Maritime themes are not uncommon in clothing collections, but for Jennifer Brachmann, the idea was actually inspired by her background in architectural studies. “The Bauhaus architects were very impressed by shipping construction,” Brachmann told WWD. “The references are most obvious in the duffle coats, and sailors’ tops and pants made from merino wool.” She put her hybrid Brachmann stamp on the classic looks: adding a layered bib front onto the dark blue sailor’s top or a vertical pleat down the back of pale gray sailor pants.
The designer’s continued experiments with detail and dimension sometimes ran into choppy waters, getting unnecessarily complex. But simpler stylistic elements, like flat, wide pockets on men’s pants that ran from the front to the back, perfectly melding in the back seam, or the addition of a hood to a traditional trenchcoat, steadied the course. Forays into knitwear (begun last season “as a bit of an experiment”), such as a slim dark blue Guernsey sweater and white fitted pullover, both in merino wool, were welcome additions to this Berlin-based collection of post-classical men’s wear.