The latest offering from Michael and Nicole Colovos, who've designed Helmut Lang since its 2006 relaunch, was more along the lines of avant-garde collections like Julius (of Tokyo) or Rick Owens (of Paris) than most of what's shown on New York runways. While others seem fixated on a gauzy ideal of the American manhood (or perhaps boyhood), the Colovoses cloak their guy in gauzy jersey knits. And dropped-crotch, pegged-leg trousers. And chunky boots. "It's about seasonless dressing", said Michael backstage. "In the winter you wear three tees instead of one". So the collection was a series of single pieces. Highlights included garment-dyed button-fronts, hand-burnished leathers with asymmetrical seams, and raw-edged sweaters with a worn-in feel. Colovos insists this version of Helmut Lang would be just as at home uptown or down, though it felt more downtown to me, and served as a welcome complement to the Americana-heavy propositions shown elsewhere. "There's been a preppy kinda country look that's been big on the runway", Colovos said backstage, "and this is definitely not preppy. It's a classic timeless wardrobe for the guy who doesn't wear Top-Siders". It's enough to make one reconsider his Fall footwear strategy.
