JUSTIN CASSIN recently brought his signature styles to Melbourne Fashion Week and MAXIM had a front row seat. Here, the man of the hour talks his new collection and the three things every bloke needs in his wardrobe this summer…
Aussie-raised but L.A. based, designer Justin Cassin has previously shown at fashion weeks in London, Sydney and Berlin, but recently staged a thirty-look extravaganza as part of Melbourne Fashion Week. “Melbourne has always been synonymous with fashion,” Cassin told us ahead of the show. “I love the energy in Melbourne, whether it’s the food, fashion, art or theatre, the creative heart of Melbourne is alive and well.” Reflecting Justin’s commitment to egalitarian fashion, fans could snatch up a portion of the show tickets for free, a rare opportunity to access the fenced off world of fashion shows
The setting was an undercover carpark in Melbourne’s Docklands precinct. Guests were seated in two parallel rows of plastic lawn chairs with a makeshift runway down the middle. It was a clever arrangement that gave everyone the front row experience. Pre-show, the atmosphere was highly charged and buzzing with self-styled influencers and plenty of reality TV stars of varying repute. “All types of people inspire me,” said Justin of his diverse audience. “I travel a lot and am always inspired by the energy of a place, by its people, their sense of self and style.”
One particular source of inspiration is male supermodel Jordan Barrett, who Cassin booked to walk his very first runway show at Australian Fashion Week in 2017. At the time, Sydney was buzzing with the news that Barrett had earned an unprecedented $100,000 for a single show. While many new designers would balk at the cost of hiring an international supermodel for their presentation, Cassin was thinking big, and Barrett gave the brand instant recognition. “Jordan is the modern male, his confidence and expression of personal style is what I strive for in my designs” explains Justin. “He also has a cheeky side full of fun, which I like to add into the elements of the collections.”
Despite the industrial backdrop, Cassin’s Melbourne collection was bright and the essence of summer. Think canary yellow Bengal shirts, lilac Bermuda shorts and minty double-breasted blazers. The pastel colour palette evoked the feeling of Palm Springs in the 1960s, especially Slim Aarons’ sun-soaked photographs of the era.
In fact, some of Cassin’s shirts wouldn’t have looked out of place on Chris Pine and Harry Styles’s characters in Don’t Worry Darling, another love letter to midcentury desert chic. The looks were styled sans accessories save for some black sandals, and it appears the trend of going beltless is here to stay. Some models walked the runway with their shirts completely unbuttoned. If you’d prefer not to show off your abs, Cassin had plenty of viable alternatives, like sleeve-less sweaters and shackets. Justin also catered to the tastes of his Melbourne audience by adding in more neutral colours, and a shortened trench coat in navy was a clear crowd favourite. Cassin singled out his jackets as the signature item from the collection.
“These versatile pieces will become a wardrobe staple, adding style and colour to any outfit,” he explains. For the warmer months, Justin recommends investing in classic pieces that’ll pull together what you already have in your wardrobe. “Look for light materials like cotton or linen. A lightweight jacket [and] a pair of crisp pants are wardrobe essentials. Most men should also own at least one classic button down shirt.” It would seem that Justin Cassin’s lesson for us is a familar one: buy classics, aim for comfort and don’t be afraid to have a little fun.
Shop Justin Cassin on www.theiconic.com.au
By Reilly Sullivan
Photography by Micaela Chutrau
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