I realized today that I haven’t posted much of anything from this season’s men’s shows from Paris, New York or London Fashion Weeks.  So, going through some of my favorites from this season* to pull together a highlight reel of my picks, it struck me how well the AW10 collections from Viktor & Rolf, Pringle of Scotland and (Jay-Z’s favorite label to mispronounce) Maison Martin Margiela complement one another.  Sure, everyone makes room for layers in their fall collections, and many designers also use the same muted palette these three labels worked in.  But the way these three design houses mix and match textures, work knitwear into their clothing and keep the focus on suiting as outwear really fits together quite well.  You can see a Viktor & Rolf-esque quality in Pringle’s comically oversized fur gloves; Pringle and Margiela both play with the effect of having a blazer embellished along each side of the front, echoed again in a furry Viktor & Rolf jacket.

So what does it mean that these three very different brands have so much in common within their respective fall collections?  Are we all moving closer still to one giant globalized fashion community?  Are European designers feeding off of one another?  Will Tilda Swinton, the current face of Pringle, and noted Viktor & Rolf aficionado Rihanna start to share a wardrobe like a high school girl and her Cool Mom?

Probably not.  It probably just means that my taste in menswear is pretty consistent.  And that I will take any opportunity to mention Rihanna in a blog post.

Have a look at some of Viktor & Rolf & Pringle & Margiela after the jump below.  Doesn’t that sound like one of those over-played t-shirts from a few years ago?

(*On an unrelated note, I’m usually a big fan of Michael Bastian, and there was some pretty great stuff in his show, but what was up with some of his collection veering dangerously close to Dsquared2 territory?  No bueno.)

Margiela:

Pringle:

Viktor & Rolf:

Lately, I’ve noticed a huge resurgence in interest in the iconic artist Keith Haring, and, ignorant as it may seem, I didn’t realize it was the 20th anniversary of his death until I read about it online.  Which makes complete sense: Haring is a quintessential New York artist, responsible for defining an era in this city.  His work, and in particular the “radiant child” is emblematic of New York in the 1980′s and all that went along with it.  Despite his tragic death, his art lives on.  Today, we can see his influence in everything from Rihanna’s music videos, to Betsey Johnson’s Fashion Week presentation and the most mainstream of all designers, Tommy Hifliger, who designed a limited run childrens’ shoe collection based on Haring’s work.  Along with Basquiat and Warhol, Haring has made a place among New York figureheads who defined what it meant to live in this city at a specific time.  For some current admirers of his work, click through after the jump.

Rihanna’s “Rude Boy” video

Tommy Hilfiger x Keith Haring children’s sneaker collection

Designers Cole Nahal and Garrett Bowser’s Haring-inspired apartment.

(Photo via www.rihannanow.com.  Yes, that’s right, her official website.)

1.) Still from Rihanna’s upcoming video for “Hard”
2.) Prince Pelayo takes on Mickey Mouse
3.) Teenage photography phenom Eleanor Hardwick