LONDON FASHION WEEK MEN’S : A/W : DAY 4

With the closing day of LFWM, it’s probably safe to say much of the anticipation of day four would have had eyes on the exciting return of Vivienne Westwood to the schedule. Luxe knitwear from John Smedley and walking art from Songzio also featured.

From cool biker aesthetics to matrix vibe leather coats, designer for John Lawrence Sullivan, Arashi Yanagawa, tied the collection together with a colour palette of chocolate, rich reds, burgundy and forest greens. Price of Whales checks and stripes added a little softness to the range, while wide leg trousers and velvet fabrics helped communicate the inspiration behind the collection of a cultural European landscape.

Pics via The Upcoming

Launched in 1993, Songzio paints a contemporary picture for the modern fashion scene. Based in Paris and Soul, the collection titled “Misanthrope, has quite literally an artistic quality to the pieces.

Artwork of abstract brushstrokes produced by the designer form the printed fabrics made into trousers and outerwear. A collection delicately balanced between heavy tones of black and brunette, before adding light with orange, taupe and camel. Mixed fabric appliqué of leathers and wool form jackets, while three-piece suits and velvet blazers made for dapper qualities.

Pics by Songzio

As many brands refer to their archives and heritage to form the inspiration behind collections, Belstaff have done just that with their 2017 collection; but all with a modern twist. With a rich history dating back to 1924, the debut collection from Delphine Ninous, as Belstaff’s new Creative Director taps into the motorcycle appeal that’s at the core of this brand. Cool military vibes added to the leather pants, cable knits and shearling lined bomber jacket on display. The traditional wintery colour palette of navy, olive and black helped to introduce the range.

Pics via Koko

Delivering luxury knitwear for over 200 years, brand John Smedley showcased a range utilising natural alpaca and black sheep fibres to produce pieces that had a unisex appeal. Jess McGuire-Dudley, the brands marketing and design director “really wanted to do something that celebrated a fibre that is disregarded by the industry, which is the black sheep’s wool. The black sheep is normally culled from the herd because you can’t over dye”.

With tones of soft green and burnt orange among shades of blue and khaki, McGuire-Dudley said, “We’ve got a unisex collection, which is actually our most successful fashion line. So what you’ll see going forward is actually the men’s and women’s merging a bit more together to make the most of that.”

Pics via WWD

After years of showing at Milan Fashion Week, Vivienne Westwood returns to London to show at LFWM in a combined men’s and women’s show. Following the move to no long debut her collections in Milan, also came with the decision to realign the brand under one unified name. Previously the women’s line known as RED label and menswear as MAN, has now merged to a single profile of Vivienne Westwood.

With a collection named “Ecotricity”, global warming and climate change were the key inspiration points behind the range. Filling the space at the London Seymour Leisure Centre, gauze knitwear with mixed patchwork in coral, khaki and nudes followed self-stripe and mustard double-breasted suiting with capacious trousers. Slimmer lines were also prevalent in checked suiting before a pop of deep red livened the neutral tones in capes and coats.

Pics by Vivienne Westwood