Engineered Garments Fall 2018 Menswear.....Fashionweekly...On Fow24news.com

Following his color-rich, if eye-scrambling, nod to Jamaican culture and Rasta spirit last season, Daiki Suzuki took a trip through his own heritage for Fall.....
Not so much for nostalgia’s sake, just a look back to move forward. Like so many designers of late, he felt compelled to return to his roots in search of those qualities that are quintessentially, in-arguably Engineered Garments. In other words, traits that can’t be faked. The refocus comes as the company finally outgrew its Garment District space and set up roomy new digs in Long Island City, joining forces with its main factory along the way.

Suzuki is nothing if not loyal to his factories and mills. Specifically, Woolrich Woolen Mills, the oldest maker of outdoor apparel in the U.S., with which he has been working for 15-plus years. Woolrich produced the bulk of the homespun wool, flannel, canvas, and corduroy in the latest offering. It was, however, its buffalo plaid—in blinding red and black, inspired by Mark Rothko and Barbara Kruger, among other art-world greats—that packed EG’s now-expected punch. Suzuki scaled it up to outlandish, abstract proportions before unleashing it all over suits, balloon pants, blanket capes, butcher’s aprons, and chaps buttoned at the sides.

But those twisted tartans were just the beginning of an exhaustive collection that also saw tweaked Western shirts, corduroy moto pants, multi-check knit vests and blazers, faux fur lining (it’s always faux at this label), and the return of an erstwhile unexplained loop detail between the front pockets of a jacket—turns out it’s for birders to hold their binoculars. Much of it was topped with a snappy new cape and anorak collaboration with British brand Barbour. Suzuki also showed his tailoring prowess with several items constructed from one piece of fabric, their seams reduced to darts. As for shoes, they came as loafers, lace-ups, work boots, and another collab with Dr. Martens, this time with red thread. Finally, it must be noted, there is now a women’s collection, essentially a softened, less burly version of men’s but every bit as outlandish and outdoorsy.