story by Colleen Vincent
photos by Aeric Meredith-Goujon
Friday, February 12th, 2011 – 1:30PM – Grand St btwn. Mercer & Green
Andrew Buckler takes “Anonymous Art” to the streets. On a slush-covered cobblestone Soho block, Buckler Fall 2011 was an urban revelation. Inspired by urban art, an integral part of the city landscape, “Anonymous Art” uses clothing as canvas. The details are spare but striking, asymmetrical twin zippers elevate an old white crew neck sweater, a black cotton sport jacket transformed by a sleek leather bib, and a zipped neck grey wool cardigan increases practicality with handy thumb hole cutouts. Buckler creates an aesthetic which finds an alluring middle ground between fashionable and masculine.
The tall, lean silhouette is draped in long layers dominated by a palette of blacks and steely grays reminiscent of a Big Apple landscape. These dark colors worked to keep the focus on the heavy, rich textures of the fabrics– fine wool, boiled wool, garbardine. The Buckler brand has moved away from denim and the change matures the cuts. The long rise and droopy long fleece pants taper fitted at the ankle, a contemporary fit that lends well to a combat-style leather belt boot. The collection isn’t completely understated. The long shearling, “James Fur Coat”, echoed the Glam Rock era, though the black leather kept it from going over the top. Mr. Buckler indicated it was his favorite piece, and he wasn’t alone in that assessment. Another great look was the use of a saturated, true yellow as an accent to a few pieces, including a mid-length wool parka, and a pair of Ski Rock wool, a blend of virgin wool, nylon, and cashmere. The baggy pleats hood, when attached to the baggy pleats pant, was a summary of this entire collection, utilitarian men’s wear, with a twist.
