Each year, GQ Magazine‘s fashion team selects six nominees for the best new menswear designers in America. A position on this list has made the careers of past nominees, including last year’s winner Alexander Wang and 2010 top designer Billy Reid.
This year, each finalist will have the opportunity to share his designs with men across the country.
Thursday, GQ and Gap are slated to release a collaborative collection to be sold in Gap stores nationwide. The limited-edition collection, while featuring pieces designed by the six finalists, will retail at a price more in tune with Gap and won’t leave your pockets bare from designer prices.
Each of GQ‘s picks for best designer of the year has a personal design aesthetic and point of view, which almost guarantees that the Gap collaboration will bring a little something for everyone. While the final designs have not yet been released to the public, here’s a sneak peak of what you can expect:
Ian Velardi
Velardi’s designs are rooted in classic American sportswear, but polished with a modern edge. His most current designs are fairly conservative, revolving around a muted-gray and navy-blue color palate, but feature subtleties in cut and texture that bring his work into the 21st century.
Saturdays Surf NYC
Founded by designers Colin Tunstall, Josh Rosen and Morgan Collett, the Saturdays NYC label brings a New York City sense of cool to the relaxed ’60s surfer aesthetic. The label’s current collection is composed primarily of casual pieces, such as relaxed-fit cable knit sweaters, slim-fit chinos and colored in earth tones with a few graphic T-shirts thrown in under the layers.
Mark McNairy New Amsterdam
McNairy redefines All-American style by highlighting tailored pieces with bright, often mismatched, patterns. From neon to animal print, nothing is off-limits. While the designer is sure to tone down his style to fit with Gap’s brand, you can at least expect an appearance of camouflage in his military-inspired cargos.
Todd Snyder
For the guy looking to throw some class into his casual attire, Snyder’s designs bring a sense of European sophistication to practical pieces. You won’t find any bright colors thrown into his label, but that doesn’t mean Snyder’s clothing doesn’t stand out. Mixed in with boots and worn denim are just as many bow ties and fine suits.
BLK DNM
Designer and founder Johan Lindeberg sets himself apart from the other best new designer finalists with his downtown edge. Anchored with black leather and fine denim, there’s nothing preppy about Lindeberg’s designs. Expect little color, but high levels of biker-inspired cool, from BLK DNM’s Gap collaboration.
Ovadia & Sons
Founded by designers and brothers Ariel and Shimon Ovadia, Ovadia and Sons brings old-fashioned, American style and pairs it with new-school trends. While the label has a strong focus in suiting, the brothers also tie in more casual pieces, such as denim jackets and patchwork jeans.
