Just two years or so ago, suits were predicted to not survive lockdowns. Even trendy party clothes were shunned, and instead, pyjamas and sweatpants became the choice for guys as they found themselves stuck at home.
Now, there is a prediction that trendy men’s fashion will make a glorious comeback.
A report by market research company Technavio stated that the global menswear market is expected to grow by US$222.72bil (RM1.02tril), taking into account the period between 2021 and 2026.
This is said to be driven by the growing number of promotional activities, as well as changing demands as the world opens up again.
While some menswear fashion weeks are slow to recover (New York’s never fully returned), Pitti Uomo – known as the men’s fashion playground – brought energy back to Florence in June.
Big labels flocked to Milan once again for Men’s Fashion Week this year. Versace and Moschino for example, reappeared there. They were absent from the event for three and four years, respectively – having switched to a co-ed format before that. Challenges remain though.
Menswear is always known to be a more niche market when compared to womenswear. While the scenario is slowly changing, men are still seen as generally less interested in fashion compared to women.
A smaller market means that menswear has to adapt faster to trends in order to stay relevant.
When streetwear became a huge thing in the 2010s, luxury fashion houses were forced to co-opt it into their collections – despite the aesthetic previously being seen as an antithesis to sophistication.
Some of the biggest names like Louis Vuitton and Dior hired creative directors with a staunch background in streetwear for their men’s divisions.
Today, casual chic have become a mainstay for most menswear collections.
A number of fashion houses have done away with the strict labelling of designs for men and women too, instead presenting collections as gender neutral.
Up for the challenge
In Malaysia, designers are rolling with the punches.
Kit Woo believes that the menswear market will come back with a bang. He says that he is already experiencing a boom in sales as people have started to travel again.
“It is good that we have a ‘down time’,” he notes, regarding the pandemic disruption.
“It means that we will see more exciting stuff coming out, with fresh ideas born out of it.”
Woo admits that the market for menswear in Malaysia is small, leading to it being extremely competitive. He wishes to treat this as a positive thing though.
“Certain difficult situations can produce the most wonderful designs,” he says.
“I hope that there’s more boundaries that we can push in menswear for designers, leading to more risks taken for our fellow men’s styling, and more effort (shown by the designers) to find their own voice.
He points out that the scene is indeed evolving, commenting, “The view on menswear has been slowly expanding in terms of categories and what is considered to be staple men’s wardrobe.”
“My design flow has never been about, ‘Oh, this is for men’s, and that is for women’s’,” explains Woo.
“The industry has since embraced the notion of ambiguity and gender neutral aesthetics. We are blurring the lines between what’s women’s and what’s men’s.”
According to him, the difficult part about designing for men is to convince them to be brave and accept trendy clothes.
“At the beginning, it was rather hard for me to break into the menswear scene because my work is not considered wearable at the time. It is good for show, but in sales, I struggled,” he relates.
“However, guys are slowly getting comfortable to take little risks and accept dressing up for special occasions. Although menswear is still not selling as much as womenswear, I think men are now more open to paying attention to how they dress.”
Woo founded his eponymous fashion label back in 2016. He is adamant to stay on course by continuing to offer menswear.
“Tailoring has survive, or should I say ‘has since been evolving’ for more than 100 years, I don’t think it is going anywhere soon. Streetwear too has found home in the industry and it is here to stay,” he says.
“Menswear has evolved to a level of creativity that can be compared to womenswear, although the menswear industry can sometimes be restricting.”
A change will do you good
Another designer, Chan Phei Yong, is of the opinion that fashion is an ever-changing entity. As such, he believes that menswear can and will evolve to suit a need.
He points to how the women themselves are embracing menswear – one example, being suits.
“Back in the days (circa the 1870s), people were judging women who wear suits. But looking at how they style themselves currently, fashion celebrates women who can pull off menswear.”
He says this blurring of lines has helped, where designers are able to explore more and not just restrict themselves to a preconceived notion regarding menswear.
Chan is new to the fashion scene here in Malaysia. He launched his Step8ight label just this year.
His first fashion showcase took place in November, where he collaborated with automotive group Cycle & Carriage.
Titled Project-260, it saw him creating a minimalist streetwear line inspired by cars.
He believes in designing for everyone, regardless of gender. His label has three categories: men, women and unisex.
Asked about the local market, Chan says there is room for growth when it comes to labels like his.
And talking about change, he is banking on the streetwear boom – the current central trend in menswear.
“There is always lots of possibility and vitality that we can explore in terms of ‘uniqueness’ among streetwear,” he stresses.
This is seen all over the world as well.
When the late Virgil Abloh was appointed head of Louis Vuitton menswear collections in 2018, he shifted the rules of luxury fashion by infusing the fashion house with his unique touch of street style.
The same can be said of Kim Jones, who left Louis Vuitton that same year to join Dior as artistic director of menswear.
Jones’ debut collection for Dior saw the inclusion of trainers, as well as other footwear best described as shoe and boot hybrids.
He also complemented the designs with accessories such as caps.
Man-taining a presence
While there are mutterings within the industry of how the menswear scene is becoming lacklustre, there are still highlights indicating that it is growing.
Last year, more fashion houses started including men’s looks as part of their couture collections for the very first time.
Fendi and Valentino showed menswear in their shows, which marked a big change as the world of couture has traditionally been the sole preserve of women.
Established names that are well-loved for their womenswear are trying to woo men as well.
London-based label Erdem unveiled its first menswear collection for the Spring/Summer 2022 season.
“I always felt so much of the world I was creating for women could be applicable to a man. It was just an inevitable thing,” designer Erdem Moralioglu told Women’s Wear Daily at that time.
Read more: 'A turning point': Japanese fashion after Kenzo Takada and Issey Miyake
In September this year, Irish designer Simone Rocha introduced a menswear collection.
“I wanted to work into this beautiful masculinity, and really think about the juxtaposition to everything I’ve done within the last decade with women, and see how that world plays out in the crossover between the two,” she was quoted as saying in an interview by Vogue.
It just goes to show that the menswear market may be niche in relation to womenswear, but it will still have its exciting moments.
As trends change, men’s fashion will continue to grow and adapt – whether in the form of tailored looks, streetwear, couture and more.
Already a subscriber? Log in
Get 20% OFF The Star Digital Access
Cancel anytime. Ad-free. Unlimited access with perks.
