Spring 2011 Men's Quickies: Buckler, Mik Cire & Perry Ellis

Buckler
If you are a guy and you want to look good, I'd suggest heading straight to Buckler. Seriously, these are some of the coolest clothes for dudes, and that's why I keep going to Andrew Buckler's show, in spite of the fact that I don't really cover menswear at Cheryl Shops. For spring, Buckler was inspired by Bauhaus and the 1924 Olympics, which translated into slim cropped pants, sleeveless trench coats, and some lightly textured knits. I have a feeling the harem pants and underwear-as-outerwear long-john pants won't catch on, but for guys who complain about summer heat, there were quite a few good-looking pairs of shorts, perfectly cut to be not too baggy, not too skinny.

Mik Cire Eric Kim
Ok, I just realized that Mik Cire is Eric Kim backwards. Anyway, Eric Kim is another men's designer that I've followed for a few seasons now--he used to design Monarchy, a Los Angeles label that has since devolved into a Jersey Shore aesthetic. Mik Cire is far more sophisticated, with layering-friendly tees, jackets, and lightweight sweaters in a chiefly neutral palette--I picture hot young actors wearing these clothes to auditions. The superslim leather jackets deserve a special callout, although I was particulary taken with the slim cargo pants and actually cool-looking plaid shorts (pictured here) as well. And, it should be noted, a completely random mix of celebs were in the front row: Alan Cumming, Shannon Elizabeth, Perry Farrell, and Mr. & Ms. Jay from America's Next Top Model.

Perry Ellis
The first thing I noticed at the Perry Ellis show was that the male models walked at such a breakneck speed, they were nearly running down the runway. The second was that the models were much beefier and, well, American-looking than in the other men's events, which is fitting, because Perry Ellis is definitely an all-American kind of label. For spring 2011, the Perry Ellis guy will be wearing bright orange and peach mixed with powder blue, although the wardrobe staples like trench coats and blazers came in a more understated series of khaki, navy, and black. The rows of retail executives seated directly across from me had huge grins throughout the show, which means the line will sell. Now, back to those models--the reward for sitting through 45 looks (which, however, did move at a good clip) was the final run-through, in which they changed into swim trunks, many without shirts. Good news: the six-pack is alive and well. Also, bonus points for the music, a very indie mix of The Drums, Beach House, and Best Coast.