Green With Envy
Green is prominent in many high fashion collections, with darker shades of olive, bottle, khaki, pine and hunter green proving the most popular with designers.
A colour that is continually underused and underappreciated, many men have found the hue difficult to successfully integrate into their looks in the past.
On The Runways
Key Show : Bottega Veneta
The biggest supporter of the trend was Tomas Maier, whose collection at Bottega Veneta showcased just how wearable the colour really is. The brand sent models down the runway in a variety of green separates – from jackets and knits to trousers and shirts – as well as striking head-to-toe looks.
Almost all of the outfits showcased would translate to the high street/daily wear without any alterations, and even those that leaned towards the more casual end of the spectrum managed to retain a wonderful sense of sophistication.
Perhaps the most surprising aspect of the collection was the sheer amount of green outerwear on show – from forest green knee-length overcoats to moss green synthetic sports jackets, Bottega Veneta applied the colour to nearly every silhouette imaginable.
Giving a timeless design a contemporary twist, a hero piece came in the form of a dark green leather aviator jacket with oversized ribbed waist, cuff and funnel neck detailing. It’s a garment that would slot seamlessly into any contemporary wardrobe and have you standing out from the crowd in a subtle and masculine way.
Bottega Veneta’s use of green was not only reserved to outerwear, however. Other highlights included several pairs of khaki trousers (in both cuffed and tailored formats); olive green knitwear complemented by mustard yellow and cream tonal details; fine gauge forest green roll necks; green corduroy trousers (one of our essential cold-weather fabric choices); and sumptuous green fur scarves (tying in with this season’s big faux fur trend).
The brand went on to show a selection of beautiful forest green suits, which came in both single- and double-breasted cuts complete with shawl or peak lapels. These were combined with shirts in similar tones and green ribbed beanie hats, then finished with complementary brown leather accessories:
Green Outerwear
Other designers that made a case for green outerwear included Gieves & Hawkes, who paired a green tweed overcoat with green corduroy trousers; Richard James, with his khaki military-style jacket complete with patch pockets and epaulettes; and Dior Homme, which featured a selection of traditional olive green fur-hooded parkas and safari jackets.
It’s great to see menswear taking a step away from the safety of navy, grey and black when it comes to outerwear, where we can see green options becoming a huge success this season:
Green Tailoring
At the smarter end of the spectrum, the showcases from Lanvin, Canali and Jil Sander proved that green can be applied to tailoring to create sophisticated evening looks.
Lanvin paired a jade green two-piece suit with bright blue hi-top trainers for contemporary juxtaposition, while Canali combined a luxurious deep green double-breasted velvet blazer with pale green slim-fit trousers and a mustard yellow shirt.
Jil Sander, on the other hand, opted for classic dark blue suiting, which was teamed with opulent deep green jumpers and roll necks for a more traditional approach.
Similarly, on the subject of roll necks, designers such as Versace and Costume National featured both chunky and fine gauge versions within their collections in multiple shades of green:
Military/Camouflage Influences
Military influences and camouflage prints are continuing to make a big impact in menswear – and both of these Autumn/Winter trends offer men the perfect opportunity to go green.
Calvin Klein’s showcase was clearly inspired by the armed forces, with thick, military-style overcoats and shades of army green prominent throughout. Elsewhere, Kolor followed suit with a military-style jacket complete with multi-pockets.
Valentino were one of the biggest proponents of camouflage print, which came in varying tones and was applied to a variety of pieces, including a two-piece single-breasted suit that added a modern, dressed-down feel to a traditionally formal item.
Valentino went on to show a camo coat with contrast brown corduroy collar, demonstrating that the motif is one that can also be successfully utilised on outerwear. By keeping the palette muted and restrained, the effect is understated and the pattern doesn’t appear overbearing or tacky:
Fashion Press & Popular Culture
It appears that the fear of green within menswear has now abated, with many industry publications backing the trend for Autumn/Winter. British GQ were one prominent advocate, describing green as “a shade that’s ludicrously easy to wear, no matter your style”. The magazine went on to state that although it loved the head-to-toe tailored looks that featured in many designer collections, the easiest way to pull off the trend is to wear one stand-out green item and combine it with more subtle, complementary shades.
Similarly, Details recently ran a feature entitled ‘Don’t buy anything for Fall until you have seen this list’, where green came second and was described as the go-to shade for Autumn/Winter. Key looks included within the editorial were taken from the runways of Lanvin, Marc Jacobs and, of course, Bottega Veneta.
Finally, an oldie but a goodie: Esquire ran a feature way back in 2012 following the success of the film Crazy Stupid Love, starring Ryan Gosling. For a change, the highlight of the piece wasn’t Gosling’s abs, but the green tailoring his character wore.
That bottle green suit went on to become iconic within the menswear community, with style-conscious gents across the world clamouring to get their hands on something similar. The bad news? It was a custom-made version designed specifically for the film:
Clearly feeling the look, Gosling has since been spotted in green tailoring at numerous promotional events, seemingly starting a trend – Robert Pattinson, Bruce Willis and Bradley Cooper have all chosen to wear green suits for recent premieres and photo shoots:
Modern Lookbook Inspiration
Key Pieces
Final Thoughts
Green is certainly making its impact felt and that can only be a good thing. I am particularly pleased to see the hue being applied to outerwear and tailoring, as these are areas where classic shades of black, grey and blue traditionally dominate.
For the brave out there, head-to-toe green is an ambitious choice that can work extremely well if worn correctly : remember to vary your tones and textures in order to create a differential between pieces.
Yet the majority are more likely to introduce green separates to their wardrobe, combining them with neutrals and other earthy tones to anchor. Deeper, darker shades of green work particularly well when contrasted with black for a military-inspired approach, or brown, grey and navy for a more subtle, timeless aesthetic.
So, are you happy to go green this season? Or does the thought of welcoming this shade into your Autumn/Winter wardrobe fill you with dread?
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