The wise scholar, and sometime fashion raconteur, Mr Kanye West OBE, once said, ” Work it harder, make it better,
do it faster, makes us stronger”. Which sums up the latest instalment of London Collections:Men for Spring/Summer 2015, I know Summer 2014 has barely shown us it’s beautiful face and I’m talking about 2015, well that’s Fashion for ya. Anyway, we are back in London and it’s a packed schedule from YMC to KTZ to DKNY, this gives Anthony very little TLC and it’s down to work. We give you the best overview, of what is becoming THE Fashion eventing the calendar. With international name like MOSCHINO, Tiger of Sweden and of course DKNY throwing that very sartorial hat into the ring, London’s becoming a Cosmopolitan hotbed of talent.

However, first up we have, the irrepressible but more importantly lovely Lou Dalton. For this season Ms Dalton has taken a bit of a risky change in direction, but boy did it pay off ! We saw a more mature, confident and stylish collection. The tailoring, Sportwear fusion was still present but everything felt, tighter (not physical), sharper and generally more impressive. Keep up the good work Dalton A*.

Next up, the first of many zig zagging around the capital, to Kent and Curwen, the second season for the brand to be showing as part of LC:M. It has come a long way since launching as a modest collection of ties and cricket sweaters and has grown into one of the most sought after sporting brands in the country. The Brand further fused their take on English dress codes with that juxtaposition of graphic patterns, which mixed with their casting gave a feeling of David Bowie’s thin white Duke.

Hardy Amies, (above) like its Savile Row neighbour, Gieves & Hawkes (below) showed a blinder of a Masterclass in Great British Tailoring, cool, contemporary but above all wearable. Exquisite ! Plus with the likes of Richard James, E.Tautz and Hackett. It doesn’t take a genius to see why the UK, and London has regained it’s crown for being THE destination for suiting.

From some of the oldest names in British style to one of the more newer ones in, Christopher Raeburn, who gave his very unique take on Military. Working with a traditional regimental colour palette, Raeburn worked in Fighter jets and missile prints and showed he improves and builds season upon season.

Not only was Jonathan Saunders showing us his signature collection but in the exhibition space we saw his GREAT Second season collaboration with Lyle & Scott, which was based on the Shane Meadow’s film of the Stone Roses Reunion, Made of Stone. Additionally to this they also showed their other sterling collaborative effort with Universal Works. Plus to Cap off the collaboration craziness area was the BEAUITFUL range by Barbour X White Mountaineering, (above) one to definitely keep an eye out for.

Oliver Spencer, continues with his successful formula of producing wearable, timeless, pieces that form part an impeccable wardrobe. Last season we had Idris Elba providing the entertainment on the decks. This season Olie followed suit and as the eyes of the world focuses of Brazil he had the UK’s foremost Brazilian percussion group supply the entertainment, complete with Carnival dancing girls ! Somewhat a highlight of the day.

London has well and truly established itself as a destination on the menswear calendar as a Fashion & Style capital. So as that international Fashion circus of journalists, retail buyers, celebs and, well yours truly, all conjugate in major cities in the name of observing the trends and future wares of some of the biggest & most talented fashion brands in the world, Clothes-Make-the-Man brings you all the best reviews, titbits & opinions over the coming weeks. Enough of this, first up on the London Schedule is the exhibition as I, rather out of character, arrived early. So I took myself off to have a look around, which in the past have proven to be a greater source of inspiration than many of the show, this season was no exception. With the likes of a Common People, Lyle & Scott and Universal works all offering GREAT Collections for Autumn including collaborations with Jonathan Saunders and the aforementioned Universal Works for Lyle & Scott, all managing, very well, I hasten to add, to produce very creative collection all the while managing to be highly commercial.

An example if Jonathan Saunders for Lyle & Scott

Onto the shows for me, my lad and first up is TOPMAN. You never quite know what to expect from TOPMAN Design and this season was no exception, the show can be summed up in three words Mature, Desirable but above all Wearable. With a very muted colour palette of Black, Navy, pale blue and flashes of Russian Red. If those guys over at TOPMAN HQ are planning on targeting an older the customer, they won’t have a problem enticing him. Plus with the dulcet tones of John Copper Clarke and the downpour of rain in the finale, it brought me right back home to my Northern roots.

TOPMAN Design

Next on my hit list is Gieves & Hawkes and the subject of yesterday’s textual Conversation, Mr Jason Basmajian, who just so happens to be the house’s new Creative Director, making waves in all the right places. Jason, informed us his profile that he was going to offer us an, “Elegant,textural, tailored, rich, Savile Row revisited, British twist”. Which quite simply summed up the collection.

