MENSWEAR DAY London Fashion Week // Reviews

There’s a restless spirit at Number One Savile Row judging by the magpie tendencies of Gieves designer Frederik Willems. Rather than settle for a recognisably British look the collection had an international feel, with influences ranging from ultra-modern RAF Simons-style short duo-tone jackets to Fifties Havana in the form of elaborate printed silk shirts.


Eye-catching wine-coloured suits, with strong shoulders, were as close as Gieves & Hawkes got to classic tailoring. The standout pieces were a dandyish cream-coloured double-breasted over coat and a pair of low slung pleated leather trousers that were a major declaration that Gieves’ needn’t be constrained by its Savile Row origins.




http://www.gievesandhawkes.com

MENSWEAR DAY London Fashion Week // Reviews

TIM SOAR

The menswear designer showcased a collection that showed just how to execute signature luxury finishing, more  likely to been seen at the likes of Lanvin in Paris than on the runways of London's dedicated menswear day.

Tim Soar marked his confident design territory with a condensed yet perfectly concise 14 look collection entitled "Reassembly Of Past Things - Handsome", the starting point of which being a late Victorian dinner suit twisted  with Tim Soars personal 70s style, reminding us of what gentlemanly dressing used to be like way back when, and just how it should be in 2010. The collection was a well thought-out mix of boxy wool jackets - one of which displaying vintage-esq leather cuffs - over-wash blue denim becoming almost acid white, electric blue and salt and pepper knitwear, a secret sports jacket creeping into the show helping maintain the Tim Soar sports-lux DNA we have come to love.

Standout pieces included the sheer silk shirting, optioned in a crew-neck finish and with bib-front (a new must for AW10). No Tim Soar collection would be complete without a touch of leather seen lightly applied as applique to the knitwear. The colour palette was relatively sombre in black, camel, greys and vintage cream with the play on texture and fabric being the defining detail of Mr Soars continually impecaable collection.

http://www.soar-london.com

MENSWEAR DAY London Fashion Week // Reviews

Carolyn Massey

Inspired by ‘a body of military patterns sourced from an anonymous donor’ Massey takes military to the next level for AW10, including elbow patches and epaulettes on fine rib knits, military inspired jackets with round brass buttons and sturdy utility pockets.  Delicate hand-drawn prints were introduced for the first time, on shirts, whilst smudgy stripes in grey appeared on casual t-shirts.

It was the colour palette that was the surprising highlight, eschewing military khaki and the traditional red/navy/gold connotations the reference usually bring to mind, Massey instead opted for light putty shades, including pinks and nudes, which were tempered with shades of grey and matt black, creating an almost nostalgic, vintage feel to some of the pieces. Boxy leather tunics were worn over knits of the finest gauge, textured squares with a delicate sheen were the perfect complement to the luxury  fabric. The almost sparkly knit appeared again on an all in one grey jumpsuit, a garment certainly not designed for the faint-hearted. 

Layers were fastened with sharply shiny brooches, which recalled medals and badges, designed by Hannah Martin, whilst a collaboration with Tabio (the Japanese sock specialist) saw large fishnet socks worn under slim cropped trousers.  This attention to detail further distanced the collection from its grounding in military, but Massey’s skill allowed her to subtly recall traditional motifs, but in a fresh and contemporary way.

http://www.carolynmassey.com/

http://www.fashion156.com

MENSWEAR DAY London Fashion Week // Reviews

WINTLE

The show notes described a strong preppy influence on the Jsen Wintle’s collection, which was hard to square with his usual angular aesthetic, but as the show opened with odd (as in non-matching) jackets paired with trousers the collegiate influence was clear. This was preppy style expressed in a sophisticated way with long boxy jackets, rather than the usual brightly coloured polo shirts.

