The invite for NIHL’s Summer 2019 New York Men’s Presentation pictured a figurine dressed in an oversized denim suit and tie uniform. Traditional, rigid and overtly masculine, the outfit is a point of reference for some, and a station of criticism for others.
For Neil Patrick Grotzinger, a designer-on-the rise, among the CFDA candidates, the starch uniform is a statement of the past. As he and his brand, NIHL explore meaning behind different ways of machismo expression in fashion, “Masculine Effeminacy,” is a term he has discovered and continues to unpack through signature embroidery and beadwork designs paired to men’s clothing.
In this recent collection, ornamented leotards and aqua tie dyed track shorts paired with an unbuttoned sheer patched dress shirt were looks that deconstructed definitions of orthodox manliness. The employment of athleticism juxtaposed with delicate touches introduces a new uniform to men’s fashion. NIHL dresses it with hunk and beauty.
