A little bit Logan’s Run, and a little bit Johnny Winter, the Autumn/Winter 2012 collection from Rochambeau poses all sorts of interesting theories on how men have dressed in the past and how they might dress in the present to appear as if they got dressed in the future as imagined in the past.

Some pretty spectacular looks bubble to the surface. Not all of them are particularly pragmatic, but that’s clearly not the point. In fact, a good many of the items presented here fall neatly under the term Black Metal Serfwear that we coined a few weeks ago. Bottom line: there are definitely some pieces that could make their way comfortably into a well-versed closet and some others that would blow some damn minds at parties. Get on it.

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Common People are a brand we’ll be following up on in later posts, but to introduce we start off with their Autumn/Winter 2012 video. Creative director Kestin Hare worked as Head of Design at Nigel Cabourn for 4 years and you’ll see some of those influences throughout the collection. Another dedicated vintage head, he has picked up an impressive collection from around the world, the details of which underpin this first offering. “Inspired by the film There Will Be Blood and his archive of vintage American workwear pieces, the collection has been given an all British, almost dandy-esque treatment.”  Stay tuned for more on the Brit label.

A peek at a new brand striking out with an Autumn/Winter 2012 lookbook. Mattison is what you might describe as modern casual tailoring. Suits for the youth or anyone uncomfortable with standard fit, the first thing to note is that everything is slim and short. If you’re not a fan of exposed ankles this may not be for you. However, there’s very little here that could be described as ’skinny’ and for that we are grateful. Wool, cashmere and Japanese cotton all put together in the USA, with suits constructed at Martin Greenfield and everything else making it’s way out of L.A. One to watch.

Click for images.

Simon Spurr shares their Autumn Winter 2012 runway presentation – part of New York Fashion Week.

Bespoken shares their Autumn/Winter 2012 collection that “explores the commonalities and contrasts of British woodsman gamekeepers and rebel vigilantes.” The design collective of is a five-member “family” emsemble including the Fayed brothers: Liam, Sam, James and Paulo and Carlos Goncalves. Outerwear heavy, Bespoken’s collection revisits the pea coat, topcoat and suiting with varying accents. Hand drawn patterns are also present. Check the footwear while you run through our gallery.

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Armando Cabral highlights his new chukka boots for Autumn/Winter 2012. Made from Saffiano leather in his “choice” Italian factories, Cabral works to mixes a sneaker-like sole against uppers made from materials like soft deer leather, suede brandishing, and a triple brushed diadema leather which gives the material a pleated look. We will share more from the collection shortly.

Here are some pics and a bit of video from the Hyden Yoo Autumn/Winter 2012 collection as it was presented at the The Hudson Library last week. We’re prompted to “enjoy the classic tale of sartorial dressing and unattainable beauty.” The latter part rings true, as this looks like the type of party we would have been barred from in high school (and been glad to have missed in retrospect).

The meaning behind the impossible dream deepens, however, as the clothes attempt to tell the “classic tale of the unattainable woman and the man that pines for her.” An “intelligent and self aware man who curates himself in a sartorial manner.” The type of self-awareness we exhibited back in our pining days probably drove the objects of our affection away—we sure as hell weren’t curating ourselves—but we’ll go along for the ride here because these are some nice looks: muted, modern, wearable and priced within attainability.

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The J. Crew men’s collection was showcased this week at Lincoln Center. Frank Muytjens says the collection was “inspired by a portrait of Edward James looking polished and precise and by photographs of Antarctic explorer, Ernest Shackleton.” With a color palette of “water on an oil slick” that pulls out the blues, purples, and greens in the collection, J. Crew caters to the user that expects garments to be wearable under any conditions.

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McNairy delivers a collection of headwear for Autumn 2012 – coming out of his New Amsterdam collection. We see some New Era’s in there against fedoras, stovepipe’s and more – all done with that McNairy steez that blends color against neutral. Worth a look for those in the hat market later in the year.

Photography: WATM

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Michael Bastian looked to his own college days in Boston—specifically to a trio of close friends: a mod girl, her boxer beau and himself—for inspiration for this Autumn/Winter 2012 collection, hoping to crystallize that time (the ’80s) and place. Among some other period films, Pretty In Pink was projected during the unveiling at Exit Art in Manhattan, and there’s definitely a sophisticated Ducky vibe running through the looks.

We always count on GANT for gently updated American sportswear, and Bastian’s clean capture of a specific point in the past serves that aim well. These wares are creative and sometimes daring without being freaky or intimidating to GANT devotees (we assume there are some of you out there). While we are in no hurry to rock any of these complete looks (some of them for fear of looking like a total Steff), there are lots of fetching (or should we say “fetch”) pieces to choose from.

More looks in our gallery…