Gieves & Hawkes

Now, talk about ends of the spectrum and what is becoming a real USP for LC:M is how it manages to go from the tradition and finesse of Savile Row to young designers offering the height of creative inspiration. One in question being the wonderful Richard Nicoll, who from season to season just seems to be getting stronger and stronger when it comes to his Menswear. Only four seasons in and Nicoll’s presented to us, what can only be described as a riot of Colour. If I had to fit it into a tweet, I’d say, A modern interpretation of the urban man’s wardrobe.

Richard Nicolls

Last, but by no means least of today’s round up, is Christopher Raeburn, who was one of a number of Designers who picked up on the Polar Explorer vibe in their collection, it was a seriously cool show which Mr Raeburn laid on. You were left thinking, did he know something about the weather for next season that we didn’t which was rather apt as we read about our freezing American cousins who were experiencing record low temperatures.

Christopher Raeburn

As you all know each season during LC:M we select a leading designer from the London Schedule who has caught our eye and impressed us. This season is no exception and he’s a relative new comer to what can only be classed as one of the oldest & most respected names that grace Savile Row, with what has to be THE most envious of postal addresses, 1 Savile Row.

Jason Basmajian, confidently took over the reins of Gieves & Hawkes mid last year. He has over two decades’ experience which includes Director of Menswear at Calvin Klein and Donna Karan in New York. Additional to this he became Creative Director of ST Dupont in Paris. Subsequently he joined Brioni as Artistic Director. Whilst at Brioni he spearheaded the company’s modernisation and consolidation as one of the leading global luxury brands.

As for Gieves & Hawkes, it was created in the 20th century from the amalgamation of two long-established private tailoring firms founded in the 18th century – Gieves (founded 1785) and Hawkes (founded 1771). Currently the holder of three Royal Warrants, yes that’s THREE, as suppliers to HM The Queen, HRH Prince Philip the Duke of Edinburgh and HRH Prince Charles the Prince of Wales.

For Spring of this year Gieves & Hawkes departs Savile Row well attired for a long summer holiday with stops planned in Amalfi, Nairobi, Barbados and Shanghai before returning to London. The spirit of the collection is inspired by the traditions of bespoke but it is contemporary in its fresh mix of sartorial, military and sportswear styling. Anyway, that’s quite enough of the history and onto the main feature;

If you could have invented anything what would it be ?

Concorde – I love to travel fast

If you had one day to live what would be your biggest regret ?

My only regret would be having only 1 day

What would be the one piece of clothing you would rescue from your home in the event of a fire ?

I would save nothing – it would be fun to start over

What inspires you ?

Authenticity, creativity, intelligence, passion inspire in people inspire me

If you could only wear one brand/Designer for the rest of your life who would it be ?

Honestly, it would be a combination of my own work from ST Dupont, Brioni, and Gieves and Hawkes

Who is your style icon ?

My style icons are anyone who are not afraid to express themselves through their own individual style. I see them everyday all around me were ever I go

Tell us something no one else knows ?

I would love to be a professional chef in another life

What piece of style advise do you live by ?

Be yourself and dress by your own codes- don’t try too hard

What piece of clothing would you relegate to Room 101 ?

The track suit to room 101 !

How did you get into the industry, what was your big break ?

An internship at Giorgio Armani

In your words, describe the collection ?

Elegant, textural, tailored, rich, Savile row revisited, British twist

If you could give your teenage self advice, what would it be ?

Don’t rush growing up- enjoy the moment

Gieves & Hawkes Spring 2014

Without wanting to sound like a an OAP complaining about the passing of time, I really can’t believe that we are already at the Spring Summer 2014 shows, when it feels like Summer 2013 is looking increasing looking like a non-starter. Shhh where is the time gone ? As my Father would have said ?

Well no reason to get melancholy, as the third London Collections:Men gets underway. An unusual way to kick proceedings off in the shape of one of the UK’s most trusted names and producer of, probably the best Christmas Ad campaigns in recent years, John Lewis. Yes, it’s not a mistake, it wasn’t an all singing, all dancing Catwalk show, but a more simple and parred down
presentation to Showcase their British made in house brand John Lewis & Co, in front of Aston from JLS, Russell Tovey and
Kimberley Wyatt (Pussycat Doll). Following this, we then had a couple of hours to prepare for what can only be described as an
extravaganza in the shape and form of the opening of the new exclusively menswear store and a preview of their Tailoring line,
oh who, you ask, well only the Italian dynamic duo Domenico Dolce & Stefanio Gabbana ! It was a low key intimate affair… Of
bloody course not, not from these guys, it was full on, full throttle and in the words of Ms Ciccone’s, t-shirt in the Papa don’t preach video, Italians do it better ! All with a little help from Dame Kylie Mingoue of Erinsborough, no less.

