Hermès: This Is the New Classic Modern
Written by: Godfrey Deeny
Photos by Gruber-FWD
PARIS, Jan 28, 2002/ FWD/ --- Hermes men’s designer Veronique Nichanian gave a lesson in dressing
classy and modern, and fittingly so, as the house’s fall-winter 2002 show was staged in the
learnedly rugged cement corridors of UNESCO.
Nichanian has always been men’s fashion’s class act, but this season she excelled even herself
with a newer elongated silhouette, and the coolest collection of stripes seen anywhere this
season in Europe.
Plus the use of leathers like baby calf, dipped lambskin, deerskin and Toscana sheepskin by
the Hermes atelier -- and there’s none better in men’s fashion -- was dazzling.
Set to a brisk drum beat, Nichanian opened with a team of great suits in wide chalk strips,
and double cut suits that oozed distinction.
The look was crisp, clean and collected. The best idea of the season were some two-button
lambskin jackets, topstitched to give them pinstripes.
Every fashion editor at the show will want to call these in for a magazine cover try.
Her use of proportion, placement of buttons and pockets and sense of finish made the Hermes
storm coats and topcoats easily the most distinguished we’ve seen anywhere.
For her finale were a series of cord pants and velvet jackets with various streaks and stripes,
each one cooler than the next.
Hermes will always be an exclusive brand, and thus not available to the average guy.
That’s a slight pity, as every good guy deserves a little something of this collection in his
wardrobe.
As ever, there were splendid scarves -- this season in black sequins -- from the best muffler
maker in men’s fashion.
|
