Perry Ellis is Distinctively AMERICA
New York Fashion Week is of to a running start with New York Men’s Day. This season’s presentations and showcase were in held in the Hudson Yards district. The anchor collection was Perry Ellis AMERICA a brand with a rich history associated with American fashion and the ongoing mythologies and evolving sensibilities of diverse campus style. The singularity of what was called ‘Ivy Style’ is long gone however, the memory and fashion heritage of what entails tradition is the skeletal foundation for a distinctive all American look.
For Fall 2022 Vice President of Design Thomas Harvey who has been with the brand since 2021 is the creative lead for the relaunch of the Perry Ellis AMERICA label, founded in 1984. The label is a complement to the Perry Ellis Collection, known for tailored and more formal looks. With an eye toward the future and the practical reality of retail sales the price point has settled and found a friendlier reach with a wide assortment of clothes and fashion accessories.
The relaxed exhale of Harvey’s collection is reflective of a collective exhale of getting back to business without a drastic gear shift from pandemic comfort and hibernation. The collection was inspired by American landscapes. The pieces are highly amicable and even socially motivating. The silhouettes recall of fall/winter group activities such as late season sailing in bold stripped cable knits and medium weight patch pocket jackets to varsity jacket looks ideal for preppy tailgating gatherings and pufffer-jackets for cold quad days and filled stadium events. The layers of looks were in a wide range of silhouettes, emblazoned with the AMERICA logo. A strong statement carried thru in an unwavering presence of brand heritage and a modern mix of textiles and textures.
Khaki, stripe old west railroad fabrication, hearty denim, nylon and performance fabrication were all placed sides by side lending the collection a certain sense of Interchangeable items creating style that has diversity and possibilities.
Cardigans and rugby shirts, drawstring trouser, bucket hats added a bit early fall golf as well. The styling for this collection was done by Jim Moore a well known name in men’s fashion as editor, author and creative director. The message that the brand is back was clear as well as the the accessibility of the clothing. Its a very interesting twist the UK born and educated Harvey of Kingston University in London is making a strong well presented American statement beautifully.
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Patrick Michael Hughes is a fashion and decorative arts historian. He writes about fashion culture past and present making connections to New York, London and Copenhagen's fashion weeks with an eye toward men's fashion. He joined IRK Magazine as a fashion men's editor during winter of 2017.
He is often cited as a historical source for numerous pieces appearing in the Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, CNN, LVMH, Conde Nast, Highsnobiety and others. His fashion career includes years as a fashion reporter/producer of branded content for the New York local news in the hyper digital sector. Patrick's love of travel and terrain enabled him to becoming an experienced cross-country equestrian intensively riding in a number of locations in South America Scandinavia,The United Kingdom and Germany. However, he is not currently riding, but rather speaking internationally to designers, product development teams, marketing teams and ascending designers in the US, Europe and China.
Following his BA in the History of Art from Manhattanville College in Purchase, New York he later completed graduate studios in exhibition design in New York. it was with the nudge and a conversation in regard to a design assignment interviewing Richard Martin curator of the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art he was encouraged to consider shifting his focus to the decorative arts with a concentration in fashion history and curation.
Patrick completed graduate studies 17th and 18th century French Royal interiors and decoration and 18th century French fashion culture at Musée Les Arts Decoratifs-Musée de Louvre in Paris. Upon his return to New York along with other classes and independent studies in American fashion he earned his MA in the History of Decorative Arts and Design from the Parsons/Cooper Hewitt Design Museum program in New York. His final specialist focus was in 19th century English fashion and interiors with distinction in 20th century American fashion history and design.
Currently, he is an Associate Teaching Professor at Parsons School of Design leading fashion history lecture-studios within the School of Art and Design History and Theory,
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