Les Benjamins Spring 2018 Menswear...Fashionweekly..On Fow24news.com

Founder: Bunyamin Aydin,Year established: 2011,Known for: Men's and women's T-shirts and sweatshirts printed with large, humorous images (John Lennon in a fez, for instance)
Stocked at: Saks Fifth Avenue, Assembly New York.Les Benjamins’s Bunyamin Aydin, in town from Istanbul, seems like a pretty cool guy.....

Moments before his Spring presentation began, he stood mellowly in his ornately carpeted bohemian set, eyes calm behind lollipop yellow–lensed Cartier glasses. You get the sense that he’s his own customer, which, as far as this writer is concerned, often makes for pretty compelling output.

Aydin always tries to bring an international focal point to his streetwear concepts, and this season he focused on Australia and New Zealand. He wanted to combine both aboriginal and British influences. Unfortunately, this area was inevitably going to be dicey, considering the colonialist persecutions by the latter of the former, and the still existent sensitivities toward relations. Tribal-inspired face paint, for example, was unnecessary. As were painted visages on tops. This was too overt, and while unintentional, Aydin could’ve gone in a quieter vein to honor his inspiration—which he did, with some otherwise solidly good clothes.

A carpet-like poncho hoodie, which featured interpretations of Aboriginal polka-dot paintings (subtler, more respectful), dynamic leather vests, and a great summery striped series of bajas and shorts all registered.