Mans is a Spanish fashion brand that prides itself on designing high-quality, timeless pieces that are create to last. The brand’s DNA is ingrained in tailoring, which is plain in their collections, where they often update classic silhouettes with a contemporary twist. Mans also values pushing themselves out of their comfort zone by taking on new concepts, as seen in their fall collection where they tackled minimalism, a style that is not typically associated with the brand. With a focus on relaxed yet sophisticated designs, Mans creates pieces that are versatile enough to be worn on a variety of occasions while maintaining an understated elegance that is quintessentially Spanish.
Jaime Álvarez enjoys a challenge, and as the head of Mans, the Spanish fashion designer often starts with concepts that he initially disagrees with. “We try to push ourselves out of our comfort zone by taking a concept and making it our own,” he said. For his fall collection, he took on minimalism, a style that he has never been particularly passionate about. Nonetheless, he made it the foundation of a proposal that he described as concise and essential. “It’s a bit like New York City in the ’90s, an era of designers like Jil Sander, who often used flat colors, with practically no prints,” he explained. The ’90s era was a trend that was present on the Madrid runways, but it also aligns with the Mans label’s philosophy of creating long-lasting, high-quality pieces. “I think that’s something everyone looks for, and that’s what I wanted to convey,” Álvarez said.
The fall collection showcased relaxed silhouettes, with a preference for oversized shapes. This was evident in the languid, extra-long mohair coats, which were sometimes worn with multiple thin belts. Tailoring, which is at the core of the brand’s DNA, was updated by applying a less-is-more rule. “It’s about refining classic tailoring,” said Álvarez. In pursuit of this aesthetic simplicity, breast pockets were removed, collars and typical blazer pockets were reduced in size, and outer buttons were sewn inside. Regarding shirting, he added various types of collars and combined opposing textures and colors. “It’s a subtle game that is invisible at first glance, and you can only appreciate it later when you see it in detail,” he explained.
