On the second day of London Collections Men the first show is Savile
Row’s E Tautz at 09:30 at this season’s all new venue, 180 The Strand. E
Tautz’s Creative Director, Patrick Grant, recently won the GQ/BFC Designer
Menswear Fund, worth 150,000 pounds.
There was a strong outerwear statement at E. Taut, where duffle coats,
safari coats, trench coats, raincoats, single-breasted and double
double-breasted blazers made multiple appearances on the catwalk. Fabrics
came in sharply cut navy and grey wools, whereas needlecord trousers
cemented the look in the brand’s trademark voluminous, pleated cuts.
Elsewhere pocket shirts, track tops and crew neck sweaters kept things
simple but smart. Best of all was the soundtrack, which played Sylvester’s
Rock The Box and Eurythmics’ Sweet Dreams.
Best known for producing high quality luggage and leather goods, American
brand Coach played on its strengths for is AW/16 show, taking inspiration
from everyday American life.
This is the third collection by Coach’s British creative director Stuart
Vevers, which saw plenty of workwear and leather jackets as propositions
for next season.
The artistry was in the details: cut from wool and nylon, every look came
complete with patches and panels of leather, suede and shearling. Furry
oversized bucket hats came pared with oversized parkas in nylon, treated
cotton and shearing. Teddy bear fur coats were as show-stopping as the boxy
leather jackets were wearable. Trousers were cut straight and cropped from
stiff mohair with prominent stitching. Weather-appropriate footwear came in
the form of sneaker-boot hybrids complete with cherry red laces.
Matthew Miller commissioned a copy of the Caravaggio canvas David and
Goliath, which he cut into items of clothing, such as impressive as
raw-hemmed coats. Caravaggio’s wildness made a stark contrast with the
ordered monochrome precision that is Miller’s usual signature, such as a
shearling biker over a leather coat over trousers, all in dove grey.
Scarves were the accessories of choice, and came wrapped around shoulders
or tied around the waist.
The province of Dalarna is Sweden’s cultural heart and soul and proved to
be the inspiration for Tiger Of Sweden’s autumn winter 2016 collection.
Mixing the traditions of old Sweden with Tiger’s edgy aesthetic, blousons
and sweatshirts came emblazoned with kaleidoscopic Botanical Dala prints
(produced for the brand by Swedish artist Jakob Krajcik), while a bomber
jacket printed with wolf fur felt playful.
Alongside Tiger’s classic slim tailoring, wider cut trousers came teamed
with sharp worker jackets in moody shades, while the show closed with a
pair of soft velvet tuxedos in peach – a welcome addition to the brand’s
predominantly tertiary palate.
Images: Coach (homepage), E Tautz, Matthew Miller, Tiger of Sweden AW16