The Collections recap: Michael Kors SS17

Our rundown of the key looks from Kors' Spring/Summer collection

Kors makes no apologies for his jet-set aesthetic. And nor, quite frankly, should he. “If it ain’t broke don’t fix it” and all that. Despite ever-changing seasons and trends, one thing always remains constant at Michael Kors: luxurious sporty comfort. And the menswear SS17 collection that’s hitting stores now sees this in abundance. If the Kors man really is the private jet chartering, yacht hopping, Cote d’Azur holidaying man that we’ve all come to know and love, then this collection is certainly one he’ll enjoy – well at least half of it should be (but more on that later).

Sure, nautical may not be the most inspired of trends for spring/summer, but hey, what it lacks in ground-breaking headlines, it makes up for in wearability. A barrage of thin knits and t-shits in blue, white and brown stripes dominates the core part of the new collection (and – if you watched the show back in 2016 – the first few looks of the runway) complete with sports bags and wide linen trousers. It’s no secret that trouser legs have been gradually growing in width for the past few seasons, long gone are the days of waif-like male models striding down runways in skinny jeans and the slimmest of slim-cut suits (thank god). But I’m not entirely sure how onboard I am with the wider trouser. Editorially they look great – a strong wide silhouette and Talented Mr Ripley undertone are a stylist’s dream. Practically, however, I fear they’re likely a little too 1940s for the everyday man. Call me old fashioned, but what’s wrong with a simple straight to slim cut trouser or jean? If you want my advice then take.

I love few things more in life than a head-to-toe black and white look – on a man or indeed myself – so the handful of monochrome looks that followed the blues and whites on the runway back in June were some of my top picks from the SS17 Collections – not just from Mr Kors. It’s chic, it’s simple and effortlessly elegant – if, unlike me, you’re able to avoid coffee spillages. Throw a roll-neck into the monochromatic mix and you’ve really got my attention. (For the uninitiated, I am yet to produce a fashion shoot for GJ without a male model in a roll-neck). For me sadly, this is where the collection peaks though. Read on.

Enter phase 3 of the collection: Dove grey? Tick. Camel? Tick. Summer Trench? Tick. On paper, great. In reality though, it is almost entirely made from linen sateen – quite possibly the most unforgiving of all fabrics. And if we’re still looking to the jet-set pack as the ideal buyer, then Kors may well have a bit of a problem on his hands. Anyone who has ever tackled this fabric will know that even standing static (see above for prime example), every bend and bump that your body beholds will send creases charging through your look – and that’s before you’ve even taken one step outside. Certainly not what you want if you’re jumping from private jet to super yacht.

Shop the collection online now.

Become a Gentleman’s Journal Member?

Like the Gentleman’s Journal? Why not join the Clubhouse, a special kind of private club where members receive offers and experiences from hand-picked, premium brands. You will also receive invites to exclusive events, the quarterly print magazine delivered directly to your door and your own membership card.

Click here to find out more