Michael Bastian Spring/Summer 2012 Collection

This post is actually more or less just to get some high resolution images floating around so I can reblog them on Tumblr, but Michael Bastian's return after a season-long hiatus* has been the first menswear collection to make an impact on me during New York Fashion Week.

As was immediately apparent by the logo emblazoned likeness appearing on the backdrop and the red windbreaker on the first model, the inspiration for this collection was James Dean. Though his status as a style icon has never faded, Bastian dug deeper, beyond the brooding attitude and unkempt hair, and into the life cut short. What if Dean had lived a long and fulfilling life? Would he have sustained the passions of his youth? How would his sense of style have developed? These questions were an obvious influence on the designer who interpreted it, along with staples of his past collections into clothing that could be worn by anyone, even girls.

Bastian also took the universality of Dean, a man whose image as an icon in America has been widespread, and applied that to his selection of models, few of whom came close to actually resembling the man. The message being that anyone can be their own James Dean, and ostensibly anyone can look as good in Michael Bastian.

*Bastian took a break during the Fall/Winter 2012 season to cut ties with old business partners in order to cut down the overall cost of his clothing as well as to obtain full ownership of his namesake brand.

— Images via GQ