Designer Spotlight: Virgil Abloh - Topic of the day 2/22/25
Architect-turned-designer, artist, dj, author and more, Virgil Abloh (1980-2021) can be considered a trailblazer in modern culture. We've recently spoken of his brand Off-White, but his impact extends faArchitect-turned-designer, artist, dj, author and more, Virgil Abloh (1980-2021) can be considered a trailblazer in modern culture. His tenures designing at Fendi and Louis Vuitton, his many collaborations (Donda, Nike, Ikea etc.), his foray as creative director for LVMH and his time serving as a board member for the Council of Fashion Designers of America have had far-reaching impact in both streetwear and luxury fashion, particularly in bolstering diversity.
Talk about Virgil here: his designs, his influences, his highs and lows, and his legacy, both in and out of fashion....
Brand Spotlight: Wales Bonner - Topic of the day 2/21/25
You may have heard of Wales Bonner through their shoe collaborations with Adidas, but the brand is so much more than a footwear company. Founded by award winning English designer Grace Wales Bonner, the label originally started as a menswear tailoring outfit that now expanded to a sportswear-inspired tailoring option for any gender. They describe themselves as infusing “European heritage with an Afro Atlantic spirit.” Whether it’s suiting or adidas collaborations, Wales Bonner has permeated thro...
Designer Spotlight: Thebe Magugu - Topic of the day 2/20/25
Thebe Magugu is a South African fashion designer who catapulted to fame with his eponymous label in 2019, when he won the LVMH Young Fashion Designer Prize. From then on, he’s grown his collection and styled celebrities like Naomi Cambell for Vogue, Rihanna for her Fenty Ad Campaign, and Dionne Warwick for Solange’s short film Passage. Thebe draws from his personal experience to empower queer and South African cultures in his pieces. Watch out in the future where he may dominate the awards circu...
Aime Leon Dore - What the Hell is Going On? - Topic of the day 2/19/25
Not long ago it seemed like you couldn't walk outside without getting smacked in the face with Aime Leon Dore. Their lookbooks were incredible, there was that Derek Guy article about George Costanza, and the brand aesthetic was so sought after that if you couldn't afford it, you were trying to copy it. But over the last 12-18 months it seems the brand has fallen out of favor. Lookbooks aren't hitting as hard, and there's fewer and fewer items in each collection that seem 'worth it.' Which begs t...
Brand Spotlight: Golf - Topic of the day 2/18/25
In the late 2010s and early 2020s, Tyler the Creator’s style took the world by storm, bringing colorful Ivy and vintage elements to the youth mainstream with his GOLF brand. Originally styled Golf Wang, the name is a play on the phrase Wolf Gang of his Los Angeles-based rap group Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All. Golf is known for their whimsical color-filled streetwear collection and GOLF le FLEUR* collaborations. What is your favorite GOLF pieces? Do you think you can dress like Tyler solely...
Brand Spotlight: "Big Box" Stores (Target, Walmart, etc.) - Topic of the day 2/17/25
Sure they're good for groceries, spare phone chargers and the like, but what do big box stores have to offer in terms of clothes: convenience? fit? style? something else? Are there any standout items or brands you've encountered in these places? What downsides are there to shopping in such a place? (please try to be respectful in your discourse, the mods have it hard enough trying to stop dropshippers from advertising every five minutes)
Favorite Seasonal Collection - Topic of the day 2/16/25
We’ve all heard those people who say things like “Yohji AW 1994 was peak fashion” or “Zara SS 2024 is underrated”. Were they right? What are your favorite runway or seasonal collections ever?
Designer Spotlight: Dapper Dan - Topic of the day 2/15/25
Have you wondered how Logomania became such a pervasive phenomenon? Usually, there are many factors that start a trend but this widely worn style has its roots exclusively with Dapper Dan, a harlem-born designer who started his business by selling bootleg logo rips out of his van. Plastered with luxury logos such as Louis Vuitton and Gucci, his loud counterfeit “knock-ups” took the fashion world by storm when they were worn by celebrities such as Mike Tyson, LL Cool J, and Rakim. Eventually, he...
Influential Ad Campaigns - Topic of the day 2/14/25
From Times Square to the middle of your living room TV, advertising campaigns are sometimes what makes or breaks a brand. What are some of your favorite ad campaigns of all time?
