Women’s Clothing Turns to Menswear for Inspiration

Rocking the Fall runway by both Dolce & Gabbana and Diane von Furstenberg, women’s trends are turning towards menswear for inspiration. Dating back to the 1930s and 1940s, men’s fashion has long been influencing women’s styles. From Ralph Lauren’s boyfriend jacket, to the newly introduced Dolce & Gabbana tailored tuxedo jacket, menswear trends are consuming the closets of both sexes.

According to Forbes, legendary British designer Paul Smith (who we named on our most recent Haute 5 lists in both San Francisco and Los Angeles) began his women’s collection after seeing the ladies sifting through his men’s section and purchasing the apparel in smaller sizes. He’s taken his menswear inspiration and has designed a women’s collection sharply tailored and designed to fit women, including his hunting jackets, tweed coats, and cuffed trousers.

In the recent Forbes article, we learn that at boutiques like Brooks Brothers, the oldest surviving men’s clothier in the U.S., womenswear accounts for more than 20 percent of the company’s sales. Designers have discovered the profit of these men’s influence on women’s lines and even young up-and-coming designers are taking advantage of its rewards by launching their own menswear inspired women’s collection, including Band of Outsiders’ Scott Sternberg’s 2007 women’s collection called Boy.

Source: Forbes