After looking to Africa and India for inspiration for his recent collections, Emanuel Ungaro men’s designer Philippe Paubert turned his eyes east, to the imagery and traditions of Japan.
He played with his register, developing a samurai tiger mascot that featured on one of the most outgoing looks in the collection, a textured poncho with a fringed edge, and mining the martial art of kendo for its rich references.
Kimono silhouettes added newness to the wardrobe, offering alternatives to a traditional tailored jacket — for day in a black-and-white chevron pattern and for evening with an updated take on the tuxedo, a double-buttoned, slightly cropped number in blue-gray velvet.
Wood-block prints informed Paubert’s motifs, on intricately printed shirts, sporty outerwear that melded the pattern with the brand’s logo and on the lining of jackets.
As ever in the Ungaro men’s wardrobe, the focus was on dusted-down tailoring in knit fabrics designed for ease of movement for the man about town. The color palette this season for suiting centered on neutral tones, from ecru to various shades of gray. Pants, whether tailored or cargo-style, were tapered but wider on the hip, while knits were lightweight, working in contrast with a more colorful range of chunky, textured outerwear.
