B.W. COOK -- The Look

Who says clothes don’t make the man? To examine men’s fashion trends

for the new year, we stopped in at Neiman Marcus at Fashion Island for a

preview of the latest casual and executive dressing.

Fashion model Mark Harris lent us his frame as we attempt to prove

that sometimes clothes do make the man. After all, substance isn’t

everything. Style counts too.

CUTLINE

1. Mark Harris is dressed to kill in this gray sharkskin suit by

Brioni ($2,995), worn with a light blue Brioni shirt ($275) and a blue

coordinated neck tie ($135).

2. One of the all time most successful lines for gentlemen, Brioni has

long been the choice of the man seeking the best money could buy. Harris

shows off another Brioni look, this time a charcoal sport jacket made of

spring cashmere with a windowpane check ($3,250.). The jacket is paired

with an orange Brioni shirt that features the window pane design in blue

($255). Harris also wears a light blue pair of slacks made by another of

the major men’s designer lines, Zanella ($255).

3. For the casual look, this unconstructed quarter-lined jacket by

Brioni sells for $2,095. It is worn with a casual shirt of turquoise

cotton, also by Brioni ($240), and light blue linen Incotex pants ($225).

4. In the last decade, another Italian designer name has taken the

upper end of the men’s fashion world by storm -- Ermenegildo Zegna. His

clothes, while pricey, are also both fashion forward and offer the utmost

in quality fabric and tailoring. Harris shows off a Zegna suit with its

soft-tailored design featuring flat-front pants ($1,095). Zegna also

designed the shirt, which is made of soft peach-colored cotton ($180),

and the coordinating peach-striped tie ($110).

5. Another entry from Zegna is this blue sport jacket with a

two-button front and a small windowpane check in the fabric ($1,375).

Harris wears the jacket with a blue plaid, button-down shirt ($195) and

Zegna trousers made of taupe Trofeo fabric ($375).

6. To round out the best of the Italian look, Armani creates this

three-button, sharkskin gray blue, spring cashmere sport jacket ($1,695),

worn here with Brioni’s beige and blue windowpane shirt ($250) and a pair

of Incotex 100% wool pants in beige ($365).