Fashion no longer relevant to 'regular' man's wardrobe

Global men's fashion weeks have come to an end, and those following the sartorial trajectory of London, Florence, Milan and Paris will have an overwhelming sense of relief.

It was an impactful season filled with anticipation, new debuts, and a hunger for meaning of what fashion means in an industry often dislodged from its surroundings.

From Balenciaga to Brexit, it was a stormy season

From Balenciaga to Brexit, the highs and lows of the men's shows were at best like a boat manoeuvring stormy seas with winds blowing in every direction. This was a season where plain sailing was neither an option nor the end goal. Designers preferred to shock, to question, to over-analyse and over-design, rather than provide half of the world's population with wardrobe options that could seamlessly translate into their every day lives.

Catwalk fashion, as much in menswear now as it is in womenswear, is about presenting a utopia. It is to inspire, to entertain and to challenge those who consume fashion. It is a chance for a designer or brand to make statements, raise the bar and transport our imaginations to where it has not been before. Alexander McQueen had this ability, as did Yves Saint Laurent. It must also inspire us enough to purchase its clothing, or buy into the brand via accessories or perfume.

There should always be a place for conceptional fashion

There is a place for conceptual fashion and aspirational idealism but this season it appears to have been swept away by the quixotic and a revering of far-fetched visionaries. The catwalk fashion we just witnessed bears resemblance to an alternate reality where mere mortals are meant to express themselves via only the boldest of fashion statements, like Balenciaga's Uncle Fester inspired silhouettes or Gucci's effeminate propositions, that will have the average man running far away to wherever the tectonic plates of fashion are not shifting quite so seismically.

And this is no bad thing, because the spring summer 2017 men's catwalk collections will hopefully only be a tiny drop of what will be available in showrooms to buyers and ultimately be even further diluted when it hits the shop floor, the commercial end of the fashion spectrum.

The currency of designers that are challenging fashion are always revered the most. Even if their propositions are some of the most provocative and difficult silhouettes to buy into. Certainly there was no lack of shock value or showmanship, nor of craftsmanship or vision. But the end result, the actual garments, are tricky at best.

Rarely does an editor whisper a collection is 'tricky'

Editors and publications have nigh on unanimously lauded both Gucci and Balenciaga collections, but it pays to remember that Kering, the parent company of its brands, holds a powerful influence over the industry. And it is so that there is but a rare word written that may allude to any of its collections being tricky or uncommercial.

Gucci hired creative director Alessandro Michele to give the brand a modern identity, which can't be denied by even the staunchest of critics, and Balenciaga is aiming to chart a similar growth path under new creative leadership from Demna Gvasalia. Will these designers still be heading these houses when their contracts expire in three years? Only time will tell.

It will only be when consumers stop buying into a brand that its board members will start taking notice. Of course any company will have a strategy that extends far beyond the catwalk, with fashion making but a tiny profit in comparison to a house's other product categories. But even so, the fashion this season will have most men running in the opposite direction.

Images: Gucci website, Balenciaga Facebook page