The spring-summer 2018 season may have passed, but some collections deserve a look back and to be brought to light again. A good example for this is the David Hart spring-summer 2018 collection, which can be seen as a true capsule collection or even a cool resort collection that withstood many of the trends of the time. The clothes and accessories featured in the collection can be a great source of inspiration either for next season or even for a fun New Year’s fiesta for those spending the winter holidays in a hot climate.
For the warm season of 2018, David Hart took us on a trip to Cuba. The designer planned to travel to the island, but the trip never actually happened. However, since fashion is often about embodying dreams, he made this collection happen, as the main aesthetic was a mix of the spirit of Habana Vieja with a modern and urban feel.
The mid-century aesthetic that still resides at the core of the Cuban aesthetic could be seen in striped blazers, knitted polos, neck scarves worn like sashes, pocket squares and Panama hats. Simple, striped prints that reminded us of the 1950s were present, but they were mixed with funny banana patterns that gave the collection a vacation feel. At least, a feel of an imagined vacation. David Hart explained this sense: “This collection is a celebration of the world’s view of Cuba and not a literal one. I personally have never been to Cuba, so this collection is based on an idea of Cuba I’ve been exposed to through books, media, and cinema as an American.”
While some of the styling choices were a bit cliché in nature, for example many of the models carrying cigars in their shirt pockets, this did not bother us too much, as it was a Cuban dream after all. The collection covered many aspects of a classic Cuban holiday: from simple t-shirts and casual pants to suits designed for a hot evening in an outdoors restaurant. In terms of colors, we could see burnt orange, bright red, lime green and milk chocolate-brown, complemented by a more subdued palette of navy and burgundy. With this palette, the designer showed us once again that he truly loves colors.
There was nothing outrageous or extremely ostentatious about the clothes, which is quite a rarity these days and one of the reasons why this collection stood out from the crowd.
Cuba is a great source of inspiration in terms of style and this is why the spring 2018 collection by David Hart deserves to be taken a second look at.
For the next warm season (spring-summer 2019), the designer proposed a collection inspired by the 1970s, with bell-bottom pants and shaded colors, but those are a lot more specific than the timelessness of Cuban style.
Colorful, retro yet contemporary and masculine and chic at the same time, the spring-summer 2018 menswear collection by David Hart was indeed one of the overlooked collections that deserve a second look. And a third, and a fourth…
Fraquoh and Franchomme
Further reading:
The A. Sauvage Spring 2018 collection in review
The Billionaire spring 2018 collection in review
The Perry Ellis spring 2018 collection in review
The Hermès spring-summer 2018 menswear collection in review
P.S. We want to hear from you! What do you make of the collection? Do you like the Cuban style? Why? Share your feedback, questions or thoughts in the comments below! For more articles on style, fashion tips and cultural insights, you can subscribe to Attire Club via e-mail or follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram!