“I’m thinking about the student of the future and played on the idea of the uniform,” said Edmund Ooi of his Fall/Winter 2016 collection. Shown yesterday during New York Fashion Week: Men’s, Ooi's latest collection was inspired by the school boys of tomorrow. Without feeling futuristic or kitschy, it was a down-to-earth look at what men might be wearing a few hundred years from now—or more realistically—next winter.
According to Ooi, collegiate prep of the future will reference many of the popular styles of today including turtlenecks, duffle coats, leather jackets and jeans, albeit with elevated details. Quilted jackets were given exaggerated pockets and collars. Outerwear was cropped, hitting just below the waist and cinched with a belt. Pieces were layered, though clearly not for warmth against the chilly winter. Short sweaters paired with unbuttoned shirts let bellies peek out, just above the hemline of cropped jeans.
Ooi's background in tailoring was clear in the silhouette of the collection. Well-tailored cuffed jeans were topped with slim-cut coats and perfectly-molded sweaters and knits. Highlights included a teal green leather motorcycle jacket and a series of overcoats with stand-up collars and oversized, metal-trimmed front pockets.
