Dean and Dan Caten have released DSQUARED2’s FW21 RTW menswear lookbook, which explores the concept of dressing for ‘the Canadian Woods’ and seeing the ‘city as a new uniform’. The collection focuses on three distinct themes: ‘City Soldiers’, ‘Into The Woods’ and ‘Starry Night’. 

As usual, the DSQUARED2 ethos is very present, their signature flannel checked shirts, leather outerwear and you guessed it, the Canadian Maple leaf are included in almost every look. What is also very present is the brand’s boldness and eccentricity. Alongside patchwork denim, a number of traditional items are given a denim revamp. Vests, blazers, and even tuxedos either come in denim or are infused in some way or another with denim. 

The first theme ‘City Soldiers’ mixes military references with a metropolitan look. By combining military outerwear with sporty details, it gives off the flair of the big city. With a flat cap and windbreaker in tow, these looks bring serious 90’s British counterculture to the foreground. All we’re missing is an Oasis song playing in the background.  Alongside a plethora of outerwear, one of the key pieces for this theme is a digital-camo parka that looks straight out of an 8-bit video game. 

The second theme ‘Into The Woods’ focuses on the great Canadian outdoors by combining heritage pieces like tweed blazers and waxed jackets with plaid patterns and statement knitwear. The number of pieces featuring protective padding adds a luxurious spin to the rising ‘Gorpcore’ trend we’ve seen grow over the past year. Trucker hats were a key accessory seen in these looks, as were the ankle-high hiking boots, worn with grey flannel trousers and exaggerated denim. The collection additionally showed off a host of vintage-travel inspired t-shirts that further accentuate the ‘Candian Wilderness’ inspiration. 

The third and final theme titled ‘Starry Night’ elevates classic menswear tailoring by giving it a ‘hyper-luxe evolution’. Double-breasted pinstripe suits can be seen adorned in crystals while red velvet dinner jackets are worn with ribbed tops and sparkly black blazers are matched with graphic-printed formal white shirts. Models swapped trucker hats for tiaras, only exaggerating the pizzazz of these looks. This glamorous take on men’s tailoring, which can often be a bit constrained shows off what we’ll want to wear when the world finally reopens. These pieces are opulent yet simple to wear due to the classic cuts that DSQUARED2 has perfected over the years.

Overall this collection does what DSQUARED2 does best; take a series of classic menswear staples and add a creative touch to them. The focus of this collection seems to be on elevating fine details (that make a big difference) and on making strong individual items. This creates a bold yet balanced lineup, with any of these well-designed clothes able to work in sync or as a standalone piece in your wardrobe.

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