Marlon Gobel Spring 2015

Transhumanism: a cultural and intellectual movement seeking to transform the human condition by developing and making widely available technologies to greatly enhance human intellectual, physical, and psychological capacities. Transhumanist thinkers speculate that humans may eventually be able to transform themselves into beings with such greatly expanded abilities as to merit the label “posthuman.”

This philosophy of “transhumanism” serves as the inspiration of the Marlon Gobel spring/summer 2015 collection. The collection is based around three main points: (1) human augmentation through technology resulting in us becoming stronger, faster, and better; (2) technology is fashion from the fabrics to the electronics we use; and (3) a “wearable device” can be anything from a water repellent fabric coat, to eyewear that captures what your eyes may miss, to a handheld super computer you use to communicate and share your life.

For spring 2015, designer Marlon Gobel has taken contemporary menswear and advanced it with a futuristic feel. He has refrained from designing a “one size fits all uniform of the future” and instead offers selections that vary upon lifestyle. For the more fit and athletic male, there are form-fitting tees and polo shirts paired with 5-pocket shorts that fall perfectly at the knee, seeming to give a nod to his tutelage under designer Thom Browne. For the more universal casual wear customer, there are wonderful wardrobe staples offered in cotton dress shirts and full-fit trousers that fall right at the ankle. Asserting that you can be fashion-forward even in a post-modern world, Gobel provides a double-breasted blazer and a formal jacket for those who want a classic look, no matter the century.

However, what particularly stands out in this collection is his outerwear. His crocodile motorcycle jackets in silver and gold give a Tron-like speed demon effect, while his navy neoprene trench prepares you to battle the elements in any environment. One interesting highlight is his nylon-stretch and cashmere-knit shoulder shrugs. Variably, they work well with his athletic and casual wear while subtly flirting with modern-day androgyny.

Thankfully, Gobel did not over-design this collection. He stayed away from the idea of unisex bodysuits or shapeless robes that are often depicted as futuristic clothes. Rather than being costumy, Gobel kept some of the current trends in menswear and modernized his garments with accessories by Knox Armor gloves, Dominic Elvin augmentation headpieces, and shoes from the post-modern design company United Nude. Fortunately, for the Marlon Gobel consumer, this collection is very customer-friendly and will fit into your wardrobe for now and many seasons to come.

—Carl Ayers