So with a slightly fussy head it was off into town for the proceeding of the day to commence, with more then a little feeling of, they better appreciate this, at this unholy hour on a Sunday Morning. First port of call was a coffee and a catch up with the always lovely British Esquire team at the John Smedley Presentation. Styled brilliantly by Luke Day, the Smedley brand is going through somewhat of a butterfly transformation, everything about the event seemed in a playful mood, with the models in a school gym backdrop and every colour of the rainbow being present within the range. Something for everyone, one might say.

Then off to the pub, del,l no not literally, on second thoughts, yes literally, as TOPMAN had taken over the Old Crown
Public house and were using at as a much needed pit stop for Press inbetween shows. Seriously, Sir Pip of Arcadia, whoever came up with this brilliant idea needs knighting ! The whole purpose of this visit was to pick up our tickets to the TOPMAN Design show. This season a much shorter and concise show, not to everyone’s taste, but you can’t keep everyone happy all of the time
and if TOPMAN are anything its brave and willing to try different things. The TREND and really the only trend of the show was Cowboy. I caught up with Gordon Richardson, Design Director, after the show who told me it was all about Destroyed Glamour , finding inspiration in the Robert Altman Classic Western “Nashville” , but on closer inspection there are a number of 1950’s B movie references within the embroidery on the pieces.

Now as part of this season’s review of the Mens Fashion Weeks for SS14, I’ve sought the opinions of some of the most well respected and top of their game, minds within Menswear, ohh and all friends and ardent fans of Clothes Make the Man. First up is Menswear Stylist for The Independent, Lee Holmes, who had a soft spot for……

“Richard Nicoll was one of the stand out shows for me as it was both wearable but didn’t lack impact. Prints made up of old school gay porn, snakes and hawks was a winning combination.”

We then moved on to a brand which couldn’t have given us more of a juxtaposition if we’d have tried, Gieves and Hawkes. The Savile Row giant with the enviable address of No 1 Savile Row, under the new Creative direction of Jason Basmajian who also masterfully styled the presentation, gave us a glimpse of what it would be like to embark on a long summer holiday with stops planned in Amalfi, Nairobi, Barbados and Shanghai and what one would wear during the many events and occasions one would experience during such a trip, beat two weeks in Corfu anyday.

After this pleasurable jaunt, it was back to zig zagging across London to, what in my opinion has to have been one of THE shows during LC:M, Agi & Sam. Although producing probably their most grown up collections to date they never once lost sight of their fun and playful nature which is one of the most enduring qualities of this pairing. Well, this and the fact that Agi’s parents were seat in front of me and seemed the proudest and loveliest of people. They showed us a throughly modern range including ever element within the gambit of a man’s wardrobe but done in their inimitable style. Ohhh plus a sneaky lil cameo endorsement from no less then Sir Paul Smith, who told me himself he was a great admirer of there work.Spencer Hart was next to show us his wears for Spring Summer 2014 and what a visual experience is was, full of Eastern promise. The show opened and pretty much closed with offering us an alternative to the traditional tuxedo, teaming a dinner jacket with a traditional Arabic Jalabiya. The casting showcased some of the coolest black models in the industry today, including, Actor Nathan Stewart-Jarrett of Misfits, this begged the question of, why don’t we see more of these guys on the catwalk, but that’s a much bigger kettle of fish then we have time for. Hart teased us with a collection of must have tailoring, making you want to cast off every piece of casual wear you ever possessed.

The next gem on the agenda was none other then that master of Ladies footwear Jimmy Choo, who are turning their hand to mens shoes. I know what you’re thinking I had the same preconceptions and really had to be coerced into attending, I have no idea what I was letting myself in for, but was more then pleasantly surprised ! Everything from a high tops to a porn penny loafer and don’t get me started on the porn camo or paisley, great shoes with a great sense of humour and all done in the BEST possible taste !

Finally, to the last designer for the first part of our review of London’s finest, Clive Darby’s RAKE. Inspired by the extravagantly talented gentleman Racer François Cevert, including the wreck of the very car in which Cevert lost his life, which was a little too macabre for my liking. But nothing could prevent my liking of this collection, as cool as the man who acted as muse, highly wearable with lashings of style.

London Collections:Men – Show Review – Spring/Summer 2015 – Part I

London Collections:Men Show Review Autumn/Winter 2014 Pt I

Jason Basmajian for Gieves & Hawkes

Gieves & Hawkes Spring 2014

London Collections: Men SS14 Shows Review Part I

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