We are partial to a bit of Lyle & Scott here at Clothes-Make-the-Man I’m not ashamed to say, so you can imagine my delight when I discovered some months back that they were collaborating with, not one but two of our other favourite menswear entities for Autumn 2014 AD !!!!!!
The first of these great breakout collaborations we have a real leading light in British Fashion, for both men’s and womenswear in the form of Jonathan Saunders. Glasgow born Saunders has been hailed as one of the most exciting British menswear designers of recent years, recently winning Breakthrough Menswear Designer at GQ’s Man of the Year Awards, as well as Emerging Talent Award – Menswear at the British Fashion Awards in 2012, among other industry plaudits.
He began his creative path at Glasgow School of Art originally studying furniture design but his love of colour and print soon led him toward fashion and textiles and eventually to Central St Martins where he refined his skills. Saunders, having launched his namesake label in 2003, initially established himself as a womenswear designer, followed by his first menswear collection debuting for the AW 2011/12 season.
Why Lyle and Scott and Jonathan Saunders? The Scottish kinship is obvious and Saunders signature use of colour, pattern and graphic has a clear relationship with the brand 1960’s golfing heritage.
The collection is made up of 26 pieces and features Royal Warranted, made in Scotland knitwear as well as merino wool mid layers made in Italy. The classic Lyle and Scott polo shirt, woven shirt, golf Harrington and 2 new footwear styles complete the collection.
Now for the second partnership, launching in September, comes from the great Universal Works. There is a clear sharing of ethos between the two brands. Both transcend fashion and aim to develop products that are resolutely none trend driven. Styling and design is dictated by, in Lyle and Scott’s case, its 140 year old history and in Universal Works’ the personal history and experiences of its founder David Keyte.
One of these experiences involved Keyte’s immersion into the British ‘Casuals’ youth movement during the late 1970’s and early 1980’s. A ‘football and clothes’ subculture where prominently branded British and European sportswear brands became, for the first time, a key part of the style uniform – fashions fascination with sportswear started there and then. Lyle and Scott was a fundamental part of this subculture and the print and knit designs in the collection were based on an original Lyle and Scott design that Keyte once wore.
The collection is comprised of 11 pieces; Made in Scotland, Royal Warrant knitwear, classic polos, flannel shirts with knitted collars and woollen accessories complete the range.
As always with Universal Works the devil is in the detail and this collection is no exception, the deconstructed, 1980’s Lyle and Scott snowflake print is worked across all styles in some way, shape or form.
Like Keyte’s of Universal Works, Saunders is known for his attention to detail and each garment within this range is branded on the chest by one of four different coloured eagles that reference the collections main palette.