Famous Supermodels - Topic of the day 2/13/25
Supermodels have been a part of the fashion community since its inception. Famous models have inspired entire movements. Who are you favorite from history and who are your favorite now?
Designer Spotlight: Heron Preston - Topic of the day 2/12/25
Perhaps known for his iconic cyrillic logo and colorful heron graphics, Heron Preston Johnson of eponymous label Heron Preston catapulted to the top of the fashion scene with his NASA collaboration in 2017. This collection used an iconic NASA logo as a core theme, expanding on his fascination with mixing and matching recognizable logos. Continuing on an aesthetic popularized by Virgil Abloh’s Off-White and Kanye’s Yeezy, his many tees and hoodie prints have dominated the late 2010s streetwear sc...
Every Day Carry: Phones, Keychains, Wallets and More! - Topic of the day 2/11/25
Everyone has a set of items they carry every day. Probably your phone, wallet and keys. Maybe also a pen, flashlight, or headphones. What do you carry? Note: DO NOT POST IMAGES OF WEAPONS, including guns and knives, and CENSOR YOUR KEYS, to prevent copies being made from the image on this publicly visible Discord.
Appropriation vs Appreciation - Topic of the day 2/10/25
Fashion takes inspiration from and incorporates a wide variety of references and cultures. Is there a place you'd draw the line, where fashion has gone too far? Or is it more complicated than that?
Item Spotlight: Ties - Topic of the day 2/9/25
GQ recently decreed ties are "back" so we might as well get ready. What are your favorite ties (bow, neck, etc) of all price points? What are your favorite fabrics and patterns on a tie? Do you wear ties casually, and if so how? Are there any tie substitutes that can work in their place? Item Spotlight posts are a recurring Topic of the Day replacing the 'MFA Best of Picks (best X for $X)' posts on r/malefashionadvice.
Brand Spotlight: Telfar - Topic of the day 2/8/25
They’re everywhere. They can fit everything. And they come in every different color. The Telfar bag collection, which started with the orignal Shopping Bag, now containing backpacks, duffles, and handbags. Each are a status item themselves, with limited edition drops and the iconic Telfar logo. The affordable luxury brand has been so successful that they’ve expanded into apparel. Watch out for the meteoric rise of its founder and lead designer Telfar Clemens, a Liberian-American activist known f...
The Case For/Against: Loafers - Topic of the day 2/7/25
Perhaps one of the most common shoes encountered on the internet lately, I assume you already have an opinion: Are you pro- or anti- loafer? If so, what is their appeal and if not, what issues do you have, and is there a suitable alternative(s)?
Brand Spotlight: Off-White - Topic of the day 2/6/25
"Established in 2013 by Virgil Abloh, Off-White™ is defining the grey area between black and white as a color. Under the brand name, seasonal collections of men’s and women’s clothing, objects, furniture, and publications are articulating a current cultural vision. Collections are embedded in a recurrent back story with an emphasis on creating garments that have an identity by design. With a clear vision of splicing the reality of how clothes are worn and the artistic expression of high-fashion, Off-White explores concepts in the realm of youth culture in the contemporary context." -from Off-White website, more here
How do you feel about Off-White? If you've never been exposed to it what are your first impressions? How does Off-White compare with other streetwear brands, or other luxury brands? Any standout items/collections?
(sidebar: it's natural to speak of Virgil Abloh within this topic; try to keep your thoughts about him related to Off-White, at least for this TOTD)...
Wearing Clothes Off-Season - Topic of the day 2/5/25
Do you wear so-called "off-season" clothes year round (shorts in winter, coats in summer, etc.)? Why or why not? Does the season impact how a particular item is styled or perceived
Brand Spotlight: Denim Tears - Topic of the day 2/4/25
Founded in 2019 by designer and aesthete Tremaine Emory, each Denim Tears collection tells a story, revealing what the brand’s founder calls the African Diaspora. Showcased through defining collaborations with the likes of Ugg, Stüssy, Champion, Converse, ASICS, and Dior, Denim Tears is a portfolio of Emory’s African American vision. Denim Tears’ approach to heritage and design has earned its place in The Met Costume Institute in New York’s permanent collection. -denimtears.com
Talk all about Denim Tears here - the cotton wreath, their many collabs, your fave/least fave pieces, and the brand in general. If you've never heard of them, check their website for more....
Spotting Fakes - Topic of the day 2/3/25
Oh no, you think the item you purchased might be fake! How can you tell? What do you do to prevent it from happening?
