It's not every day the phrase "Two families, Von Trapps and the Manson family" is thrown around as a major influence for a fashion collection. In fact, I can't remember a more unusual description being used for men's or women's wear, ever. But there it was on the sheets for the Boyswear Spring 2016 collection, which debuted at New York Fashion Week Men's earlier today.
As the description suggested, psychedelic prints met dirndls for a gender-fluid impact that seemed just as likely to appeal to female fashion fans as it did to males. Although, challenging for sure, especially to the more low key or even conservative among us, there was something appealing about the utter creativity of it all, something that has been long missing from American menswear.
Will it sell out the doors in every store from Bergdorf to Macy's across the USA? Not likely. But I do expect, come Spring we will be seeing at least a few brave fashion souls wearing these pieces, and getting mobbed by street-style photographers in Manhattan, Los Angeles, and everywhere that favors counter-culture fashion in between.
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All images: S. Whittle for Style Wylde