On day two of London Collections Men, the year’s most important event in British menswear, the calendar was full of promises and propositions for next season. Below are some of the highlights of the day for Spring/Summer 2017:
This season design duo Agi & Sam explored what it means to be masculine in
2016, with traditional male and female roles taking center stage. The
Marigold washing gloves and flowers taped to models’ faces were stark
giveaways for femininity, as were pussy bows, opera-sleeve blazes and
fluidity of fabrics. This was counter-balanced with menswear which saw
upholstered jacquards in full looks, complemented with silhouettes of slim
trousers and fitted zip-up jackets allowing for wearability. This is men’s
fashion week after all, and this label knows the importance of being
commercial. The model’s shoes united the sexes, and came in the form of
brothel creepers, almost as if to say both man and woman can get the same
job done.
Luxe sportswear was the order of the day at Hardy Amies which saw denim
as a key fabric choice for SS17, a unique approach for a Savile Row brand.
There were denim jackets with silver branded buttons teamed with
bleached, knee-torn jeans. Perhaps creative director Darren Barrowcliff was
inspired by the 40th anniversary of punk, which has been a key fashion
influencer for many designers this season. Of course there was plenty of
tailoring, but even the tuxedo jackets felt new and contemporary with less
structure in its fitting.
Over at Fashion East, there was a mixed reaction to the MAN presentations,
however designer dumbo Rottingdean Bazaar stood out as the most
interesting. Founded by Central Saint Martins graduates James Theseus Buck
and Luke Brooks, the brand’s name comes from the seaside village from their
hometown. Their ingenious sweatshirts saw prints such as embossed hotel
slippers and pressed flower petals. The effect was like the most vivid
digital print, except these roses were real. They also pressed socks,
tights, knickers, a crafty exhibition of British uniqueness that will
surely garner them as a label to watch.
Matthew Miller chose to show both men’s and women’s wear at his SS17
presentation. The phrase ‘Negasonic Teenage Warhead’ made its way
onto t-shirts and sweats for both sexes, inspiration from a song title from
a 90s California band. As for the clothes, there was bleached denim and a
skinhead aesthetic, which Miller saw as a ‘kind of absolute freedom.’ A
bomber jacket with pin badges styled over a blazer and loosely cut trouser
showed this designer can do modern tailoring and real clothes, even with a
little artifice thrown in for good measure. The pins were a recurring theme
alongside the tailoring, but they were superfluous as the clothes were
interesting enough to speak for themselves.
FashionUnited will focus on the menswear catwalk season during the month of June, by featuring exclusive and in-depth coverage on Men’s Fashion Weeks, including (), Milan (Milano Moda Uomo), Paris (Mode Masculine Paris) and New York (New York Men’s Fashion Week) and more. For more articles on menswear, click .
Photos: London Collections: Men, courtesy of the British Fashion Council