The Lab Processed-Jacket

The heights for menswear are never going to be as ambitious nor is the range going to be as diverse as for womenswear.  That is just a fact, but that is no bad thing.  Especially when you concentrate on a component of menswear that is basically an essential and really push the boundaries of that item.  I cite Topshop’s White Shirt project as a good example.  So moving on from that, what of the suit jacket?  My boyfriend’s suit from Reiss was his post-uni buy to get him through those first job interviews and so associations of drudgery and duty can be binded to a suit.  But play with the suit jacket in its structure and detailing and you get something, not appropriate for the office but way more fun to wear outside of work.  Kyuin Antonio Chae’s new menswear label Mammiferes de luxe presents his collection of ‘Men’s Researched Jackets’ for SS08.  Hailing from Korea, he is now based in Paris and has previously assisted at the John Galliano and Dior studios.   

The name of the collection makes me think that Chae has analysed the jacket and its anatomy and has gone about, extending pockets, warping seams and adding volume, which is exactly what he has done.  As per what fine tailoring demands, nothing of course is random and it is all a ‘researched’ and calculated effort.  Who wants a bog-standard suit jacket when you can have the outcome of a jacket experiment?