A timeless pattern that will always have a place in menswear, checks have been predominantly applied to formal wear for SS14. Adding a new and refreshing dimension to your timeless block-colour suiting, a subtle Prince of Wales or windowpane check will make you stand out for all the right reasons.
It’s a trend that’s particularly apt for those men who work in corporate environments and want to add a bit of variety to their often uninspiring and monotonous tailoring collection.
Bottega Veneta and Louis Vuitton showed just how polished and professional check tailoring can look in their SS14 collections, sending check suits in traditional blues, greys and whites down the runway. Bottega Veneta went on to include checked trousers worn as separates, shifting the focus to the lower half of the body in a move that referenced SS14’s printed legwear trend.
Louis Vuitton took a slightly more adventurous approach by including brighter madras-style check suits in shades of blue, black and white. It was an ambitious move to apply such a natty print from head to toe, but the aesthetic managed to retain a sense of wearability:
Elsewhere, Issey Miyake were out to create a statement, applying large black-bordered checks in shades of blue, red and white to oversized band-collared tunic tops and shorts. The same brash pattern was later used on a two-piece suit and matching baseball cap:
Going against the grain, Kenzo produced a casual collection that included a black and white grid applied to a bright red sweatshirt and loose shorts for a sports luxe feel.
Taking the concept one step further, the brand went on to feature check patterns that incorporated additional motifs within each square – for example, a black check with the grey crest of a wave image. This created quite a complicated, busy look yet demonstrated pattern mixing within a single garment:
SS15 References
A wide variety of checks were again prominent at the recent SS15 fashion weeks, with key collections coming from Brioni, Alfred Dunhill and Emporio Armani.
Brioni applied them to a superb collection of cropped summer bombers and Harringtons; Dunhill went the traditional route with checked tailoring and overcoats; and Armani used them on various forms of outerwear as well as a selection of Cuban-collared short-sleeved shirts:
Lookbook Inspiration
Current Pieces
Although checks can be found across all items (see below) this season, key pieces to keep your eye out for include checked outerwear (particularly cropped styles), tailoring and trousers.
All are perfect for making a refined and effortless statement:
