Mark McNairy s Fall 13 New Amsterdam show ended with a parade of moody models sucking their teeth and throwing penis-doodle-print handkerchiefs at the audience (apparently, they were inspired by Superbad). Needless to say, his men s and women s ranges—which fell somewhere between preppy and perverse—had a bit of a frat-house vibe. Irreverent was the word: Some of the best bits on the men s side were a camo coat embellished with daisies (it was surprisingly masculine); colorful plaid shirts and jackets; a hooded coat lined with peekaboo polka dots; and leather sweatpants that bunched up at the calf. The fleece cargo sweatpants and cropped zip-calf meggings were less successful, but McNairy s slouchy pinstriped trousers—rolled up at the ankles and paired with a quirky tie and cozy cardigan—were a smart take on formal gone casual.
The collection had its humorous moments. His-and-hers jeans printed with wacky, angry clowns and smiley faces were silly fun—put those in the "strengths" category. Beanies stitched with "Howdy" were also grin-inducing, but some of the other sartorial jokes—cowboy hats, wool Mexican wrestler masks—fell flat.
For the girls there were fantastic brogues, loafers, and dirty bucks (footwear is one of McNairy s signatures), and an adorable camo pant, navy toggle coat, and yellow bow tie combo. Much of the rest, though, seemed like something you might sport around the dorm on a Sunday morning. Leather soccer shorts pulled and tugged in the wrong places. So did a pair of confusing skinny-fit khakis. And a sporty leather skirt and sweatshirt didn t quite work.
This is only McNairy s second season designing full men s and women s ranges for his eponymous label. When asked about his future plans, the designer said, "More of the same." Fair enough—the line already appeals to a certain breed of downtown gent, and if he makes his woman a little cooler to fit in with his Fall guy (and loses the genitalia jokes), he could have a cult hit on his hands.
