You may have noticed an increase in the number of sharply-dressed gentlemen wandering the gloomy streets of London this week, the reason for this is not a showcase of an expertly chosen Christmas gifts but the 4th season of London Collections: Men which marks the creative and commercial importance of British brands, innovative emerging talent, global menswear designers and Savile Row tailors.
Whilst most men may wonder where the relevance is between a model showing his nipples in a loosely knitted crop top and their own closet, Jason Basmajian, Director of Gieves & Hawkes maintains that good designers build on pieces a man is already likely to own. "The challenge is in balancing Savile Row tradition with relevant fashion", he states.
Trends don't feature so much in this week's event - hints can be seen in cuts, textures, colours and fabrics which can be adopted subtly as a way of updating your own daily uniform. Designers like E. Tautz and Richard James have shown how textured ties in knitted wool or raw spun shantung can add depth and richness to your business suit and lend a touch of individuality without making yourself look like a wally.
Designers like Casely-Hayford, make their impeccably tailored suit jackets in Japan using experimental, lightweight fabric technology, there’s more engineering in these suits than at NASA, with the fabric designed to mold around your frame. Similar nods to textile geekery can be found at Christopher Raeburn.
Here are a few other hightlights from the three days of collections...
Bright colour and pattern clashes from Thomas Pink
High quality wearability from Gieves and Hawkes
Parkas with inbuilt goggles from CP Company
High tech textile creation from Christopher Raeburn
For full reports from London Collections: Men please visit this website... http://www.londoncollections.co.uk
