Menswear going mainstream

From scintillating Armani ads to Rag & Bone rock stars strutting down the runway, menswear plays a distinct role in the fashion world. Still, many people don't even realize that there are menswear collections at fashion week, or that Vogue is not just for women (Men's Vogue is just slightly more difficult to find).

But in recent years, menswear has started to grow in popularity. Spring 2010 marked the first standalone menswear line from Phillip Lim, the 2007 winner of the CFDA's Emerging Talent in Womenswear award. It took him some time to build up the reputation to launch a menswear collection, but the designer said it was "time to give props to 50 percent of the population."

Phillip Lim intern and Stern sophomore Jason Tsai said menswear is harder to market to the general public because of its technical focus.

"More goes into construction, fabrics and authenticity, while womenswear has more of an emphasis on creativity," he said.

Not every man on the street will care enough about these details to become a loyal follower of designer collections. But for many in the fashion industry, this is precisely what makes menswear exciting. But even for fashion enthusiasts, the endless suits — no matter how well-made — can fail to bring excitement.

Tisch junior Nicholas Laird sees menswear as "uninspired" and "definitely not as exciting" as womenswear.

"The more imaginative and experimental elements come from womenswear," he said.

But not all menswear is boring. John Galliano's latest menswear collection is extravagance at its best. The spectacle of a show, complete with outrageous head pieces and costume-like clothing, is reminiscent of the Dior womenswear line that Galliano also designs.

Steinhardt senior Ross Iosefson says menswear is something created for men to express themselves.

"I don't think of menswear as formal wear," he said. "I think of it as other types of clothing that you'd wear on a date, to your job or on a daily basis."

So is menswear a predictable collection that cannot compete with womenswear? Or a blossoming form of male expression? Everyone will have their own opinion, but with the recent rise in menswear shows and creativity from pioneers like Galliano, it seems like this undercurrent is going mainstream.

Anna Podkovyrova is a staff writer.