January 18, 2006

After his fall presentation, Alessandro Dell'Acqua defined what he'd just shown as "Patti Smith and masculine." The former was definitely on the soundtrack but quite how she related to what we'd seen was less clear. "Masculine," on the other hand, was obvious in the monochrome palette (shirts and ties in the same color), the nylon blousons that made the models look like motorcycle cops, and the military flourishes, which ranged from the air-force gray of one bomber jacket and the army-green of another (this one quilted) to a navy sweater that buttoned at the shoulder. Still another jacket, in gunmetal gray this time, echoed the discipline of the military academy.

Dell'Acqua defined the body with his close-cut shearling and a trim brown leather blouson. But he allowed a little luxury into his pared-down proposition with jeans that were treated to shine, a topcoat trimmed in black satin, and a single-buttoned, shawl-collared tux. And the shoes throughout were a sleek, dandified black patent. But what's enduringly odd about Dell'Acqua is the way in which the women's clothing he shows alongside his men's collection is fleshily sensual, while the clothes he makes for guys are so cool and detached, they're practically arctic. Come to think of it, perhaps that's why he cited the aloof Ms. Smith as his menswear muse.

— Tim Blanks