THE JOURNAL

From left: Etro, Palm Angels, AMIRI, Off-White, Dries Van Noten
It doesn’t take a genius to decipher why all things psychedelic are back in style. It’s only natural that when times are, shall we say, “tough”, we seek solace in things that make us smile. That the 1960s played host to the Summer of Love as well as huge countercultural and anti-establishment shifts in thinking is surely just a coincidence, right? Regardless of the socio-political origins of all things tripped-out though, it seems designers are mainly feeling the peace and love vibes. The SS20 runways were awash with all things tie-dyed and tasseled and we’re very much riding the wave. Here are some of the hippiest, dippiest looks of the season.
01. Palm Angels

Palm Angels runway, Milan, 2019. Photograph by Mr Paolo Lanzi/IMAXTREE.COM
Palm Angels’ riff on Mr Leonardo DiCaprio’s Hawaiian shirt-heavy wardrobe in Romeo + Juliet set Instagram hearts on fire. We wholeheartedly approve as well. This fluttering butterfly graphic, which adorned everything from shirts to jackets, was another standout. Go on, spread your wings.
02. Rochas

Rochas runway, Paris, 2019. Photograph by Mr Kevin Ohana, courtesy of Rochas
Just in time for spring, we’re adding Rochas to the MR PORTER roster. Under the expert stewardship of Mr Federico Curradi, the brand has, perhaps surprisingly, become a skater and surfer’s paradise (and its SS20 collection was created entirely from organic materials). First dibs on this terracotta tie-dye T-shirt. And those easy, breezy sun-bleached trousers. And throw in the deck shoes for good measure.
03. Valentino

Valentino runway, Paris, 2019. Photograph by Mr Isidore Montag/IMAXTREE.COM
The great thing about menswear right now is how easy it is to blend genres. Exhibit A: Valentino’s excellent mash-up of hippie and technical elements. On the bottom half, sporty side-striped trousers and trek-worthy sneakers. Up top, a dragon-print aloha shirt, coordinating cross-body bag and coral strung necklace. You’re witnessing sartorial symbiosis at work.
04. SAINT LAURENT

SAINT LAURENT runway, Los Angeles, 2019. Photograph courtesy of SAINT LAURENT
Is SAINT LAURENT the last place you’d expect to find billowing balloon trousers? Yes. Does the brand pull it off just as well as it does its signature skinny fare? Also yes. We’ll concede there’s only a narrow sub-set of men who’ll be able to carry off this silk-satin pair, but if you happen to be one of them, what are you waiting for? Might we suggest you invest in a shirt, though, just in case you venture farther than the beach.
05. AMIRI

AMIRI runway, Paris, 2019. Photograph by Mr Salvatore Dragone/IMAXTREE.COM
Truth be told, AMIRI’s entire collection was psychedelic excellence. The show, which also featured a mesmerising Mr Jimi Hendrix-inspired print, fulfilled the far-out brief and then some. This liberally fringed blue suede jacket was a firm favourite among the MR PORTER ranks. Because, well, just look at it.
06. BODE

BODE runway, Paris, 2019. Photograph courtesy of BODE
An undone, slightly rumpled shirt is the type of thing that screams mellow, right? Not in the case of BODE. As a rebuttal to the mass-produced clothing market, the brand scours the globe for antique and vintage fabrics before painstakingly repurposing, embroidering or patchworking them into modern silhouettes. That’s one way to bring down the menswear establishment.
07. Casablanca

Casablanca runway, Paris, 2019. Photograph by Mr Alessandro Viero, courtesy of Casablanca
We take our hats off to Casablanca, a new arrival on MR PORTER and one of those rare brands that manages to satisfy streetwear’s most discerning darlings and grizzled fashion editors at once. Barely a year old and already making a strong case for double denim – and printed double denim at that – we suspect founder and designer Mr Charaf Tajer has only good things in store for the future.
08. Isabel Marant

Isabel Marant runway, Paris, 2019. Photograph courtesy of Isabel Marant
The style world doesn’t play by many hard and fast rules, but there are a few general guidelines to live by. Looking for skinny jeans? SAINT LAURENT’s your first stop. A button-down Oxford shirt? Polo Ralph Lauren will sort you out. Want to master the bohemian look? There’s only one woman for the job: Ms Isabel Marant.
09. Dries Van Noten

Dries Van Noten runway, Paris, 2019. Photograph by Mr Isidore Montag/IMAXTREE.COM
Clashing patterns aren’t every man’s bag, but if anyone can do it – and do it very well – it’s Mr Dries Van Noten, a true master of the art. Like a sartorial horticulturalist, the Belgian designer conjures floral prints, such as this season’s sunflowers and daisies, on practically every look. Budding flower children looking for instruction need look no further.
10. Etro

Etro runway, Milan, 2019. Photograph by Mr Paolo Lanzi/IMAXTREE.COM
A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, paisley patterns were all the rage. Thanks to Mr John Lennon et al, the print became synonymous with the Summer of Love in 1967. Today, few do it better than Italian brand Etro. The highly covetable Star Wars hoodie is an unorthodox contrast, but if you ever needed a lesson in how to mix logos and prints, this is it.
11. Off-White

Off-White runway, Paris, 2019. Photograph by Mr Isidor Montag/IMAXTREE.COM
We have tried to suppress it through a long winter, but it seems our addiction to all things tie-dyed has yet to wane. It helps that most designers seem to share our obsession and Off-White’s Mr Virgil Abloh proves definitively that you can even wear it with a suit. Provided you steer clear of any conference rooms, that is.