LONDON FASHION WEEK MEN’S : A/W 17 : DAY 1

With less than a week into the New Year, the fashion calendar kicks of bringing with it the latest trends in British men’s wear threads, styles and ‘must haves’ for Autumn Winter 2017; London Fashion Week Men’s.
Formally known as London Collections: Men, now in its fifth year, the rebrand and new name aligns with the Womenswear shows which follow next month.

With a jam-packed schedule, running over four days from Jan 6, the lineup includes non-other than the return of iconic designer Vivienne Westwood, Ben Sherman, Oliver Spencer and the man of the moment and rising talent, Craig Green. With more than 14 shows and events happening on the first day, here’s a look at the some of the highlights that have come through today from Day One of #LFWM.

First to start the fashion festivities was Topman Design. The in-house range of Topman Design, is the premium collection from Topman. Driven by Creative Director Gordon Richardson and styled by GQ Style’s Luke Day, was a collection that brought back the neon nineties vibe with florescent greens, orange and pinks. Described as a range that “celebrates both pubbing and clubbing cultures in all their gritty glory…inspired by the figure of the British traveller, bright and bold oversized knits, denim on denim and relaxed tailoring will be on the backs on many festival goers.

Video clip via Topman, pics vis footwearnews.com

The luxe Womenswear wear line that has introduced a capsule collection for Men has a core focus on the engineered surface in fabrication and how this ‘interacts with the movement of the body’.
At the polar opposite spectrum of the Topman show was Phoebe English with her presentation that displayed relaxed wearability. Her men (models) working away, wore a restraint colour palette of navy, black and deep taupe. Fabrics in corduroy, velvet and stripe shirting made for oversized cuts which showed wintery ease.

Pics via 10 Magazine and theupcoming.co.uk

Breaking through as the first menswear fashion designer from China to show at London Fashion Week Men’s, the Beijing based studio embodies a street-cool manner, a play on fabrics and toys with an androgynous vibe.

His collection showed the trending oversized outerwear, with coats detailed with leather and shearling trim. Majorly cropped shirting and knitwear with muted pinks, mustard, royal blue and bold red, accompanied the traditional black and grey found in most winter ranges. Tailored trousers, metallic and denim trenches, leather ponchos made for an interesting collection.

Pics via London Fashion Week Mens & theupcoming.co.uk

I’m quite the lover of footwear and Harry’s of London stepped out in a presentation held at The Vaults during day 1. The luxury shoes and travel wear brand included cobalt blue suitcases, sneakers in suede and camo print as well as tassel monk strap shoes.

Pics via Whitby/Getty Images Europe

Produced in a Manchester factory with garments created by hand, Private White V.C’s Creative Director, Nick Ashley, comes from fashion pedigree; the son of Laura Ashley. Nick’s back catalogue of work includes designing for Kenzo, Tod’s and Dunhill.

The label has a lining of military legacy with its name paying homage to WWI hero, Private Jack White, of which many collections are inspired by. With classic wartime pieces intertwined with racing were all reinterpreted for the modern man.

Pics via Whitby/Getty Images Europe

Dubbed as the brand delivering luxury for men ‘who live for the week, not the weekend, by which mean: men who don’t drive Volvos’, shot down the runway in camo printed outerwear and slouchy paper bag style trousers. Shades of green from forest to fluorescent, whites and khaki made for a military mix of streetwear style with patchwork featured on coats and trousers. “Looking for a vocation in the decline of civilization”, is how the designer is said to have summed up the essence of his show.

From the man how made the button on the back of the collar famous, the globally recognized brand for 5 decades needs little introduction.
Ben Sherman’s sartorially lead sharpness in suiting of grey and khaki, opened the way for rich reds to make a statement in trousers. Large houndstooth prints made their mark on mac coats.
Camo print seems to have held its footing in the collections of designers, this time in the cut of bomber jackets for Ben Sherman. Quilted detailing in scarf’s, double-breasted blazers and oversized scale check jumpers made a dapper statement in the range.

Pics via Zimbio

Having quite the accolade ride in 2016, Craig Green seems to be paving his way as one of the newest designers to watch. Collecting the win for British Menswear Designer at The Fashion Awards last year, the BFC/GQ Designer Menswear Fund prize 2016 and The British Fashion Awards 2014, it was only in 2012 that he launched his namesake label.

With a collection laced with creativity and courageous prints, for every bold piece a restrained look created the balance in the range; from Portuguese tile inspired patterns and details and mac coast in navy, the quilted outerwear was “all based on spacesuits and diving suits,” said Green. The inspiration for the collection was sparked by the notion of “sailors setting off to sea and into the unknown, for decades a time” while also “the fear of the unknown… I started by thinking about this terror of the sea, of the pressurised weight of it, of the kind of heavy metal suits divers would use to explore the bottom of the ocean”.