Now a year into his role as head of men’s design at Rag & Bone, Swaim Hutson’s approach to spring could be summed up as lightening and tightening. “It’s all about cleaning up, and focusing on product,” he said from the brand’s Meatpacking District showroom. “We know our guy travels, and he wants things with a softer hand.”
No big seasonal theme or gimmick, just down to brass tacks. Sometimes designing—especially a brand as big as this—is more about refining than big swings. So the lightening portion came in softer, airier fabrics but with a decidedly straightforward spin. Something to appeal to regular guys, no funny business. Take a seersucker suit, which was rendered in a navy herringbone or an earthy tonal stripe, swapping out any genteel Southern connotations for a subtle, urbane look. It was also used on a matching set—a pleated short paired with a Chief Petty Officer overshirt with an elastic hem—in a subtle gingham. These pieces retained that signature gentle puckering, which added a touch of texture and that undeniable feeling of weightlessness. Classic shirting came in washed cottons for a summery, well-worn feel—somewhere between a knit and woven—while a preppy rugby polo was made from breathable linen, with just enough slouch. In addition to its denim, Hutson noted that Rag & Bone’s cotton slub t-shirts have been a bestseller since the brand’s inception, and this season he updated them as ringer tees, with contrasting neck and sleeve piping, imbuing them with just the right amount of vintage appeal.
Tightening, meanwhile, wasn’t a literal winnowing down of the silhouette, but just a sharper focus on the core offerings; drilling down on details so they felt considered, not overwrought. In fact, those suits came with a slightly loucher spirit, with a softer shoulder and a wider torso for an elegant look. That navy seersucker, for instance, had a double-breasted cut, which could easily be worn open over a T-shirt, for a polished but easy-to-wear look. A long heavy cotton trench came with a leather collar, and this season, Hutson focused on Harrington jackets (as opposed to bombers, as he did for resort). Knit polos, meanwhile, featured open-weave stripes for some built-in ventilation. Hutson was wise to add a few pieces with a bit more design to them, like fine-gauge knit V-necks with a built-in collar and contrasting, retro color combinations, and a pair of loose, double-pleated jeans. In the showroom, those were paired with a blouson-style jacket in inky leather with a dropped shoulder and double-zip front. A bit heavy for summer? Maybe—but it looked so good, you understand why he was eager to show it anyway.