360-degree dressing: how men's fashion has gone back to front.

Tate Modern’s Alexander Calder retrospective is compulsory viewing for any man thinking about what to wear in 2016. Clothes designed to be viewed from all angles are increasingly popular, bringing the 360 degree principle of the sculptor’s work out of the gallery and into men’s wardrobes.
There is a noticeable uptake of this idea on the menswear catwalk for spring, meaning those sitting in the front row at shows had to pay attention to models walking both away and toward them. Kim Jones’ designs for Louis Vuitton went heavy on the so-called souvenir jacket, with embroidery on the back of satin (Zayn Malik wore one in the front row). Marc Jacobs and Loewe were other brands to push similar ideas, while others ranging from Sacai to Haider Ackermann made sure back and front views were equally interesting.

Damien Paul, Head of Menswear at matchesfashion.com, says this is “one of the strongest looks we saw coming from the shows” and believes the sartorial in-joke of making the back of the garment the main event is something that will appeal to men. “Having all that detail on the reverse just feels less attention-grabbing than wearing an all-over print,” he says. “There’s something pleasing about knowing people will only notice it when you’re walking away from them.”
By Walid , a small London label, is Paul’s tip for this look, a “real cult brand amongst our customers.” Created by Walid al-Damirji in 2010, the designer uses embroidered vintage kimonos to make one-of-a-kind bombers and hoody shapes. He says the dragons and florals are the most popular, and agrees with Paul about the novelty of prioritising the back. “The appeal might come because men generally eschew ostentation and this will make them less self-conscious,” he says. At the same time, they have a “form of seduction and ‘come hither’” quality that a plain sweatshirt, say, is lacking.

If al-Damirji’s jackers retail for four figures, this is a trend that works at the affordable end of the market too with the popularity of what is commonly known as the back print. T-shirts with a small logo on the chest and a much larger one covering the back were originally part of surf and skate culture , but they have reached the mainstream as the influence of these two subcultures has increased. As well as classic labels of the genre such as Stüssy and Ocean Pacific, brands like British skate label Palace and Off-White, by Kanye West collaborator Virgil Abloh, have brought it to the attention of a new generation, and added backprints to hoodies and outerwear. The likes of Justin Bieber, Kanye West and A$AP Rocky regularly wear them.
This, of course, directly correlates to what non-famous young men wear – these celebrities have huge influence on trends. John Mooney, the menswear design director at Asos, has seen the increase in popularity of these prints in the last six months, and the site has more styles coming for spring.
“A$AP, Virgil Abloh and Justin Bieber are all pushing the trend,” he says, adding that it is part of the influence on streetwear on wider menswear now. The back print provides the latest spin. “Creating a nice balance is the garment’s aesthetic,” he says. “It’s a nice way to blend motif with typography and print.”

By: Lauren Cochrane. 


Review: Emerging Market Formulations & Research Unit, Flagship Records.
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