Subtlety has always been the name of the game with Carlos Campos. His Spring/Summer 2016 collection is inspired by the “Forastero” – the stranger, the outsider – the man alone who stands out but is wholly a mystery to all. Campos conveys this theme with a solid line of muted, hunter green garments, peppered with palm prints, pops of camel, and one solitary red, camo, sleeveless suit. The structuring remains relaxed, as we are accustomed, but the double-breasted, belted blazers, give the line a more rigid, upright, and utilitarian look.
“This collection is about a man who is confident and relaxed in his look,” says Campos. Certainly, the line is imbued with quiet confidence – one that shows a designer subtly taking a new direction, evolving his tailoring to reinforce layers that might otherwise go unnoticed.
Surprisingly, not one printed triangle is to be found in this season’s collection. The icon we’ve come to identify with this designer has sunk, quite literally, into the background. Still present, but ever so subtly in the space created by the color-blocked lapels of a double-breasted, belted blazer, or the asymmetric zipper line of the hunter green moto jacket. It’s even vaguely evident in the palm leaves boldly adorning the otherwise white tees. The apple has been tossed from the tree, but it’s still there if you look close enough.