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Today, the Hoodie has been brought into 2012 with new fabrics, textures, and colors. With so many designers having their own versions of the Hoodie, it has been allowed to become much more of a fashion statement than ever before. Cotton and polyester have been traded for the luxury of cashmere, wool, and silk to elevate this iconic item to a new level.

Ed Hardy has used the designs of Christian Audigier to jump on the Hoodie bandwagon by incorporating his bold color and graphic design, which allow it to be unique and ultimately modern. Dolce and Gabbana has used the classic hooded silhouette in a way that exhibits the importance of black and white, color blocking, and texture in today’s fashion. Oakley manages to promote a decidedly youthful image with their version in an abstract plaid with crisp white trimmings, which may attract the younger set. Whether your style is athletic, Hip-Hop, New Age, Vintage, or luxury there is a Hoodie out there for you.

While David Beckham was taking in a Lakers’ game with his boys, the layered look of a white t-shirt, a button-down plaid shirt with a sweater thrown over his shoulders is casual, but cool. Even when photographed at a charity event, surrounded by men in suits, Beckham makes a simple charcoal colored t-shirt, a pair of skinny denim jeans and a great pair of black leather “kicks” look like a million bucks.

Of course, David Beckham’s stunning good looks and fit body certainly aren’t a hindrance when it comes to looking good. It’s a fact that whether he is “dressed to the nines” or scantily clad while modeling his undergarments, he has the interest of the fashion world.

Tim Hamilton also has a mandarin collar, button-down shirt with a cobalt blue torso and full black sleeves, which is definitely on trend with this year’s color blocking craze. It is complimented by a fitted pair of black knee-length shorts with the legs trimmed in several inches of the matching blue fabric. Add a cool belt and a pair of black work boots tipped in the same blue color and the look is pulled all together.

The one very unusual clothing item of his that was on the Runway for 2012 is the all white men’s jump suit. It had a full length zipper in the front, a grey print lining around the neck, and full legs that taper at the ankles. In contrast to some of the other items in Tim Hamilton’s collection, I don’t see this look coming off the Runway. It kind of reminds of a bee keeper’s suit or painter’s overalls, which doesn’t seem like it would be a “go-to” item for most men.

Also, Raf Simmons has designed sweater vests that are not your grandfather’s. He takes the clean lines of a knit sweater vest and modernizes it with a wider shoulder, a higher crew neckline, and the use of bold graphic designs to bring it to life with color. Raf takes the neutral black knit and pops it with bright red, turquoise, and orange in an abstract floral design. Then, he adds even more interest by shadowing the patterns and taking some of them diagonally.

He even manages to take a plain, boxy-cut red t-shirt and use a pop of pink fabric to create a simple “X” design from shoulder to waist. It is a simple concept, but speaks volumes. The look is uncomplicated, bold, and modern all in one garment.

I also found one of his shoe styles to be a unique take on a traditional black leather oxford. He uses a style of shoe that has been around forever and trims the sole seaming in a wide link gold chain. It takes a totally classic style and turns it into something that you will not see on every department store shelf.

So, if you are looking for a style of clothing that is familiar, yet fresh and contemporary, then Raf Simmons may be for you. You can check out his collections locally at Barney’s NY and Jil Sanders.

A graduate of Babson College in Wellesley MA, Michael Bastian has had the opportunity to work in some of the most famous fashion establishments in New York City. His positions at Tiffany & Co and Polo Ralph Lauren gave him the experience that led him to Bergdorf Goodman, where he was the Menswear Fashion Director for the five years prior to the development of his own line of clothing. Now, his brand “Gant by Michael Bastian” is in retail locations worldwide.

The first look in his 2012 Fall line that I found very attractive was a casual outfit with a double breasted, whisper plaid taupe blazer that was layered over a bolder blue plaid shirt. It was paired with a dark khaki trouser and casual, brown leather lace-up shoes. The fit is fantastic with a nicely detailed shoulder and a slightly contoured waist, which keep the double breasted jacket from being too boxy looking. The combination of muted colors allows the outfit to be stylish, but not over the top.

Michael Bastian also takes the vintage look of the baseball jacket with its iconic ribbed, striped banding around the cuffs, collar and waistband and throws in a fresh red color. He keeps the look from being too “athletic” by pairing it with a slim-fitting grey woven pant and lace-up brown leather dress shoes.

The third look by Gant that I found to be a little “unexpected” was one of his models who was styled in a pair of cargo blue jeans, a layered red plaid shirt with matching cap and black penny loafers. The “unexpected” piece was the grey, Irish knit caplet with the cowle neck that he was wearing for outerwear.

It is a beautifully constructed piece, but I just don’t see it being a popular look for men in the US. Maybe it could gain popularity in Europe, where the men might be more comfortable with a “non-traditional” look, but I don’t see it being really big here.

Overall, Michael Bastian has used his past experiences to create a men’s line of clothing that is a little preppy, somewhat vintage, but always fresh by mixing color with the unexpected and classic style.

