London Collections: Men Highlights – Spring/Summer 2016

Jeez where does the time go, we’re already half way through the year and yet another LC:M is upon us. It was promised to be the biggest, the best and drawing attention from all over the globe, now seen as a permanent and favourite fashion fixture on the style calendar, did it live up to expectations ?

Well things kicked off in a grand but intimate style. Grand in setting at the Shangri-La hotel, part of the AMAZING Shard building. Intimate, as Sir Paul Smith was in conversation with Deyan Sudjic of the Design Museum, discussing amongst other things, how he became Big in Japan and how he sustains that success.

We then move into more traditional activities akin to LC:M and who said women can’t design Menswear, let’s first make it very clear, I certainly didn’t as two ladies of menswear definitely put that theory to rest this season. Both Lou Dalton & Katie Eary delivered the collections of their careers, to date. Both went for it in the colour stakes one a little more muted than the other but both like a multi coloured locomotive first stopping at the most stylish festival you could ever want to attend and then onto the tripped out, My Little Pony gymkhana.

But it wasn’t just the girls playing with colour for Spring/Summer 2016, a whole host of Shiny Happy People came out to play. Stuart Vevers over at US brand Coach mixed up animal prints with Fluro hues and managed the near impossible in doing it a desirable way. Then you had Henry Holland, for his first menswear outing for his House of Holland brand offering a straight to store exclusive to Selfridges. Unmistakably Henry and of course with a little help from his friends in the shapely form of Alexa Chung, Pixie Geldof, Daisy Lowe and new judge Nick Grimshaw.

Keeping up the fun factor were urban collective Sibling, giving their unique take on Americana and Baartmans and Siegel with their take on the gritty open planes of North America.

Nevertheless, it wasn’t just about colour in London, the fashion capital is probably best known, thanks to its Savile Row heritage, for its tailors and their second to none tailoring skills. This was not only evident at the Jermyn Street Catwalk Show, showcasing the best in British brand including Turnbull & Asser, Jigsaw Menswear and Barbour. But outstanding collections were offered for our delectation by Gieves & Hawkes and Duchamp, on the traditional end of the spectrum and Richard James and Alexander McQueen on a more out there vibe.

Now, I’m afraid I have some bad news for all of you guys partial to your skinny jeans, basically, bin them, chuck ,em out, throw them away as they are no longer in favour with the world of fashion. Actually, think the absolute opposite of skinny jeans. Everyone from TOPMAN, who used the 1970’s as their main source of inspiration. Patrick Grant for his E.Tautz brand chose to channel a more 1950’s silhouette and a slightly more restrained, utilitarian Oliver Spencer all opted for a loose fit.

Lastly we have Belstaff and Christopher Raeburn who sort the height of masculinity as the backdrop for their collections, in that of military. Whether thats camouflage, used in that way that only Raeburn can manage to do or more desert force as Belstaff.

The Clothes-Make-the-Man team’s favourite shows from LC:M

Keanu Adorable, Contributor –  Maharishi

“Maharishi was an experience, not only through the clothes, but also through the music. The mix prayer of chants and grime gave the pieces more context.”

Elliott Parsons, Contributor – Agi & Sam 

“My favourite show has to be Agi & Sam. Their combination of utility and stylised layering with those lovely overcoats was unmatched in my opinion.” 

Anthony McGrath – Editor – Katie Eary & Lou Dalton

“I’m sorry I can’t decide between to two ladies of British Mens Fashion. Both were equally colourful, fun and both turned the dial to maximum warp, in offering us the best collections of their career to date. Excellent ladies, keep up the good work.”