Guests at Richard Chai’s men’s runway show received comfy long blue hoodies, a fitting coda to a show that was all relaxation and sophistication -and wearing both in understated ways. How cool is that ?! Long cardigans that extend to a man’s thigh or beyond may sound unappealing, but Richard Chai made it work with his silk ribbed long-knit cardigans in muted colors like khaki. Like the oversized plaid cotton shirts he showed, they were long but tailored, and neat. There were fitted sport coats and blazers that were slightly distressed or washed, worn with mélange wool sweaters and pegged-leg pants or what he termed 'slouchy' pants i.e. slightly roomier but hardly voluminous. Outerwear was similarly relaxed and in muted colors, such as a graphite waxed coated cotton belted trench coat. He was also fond of layering, with a model wearing two oversized cotton shirts over a cobalt blue long-sleeve Henley -all under a glen plaid double breasted jacket that was cropped so the untucked shirts were visible. These and other looks were reminiscent of the kind of nonchalant, mix-and-match approach of dressing and layering Mr Chai presented at his women’s show, reinforcing his philosophy that being casual doesn’t necessarily mean being sloppy. To go alongside these staples, the designer had outfitted his models and accented the classics-with-twists looks with boots from Timberland Boot Company, highlighting the tough and structured aspect of his apparel collection. Some of the models worn include the Tackhead Winter 8” boot and the Colrain Reissue 8”, which gave the otherwise could-possibly-be-docile collection a tough edge and turned its balanced elegance with a stomp-ready attitude.
Note that Richard Chai was named Swarovski Menswear Designer of the Year at the 2010 CFDA Fashion Awards.
Note that Richard Chai was named Swarovski Menswear Designer of the Year at the 2010 CFDA Fashion Awards.