To quote him, “I start with something perfectly designed and executed, then I spend a lot of time knocking the edge off that perfection.”

The second outfit that drew me in was a pull-over white shirt that was open to the navel, with a rounded neckline and longer slouchy sleeves, which was complimented by a higher waist pleated blue/grey dress pant, and a pair of black dress shoes. He looked like he was about to step out onto the dance floor, to a sexy Latin beat.

Another look that I found interesting was the model who was wearing a fashionable wide leg black pant with leather trimmed pockets, a matching long fabric vest, and sandals. His tattoos that were peaking out from underneath the simple black clothing provided an “edginess” to the total look.

The last look that I thought was pretty funky was modeled by a guy with long curly hair and shades, which set a mysterious mood for his blue mesh shirt, wide crop pants, a matching shirt jacket and boots. You normally don’t see this style of pants on men, but with the whole outfit it really worked. I don’t think that you would see this look at your local grocery store, but it could have its place for the right person.

Christophe Lemaire is a clothing designer who was born in Besancon France in 1965. He had the opportunity to apprentice under Yves Saint Laurent and had created collections for 10 years at LaCoste, before taking his current position as Creative Director at the well-known fashion house, Hermes.

Even though the overall brand of LaCoste was more of a sportswear line of clothing, he did manage to infuse a breath of fresh air through unique collections like his “yachting wear”. Christophe Lemaire has had his own label since 1990 and has transitioned seamlessly through the different phases of his career.

When I look at his Fall 2012 Menswear Collection, I can see a global influence, as well as an infusion of military style and working-wear. For example, he designed a particular navy jacket with an asymmetrical button-down placket, rounded collar, and large patch pockets on the face of the jacket. It is combined with a pair of pleated, baggy pants and a beret, which gives the whole look a European flair. Christophe also has a military flavor in his collection with his double breasted sports jackets, similar to the Peacoat, and a jacket with a studded waistline, high collar, and loop-style button fasteners that are reminiscent of the Civil War Era.

The global influence in Christophe Lemaire’s clothing line is evident in the mandarin collar shirts, clean-lined jackets, and the luxury fabrics that he selects for his pieces like cashmere and Donegal tweed wool. Also, the baggy pants seem to project more of a European flavor.

He manages to translate the luxury fabrics into a style that is also appealing to the working man. Smartly tailored coats, like his double-breasted grey tweed long version, would be the perfect piece for someone braving the elements on a wintery day in NYC. Some of Christophe’s dress shirts are made more casual by adding large cargo pockets on each side of the chest, giving them a broader appeal.

The fashions of Christophe Lamaire are a smorgasbord of simplicity, trendiness, and luxury. He takes what every man wants out of a clothing line and raise it to a new level.

Sergio Davila was born in Peru and is a graduate from the Academy of Arts University in San Francisco. He began his career on the West Coast, but soon after his graduation in 2002, the excitement of his collections sent a wave toward the fashion houses in the East. Sergio is no stranger to the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week. In 2009, he received the “Rising Star Award” and in 2010, he was nominated for the Best Menswear designer Award at the event. Sergio says that his collections were born out of creating designs that he wanted to wear. Obviously, by the response that he has received from the public, he is not the only one who is eager to wear his fashions.

As I looked over the photographs of his 2012 Menswear Spring Collection, I got an overall image of fashions that are “casually cool”. In one look, he takes a traditional Henley that is designer touched with a contrasting collar and layers it with the look of a long and short sleeve hoodie. The horizontal striping creates the interest, along with the details.

Another look that caught my eye was a bold, graphic print knit hoodie, which was done in a floral pattern, but somehow did not look feminine at all. I could see this being worn by any guy, in similar fashion to wearing a colorful Tommy Bahama print, only this one is more modern in its approach with his use of the classic “black and white”.

This designer also takes an ordinary concept of a jacket and creates something extraordinary with his use of cut out design and zippered details. Both are seen in Sergio’s black men’s jacket with an asymmetrical closure and cut outs on the shoulders with a patent-looking trim. Also, he takes a black leather jacket and uses triangular cut outs in the front panels that makes it almost look like a version of “coat-tails” on a tuxedo. Sergio keeps things casual by combining this jacket with a pair of sand colored pants, tan leather shoes, and a mandarin collar button-down shirt.

I can see why the menswear fashions of Sergio Davila have made an impression from coast to coast. He takes what men love to wear every day and turns it into to something that is much cooler!

It means leaving photo shoots in the capable hands of a jack-of-all-trades professional with a supreme eye for detail and knack for project management—someone who can almost effortlessly juggle it all, from assembling sets and hiring hair-and-makeup coiffures to building outfits and dressing subjects for the best possible effect. In short, doing everything to ensure shoots are camera-ready, whether for model portfolios, Web magazine spreads, print ad campaigns or company catalogs.

The featured photos in this article was photographed by Kurtiss with stylist Davis Carrasquillo