There was a time, not too long ago, when one of the things that differentiates a corporate man from the next is the luxury belt that he chooses to finish off his formal shirt-trousers combo with. More often than not, it’s a belt with a branded buckle that you’d be able to spot from a few metres away. We’re here to tell you that those days are back again.
When we last wore our Gucci GG belt with stylish pride, it was probably during Alessandro Michele’s era. Demna brought the belt back, albeit in a more tasteful and contemporary manner. It’s no longer ostentatious, comes with a smaller buckle, and yet is still unmistakable as ever.
Diesel, Dior and Fendi have jumped onto the bandwagon with their own branded renditions. The former opted for an oval-shaped buckle with its D logo as the central motif, while Fendi offers a similar shape that’s simply branded with its logo. Dior refocuses its attention on the Dior Médaillon motif. The gold buckles mark one of the first few instances of the motif being part of the House’s menswear universe.
If you want something with more visual impact and less overt branding, Dolce&Gabbana took the time (pun intended) to shape its buckles into timepieces. And of course, you simply can’t go wrong with Ralph Lauren’s Western-style buckles that exude plenty of character.
We know what you’re thinking: can’t wait to find one to wear to the office. Hold up. Maybe let’s not bring back past sartorial mistakes. Leave these for the 5-to-9 portion of life where rules don’t really apply.
The Autumn/Winter 2026 season marks the first menswear runway collection by Loewe’s latest creative director duo, Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez. “What is fashion but an open field for endless creative play,” reads the ending statement to McCollough and Hernandez’s collection notes.
The duo put Loewe’s longstanding heritage of craft to the test with a collection that pushes the boundaries of what’s possible. Silhouette, form and material are central to the collection, with each reshaped in unexpected ways. Tops are accentuated with lace and bows but cast in latex, while coats range from liquid-like fabrics to those that appear puffed up. Tartan sweaters aren’t typical knitwear, but rather knitted in ultra-thin leather yarns. Parkas and scarves constructed with an inflatable quality were crafted using an industrial process that involved laser-cutting and bonding, before being sealed to create an airtight seam.
There’s a certain joyousness to the collection thanks to the use of bold colours—a signature that seems to be part of the duo’s direction for Loewe. But apart from that, there is that infectious enthusiasm derived from unbridled play and creativity. And honestly, we could definitely get behind creative directors enjoying their time and having fun experimenting to the best of their abilities.
Now that we’ve fully adopted ties back into everyday dress (for the uninitiated, we’re good with ties again, and have been for a few seasons now), it’s time to tweak what they’re paired with. We’re not saying that it’s passé to be wearing them with traditional suiting, because that’s a classic mainstay; wearing ties doesn’t need to be as stuffy any more.
We have to caveat that this isn’t anything new. It is, however, certainly something that we’re seeing more and more of on the runways. Broken suiting—creating the idea of a suit with individual elements—is a more grounded option for wearing a suit without actually wearing one. It’s simply acknowledging the elements of a suit and then thinking of them as separates. For Autumn/Winter 2026, the option is to remove the blazer from the equation. Instead, brands opted for everything from oversized sweaters to variations of blousons à la Louis Vuitton to simply a trench coat, as shown by the bastion of relaxed suiting, Giorgio Armani.
This works exceptionally well if you often have a difficult time transitioning your suited-up office wear for the evenings. All you need to replace the blazer with, is a layer of choice. Add a bit of ruggedness with a leather jacket or a lightweight denim jacket, and you’re good to go. As the saying goes: “if it’s too fixed, it’s time to break it a little bit”.
There is this misconception—especially this side of the world—that in order to dress well or have style, layering is key. And hence, with Singapore’s hot and humid climate, it’s often a lazy excuse for not being able to “dress well”. The Autumn/Winter 2026 collections, oddly enough, aim to dismantle it.
It begins with Jonathan Anderson’s Dior where the first few looks consist of denim jeans worn with an array of embellished tanks. These sleeveless creations were inspired by 1920s dresses by Paul Poiret and are anything but simple-looking. Then there’s Gucci with its skin-skimming tops completely drenched in sequins. Forget about layering these pieces under a jacket or the like; these tops are meant to be seen and deservedly so.
If the two aforementioned iterations are too outré for your liking, there are more grounded versions of a going-out top as shown by Burberry and Valentino. The key is that the top—whether a shirt, tank, or even a sweater—has to have a certain level of design flair to it. And no, we don’t mean a T-shirt emblazoned with an obscure graphic. Opt for silk-like materials, interesting patterns, and a hint of embellishment—essentially, details that you wouldn’t want to hide. All you’d have to do is wear your chosen top with your favourite bottoms. You’re now ready to head out in good style and without feeling the need to sweat for fashion.
A bag first introduced by Hermès back in the ’60s made a reappearance for the Maison’s Autumn/Winter 2026 menswear collection. The Plume Fourre-Tout is a structured, boxy silhouette that’s reminiscent of a more angular bowling bag or a weekender. You could probably treat it as the latter, with its spacious interior and the generous sizes that went down the runway.
These reimagined versions were shown in various finishes and materials, all to tempt the contemporary man. In true Hermès fashion, there wasn’t just one kind of Plume Fourre-Tout. The Plume Fourre-Tout Paddock variation is crafted from canvas with calfskin trims, and resembles a more utilitarian-driven design replete with external pockets.
The ultimate expression of Hermès craftsmanship and playfulness comes in the form of the Plume Fourre-Tout On Radio bags. It looks completely like a leather boombox with a speaker-style leather appliqués and raised button motifs that anyone significantly younger than you would probably not recognise. The cassette holder is fully functional, mind you, and actually holds a removable leather-clad cassette tape as well as conceals a compartment for cards and other slim essentials.
Now this, this is a statement bag.
