Maison Kitsuné SS14 Collection

A fine line exists between classic and vintage. On one side, a pair of trousers may traverse time, always adapting to the latest looks and ensuring a man appears sharp. On the other, a style hints back to a particular period, clearly rooted in a specific decade or even a year that you can pinpoint. The Maison Kitsuné SS14 collection, based on their newest lookbook, blurs that divide. Back on June 26th, Maison Kitsuné’s official blog revealed photos from their most recent Paris Fashion Week Menswear show, including glimpses of the SS14 collection and an accompanying lookbook. Since that point, the document showcasing next year’s spring/summer pieces has landed in the hands of fashion bloggers, courtesy of AnthemCulture.com. Based on the fashion house’s statements, the collection embodies a ‘New Wave’ amalgamation of kitsch, bold colours and their signature Parisian aesthetic. What emerges further, tying into the vintage-becomes-classic aesthetic, is a 1950s pop culture influence – a toned-town Elvis Presley from his early days, or James Dean’s iconic Rebel Without a Cause role experimenting with a preppy edge. A streamlined look – silhouette-skimming but a far cry from this year’s prevalent skinny jeans style – characterises most pieces, from deconstructed blazers paired with pleated trousers or shorts to pegged pants and button-downs. Buttoned sweaters and bowler jackets add a specific mid twentieth century American touch, although the combination of black, muted hues and plaid subverts any teenage sock hop image. Think Nicholas Hoult’s role in A Single Man and less Grease. That being said, the vintage influence emerges from the slightly casual, partly utilitarian look. The slim cut coupled with the versatile colours harks back to a time in which a man’s appearance communicated who he is. It’s not the genius-hidden-in-a-hoodie of modern times but rather the precision of a gentleman. Mirroring the vintage-transitions-to-timeless style is a casual yet crisp and clean image that makes a statement. The collection doesn’t side with either a day spent wandering around the city or a night out; instead, the cuts, colours and colour-blocking effortlessly shift from one to the other. The lookbook and recent Paris Fashion Week menswear showing offer up just a taste of what to expect for next year, but a similar character emerges from the brand’s AW13 collection, which is currently available online.

Maison Kitsuné Available At