Men’s High Fashion Report – Corsetry

Editor Note: Today is a two part report on what is going on within the world of men’s high fashion. Now I know these will definitely not appeal to everyone who comes here to read this site, but there are masses of males all across the world who wear avant garde and high fashion garments on a daily basis. If you love fashion as much as I do, then you should still enjoy seeing everything that is happening within it, whether you agree with it or not. We live in a world of narrow minded individuals and I think we should all open our minds to new ideas and styles. Enjoy guys…

So this is an item that’s beginning to trend in the high fashion world, one that I expect you all to start wearing, *ahem* The Male Corset.
Yes that’s right, whale-boned, rib-crushing, corsets. It took women hundreds of years to be relieved from the crippling pain of corsetry only for it to pass over
into men’s fashion. However we’re not talking Mr Pearl severity.
The male corset is a trend that the late Alexander McQueen began to create, and is now slowly taking flight.

The Trend Setters

AW10 saw John Galliano take very feminine, satin corsets and place them over masculine tailored suits, giving a sort of 1950′s bondage effect. However not all male corsetry looks are so reaction provoking, most looks have maintained the corset idea but adapted it for a more feasible look; one which I predict will catch on in high street menswear.
Giuliano Fujiwara placed belts over knitted, girder style corsets. Snug however not exaggeratedly cinched, keeping the outfit masculine and dark.
For A/W 10 Lanvin has teamed belted waists with oversized, knitted cardigans and tees, whilst Damir Doma used the same cinched waist over voluptuous layers, again creating that modern twist on the 40′s and 50′s silhouette:

I spotted this look in a window display last summer, and a few guys at London Fashion Week teamed oversized trenches with wide leather waist belts. I can see this filtering down to the high street, seeing as Topman has already introduced dressing gown style wrap cardigans into their menswear collections.
Raf Simons, created harness-like belts, wrapped around nautical, minimal suits in keeping with the clashing of contradictory eras look. I wear something similar to this style, it is very simple yet effective (in fact, I use leather bracelets to create a mock-harness):

Comme Des Garcons, who normally creates quite theatrical designs, has produced a sort of waistcoat slash life jacket. Keeping the waist band in the same style and colour as the rest of the suit but with the addition of life jacket style, plastic buckles for fastening.

Obviously I don’t really expect you to start crushing your ribs to the point of oxygen deprivation and some will even find this trend absolutely ludicrous. But you can easily see how this may filter down into our favourite high street stores. I think the commercial variation we will see are belted, chunky knit cardigans and coats. Although a modern take on the professional suit would be a nice change, practicality will probably prevent us from wearing a cinched waist in the office all day. A heavy lunch could prove fatal!
I personally wouldn’t mind losing a couple of ribs and a bit of oxygen for one of those John Galliano pieces.