Men’s clothes in desert colours

Press, 14 November 1981, Page 10

Men’s clothes in desert colours

In vogue

Paula Ryan

The well-known Gianni designer label has recently been purchased by the Christchurch menswear firm, Symon and Lowther, which will have the sole manufacturing rights for both the New Zealand and Australian markets. The range of garments will be available in selected menswear stores throughout New Zealand, but will be exclusive to Symon and Lowther in Christchurch.

Under the co-ordination expertise of Mr Barry White, who is well-versed in the

international clothing industry, the Gianni label is ex- - pected to do well in New Zealand and Australia. The garments themselves show a strong European influence, predominantly Italian in styling, with slight adaptions to suit the Australasian male.

These style modifications are relatively slight however, because through constant travel, exposure to menswear magazines and a quiet but pronounced change in attitudes, it is’now nationally evident that men are developing more sophistic-

ated tastes in their leisure attire.

For example this season’s Gianni styles carry the world wide safari and Sahara themes in colour stories of fawn, khaki and the desert lemon and bark which are proving even more popular than predicted. Next winter will again see kakhi, and a strong emphasis On the green shades of old bronze. New colours will also include slate blue with a hint of pastel salmon in the range. The use of natural fibres has helped put Gianni on the

fashion map in drill, lightweight cottons, and cotton knits. Corduroy, the comfort cloth, will play a major role in next winter’s range of dressy jeans teamed with the enormously popular blouson jacket. Apparently, the blouson is proving a strong contender for men’s preferences against the better established leisure jackets. But there is sound logic behind the blouson’s rise to the status of a latter-day classic. It is a jacket that can be subjected to infinite design variations through the seasons without destroying its basically slim silhouette. Other features that distinguish the Gianni label’s Mediterranean styles are the details of pockets, extra stitching, added trim detail, piping, and the slender but comfortable cut. Although the pants are called jeans they look dressed - up, and when teamed with one of the co-ordinated shirts and jackets create a modern version of sports clothing. As the seasons pass, I will be closely following the designs.