Tiger of Sweden is marking new territory. The Scandinavian design house first flexed its muscles during the inaugural season of B.C. Fashion Week last year. It was back at BCFW with a vengeance on April 6 when its fall/winter 2006/'07 collection roared down the runway at the Scotiabank Dance Centre. Those in the packed auditorium were lucky to get a first glimpse of what has to be one the slickest, sexiest, and smartest menswear lines to come along in a while. Burberry and Duffer of St. George ought to be trembling in their Beatle boots, and the Italians should keep one eye cocked over their shoulders lest they're caught off-guard by this strong and streamlined brand headquartered in chic, high-tech, and socially progressive Stockholm.

Tiger's sleek pants, jackets, suits, shirts, sweaters, denim, and accessories offer something Canadian men can relate to. The crisp, cool, and subtly athletic contours, the stark juxtaposition of monochromatic tones and saturated hues familiar to anyone who lives in a northern clime, and the tailoring that says "I'm hip" rather than "I'm hip-hop" all appeal to the man who wants to suggest rather than broadcast his sexuality.

During its Vancouver visit, Tiger presented two labels. Black is a modern-conservative collection-think sexy banker. Silver is fun and youthful, with traditional elements. The fall lineup is influenced by rockabilly, as if the Stray Cats had been outfitted by a bespoke tailor from Savile Row.

Tiger's designer, Fredrik Blank, who received the Swedish Elle magazine's designer of the year award in 2004, favours the double-breasted suit in a single-breasted world. It dominated the show, in checks, pinstripes, and solids, with only one casualty: an ill-fitting pinstripe creation with big brassy buttons that looked like something David Letterman on acid would wear.

Blank's preferences for tailoring that accentuates a man's silhouette with a slim fit, and short tight trousers that line up with rather than gather at the shoe upstage the North American predilection for cuts that promote comfort. There isn't a single wasted detail, which is not surprising given that Sweden is the nation that gave us IKEA and Saab. Leave it to a Swede to make the browns and greys of a subarctic winter sizzle, from rusts and burnt siennas to chocolatey maroons to storm-cloud slates to metallic periwinkles. Of course, there is enough black and white to keep things cool and moody, just in case Ingmar Bergman's cinematographer shows up.

The form-fitting shirts and sweaters rock, harking back to the houndstooths, stripes, and argyle of the rat-pack '60s, and to Sweden's avant-garde heyday when filmgoers were Curious-Yellow and Scandinavian modern ruled industrial design. Sex kitten Anita Ekberg was every man's wet dream, and part of an illustrious legacy of libido-lubricating screen goddesses including the passionate Ingrid Bergman and the ice queen Greta Garbo. Tiger isn't afraid of arousing a little sexual tension either.

It's easy to cross into retro kitsch when you're dealing with the aforementioned patterns, but attention to the elements of traditional tailoring maintains equilibrium. Two tailors started Tiger in 1903, when Stockholm's theatregoers at the latest play by August Strindberg had to face the passions seething beneath their calm, cool, and collected Nordic exteriors. Backstage and closeup, Tiger, which redefined itself as a trendy apparel company in the 1990s, displays a penchant for quality construction that might not be immediately evident from a distance.

Vented jackets and three-quarter-length coats are exquisitely tapered to hug rather than drape the body. Handstitching reinforces areas where strain is likely to occur, and linings are firmly secured in place. Sensual details come into focus, like a black leather collar on a brown checked jacket. Viewing all the items lined up on the rack, there isn't a false moment or break in the season's colour continuum. This is menswear with a strategy.

Having established itself as a dominant fashion force in the Nordic countries, Tiger recently expanded into Germany and the U.K. Not yet available in the U.S., it chose Canada to launch its line in the Western Hemisphere. BCFW has been Tiger's only major fashion show in North America so far.

Local stores that carry items by Tiger of Sweden include Staccato (1842 West 1st Avenue) and Boys'co (various locations). Given that BCFW exists to promote designers to retailers, a few more outlets could be carrying Tiger by the time fall rolls around.