COLOR IN MEN’S FASHION: A TOUCH OF STYLE FOR MEN

At Morel, the design and development process begins by investigating future trends in fashion and graphic design. That is the work of our graphic artists, designers, and color designers. They have devoted a great deal of thought to the issue of masculinity in a world where social standing is in constant flux.

With these ideas in mind, along with their wide-ranging knowledge of fashion and design, they have made these predictions for men’s fashion at the start of the next decade.

THE HALF & HALF STYLE: NO NEED TO CHOOSE

The Half & Half style is marked by the use of different patterns and materials with vertical asymmetry. Put simply, a dress shirt might have a blue check pattern on one side and red stripes on the other.
This style has been featured by Eddy de Pretto, the French singer-songwriter who made a big splash in 2017. His music resembles his clothing style: an undefinable, avant-garde blend of genres.

The Half & Half style is just the right fit for a new wave in which men take a playful approach to conventions and genres.

Eddy de Pretto – Instagram
 

Those who dare to give it a try do so for a simple reason: a passion for personalization. Fashion, as we have traditionally understood it, is dying out. These days, fashion and trends are merely inspirations in our own search for self.

Men’s fashion is closely related to men’s status. Traditionally, men’s status in society required the display of a certain stability and gravity. That was and remains an influence on the types of clothing worn by men.
“Masculine” colors were restricted to varying shades of a few understated colors, while women’s wear has come in a wider range of more vibrant colors.

Today, we are witnessing a liberation when it comes to the definition and representations of masculinity.

BORROWING COLOR FROM WOMEN

At the same time, menswear can’t reinvent everything from scratch. And after all, as Charles Caleb Colton famously stated, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. In this case, the imitation (or inspiration) comes from women’s fashion. Some men, drawing inspiration from a culture that values transformation, are beginning to wear makeup. They remain a minority, but wear bold colors.

Color blocking is a style featuring contrasting blocks of color. It involves the use of multiple pieces of bold, solid color, as you can see here:

Numéro – défilé Louis Vuitton

TRADITIONAL SHADES, MAKING NOVELTY SEEM FAMILIAR

However, upcoming trends for men do not represent such a drastic change as to be unrecognizable. The Half & Half and Color Block trends aren’t a rejection of the past; quite the opposite!

These new styles require a foundation within which to develop, and the muted, faded colors common in men’s wardrobes are not going anywhere.

The choice of highly unusual colors and shapes needs to be complemented by more traditional elements. First of all, it’s essential to create contrast. A yellow sweater will shine even brighter if it is worn under a khaki jacket – and that khaki also serves to lend coherence to the look.

Madame Figaro – défilé Hermès printemps été 2019

As definitions of masculinity grow more diverse, the range of “masculine” clothing also expands.

Just one question is left to be answered, then: Which version of today’s man do you want to be?