MODELS OF THE SEASON. DA MAN Style Spring/Summer 2017 assesses some of our favorite menswear campaigns of the season
Hermés
Following its new Objects for Life slogan, Hermés chose to highlight its products instead of models for the brand’s spring/summer ’17 campaign. Tackling this new concept is photographer Jackie Nickerson, stylist Delphine Treanton and creative director Fabien Mouillard. The end result is a photo portraying a model with his back turned to the camera as he holds up a tie-dyed yellow jacket, accompanied only by the name of the famous French fashion house and the aforementioned slogan. As a side note, the campaign photo for the women’s collection follows the same concept, with model Sofia Tesmenitskaya, whose face is never seen in, showcasing shoes, a handbag and a scarf.
Versace
Versace heads to the ranches of Kentucky for its spring/summer ’17 campaign. American photographer Bruce Weber is back to capture models Simon Nessman, Mitchell Slaggert, Filip Hrivnak, Jake Lahrman, Vadim Ivanov, William Los and Geron McKinley (pictured from left to right) as they pose in green pastures accompanied by some local horses. The campaign, according to Versace, “encapsulates the freedom and dynamism of summer, the active mood that is at the heart of Versace SS17 for both men and women.”
Prada
Fashion house Prada is introducing a new advertisement concept with its visual stream project titled 365. Instead of showcasing a single concept throughout an entire season, Prada introduces multiple narratives with new imagery that will be produced throughout the year. Its spring/summer ’17 campaign marks the first stage of the project with photographer Willy Vanderperre at the helm. The five Prada identities—pathways, frontiers, stations, exits and terrains—become the basic pillars for a series of photos featuring models Dylan Fender, Oliver Houlby (pictured above) and Jonas Gloer. Furthermore, the fashion house has also released a black-and-white short video titled “A Story” as part of the 365 project.
Hugo Boss
Like some of its contemporaries, Hugo Boss also features several “it” boys of the Internet age for its spring/summer ’17 campaign. These include Anwar Hadid (pictured above), Luka Sabbat, Felix Gesnouin, Wyatt and Fletcher Shears. Titled “Digital Oasis,” the photo shoot by Harley Weir chose the Californian desert as its theme and highlighted a collection that features 3D optic grids as well as—quite appropriately considering the theme—bold cactus flower motifs.
Balmain
It would seem that Balmain never has a shortage of famous personalities to front its campaigns. For spring/summer ’17, the brand has top models Gabriel Aubry, Jon Kortajarena and Tony Ward (pictured from left to right) for a nomad-themed fashion shoot in California with photographer Steven Klein. Also joining the shoot are a number of equally, if not more, famous female supermodels such as Isabeli Fontana, Natasha Poly, and Doutzen Kroes. Interestingly, Spanish model Jon Kortajarena was also tapped for the Balmain Paris Hair couture campaign shot by photographer Jean-Baptiste Mondino.
Calvin Klein
A few days after introducing a new all-caps Calvin Klein logo, Raf Simons revealed his first campaign for the brand—titled American Classics—after assuming the position of chief creative officer. The campaign was shot at the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh and at the Rubell Family Collection in Miami by longtime collaborator Willy Vanderperre. Models Jacobi Hatch, Jonas Gloer, Fernando (standing left to right) and Ernesto Cervantes are seen posing in front of artworks by both Andy Warhol and Sterling Ruby clad in denim and white underwear. “It’s a celebration of Calvin Klein’s iconic underwear and jeans,” Simons pointed out and says that the campaign is all about “acknowledging their status as Pop and showing them in the world of art.”
Lanvin
Lanvin’s spring/summer ’17 campaign reunites the brand with American photographer Collier Schorr and revisits some key ideas from its fall/winter ’16/’17 advertising imagery. Under the creative direction of House & Holmes, four models—Rich Cole, Joby Barret, Tony Minenkov and Montell Martin (pictured from left to right)—fill up each frame while displaying their best poker faces and key pieces from Lanvin’s spring/summer offerings. Of particular note this time are the prints and eye-catching candy stripes in blue and red.
