With more men than ever opting for contemporary ladwear over traditional tailoring its no surprise athleisure continues to dominate the runways of the Spring 2017 menswear shows.
The tracksuit was prominent once again, however this time round the two-piece progressed from its athletic roots to a more 80s inspired loungewear aesthetic championed by the likes of Christopher Shannon and Cottweiler. The zip-up tracksuit top was the key mid-layer this season cropped and cut lean with a funnel neck. Colourblocking was heavily featured across the runways, especially on track tops and two-pieces for athleisure.
Hemlines see a drastic rise for SS17, the 80s running inspired short shorts seen over at Topman Design and Gosha Rubchinskiy are a key piece for the season. Overall, silhouettes are more relaxed and free flowing. Sweatshirts feature drop-shoulders and trousers have a straighter relaxed fit.
Fabrication on a whole for menswear SS17 was all about making a statement and this was no different for athleisure. A standout piece in Cottweiler’s collection — transparent Italian linen track pants and for athleisure heavyweight Astrid Andersen — garments accented with sheer lace. Graph and windowpane checks usually associated with Saville Row tailoring emerged in more contemporary collections, the pattern featured in Andersen’s collection on her tracksuits and trousers.
The accessory of choice this season was the cap, seen topping the looks of everyone from Acne Studios and A.P.C. to Balenciaga. For Spring 17 it is important to experiment with texture and colour for this athleisure staple.
*Written by Arslaan Ahmed
