What do the veteran star and fashion have in common? Both have made comebacks that hit the ground running.

PHOTOGRAPHY Jooyoung Ahn STYLING Jungmi Kim
A-list South Korean actor Lee Jong-Suk emerged from his mandatory military service in January 2021, just as fashion began to shake off the remnants of lockdown gloom. It&rsquo;s a parallel state; all throughout the pandemic, both have managed to radiate a certain optimism &mdash; fashion&rsquo;s fervor for childlike accessories and outrageous prints helped us crack a smile through the uncertainty, and Lee&rsquo;s drive to hit the ground running kept his fans&rsquo; chins up. &ldquo;As soon as I was discharged from the military, I shot a special appearance for The Witch 2 a few days later,&rdquo; he shares to L&rsquo;Officiel Philippines. &ldquo;It would have been nice to be able to do various events for [my fans]. It saddens me that there isn&rsquo;t much we can do because of the pandemic.&rdquo;

Over half a year later, the parallelism remains, converging on an experimental note: &ldquo;More than wanting to take on a role or try a genre, now I want to, without discriminating [against any role or genre], challenge myself to work on something with a good story,&rdquo; Lee muses. It seems the runways agree. For Fall/Winter 2021, menswear collections strove to experiment, revisiting and reinterpreting the essentials of a man&rsquo;s wardrobe.

Vivid geometric patterns brightened staple knits at Dior, Prada, and Versace, and cozy sweater vests came dusted with florals and rainbow stripes at MSGM and Herm&egrave;s. And the season&rsquo;s favorite anti-cold novelty? The ultra-stretchy, brightly printed turtleneck, a star at Berluti and Jil Sander. Like our cover boy, restrain the overall effect with sleek, dark, tailored separates.

jacket, turtleneck, pants, and shoes; Prada

See Lee Jong-Suk rock the best of Fall/Winter 2021&rsquo;s most colorful trends in <a href="https://gentrendpublication.com/pages/buy-lofficiel-ph?fbclid=IwAR1cfrB0eT4IKQdp6DPr3pMs3-cDH8aAAdVVhFuXmxR6DmdUvYcIR87r_aI">L&rsquo;Officiel Philippines&rsquo; September 2021 issue, available for purchase here</a>.

PRODUCER Sang-Hun Lee CREATIVE DIRECTION Danyl Geneciran HAIR Min Lee MAKEUP Mi Gang COVER STORY Grace Iriberri
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Lee Jong-Suk Graces Our September Cover in the Season’s Brightest Trends

Recommended posts for you

Hommes

Inatô Is Where Tradition Meets Innovation For an Unforgettable Dining Experience

Fashion

Inside the Louis Vuitton Women’s Pre-Fall 2024 Show in Shanghai

Culture

RIMOWA Celebrates Its New Seasonal Collection in Seoul

Fashion

Dior Unveils Its Newest Boutique in Cebu

Hommes

Exclusive: Jonathan Anderson on Designing the Latest UNIQLO and JW Anderson Collection

Fashion

Here’s How You Can Dress up Your FENDI Peekaboo

Fashion

How to Style Green: The Hottest Color of the Summer

Fashion

Michelle Dee and BJ Pascual Explore Seoul in the Rokh H&M Collection