The Newly Refined Man

A lot can happen in the space of a year, and in an environment as fast paced and volatile as the fashion industry, 365 days leaves room for intense change. We've seen designers change places and we've seen designers take places, but as fashion observers, the evolution we've come to appreciate the most is that of the fashionable male. 

Not long ago, the eligible man was the toned, tanned bloke in a 3-piece suit with far too much money, and far too little grit or ambition, but by the end of 2011, the idea of the refined man began to change. 

On the fashion stage, it all started with the Balmain and Balenciaga shows, and The Rise of Journo Fashion, a concept of men who were men with and without the frills, street-wise gentlemen, just as comfy in 2-pleat pants as they are chic in khaki desert boots. 

Balmain Spring 2012

The street has made its appearance on the runway (or in the front row) on a number of occasions, but with the likes of Kanye West's design prowess and Alexander Wang's menswear showcases (with the likes of diplo, A$AP Rocky & Penn Badgely), we're looking at an era where the hustle is sexy, and for the first time since the Great Gatsby, the hustler is more eligible than the old-money-large-mansion pricks we've all grown to hate. 

Alexander Wang's Fall 2012 Menswear Showcase

Sapiosexualism has taken over, and the fashion industry has embraced it in the purest sense, keeping tabs on the men who work hard, think hard, and stunt hard, showing them off to the world, making the nerds appealing and the jocks mediocre. Making money with your mind and art is encouraged, and is the new dragon to chase. 

Kendrick Lamar for Complex Magazine 

Diplo for Alexander Wang

Men look up to them for their ability to progress, the fact that they can play ball on any day and the way the new-age gentleman carries himself. Women adore them for their refinement, the equality they strive for and the fact that they know their Gucci from their Prada all while being perfectly composed, maybe even chauvinistically comedic. 

 Kanye West's Rosewood Movement

 A$AP Rocky for Alexander Wang

Penn Badgely for GQ

And what's not to love when your suit is sharp, but your mindset is sharper?