new york: michael bastian

Hell's Kitchen in early September was transformed into a East coast beach scene populated with Bret Easton Ellis anti-heroes, preppies, and dreamboat lifeguards. Anything is possible in fashion and thanks to the purveyor of contemporary prepster ware, Michael Bastian showed a succinct collection of classic American sportswear that was tailored to evoke Patrick Bateman goes to the beach for Spring/Summer 2009. The '80s is an easy reference point, especially for the proliferation of the preppy aesthetic, but Bastian's all-American revue wasn't costumey rehash, in fact it felt more like these were clothes that romantically reflected and convincingly considered the days of being wild for the 21st century man, in the Alex P. Keaton sense that is. You can't help but be taken by the New Order and Joe Jackson on the soundtrack and his love of a good short and loafer combination.

In a matter of words, Bastian's aesthetic could be described as "preppy with a twist." As vague as that sounds, Bastian has taken the Ralph Lauren brand of country club chic and infused it with an interesting balance between a European tailoring sensibility and a decidedly American sportswear bent. A beautifully cut one button blazer is paired with a pair of cut off sweats; an expressly American dichotomy for the guy who loves to dress up but in his downtime is casual and comfortable in sweats. That interplay of a polished Patrick Bateman type on top and athletic Adonis on bottom was the consistent narrative throughout the collection. A suede hooded safari jacket with cut offs not only pleased the eye but was a smart proposition for a man who needs clothes to transition from season. With the recession and the ever-unreliable environment making it difficult even for the fashionista's and fashionisto's, clothes at such lofty price points have to offer some range and transitional quality. A pair of navy corduroy shorts, a thin windbreaker, and pullovers of all varieties looked appropriate for the summer when paired with swimwear or beach ready footwear (flip flops and an immaculately tailored suit is bold, but can you blame an investment banker for wanting to run out of the office and head straight to the beach?). Clothes with a vexing psychology behind them won't be found here, and that's a compliment. Bastian's inviting display of summertime prep should gather even the most mad of men to follow in his direction.