The Scoop on New York Men’s Day
New York Men’s Day remains the Ground Zero for many independent menswear and unisex designers and brands, allowing emerging creatives to showcase their talent. The event for the SS26 season featured seven up-and-coming designers and was presented by Project and Coterie trade shows.
Hosted at Mercedes-Benz of Manhattan on 11th Avenue, this season’s biannual showcase featured designers and brands such as Archie, Peak Lapel, Clara Son, OxBlood Zebra, Max Esmail, Joseph McRae, and student designers under the FIT MW25 Collective. We’ll take a closer look at each brand and highlight the key features of their collections.
Photo courtesy of WWD
Archie
The New York City-based label, founded by designer Mark Smith, had one of the most entertaining and interactive presentations, featuring a modern wooden rotating platform on which each model would stand. In contrast, the other models would push it around. This collection featured worn and neutral-toned fabrics sourced from niche Japanese mills. Stand-out looks included a long trench coat paired with tailored grey slacks, an oversized navy long-sleeve top with pink shorts and high-rise socks, and a casual brown button-down with khaki slacks and a matching hat.
Photo courtesy of WWD
Peak Lapel
Founded by Parsons students Ben Stedman and Jack Milkes, this traditional unisex label combines preppy signatures with historic silhouettes to create pieces that can be worn from work to a night out. Having debuted at last season’s men’s day, this season’s looks were full of “vintage preppy” pieces, looks that can be lived in, whether it’s a day in the park or a night out. Some of our favorite pieces included tailored gingham pants, a blue knit sweater tied effortlessly around the neck, and a white jean jacket accented with striped pockets, blue strips of fabric, and a namesake patch across the side. There were also matching bags and props such as picnic blankets, sports equipment, and suitcases, transporting viewers into the retro-modern world of Peak Lapel.
Photo courtesy of WWD
Clara Son
The namesake South Korean designer was inspired to create this collection by her own repetitive thoughts. This manifested itself in repeating patterns such as stripes and pleats. The set reflected this as well, being a mimic of Son’s bedroom. Standout looks included a slightly bunched beige ensemble with a ruffled bonnet, a light blue button-down shirt with ruffles on the sleeves paired with matching ruffle capris and a silk hat with a glittery curtain, and a sheer top with draping and bows paired with wide-leg textured pants.
Photo courtesy of WWD
OxBlood Zebra
Created by Reuben Shaw, their SS26 collection was a sweet spot combination of tailored, clean pieces with more street-style silhouettes and patterns. Following the design ethos of the brand, which emphasizes dressing for who you are becoming, the top highlights of this collection include gorgeous color contrasts, bold patterns, thoughtful embroidery, and stylish accessories, making this collection one to watch. Our favorite pieces included a zebra print coat over a baby blue dress shirt and black tie, a white suit with accenting red embroidery and a samurai style helmet, and an old-fashioned collar dress with a sweater vest over the top, paired with striped socks and classic loafers.
Photo courtesy of WWD
Max Esmail
Following his NYFW debut in February, the London-born, US-based designer said this SS26 collection draws inspiration from the underworld of crime. Tailored pieces move through a darkened set, with films such as Park Hoon-jung's New World serving as key sources of inspiration. Velvet and leather mix with washed denim, linen pieces, and oversized collared shirts and jackets to create this collection. Our favorite pieces include an oversized beige trench coat layered over a classic white shirt and oversized tie, a racer jacket paired with fitted black trousers and oval shades, and a tailored navy suit with a white sheer shirt.
Photo courtesy of Fashion Network
Joseph McRae
An alum of Project Runway, Joseph McRae is creating a safe space for creative expression with unisex designs and accessories. The SS26 collection, Bloom, marked both the 10th collection and 10th anniversary of the brand. This collection reimagines the brand's past, revisiting signature and iconic silhouettes while hinting at what is coming next. McRae said that the collection was inspired by the 1978 film The Wiz, with each character represented through a distinct color palette. Our favorites from this collection included a two printed puffy jacket with matching leg warmers, a structured blue and grey plaid dress with matching tote and beanie, and look featuring a horizontal striped velvet pattern and plaid on the other side with a matching plaid coin purse and adjacent polka dot bag.
Photo courtesy of WWD
FIT MW25 Collective
The menswear class at FIT, studying under former Perry Ellis designer Michael Maccari, presented their designs at the showcase. While the designs worked together as a group, standout designs included a tailored dark turquoise suit with glitter accents and matching shoes, a plaid jacket paired with a baklava and flowy white pants, and a black ensemble with a slouchy knitted sweater and baggy black ankle pants.