Dandy The new male-style frontier winks its eye at the tradition

Published by Lady Fur - May 3, 2012 at 3:27 am

The “new dandies” conquer the runway of the world and it’s just a trend!

“In any case, Andrea’s connection with the Duchess of Scerni had instantly raised him enormously in the estimation of the women. An atmosphere of favour surrounded him, and his successes became astonishing”,these were the words used by Gabriele D’Annunzio to describe Andrea Sperelli, the young Roman count who is the main character of his perturbing novel, The Pleasure. And in Italy Andrea has become the symbol and the emblem of that movement that, born in London at the end of the XIXth century, quickly spread over the whole Europe: the dandyism. Obsessed by the beauty and the elegance but also by the art and the manners, the dandies searched for the perfection in the dress sense, longed for an originality able to make them different from the bourgeois crowd. Oscar Wilde, Charles Baudelaire, Franz Liszt were notable examples of that and they became themselves the incarnation of a trend that has today come back to make people speak about it, by standing out on the runways all over the world. From Milan to Paris, from London to New York, the dandy-style fascinates and conquers by becoming apparent as the actual current trend. Inflected according to either a modern or nostalgically retro key, either extreme and futuristic or classic and formal, it dresses the new millennium beaux. And they are the actual protagonists. Young and passionate, they move with nonchalance in the streets of the city. They are luxury travellers, irreverent intellectuals, incurable viveurs.

Of a clearly Victorian inspiration, the articles of clothing created by Sarah Burton for Alexander Mcqueen make a smoky old fashioned London dream. Many are the prints: Prince-of-Wales, pied de poule, flowers, pinstripes. Precious are the materials: shearling, leather, jacquard. Oversize casual shawl alternates with sartorial coats with essential lines. For the evening, the dresses becomes quintessence of an ancient and timeless elegance. In the daytime, the military details and the vaguely equestrian accessorizes give character to strongly contemporary mise. As for the shoes, the chealsea boots are unfailing – as in the most classical of the traditions – and the same is for the ultra-glamour slippers.

The art of simulation and transformation, on the other hand, represents the mood of Acne. And this is the way how the fashion house bring on the runway the dandy-grunge: creative and feisty, unsatisfied but determined. They wear the classical items of the masculine wardrobe. Parkas, blazers, bikers and the fabrics, what a surprise!!! The nylon and the faux leather, the pile and the faux fur. It’s the redemption of the synthetic materials that in the expert hands of the stylists assume new shapes which are dynamic and original. Black, iridescent red, electric blue : these are the chosen colors. And again, for the footwear, boots and moccasin. What cannot be renounced? The maxi hand bags.

Alber Elbaz and Lucas Ossendrijver play with the contrasts for Lanvin. The tradition combines with modern elements that join together by giving birth to a show which makes people breathless. Their dandies wear classic, formal clothes but they do not renounce the XXIst century comforts. The leather hats with peaks well combine with the splendid trench in cachemire. The soft woolen trousers make the dark down jackets more complete. Contrasts also for the colors. Black and orange, charcoal and brick-red. To adorn the look, the leather gloves and the briefcase. Is it the new frontier of the urban-style?

He’s a globetrotter gentleman, romantic and fascinating, that one introduced by Yohji Yamamoto. Confortable and essential items (such as the oversize cardigans) for a traveller who loves the vogue but, at the same time, looks for a perfect personal style in the irregular shapes. And then, the sartorial heritage jackets are replaced by the long draped mantles. The ties come back, in the strongest shades.

Sneakers and wide-brimmed hats give impetus and energy to a collection which brings on the runway the geniality of the Japanese designer.

Smoking jackets in silk and coats in alpaca characterize the wardrobe of the Viktor & Rolf’s Giovin Signore. Fine scarfs in cachemire make the alpaca coats more precious. The slippers are edged with shearling wool. The hot colors are preferred. Camel, green, bordeaux, brown. A quirk: the I Pad cover.

And then, Missoni, Hardy Amies, Hermes. They all have found some incentives in that one who is rightly considered as the father of the British vogue. The flight of the new dandies is just ready to invade our towns, maybe it has already done it. They are beautiful and mysterious. Cultured and storytelling. Lovers of the luxury and ready to take a heavy toll among the women who remain captivated irreparably: “…by combining the sex appleal of their voices with a subtle, penetrating gaze. That indefinable gaze who seemed to make the women undressed, to look at them in a state of nature through their clothes, to touch their living flash”.

Luca Imbimbo

Yoji Yamamoto 

Victor & Rolf 

Dior 

 Victor & Rolf