Christian Louboutin
Models Adrien Volkov (pictured above) and Paul Lemaire turn blue and purple—literally, that is—for Christian Louboutin’s spring/summer ’17 campaign. The footwear brand worked together with photographer Rene Habermacher and creative director Antoine Asseraffor to create a range of colorful advertisement imagery. Titled Hybrids, the collection shows us how sport and luxury can synthesize into chromatic, bold pieces including sneakers, city shoes and sandals.
Roberto Cavalli
Last season’s ad campaign by Roberto Cavalli was all about flower power and whimsical imagery. Now, for its spring/summer ’17 ad campaign, the brand presents the polar opposite of its previous concept with a photo shoot set in the middle of a sun-drenched desert. The result is a set of images thaat are still minimalistic yet bright, colorful and perfectly in tune with the approach of warmer days ahead. Fronting the campaign is Australian model Jordan Barrett (pictured above) and Victoria’s Secret Angel Stella Maxwell who are seen wearing printed shirts, jeans and shades from the collection. More importantly, photographer duo Luca and Alessandro Morelli (aka the Morelli Brothers) managed to convey the free-spirited mood of the campaign.
Dunhill London
Dapper is the operative word for Dunhill’s spring/summer ’17 campaign photos by photographer John Balsom featuring models Guy Robinson (pictured above) and Simon Clark. Both stand front and center for the ad images, which were shot at National Trust Trelissick House and Gardens, England. They are seen wearing a range of key pieces including unstructured blazers, soft-touch shirts and lightweight outerwear. There’s also a black and white photo of Robinson highlighting the brand’s timeless black tie look.
Dolce & Gabbana
Nowadays, more and more fashion brands are trying to make themselves relatable to millennials. Italian fashion house Dolce & Gabbana is no exception, as the brand enlists a number of millennial models-slash-Instagram stars for its spring/summer ’17 campaign which was shot in Capri, Italy. Much like its previous fashion campaigns, this photo shoot features a roster of famous faces—such as Gabriel-Kane Day-Lewis, Rafferty Law, Cameron Dallas, Presley Gerber, Brandon Lee and Luka Sabbat (pictured from left to right)—strolling around the streets, interacting with the locals. Behind the lens is photographer Franco Pagetti. Apart from this fun-filled campaign, Dolce & Gabbana also presented these tech-savvy youths on their fall/winter 2017 runway show.
Diesel
Politics and fashion meet in the latest spring/summer ’17 campaign by Diesel. Titled “Make Love Not Walls”, the campaign aims to tear down the physical and mental walls that divide people. Lensed by David LaChapelle, the images show a heart-shaped hole on a wall and models making their way through it in a celebration of unity and love. The inflatable rainbow tank that is pictured in some of the images made an appearance in London and traveled to various cities around the world including Milan, Shanghai and New York.
Bally
Bally goes pop art for its spring/summer ’17 campaign. The imagery featured strong ’80s vibes with a touch of MTV mixed with Andy Warhol’s visual style, punctuated by Bally’s classic slogan from 1979, “Bally is Super,” inscribed across the photos. Shot in London by photographer Franck Durand and styled by Jonathan Kaye, the campaign features models David Trulik, Irina Shayk and Kit Butler (pictured from left to right) in colorful outfits to create a bold and energetic image set. An accompanying short video is also posted on the brand’s website showing the models playing around in the studio with ’80s music in the background.
Philipp Plein
Once again, Philipp Plein collaborates with famed photographer Steven Klein for the brand’s spring/summer ’17 ad campaign. Starring model Matthew Terry (left) and pop singer Fergie (right), who performed at the brand’s spring/summer ’17 fashion show, the campaign is a nod to ’80s disco with a touch of fantasy thrown in. The two of them are styled in leather jackets, gold chains and flashy footwear as they pose amid a stylized town set featuring a carousel, a vintage car as well as a giant garden gnome.