01. THE REAL WORLD. Nature inspires fresh takes on sportswear-inspired style.
01. THE REAL WORLD. Nature inspires fresh takes on sportswear-inspired style.
Going by the sheer number of elastic-cuffed tailored trousers and leather sneakers that have been making the rounds lately, there can be little doubt that sportswear has insinuated itself into mainstream fashion. For Bottega Veneta’s Spring/ Summer 2016 collection, creative director Tomas Maier puts an organic twist on this modern style paradigm by taking it out of the gym and into the woods – or anywhere with plenty of flora, fauna and fresh air, really.
This collection is about the fascination of a journey back to nature,” goes the designer’s statement in the collection’s notes. Saturated, outdoorsy shades more commonly associated with autumn – green, blue and red – are buoyed up by lightweight fabrics like cotton poplin and cupro. An olive-green jacket cut like a shirt, paired with matching trousers and hiking boots, exemplifi es Maier’s appealing take on the sophisticated yet comfy style that has made sportswear-inspired tailoring such a big hit. And for those who really want to get comfortable, the brand also endorses rope-accented sandals worn with socks this season. #01-04A Ion Orchard.
02. FIT RIGHT IN
As a brand that has specialised in men’s tailoring for nearly a century, it is hardly a surprise that Boss is now off ering its made-to-measure service, launched in 2011 in Europe, on our shores – the real question is, why did it take so long? That said, now that customisation is the buzzword du jour for everything from fashion to fitness, it’s as good a time as any for Boss to empower its clientele with the ability to have their suits, shirts and ties made to their (almost) exact specifi cations. All made-to-measure items are fi nished by hand at Boss HQ in Metzingen, Germany. #01-13 to 18, Ngee Ann City.
03. ARTISTIC LICENCE
As the rest of the fashion world leaps onto the athleisure bandwagon, Tom Ford stays true to his resolute taste for glamour, creating a spring/summer collection inspired by the fast crowd that hung out at Andy Warhol’s Factory in the ’60s. A variety of looks channel the style of Warhol’s posse, who came from the worlds of art, music and film. For instance, a mock-neck striped sweater paired with a leather jacket, or a three-piece pinstripe suit with a chain – that was designed to fit the Apple Watch, a sure indication as any that Ford’s eye is set on the now, even as he is inspired by nostalgia. #B1-128 The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands.
04. ROOM OF THEIR OWN
“Nowadays, we tailor our stores to fit the customer,” remarked Christopher Kilaniotis, Louis Vuitton’s South Asia Zone president, during a chat with us at the re-opening of the French luxury brand’s Ion Orchard boutique. So, the newly renovated store was designed with the brand’s Ion Orchard customer demographic in mind – relatively younger, and more evenly divided between genders. To imbue the street-facing duplex boutique with what Kilaniotis describes as a “fresh and contemporary style”, tactile textures (leather, hand-woven fabrics) are set against warm materials like wood, brass and stone. Another fresh touch: A dedicated area for travel products – perfect for the dynamic, stylish set. #01-23 and #02-14 Ion Orchard.
