MILAN, Jun 21, 2009 / FW/ — It has to be that famous English sardonic sense of humor. This is the third collection that British-born and Milan-based Neil Barrett has chosen an amusing title – Sartorial Gymnast, which follows Tuxedo Ski and Visconti Punk and with them came an experimental bent that pushed the boundaries for men’s fashion.
As already mentioned, this season, designers are reinventing the trench coat. While other designers proposed one or two silhouettes, Neil Barrett showed several permutations while staying within a very narrow color band of beige and gray.
First, he made the trench coat shorter, to the point that it almost became an extra long jacket. For the double breasted proposals, Neil Barrett added an extra layer, hence making it “triple breasted”???
The collars did not remain sacrosanct either. From the classic collars and wide lapels, Neil Barrett borrowed from the German army and incorporated high collars.
Tunics in black and white paired with trousers with knee patches is reminiscent of ancient gymnasts more than the modern ones as exemplified by Paul Hamm; though it is actually easy to imagine members of the U.S. Olympics team wearing these pieces.
[MARI DAVIS]
