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

Soaring the Heights at Selfridges!

With another London Fashion Week drawing to a close along with its parties, launches and collaboration unveilings, last night was a treat to see the official launch of something a little more special; the launch of the first Pop-up store for menswear designer TIM SOAR.

The designer who has been chosen to close the official menswear day at London Fashion week tomorrow, is known for his avant guarde designs and constantly evolving a genuinely sit up and take notice collection each season, evidently shown by the throng of senior magazine editors and stylists who turned up to help celebrate. Along with the designers friends and fellow collaborators Christopher Raeburn and Atsuko Kudo (both of which he collaborated with for his AW/09 collection), the launch was sponsored by the luxury Tequila brand PATRON and the fashion week favorite Vitamin Water all within the sizable area on the contemporary floor at Selfridges.

Showcasing his AW/09 collection, the space was flanked either side by rows of latex-masked mannequins featuring key looks form his show back in February this year which were all available to purchase. I managed an introduction to the designer himself from the fashion editor at GQ, and apart from being a genuinely a cool guy with passion for his work, he was also quite humbled by having such a great space within Selfridges and seemed to be enjoying the mass turn out for his launch - in-fact one editor from Shortlist magazine even missed the Paul Smith and Pringle shows to come along!

The pop-up store is only open for a limited 3 week period and what you see displayed on the rails & mannequins is it - no more! With a wait-list building momentum for the key items, my suggestion would be to get down to Selfridges Oxford Street asap! before the collection goes altogether.

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

http://www.londonfashionweek.co.uk/designer_profile.aspx?DesignerID=1162