Perry Ellis has been showing a signature menswear collection at the tents consistently for a few years now, and to review it over the seasons, you would think that the company was producing a stylish, updated sportswear collection with a sexy edge, and this season, that pattern continues. Creative director John Crocco once again filled the runway with the industry's top male models including crowd favorites like Brad Kroenig, Chad White and current Calvin Klein Underwear icon Garrett Neff. Crocco has always had a quirky sense of color and an eye for knitwear. His models looked headed right for the beach, but surprisingly, Crocco declined to put any of them in a bathing suit, surely disappointing many in the audience.
But here's the thing about the Perry Ellis Signature collection. Don't get too attached to anything you see on the runway. While even the most accessible of designers will often show one or slightly exaggerated runway pieces that they don't expect to actually produce, We have yet to find a retailer who actually sells the high-end signature line. In fact from what we can tell, little if any of this line will ever be produced, although some of the looks may filter down to the label's mass produced sportswear line in less expensive versions.
This is a quirk of the brand that soured its relationship with Patrick Robinson a few years ago when he designed acclaimed women's collections for them that luxury retailers found they couldn't buy. We have to wonder what they are afraid of over at Perry Ellis? Crocco's collections are consistently appealing and generally wearable-looking. Is profitability in designer menswear so difficult to achieve that it's no longer worth attempting? We are just old enough to remember the original Ellis menswear collections which were influential and popular. Somehow, over the years, the actual product devolved into a middle of the road department store line. Doesn't the label deserve better?

Later on we took in Duckie Brown's show, always one of our favorites because, as we have said before, we can never quite predict what direction designers Daniel Silver and Steven Cox will take us in. This season, they mixed their signature play of proportions with sports gear in an oddly dark and somewhat wintry looking looking line for spring. after a few outfits with tight black stretch leggings and sleeve peeping out from shorts and t-shirts, it becomes clear that each look is layered over a full bodysuit, some finished with matching stretch gloves and watches from Mont Blanc, one of the show's sponsors. It's an intriguing idea to be sure, and may hint at the style of the future, but it looks a littly toasty for spring, especially when it's paired with a chunky pullover in fuzzy wool. In fact the whole collection felt a bit heavy and dark for warm weather.
Duckie Brown is almost the diametric opposite of what Perry Ellis has become. You may have trouble finding it in stores only because its still a smaller company. Cox and Silver could probably water down their ideas for a more commercial collection, but where's the excitement in that? They continue to explore, even if they occasionally wind up someplace a bit bewildering.
Swag & diversity details after the jump

PERRY ELLIS
Diversity Quotient: 8.2%
28 Models in 54 looks
2 Black Models in 5 looks
0 Asian Models
Music:
Guitar Rock & Roll
Celebrities:
Ugly Betty's Mark Indelicato, and serial regulars Nigel Barker, Jack Mackentroth & JDMA's  Martin Richie
SWAG:
1 bottle Perry Ellis Eau de Toilette

DUCKIE BROWN:
Diversity Quotient: 8%
25 Models in 25 Looks
2 Black Models in 2 looks
0 Asian Models
Music:
Trance-ey techno
Celebrities:
Same as above minus Barker, unless he was there and we just don't notice him anymore.
SWAG:
Though Mont Blanc was a sponsor, sadly there were no pens in the bags, just a catalog and a box of 10 Arizona Sugar Free Iced Tea Stix.