Urban Greys
Gris Paris

Wearing grey for winter, Alexis Mabille's men dress and undress in harmony with the city in which they live.
This urban mood captures the subtle essences of the city's grey colors; the brutal grey of concrete, the nuanced grey of antique metal, the mixed grey of stones and the cold-bluish grey of steel. All the greys are blackened in shadow and mystery at dusk on the shiny tar and glittery macadam. Although the night puts a damper of darkness on the city, the white rays of light flash like a few sparkling diamonds.
The inspiration for this collection is drawn from the domineering Parisian sky. A sky which dictates its unpredictable will on both the human and mineral world. When the sky lights up, pastel shadows of soft grey, fragile blues and white hazes are poetically at play. Conversely, when the thunder strikes, the sky gets tragically heavy in stormy dark grey. And always at night, the sky is a sumptuous deep grey - like a ghost who takes you in his arms.This season, Alexis Mabille's urban man wears a more relaxed silhouette with very soft and supple fabrics. Pea jackets, Bermuda shorts, trench coats, flight jackets, T-shirts, cardigans, jeans... all with slightly more fullness yet still impeccably cut and always twisted with his wit. The designer gives these clothes an architectural outlining cleverly done in pipings, trimmings and painted borders. Comfortable yet sophisticated and ever sexy - that is this season's motto!
The need for softness and warmth is gratified by a contrasting selection of fabrics; mixing luxury with ordinary and mismatching garments in a fresh, sharp way. The collection is dominated by a stormy-grey heavy wool jersey for flight jackets, trousers and suits; white cotton jersey for the "message" smudged printed T-shirts; mixed grey jersey for the Oxford collar shirts; and a melange of sumptuous grey tones in wooly flannels, silk and wool blends, cashmere wool blanket, Merino and cotton knit. Boldly applying innovation to tradition, this daring collection features looks like baggy Bermuda shorts worn with long johns, hunting caps for city wear and enameled metal maxi-snaps that replace buttons on suits and coats. Punched metal rail bijoux-belts with heavy tooled clasps have an antique patina with a modern twist. And the apex of coziness this season - obviously in luxurious shades of grey - are the duffel coats, zipped "doudoune" vests and flight jackets in natural Persian lamb or silver fox.
In his quest for sophisticated comfort, Alexis Mabille hosts his first underwear collection. A selection of briefs and boxers, socks and garters and various new accessories; all in fine, white muslin (textured, pleated and striped), net, cottons or black and white jerseys and accented with unusually refined details of braid, edgings, elasticized velvet bands, embroideries and shirt-making elements. As the grey day turns into evening, Alexis Mabille's urban man strides up and down the city's asphalt wearing great coats and tuxedos with stand-up shawl collars. The tuxedos are a tighter fit and elegantly cut in black quilted wool or silk and wool organza. Iconic to Alexis Mabille's design is that there are fewer bow ties but instead bow details flying throughout the collection. The glossiness of the macadam at night is echoed in the shimmering black fabrics woven with lurex, lamé or sequins. The truly adventurous fashion addicts come out at night wearing wisteria dévoré tank tops, waxed jeans and cardigans with a few rhinestone pins and belts here and there.
The final touch in this new quest for sexy softness and smart comfort is the wrapping of all the silhouettes in silk or cashmere maxi-mufflers and scarves; all in the shades and tones of storms, clouds and the Paris sky.