JOHN ELLIOTT
LA-based fashion label John Elliott (pictured, above) lit up Manhattan's fashionisti with a rainbow of pale bomber jackets and board shorts. Entitled "Watching Water" and inspired by iterations of life aboard a luxury yacht, his spring collection was a sophisticated display of clean, streamlined silhouettes with a wonderful progression of color from pale blues, to greens, to, finally, pink. Known for his celebrity fanbase including the likes of Kanye West, Elliott's show was no exception. Colton Haynes and Men's Fashion Week ambassador Eric Rutherford were in attendance. The designer's work is decidedly now, with more outerwear pieces (standouts included a pastel pink varsity jacket and blue trench coats.) Though the line didn't feel like a departure from Elliott's athletic-chic aesthetic, his ability to stick to that winning formula is probably his greatest strength. Hilton Desden
STAMPD
Launched by Christopher Stamp in 2011, Stampd is in its adolescence age: Still young enough to fly under the radar, yet showing much promise. This season, Stampd gave a show full of its usual laidback coolness, layering oversized T-shirts under baggy coats, and experimenting with a natural palette of hunter greens, navys, and multiple shades of gray. What the collection lacked in bold risk-taking it made up for in visual pleasure: Each look stood alone as a well-thought-out, coordinated, ready-to-wear outfit. The brand also brought a high-quality feel to each piece, perfectly tailored to each model's body. It was a laser-sharp interpretation of the current trends seen in the New Yorker and LA skating community. Our favorite look? A green, layered romper (above) that evokes a Boy Scout lost in Greenwich Village. View the full collection here.Hilton Dresden
ROBERT GELLER
A consistent standout in the men's fashion week schedule, Robert Geller went back to Germany to get the inspiration for his latest spring line, a tribute to the rebellious youth of '80s Berlin. The models walked down the runway in a gradient palette of gray, ochre, and black, with unexpected spots of color: Forest green on shirts, shocking pink pants and shorts, and neon orange. Geller often shines in the details: His Berliners carried around fluffy pom-poms keychains, customized tote bags and G-Shock watches, and had Polaroid prints afixed to their blazers with safety pins. When did punks become so elegant? Julien Sauvalle
CADET
The Brooklyn-based label founded by gay couple Raul Arevalo and Brad Schmidt is growing so fast! This season felt like a major step forward for the brand, with a collection inspired by the Roman Empire. But Cadet's legion of handsome soldiers was bearing an important message. Some of the sweaters and T-shirts featured maxims in latin ('Love Conquers All'; 'Overcome Evil with Good'; 'Do Good Deeds and Endure'; etc.) which seemed to address our community's natural survival instinct in the aftermath of Orlando. During the finale of the show, the models gathered in a formation and stood still for a few moments. It felt strangely emotional, yet didn't distract from the core appeal of the collection: A line of highly-wearable, breezy summer garbs that featured some standout prints, cool jewelry, and lush textures. Click here to see all the looks. Julien Sauvalle
OVADIA & SONS
Twin brothers Ariel and Shimon Ovadia went for a "hippie meets New York meets Rasta" theme. The ambitious lineup consisted mostly of silky bombers and utility jackets, emblazoned with botanical patches and handstitched embroidery.The flower power trend has been all over the runway from London to Milan, but the 420-friendly vibe of the collection (evidenced by a plethora of suede fringes and hemp shirts, apparently) felt almost as fresh as the setup of the show. The ceiling, covered in purple waterlilies, created fantastic shadows around the space, and left the audience mesmerized. Even our former cover boy Troye Sivan, who was watching incognito from the back row. Click here to see the models and celebrity guests backstage. Julien Sauvalle
Illustrations by Hilton Dresden. Runway images by Julien Sauvalle
