Suede. Suede. Suede. Derek Lam, you are a real 70’s man! This collection is a masterpiece. Beautiful shades of violet, brown and tourquoise were presented in leather jackets, suede skirts and tops. With a slightly hippie & masculine vibe, the collection lands high on the best NYFW presentations up to date. Still, the nostalgia factor ticked up a few notches this season—there’s something about patchwork suede with contrast topstitching that just takes you back. But if Lam’s references felt quite literal this time around, that didn’t make the clothes any less compelling. “It’s a continuation of my preoccupation with being an American designer,” Lam said backstage. “I love the American codes: the jean jacket, the shirtwaist.” This is what he said of the bell trousers and buttoned jackets. Lovely! And these photos of Ube via Cereal Magazine perfectly match the clothes…