However, the hip-hugging slacks, which puddled around the ankles, were less successful than the jackets. Wintle’s use of colour, in the form of green suits, fawn double-breasted jackets and cream blazers, was adept and he made the shapes his own with unfamiliar lapel shapes, blazers cut as short as mess jackets and futuristic slash pockets cut along horizontal seams. Jsen truly took us back to the future.

http://www.wintle-man.com/

Solo Show for TopMan

This London Fashion Week is the 5th anniversary of MAN, and will be a first since its conception in 2005 that Topman Design will be showcasing its AW10 collection as a solo show. 

MAN was founded to find and nurture the new wave of british talent and has been a success story, helping not only support young brands but give them a chance of a retail outlet through the flag ship TopMan store, Oxford Circus London. “Our decision to show apart from MAN this season has been welcomed by both the MAN and the Menswear Panel who collectively agree that it is the right time for us. We have established a consistent design ethic and have a good following which gives us the confidence we need to move on and allow MAN to continue to nurture new young talent which is after all it’s purpose," said Gordon Richardson, Design Director for Topman.

Last season saw the launch of British Fashion Council’s NewGen Men Award to which Topman remains the sole sponsor and along with the new emerging talent seen each season, the Topman Design collections have evolved season afetr season under the Creative Direction of Alister Mackie - Fashion Director for AnOther Man and Topman Design Director himself Gordon Richardson, plus a little help from the in-house design team.

Both Topman Design and MAN will be part of the second official full day of on schedule LFW menswear. Topman Design will present its collection at 4.30pm on Wednesday 24th February 2010.

To buy pieces from the current collection, click online at  http://www.topman.com/

SOARING into SS/10 with TIM SOAR

Tim Soar, showing for the third time at London Fashion Week, proved his evolutionally qualities as being one of the most serious menswear labels to come out of London in recent years. Opening his SS/10 show, entitled 'Folding Diagrams For A Spread Squash', we saw the designer making a serious move on from his last collection.

Highly technical approaches to fabrics ensured a true sports-lux approach and feel. The footwear was a key element to the aesthetic - a masculine sling-backed lace-up was a brilliant twist for mens footwear. A distant sporty 80's feel flowed through the collection, and with Boy George aptly sitting front row we must applaud the revival of this 80's season seen across many of the LFW shows - with Tim Soar clearly stepping further ahead and leading the way. Jackets and trousers were a focus, outerwear ranged from lightweight rain macs; apart of the collaborative affair with friend and fellow designer Chriostopher Raeburn, to the true Tim Soar inspired waist cropped, waxed-coated cotton styles.

Much pleating and folding of fabric was seen, reflecting his inspiration of the Spread Squash. Shirting was tidy and cleverly constructed with the highest of detail - as expected, Cotton Jersey vests were dotted across the collection in metalics and an impressive Tortoise shell print helping keep the summer structured but light with shorts and short-Suits taking place amongst the smart casual dress code.

The Linda Farrow collaboration of three eyewear styles in Gold, Silver and Jet Black was conceived from the Farrow archives but with additions from Tim, and all showed signs of his origami/folded theme of the collection for perfect summer accessorising.

This collection has once again assured Tim Soar's position as a leading light for London design talent, for which we must stand and salute.

http://www.soar-london.com/

B Store spring/summer 2010 catwalk collection

The b clothing range, conceived and designed by b Store owners Matthew Murphy and Kirk Beattie, was heavily inspired by Benjamin Braddock, Dustin Hoffman's clean-cut character in The Graduate. Neutrals in block colours, some interesting shapes in the trouser selection - no longer dominated by roll-up chinos. Fine gauge knit tops were clean and simple, and in total contrast were the reflective pac-a-mac style outerwear, adding a smattering of summer vibrancy. Socks were the styling feature of the show in a pale skin tone, which were a leading cue to the beautiful footwear selection. Some simple accessories slipped past intermittently, with messenger bags being the star item and an envelope "man-clutch" taking pride of place. Another clean cut show, clearly well constructed, but possibly to somber for summer.