News: Paris Menswear Show Fall 2004

The Future of Menswear
By: Boyd Davis

DALLAS, Dec 9, 2003/ FW/ --- In 1999, when the first part of “The Matrix” trilogy came out, Keanu Reeves did not count on becoming a fashion icon. In fact, up to now, it will be safe to say that he does not think of himself as a fashion icon.

But the 18-24 year-old males during that time thought otherwise. They all wanted the long coat and the shoes that he was wearing in the movie, together with the sunglasses.

In this media-driven age, Hollywood plays a major role in what’s going to be the latest fashion fad. And if we are going to extend it, television does the same thing, just on a more subtle scale.

Last July, on the eve of the Spring 2004 menswear season, a consumer report bemoaned the depressed state of menswear.

According to the report, sales for menswear had been declining for the past three years, and retail stores had been replacing the floor space dedicated to menswear with women’s clothing.

But, that was six months ago. And though no new reports had come out, the landscape had changed.

The U.S. economy is on the rebound and the metrosexuals are coming out of the closets, in a manner of speaking. And Hollywood is dressing their leading men again.

Take “An Italian Job” for instance. Mark Walhberg was dressed in an Armani suit. The premise of the story, even a thief can dress up well. No cat burglar suit in daylight please.

In both “The Matrix: Reloaded” and “The Matrix Revolutions,” both Keanu Reeves and Laurence Fishburne wore suits while they were in the matrix. Of course, Keanu’s floor length coat reminiscent of the garbs of Oriental monks, lending an air of mystery around him is now a classic in the eyes of the twenty-something generation.

To top it all, Agent Smith, played by Hugo Weaving, the bad guy in the movie, wore a suit the whole time.

Of course, the Wachowski brothers are not fashion pundits, nor F. Gary Gray, director of the “Italian Job.”

But their blockbuster movies are proof that they have pulse of the consumers. And again, in this media-driven age, what you see is what you want in the end.

So, what does the Fall 2004 menswear fashion season has in store for us?

There will be a return to formal dressing. Casual is here to stay. Don’t think that it will ever go away. But, if the king of geekdom, Bill Gates wears suits now, the other denizens of the computer world who made the casual look “in,” will follow suit; pun intended.

The advent of metrosexuals is also affecting the way men are dressing today. All of a sudden, being macho does not mean wearing jeans all the time. The metrosexuals proved that a man could be a fashion plate without losing his masculinity.

So, expect very innovative looks for Fall 2004. Ozwald Boateng, Hedi Slimane of Dior Homme, and Jean-Paul Gaultier always come out with great ideas.

Tom Ford will be showing his last collection for YSL Rive Gauche menswear this season too. This will be his swan song, so expect the unexpected