Industry analysts and fashion designers agree that womenswear has been more vocal about its sustainability efforts than men’s. No one’s sure exactly why. Vogue Business suspects it could be a numbers game; there are simply more women’s clothes, so more of them have sustainable credits associated with them. Another theory is the slower trend turnover in menswear. Because men don’t shop as much as women, they don’t feel as guilty about it, so there’s less need to make loud claims about things like material sourcing. Whatever the reason is, New York Men’s Day challenged it on Friday. The 19th edition of the indie design event kicked off NYFW with a showcase of 12 menswear and genderless designers at the sun-drenched Location05 and Daylight Studio. The industrial loft space had spectators show-hopping through three floors of fashion, where we found some familiar faces and some exciting new ones. Among them, we’ve picked three stand out collections as proof that sustainable menswear is alive and thriving.
A. Potts
For Fall Winter 2023, designer Aaron Potts of A.Potts, has let the kids loose with his most recent collection, “NeoRascal”. The Detroit-born, NYC designer pulls from his experience as a Parsons student in the 90s, creating this collection as an homage to the creatives he was surrounded by.
His signature tailoring remains on display, building on his brand’s genderless style, focusing on motifs of school uniform wear with utilitarian motifs. It’s like Madeline left France, and moved to Berlin. Cargo pants drape like silk, while parkas sway like a dress in wind. The juxtaposition of the forbearing utilitarianism with the playfulness of the tailoring makes the collection captivating. The same outfit may be braving the elements of a cold subway or teeming with life on the dancefloor at a rave.
In a world of waste, Aaron Potts focuses on garments that go beyond trends. He wants to create the items we grab for the most –the “middle portion of anyone’s closet.” These are items meant to be worn and meant to last. He designs for any identity and body, with a focus on movement.
Aaron believes sustainability is vital to the production of his collections. For 2023, several pieces feature repurposed fabrics, giving the material a second life. And especially notable to this collection is the “fur” showcased in the jacket look. Aaron leveraged experiments with yarn to create a fur-like effect. The result is so convincing, you have to feel it to believe it.
The crowd at the presentation were definitely fans of A.Potts, and with the vibrancy and energy of this collection Aaron’s fan base is sure to grow.
All Beneath Heaven
The LA based gender neutral brand made its NYFW debut with a playful presentation that amplified the whimsical garments clothing the models. When designer Jimmy Alexander launched the line last year, he set out to work exclusively with organic, bespoke fabrics. Vivid silks, linens, cottons and velvets comprised the collection, detailed with hand-painted prints and intricate embroideries. Every piece has a personality – a testament to the care that goes into its crafting. The clothes are clearly well-made, but Alexander says that’s not what makes them good quality. He’s more interested in “what quality means beyond the material, quality in terms of intention. That’s what quality really is.” We couldn’t agree more!
Terry Singh NYC
Native New Yorker Terry Singh’s FW23 collection is all about literally reshaping the way the world sees masculinity. The designer launched his eponymous label in 2014, upon returning from a trip to India. Tired of constricting clothes caught up in colonialism, Singh introduced the suits that would become his signature. A tailored take on the dhoti, a garment worn by leaders and warriors in India for thousands of years, Singh’s pieces serve to celebrate freedom of mind and body. For this collection, Singh chose a color palette of chic neutral tones, which were lent an extra fierceness by the patent leather Docs spotted on some of the models. The elegant confidence of the clothes evokes the ethos of Singh’s work – rejection of the generic, love of the craft, and steadfast dedication to inhibition.
-By David Jadric and Steph Lawson
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