Walk the Walk: Calvin Klein Collection Spring 2016 Menswear

Italo Zucchelli's Spring 2016 menswear Calvin Klein Collection titled Graphic Heatwave was showcased live this past Sunday right here on Fusion Of Effects. Myself and Marcus Kan took to twitter as we watched the show. While we have different personal styles, we somehow always find the Calvin Klein Collection a common meeting ground.

As always, Zucchelli's formal tailoring anchored the collection while his experimental tendencies with menswear created an interesting line filled with head turning details.

Colour wise the line featured soft creamy yellow, crisp white, 1970's stone wash, a grey/green we are dubbing "formal army" and of course what would a Calvin Klein Collection show be without some sexy black?

Take away design details include:

1) Palm tree prints inspired by LA artist Ed Ruscha appeared on t-shirts helping to bring a flashy beach vibe to a highly tailored collection.

2) Inspired by the idea of roundness, Zucchelli incorporated extra fabric details around the waist of dress pants for a minimalistic eye catching detail which can easily be worn everyday.

3) Velcro-ed pockets on select pieces can be repositioned to the wearer's desire. We would of course each buy different colours and then swap pockets... because we are like that...

4) Large pant cuffs are clearly making a come back with this collection, but we don't suggest throwing out all your plain hem pants just yet.

5) Stone washed denim look jacquard with 1970's vibe is perfect for cruising around town in your 1973 Camaro.

The must haves:
- Pants with the extra fabric detailing around the waist in any colour.-
- 1970's stone wash jacket.
- White tee with palm tree graphic.
- Any of the perfectly tailored suit jackets.
- Multi pocket bomber length casual jacket in creamy yellow.

Photos: Courtesy Style.com

#stmSnippet: Editorial with Phil Crozier X Andrew Coimbra

Photographer Phil Crozier recently contacted me with a simple question, "Do you want to come to my studio for a shoot today?" Of course I was busy, but suggested we find another day to get together. I had seen his work in various magazines and online, and knew I was in for a treat. As a fashion blogger though I wanted to create something more than just a collection of images of myself. I wanted our shoot to feature a Canadian brand and quickly reached out to designer Andrew Coimbra.

View the full editorial and #stmINTERVIEWED with Phil Crozier on STM by clicking here.

Photo: Phil Crozier

Walk the Walk: Calvin Klein Collection FW 2015 Menswear

Fall 2015 is going to be very grey according to Italo Zucchelli at Calvin Klein Collection, but I am not talking about the weather here. Instead I am referring Italo’s use of rich grey tones throughout a stellar collection which was live streamed on Fusion of Effects.  

The collection, inspired by black and white films, hence the colour scheme, included everything from oversized boxy trench coats to cropped aviator jackets with tone on tone shearling collars. Bonded flannel, melange wool, cashmere, tweeds and even leopard prints and glossy vinyl made appearances. While grey was upfront and centre, the ever popular colour for fall black was of course present. SWAT team meets baseball team black pullovers and jackets featured large breast pockets and were styled with classic baseball caps.

  

Pros:

-The collection yet again caters to a wide market with its range of styles and cuts allowing the Calvin Klein Collection man to be, well anyone.

-Grey is one of the most versatile colours in any man’s wardrobe. While black will be a constant, grey is often a more flattering colour and this collection is packed with many, many easy to wear items for fall 2015.

-Sophisticated leopard prints take safe classic silhouettes in grey and give them a racy touch for the man who wants a little extra flash.

-The oversized trenches will be easy to fit to various body types and encourage layering.

 

Cons:

-The glossy vinyl pants are not a flattering cut and the material will not be comfortable to wear for extended periods of time off the runway.

Must Haves:

-Medium grey tweed blazer

-Oversized trench in miniature leopard print

-Light grey patterned crew neck sweater

-Swat meets baseball zippered jacket

-Double breasted black suit – note styling with one lapel fully buttoned over

-Cape

View the entire collection on Style.com here.

Walk the Walk: Calvin Klein Collection S/S 2015 Menswear

Wafers covered in chocolate with bursts of tangerine, vermillion red, and solar yellow.

Italo Zucchelli presented the men's Spring 2015 Calvin Klein Collection this past Sunday in Milan. Made up of mostly tone on tone neutral beige and rich chocolate, with bursts of vermillion red and tangerine, this collection was live streamed on a la mode.

The collection was a hybrid version of sportswear met sartorial elegance . Silhouettes varied from tailored double breasted suit jackets to oversized quilted bombers. Zucchelli played peek a boo with undergarments and brought further attention to them with contrasting materials/colour combinations. Note the reverse layering of tanks and tees and how the overall styling worked to accentuate the athletic vibe.

Materials for the men's Spring 2015 Calvin Klein Collection included rich wools, colourful PVS and shiny eelskin.

Pros:
- The collection, while tight, caters to a wide market with versatile beige and chocolate anchoring the colour palette.
-A variety of silhouettes are included from bulky bombers to tailored single or double breasted suit jackets.
- Pants are clean lined and flattering while shorts are short and sexy.
- The shorts over mesh boxers layering concept should make for a popular menswear trend next year. Expect to see this in the upcoming editorials.
- The boots are very sporty and futuristic.

Cons:
- The PVC jackets will keep you dry, but be prepared to overheat.

6 MUST HAVE:
- Tailored double breasted beige jacket
- Quilted bomber in chocolate
- PVC solar yellow pullover
- Tangerine running shorts
- Vermillion red mesh boxers
- Boots

Please visit Style.com to view the complete collection.

