New York Fashion Week: The Shows officially kicked off late last week, with four menswear designers showcasing their new collections.

Y.Chroma, which launched less than a year ago, is on a mission to target the often-ignored middle-aged bracket.

“My customers … look in line at Starbucks and realize they’re wearing the same clothes as every other guy, and they want to change that. That’s actually not an easy transition to make,” said founder Max Israel.

Israel said the brand taps into Generation X’s heritage, infusing the laid-back essence of skate and surf culture with luxurious textiles and refined aesthetics.

“This matters because you’re talking about 100 million men between the US and Europe. They’re most of GDP, and they’re totally locked out of fashion… We’re going to change that,” said Israel.

Models present creations from the Terry Singh Fall/Winter 2024 collection during New York Fashion Week
(REUTERS)

Designer Terry Singh, himself aged 57, returned with a collection that seeks to give each man he dresses a sharp identity.

“When you see him coming down the street, he has that look,” he said.

Singh continued his tradition of using unconventional models. Brian St. John, for instance, is a record label vice president who Singh found having his photo taken on the street in New York.

“Terry was directing my friend how to take the pictures better and angling it better. And then we exchanged Instagrams … and he hit me up and asked me to be in the show,” said St. John.

A model presents a creation from the Landeros Fall/Winter 2024 collection during New York Fashion Week
(REUTERS)

Fashion brand Landeros also showed during the morning session of the biannual Men’s Day event, while designer Jack Sivan’s brand made its fashion week debut, focusing on soft and playful tailoring.

Nearly 50 brands including Carolina Herrera, Tommy Hilfiger and Brandon Maxwell are showcasing their collections during New York Fashion Week: The Shows, which runs until Wednesday (14 February).