On a larger note, I love the tolerance we see in fashion. Customers and fashionistas love tips and advice on things, but I prefer indulgence. This era of exploration we’ve entered in menswear is really exciting. The idea of erasing boundaries and emphasizing self-expression was a really important direction.
We’ve seen exponential growth in the men’s business in general, so it’s becoming an increasingly important category in the fashion field. Much of this comes from the influence of media, specifically social media, and in informing customers and guiding them to make more informed and bold decisions. This really leads to a more daring shopper who makes choices that can be more interesting and less expected. I love when there is big thinking informing fashion brands, collections and customers.
What are your expectations for menswear this year, both on the runway and in terms of personal style?
There are many expectations for Gucci’s first collection after the departure of Alessandro Michele. He was a great promoter of blurring boundaries and exploring eccentricity, femininity and romanticism, so where does he belong in the house now? I’m really curious about that. We also saw some really interesting entries into historic houses like Rhuigi Villaseñor at Bally and Maximilian Davis at Ferragamo. This opens us up to a lot of experimentation, a lot of expansive thinking, and a lot of creativity.
We definitely still see a lot of utilitarian influences, but before I talk about utility, one of the most important things we see is a focus on proportion. We’re seeing a strong movement towards things that are bulky, things that are full, things that are baggier. It ties in well with this agnostic point of view when it comes to a-gender clothing. It’s neither that nor that, and that’s really, really exciting to me. This game of proportions will affect a broad customer base in ways that are practical. I don’t expect everyone to be wearing a Comme des Garçons jacket or an extended lapel coat, but it will inform.
What direction would you personally like menswear to go in?
It is a difficult question! I don’t like to use the word indulgence but I just want everyone to be able to wear what they want and I want to see more options that people can embrace. I love when there are multiple directions that many different types of people can respond to. I think it’s important to have enough fashion out there to make people feel connected.