Courtesy of Style.com

Trendology: Holiday Giftguide - Men

Christmas is less than 3 weeks away and I am sure a lot of you are still shopping for gifts for your family and friends. Today, I want to share with you some of the items that will be the ideal gifts for the guys. Honestly, I do not mind to receive any of the gifts below as well.


Work
Most of us have a 9-5 job so practical accessories are probably the best gifts for a lot of men. From card wallet to briefcase, here are some of my favourites.

Alexander McQueen - Skull Press Card Wallet ($129)

You can never go wrong with a great card wallet. It can carry credit cards, or business cards. If you are planning to stuff this card wallet with business cards, I am pretty sure you will score some great first impression points.

Burberry - Abstract Animal Print Silk Tie ($310)

Most men wear suits to work and in order to spice up this kind of look, a nice tie will be needed. This Burberry tie has a very nice animal print design and the color combination is just so easy to match different suits.

Gucci - Sterling Silver Ring ($250)

Ring is always a subtle accessory piece that can enhance your office look. Even though Gucci rings are simple in design, when they put them on, you instantly feel they have injected a classy vibe to your outfit.

Prada - Patchwork Wallet ($395)

Just like a card holder, men should always have a nice wallet when they are at work. Prada always produces high quality wallets and the above one is definitely a funky and classy piece.

Valentino - Navy Leather Camo Briefcase ($3010, Ssense)

I always believe that if you are carrying a nice briefcase to work, it will instantly boost up your confidence level. This camo briefcase has a great design and the subtle pattern adds nice edge to it. 

Casual
If the guy does not have a regular 9-5 job, maybe you can consider to get the following items.

Calvin Klein Underwear - Boxer Briefs ($38 for 2, The Bay)

Not going to lie, Calvin Klein always produces great underwear and this 100% cotton boxer brief has a clean cut style that will not give you any discomfort. Let's face it, underwear is like your second skin and you need something that is smooth and soft. 

Killigrew - Cardigan ($262)

Killigrew has some great fashion pieces this season and my eyes are specifically attracted to this great cardigan. Because of the pattern and colour combination, you can easily dress it up or down, depending on your occasion.


Technology
Nowadays, we all live in a technology world and there are just so many small accessories to support different devices. These 2 products are definitely my favourites this season.

Mimobot - BMO BatteryPod ($59.99, Pre-Order)

Most of us have become a smartphone user and the problem with this device is - it drains battery. Well this portable BatteryPod will be your best solution as it recharges your device and it will be a bonus if you are a fan of Adventure Time.

Moleskine - iPad Case with Notebook ($110, Indigo)

It's always hard to find a perfect iPad case because most of them are just not that practical. However, I think this Moleskine case is a good one because not only does it protect your device, it also has a notepad where you can drop some quick notes.

Trendology: Calvin Klein Collection Pre-Fall 2014 Collection

Thanks to Francisco Costa, Calvin Klein Collection has really changed my mind on fashion over the last few seasons. I have to be very honest, when it comes to woemenswear, minimalism is rarely my cup of tea. However, after I saw the Calvin Klein Collection pieces at the Room at Hudson Bay some time ago, I now know how to appreciate Costa's works. It's all about the cuttings and the materials!

Costa continues to focus on the use of materials in this pre-fall 2014 collection. The silhouettes might not be dramatic, but because of the use of cashmere, shearling, alpaca and wool, the pieces become very classy. The soft colour palette also helps to reflect the softness vibe of this collection. If you like to look at details, then you must love the oversized buttons as they add a playful element to many of the garments.

I may not be a huge fan of the footwear, but I can sense they will be the popular items on the red carpet and in magazine editorials next year.

Below are some of my favourite looks and I am looking forward to see what Costa has in store for us next February for the F/W 2014 collection!

StyleNotes[Cheat Sheet]: She is back!

Here is a little roundup of this week's stories on StyleNotes!

The legendary Calvin Klein supermodel Christy Turlington is back in action! She will be the new face of the F/W 2013 Calvin Klein underwear and this campaign is shot by Mario Sorrenti on location in Vieques, Puerto Rico. Now there is something we are looking forward to see in this coming season. [Read Here]

After so many years, she still looks so beautiful! (source: StyleNotes)

Valentino surprised us this week with the latest accessories campaign. These 2 images are shot by Terry Richardson and you can see his tattooed forearm clearly. From romantic campaign to this kind of simplicity images, I think Valentino is moving to a new direction. [Read Here]

This ad campaign should be able to attract a young crowd. (source: StyleNotes)

StyleNotes[Cheat Sheet]: Fashion Videos

Different fashion brands have released video campaigns this week and today I am going to pick 2 of them as the cheat sheet topics.

Alexander Skarsgård has been the face of Calvin Klein's Encounter since June 2012 and has recently teamed up with model Suvi Kopenen in this short video for the brand. It's a very abstract love story and I really want to know what you think of it. [Read Here]

There are just so many things going on in this short film. (source: StyleNotes)

David Beckham has just released the S/S 2013 H&M bodywear collection and in order to promote it, Guy Ritchie is appointed to directed a short video campaign featuring David himself. The storyline is actually quite interesting and I am not going to be a spoiler here. [Read Here]

Video is funny, but I am sure we all have the same question after watching it. (source: StyleNotes)

For more news, please visit StyleNotes.