The "Best of..." London, Milan & Paris Fall/Winter 2013

With award season kicking off in Hollywood and with London, Milan and Paris fashion weeks just concluding, we thought it quite fun to nominate the label's below in six categories: outerwear, footwear, accessories, eveningwear, casual and weekend-wear and finally, overall style.

Outerwear can vary widely from season to season and city to city but Fall/Winter 2013 offered a return to the greatcoat, evidenced by Louis Vuitton's cashmere and mink coat while Boris Bidjan Saberi's futuristic take on the greatcoat is quite fetching. More casual styles from Saint Laurent, Emporio Armani and Matthew Miller had a youthful feel. Gustavo Lins gave us a new take on the classic trench by softening the tailoring.


There was a shoe for everyone this season. Prada's stunning mod collection offered strong traction and a statement sole while Givenchy's steel detail helped accentuate the hard and masculine overtones of the collection. Bottega Veneta's footwear offered exotic skins paired with calfskin while Raf Simons teamed up with Adidas to create sharp sneakers. Belgian designer Ann Demeulemeester aims for a high combat boot that's hard edged and endlessly chic.

Accessories, or more accurately: bags and leather goods, are the driving force of most luxury houses. Their high price tags mixed with their ability to go with virtually any outfit make them the perfect luxury gift to a loved one or one's self. Bags from Gucci and Jil Sander offered rich texture while a utilitarian bag from Dior Homme would suit any business or weekend traveler. Valentino's mixed media bag was sumptuous while Louis Vuitton's truck backpack was kitschy and fun. The French house also teamed up with milliner Stephen Jones for a series of caps.

What would any men's show be without suits? For eveningwear, there were plenty of options from the tradition like Giorgio Armani and Bottega Veneta to dandier options like Valentino and Hardy Amies. Dior Homme's belted suit had a futuristic feel while Givenchy's had a similar reference but felt more dystopian and severe.


Casual weekend looks are key to a balanced wardrobe and the six below are some of the best. DSquared2's mix of fabrics and pattern add a jolt of excitement to the wearer while a simpler look from Wooyoungmi is equally chic. Dries Van Noten's eclectic use of fabric and patterns added a bit of whimsy and is perfect for an independent thinker. Viktor & Rolf's professorial look plays on tone while Tillmann Lauterbach's very sporty look is perfect for running errands. Smalto's man travels on the weekends and supplies a plethora of options for the weekend traveler.


One's wardrobe might be fabulous, chic and expensive but if one doesn't know how to style them to create cohesive and interesting outfits then the outfit is incomplete. Saint Laurent's new rocker style is perfectly in line with its famous designer while Neil Barrett's utilitarian styling was perfectly executed and acute. Valentino's exceptional collection translated so well in part because of the wonderful styling that melded geek with chic. DSquared2's debonair man is soulful and isn't afraid of showing off his swag. As a counterpoint, Wooyoungmi's stark and minimal style was understated luxury at its best.