The Softer Side

Having worked under the likes of Hedi Slimane during the birth and formation of Dior Homme, and as Design Director for Burberry, Martyn Bal's experience in menswear is well grounded, in the least. Relatively recently, Bal decided to take the plunge as head designer, with his own eponymously named menswear label.

These images are from his latest Fall '09 lookbook, and whilst I have been somewhat on the fence, so to speak, about his past collections, these offerings have most definitely whet my apetite for more. Bal writes that his man is one whose clothing 'hold up a mirror to his inner strength', and indeed this idea is inherently felt within the latest collecion. Clearly central to his design philosophy are the concepts of well tailored fits and the juxtaposition of strength and fragility.

Focusing on the proportions of each outfit, Bal manages to add a balanced volume and contrast with his beautifully constructed outerwear. The silhouettes he provides manage to evoke the idea of the modern man and his finely considered strength against the outside world. In contrast to one's idea of wider cut outerwear, the coats and jackets are wonderfully tailored, and the careful use of softer fabrics, stop the scale of each piece from being overpowering on the outfit as a whole. I am attracted by the duality of feeling in the collection, that being, one of strength yet at the same time a certain softness. I was reminded somewhat of Miuccia Prada's latest collection, in which she explored the idea of the survival of the modern man.

What are your thoughts on the collection and lookbook?

Currently playing: Shadowplay - Joy Division

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