Menswear buyer’s guide for the FW24 season

Writing for FashionUnited recently, VP of menswear at Fashion Snoops, Michael Fisher declared “Viral clothes have become passé. Long live wearable clothes!” Looking forward to the upcoming fw24 season, Fisher predicted that buyers should be looking for, “Simply perfect basics put a focus on design longevity and elevated staples that are evergreen to their core.”

If we review recent runway seasons, this sentiment does seem to ring true. The influence of the ‘quiet luxury’ trend and the appeal of ‘stealth wealth’, as seen on the mega-hit show, ‘Succession,’ culminated in a move away from fast fashion and a growing interest in sustainability that has created a perfect storm in the marketplace. When it comes to color, ‘Latte dressing,’ (substituting brown for black), is trending strongly for next fall. Prints tend to be classic also, including camouflage in traditional colors. Here is our pick for the most important, commercially-viable styles for buyers to look for during the fw24 menswear runway season.

Tailored Suits

Oversized suit jackets are giving way to styles with narrower shoulders, nipped-in waists and peak lapels. A variety of pinstripes, tweed and textured wool fabrics plus plaid, continue to be popular.

Wool Overcoats

Classic wool overcoats, (mohair, cashmere and gabardine), in both single and double-breasted styles, get longer. In terms of color, grey and brown substitute for black.

Shearling Jackets

There are few garments considered more classic and with enduring appeal than a shearling jacket. They work well with tee-shirts, knit polos, jeans and even leather pants.

Relaxed Pants

Look for pleated-front, relaxed fit pants that are slightly too long and in tailored fabrics for fall. They can be merchandised with sweaters, casual jackets, ‘shackets’ and windbreakers.

Camouflage prints and patterns

Civilians started wearing camouflage prints during the Vietnam War as an ironic counterculture statement. With major wars in Europe and the Middle East featured in the news every day it’s no surprise that camouflage has crept into the public consciousness. It’s a versatile print for a wide range of products including outerwear, bottoms and sweaters

Sweater Vest

Unpredictable weather means that layering pieces like sweater vests become key items for fw24. Look for ones with textured surface interest such as cable knit.