit that everybody hates in the collection is usually the one I like. I think that I feel sorry for the dress.
Is there any one or two items a woman can buy this winter to simply update her existing wardrobe?
The easiest way to update your wardrobe is to incorporate new accessories. Our metallic python Larrabee bag is perfect for any outfit. The exotic-skin bag makes a bold, luxurious statement, especially against the darker fall fabrics. For shoes, I would recommend anything in crinkle patent, from our sophisticated platform slingbacks to our mod flat boot with tortoise buckles. The crinkle patent material adds a new texture that helps modernize the look.
What is the rule when it comes to skirts this fall?
There are no set rules for skirts — from spring to fall, we show all different lengths and shapes. This fall we featured a number of sleek pencil skirts paired with luxurious cashmere cardigans for day and elegant silk taffeta blouses for evening.
What is your best fashion advice to any woman dressing for a special occasion?
Always choose something you feel comfortable in. A woman looks her best when she is at ease and in her own element.
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