Utility jackets: S/S 15 men's commercial update

By Ben Perdue, WGSN, 02 April 2014

Premium Americana updates, sharpened-up outdoors influences and uniform styling are the important
stories across this functional outerwear category.
WGSN ANALYSIS

"Four-pocket fieldjacket styling is having

a huge influence on
functional pieces, from
authentic-feeling
outdoors jackets to
smarter motorbike
jacket-inspired shapes
that are perfect for
smart-caual styling,
and even workwear
blazers are being
updated with this
strong military detailing
trend."
"Suede is the
important premium
update here in terms
of fabrics, bringing a
high-end level to
classic hard-wearing
Americana items such
as the reworked denim
rider jacket."
"While colour remains
functional throughout,
with an emphasis on
military greens and
blues, brighter
statement shades are
also coming through
with an unexpected
feel that's perfect for
the younger end of the
market."

Dior Homme spring/summer 2014 campaign

Sara Maggioni
Senior Editor, What's in
Store, WGSN

Suede two-pocket
The denim rider jacket gets a luxury makeover in suede for spring/summer, creating a premium
workwear-inspired look that maintains the signature styling and hard-wearing qualities while focusing on
high-end texture and fashion-led colours too. Classic two-pocket detailing at Louis Vuitton is combined
with a more boxy silhouette as well as an unexpected shade of light blue, reinforcing the season's new
approach to traditional Americana.
WGSN 2014

Suede jacket by Louis Vuitton

Suede jacket by Tom Ford

Suede jacket by Louis Vuitton

Zara spring/summer 2014

Biker
Still popular as a vintage-inspired core item, the classic Perfecto-like biker jacket spans the youth end of
the market, where it is an important piece for looks that overlay elements of styling lifted from select
subcultures, and at the more premium-feeling end, updated with luxury leathers and tonal black
hardware. This key combination of tough, racing functionality with high-end fabrics is something that
Belstaff continues to explore this season.

Zara spring/summer 2014

Belstaff spring/summer 2014

Biker by Saint Laurent

Eleven Paris spring/summer 2014

Field jacket
Shifting focus back to more authentic outdoors looks, the lightweight field jacket is a strong commerciallooking contender to replace the field anorak, providing a simple military-inspired alternative with the
same familiar and practical vintage feel. Uniform-inspired colours and details are important, but updates
such as the rounded drawstring collar seen at Visvim help lend traditional four-pocket styling a more
contemporary edge.

WGSN 2014

Deluxe spring/summer 2014

Gant Rugger spring/summer 2014

Visvim spring/summer 2014

WGSN street shot, Pitti Uomo

spring/summer 2014

Smart dispatch rider

This sharper take on four-pocket functionality, merging military utility with vintage motorbike jacket
styling, responds well to the growing demand for smart-casual outerwear items that have a practical feel,
but that look smart with tailoring or premium denim. Longer lines and drawstring waists create a
sharpened-up, uniform-like fitted silhouette. The introduction of red at Bally this season also takes colour
in a less familiar direction.

Tommy Hilfiger Tailored lookbook

spring/summer 2014

HE by Mango spring/summer 2014

Tommy Hilfiger Westcoasting lookbook

spring/summer 2014

Bally spring/summer 2014

Utility blazer
Important on a commercial level becuase it balances functional styling with the casual appeal of
unstructured blazers, the design of these utility inspired jackets again looks to military uniforms for styling
pointers, adopting safari-like flap pockets and collars with practical storm tabs. Colours follow suit,
ranging from sandy neautrals to inky blues. Marni's larger 3D pockets this season update traditional
outdoors styling with a sharper, more contemporary look.

WGSN 2014

Toast spring/summer 2014

Marni spring/summer 2014

Customellow spring/summer 2014

WGSN street shot, Bread & Butter Berlin,

July 2013

Smart workwear jacket

This functional take on the Harrington updates basic workwear inspiration by combining a simple
silhouette and minimalist styling with more exciting print and colour ideas. Subtle vintage influences are
also important here, driving both the retro midtones and geometric patterns being used to sharpen up
these essential collared jacket shapes. The use of jungle stripes on outerwear at APC lends classic
camouflage a lighter, seasonal feel.

Ben Sherman spring/summer 2014

Orley spring/summer 2014

APC spring/summer 2014

WGSN street shot, Paris Fashion Week,

June 2013

Uniform jacket
Merging elements of workwear jackets, lightweight bombers and traditional battledress blouses, this
military-inspired direction looks to uniform colours as well as styling, incorporating Airforce-like shades of
grey-blues alongside deeper inky shades of indigo. Functional detailing is important here, with extra or
mismatched pockets or tab-fastenings such as those seen at Customellow this season helping to
emphasise the practical roots of this trend.

WGSN 2014

Louis Vuitton spring/summer 2014

WGSN street shot, Milan Fashion Week, Customellow spring/summer 2014

June 2013

WGSN street shot, Paris Fashion Week,

June 2013

Chore jacket
Very big at this season's Bread & Butter trade show in Berlin, where a lot of workwear influences are to
be expected, the chore jacket has been rethought and shrunken for spring/summer. These new
proportions bring it in line with the traditional French utility jacket, but key styling details such as the
contrast corduroy collar help it maintain its Americana character. Mauro Grifoni reworked the chore jacket
in denim this season as an alternative to the usual duck canvas.

WGSN street shot, Bread & Butter Berlin, Mauro Grifoni spring/summer 2014
July 2013

WGSN street shot, Bread & Butter Berlin, WGSN street shot, Bread & Butter Berlin,
July 2013
July 2013

WGSN 2014