34 asialife HCMC
SPRING’S RUNWAY STARS Luis Antonio Torres studies the latest collections in the west and advises men how to take the best from the runway and adapt it into their HCM City wardrobe. Photos by Fred Wissink. Readers in Vietnam, or Southeast Asia for that matter, may enjoy following fashion trends on the runways but knowing how to apply them to their everyday wear is a subject that, I believe, is of greater interest. For expats, myself included and Southeast Asian men, who, while surfing through TV channels stop at FTV to catch glimpses of the latest collections of D&G, Roberto Cavalli and many others, we often wonder: "How do I apply cheetah skin spandex pants, goose feather lined coats and Gothic underground to my Vietnam wardrobe" The answer is quite simple: You don’t. Fashion tastes (and trends) can be a controversial subject matter. When looking at a particular image from a runway, my esteemed colleagues' opinions can range from "spot on" to "racy" or "this looks extra terrestrial." Against this backdrop, how does one ascertain what to take from the runways The good news is that there are a plethora of wonderful trends in Italy and the rest of Europe that most certainly can be emulated by the sophisticated gentleman, the young sartorialist and the fashionista right here at home. Fear not, they are sensible for Vietnam, nothing over the top, and most importantly, they do not break the bank but give a luxurious feel. Let's start with some big trends for spring, especially in Italy. The return of the double breasted blazer in navy blue and in a plethora of colours and textiles is welcome news. This is the piece that every man, young or old, must have in the closet. Keep in mind I’m not referring to the Armani 1980s shoulder padded version jacket that we so vaguely remember from the movie American Gigolo starring Richard Gere. Today's version is a soft shouldered, nice slim cut silhouette in through the waist, and a mid-chest length V gorge of the jacket. The absence of the neck tie for office wear is also prevalent, continuing from this fall into spring. The double breast jacket was spotted on the collections of Gucci, Balmain, Z Zegna, Ferragamo and many other houses for Spring 2011. The neck tie has also been replaced with the scarf, cravat or an open collar shirt which exudes that subtle chic and sophisticated feel. On my most recent trip to Milan, I spotted many men just wearing basic chinos, great blazers and jackets, with casual sneakers in the day. Many of us might find the sneaker a bit daunting, but if you wear a sporty luxe white leather tennis shoe and pair it with an awesome white chino, a navy blazer you've just whipped up the perfect city chic look which works best for those on the move in the city. Rest assured, this look is totally in, totally sexy, and almost anyone can wear it. Moving onto a more casual lifestyle trend, which I feel speaks to many of us and is a style that we can all relate to: the military cum safari chic. This is a hot Spring 2011 trend. I personally have always loved the idea of asialife HCMC 35