Michael Maccari’s first Perry Ellis collection was inspired by the city (architectural grids and linear elements) along with the work of artist Sean Scully and his repetitive stripe sequences and bold color; shown in the fitted suits and printed sweaters and sweatshirts that walked down the runway.
Unexpected and bold fabrics, playful patterns in active silhouettes and a lot of layers portray the Perry Ellis man for the spring of 2015. I was greatly surprised by the dynamism and modern feeling of the garments. The fact that Maccari also introduced “utility bags” in different shapes and colors proves he’s not afraid of pushing the brand to new boundaries.
“The key to casual elegance is layering”
My favorite pieces were, of course, the printed suits and the reflective cropped parkas, I mean, how ingenious is that? Would you imagine my imaginary boyfriend and I sporting those wandering around the New York City streets? #socute
Anyway, back to the point. Before Michael Maccari showed his first collection last Thursday at The Waterfront (which, by the way, looked incredibly SHARP) I had the opportunity to sit down with him to learn more about his vision for the brand:
What do you think is the most significant change Perry Ellis experienced since the last time we saw a runway show, three years ago? I have a strong connection with the brand; when I was a lot younger a family friend had worked alongside Perry, she was the head of merchandising. She used to come back with stories of fabric development and trips to Europe, etc.… She kind of opened my eyes to the idea not only to the brand but also of menswear design; therefore, it has a very special place to me. I think I tried to get inside the head of the designer from way back when, and I feel I truly understand the DNA of the brand.
Who is the Perry Ellis man today? What are his qualities? He is an active guy, busy and fit. But there’s also a versatility to him. We don’t want to alienate anyone, and I think we do offer such a wide range of variety and we’re trying to expand on that even further by offering more outerwear and more layering pieces. The key to casual elegance is layering.
Describe the collection in three words. Linear, graphic and elegant.
What would be an essential piece from the collection every guy should have next summer? The nip blazer.
What do you like the most about this collection? Did you accomplish everything you wanted? I believe so, the minute I walked in the door I was thinking of this collection, and I had a visual in my head of what it could look like, every step of the way with the support of the team and the company I think we really got there.
What’s your life philosophy? Believe in what you do and really enjoy it, and great things will happen.
What’s the best fashion advice you can give to a young man? It’s about figuring out your personal style and sticking to those parameters (not that you shouldn’t try things), but I believe it’s about layering in a versatile way, so you have the pieces to work with.
What can we expect from Perry Ellis in the future? More of the same you see here. Moving the brand forward and taking it back to its DNA, although not in a nostalgic way.
Photos Gerardo Vizamanos for iammanchic.com
Jorge Gallegos
Not just a pretty face
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