London Collections: Men Autumn/Winter 2014

Jonathan Saunders Autumn/Winter 2014

British menswear is unlike any other men's fashion scene in the world. British men have a style that is eclectic and vibrant yet they have nothing to prove - they dress this way because they love to, not because they have to. London Collections: Men gives an opportunity for British menswear designers to showcase what they have conjured for the coming Autumn/Winter 2014 season, and I have created a series of photo-mosaics of the key pieces from the designers' collections of the best from the three day event:

E. Tautz

The orderliness of E. Tautz upcoming collection is balanced with a hint of boldness, due to the eye-catching geometric prints that appear on the garments all throughout, whether pieced together or discreetly in the form of an accessory. The varied colour palette of dark blues, grey, camel and vivid red only emphasize this balance of high sartorial and noncommittal approach to minimalism and artwear, and is perfect for men who are not as confident in showing a bit of flare in their fashion sense.  

James Long

Mixing minimal and the outrageous seems to be quite a knack that some designers are displaying as of late, with one such designer being James Long. Throughout the collection, pieces such as well-fit track pants, monotone sneakers and sunglasses are uniform, whilst outerwear takes on a more resolute role. Oddly quilted coats and spray jackets  and sweaters featuring prints reminiscent of the cyberspace of Tron couple with the uniform, reflecting the trend of lone statement pieces within men's outfits, but in futuristic style.

Matthew Miller

The tiniest details are what have always stood out in Matthew Miller's collections, alongside the eye-blinding colour choices, but in his Autumn/Winter 2014 collection, a darker turn has arisen. The darker colour palette consisting of greens, blues and blacks is rarely chosen by this designer, but he has done so successfully by ensuring the garments still have elements of the adventurous. The outstanding detail throughout the collection is the stitching together of the same coloured materials in the trousers, subtly altering the boxy silhouette of men. 

Oliver Spencer

Oliver Spencer's signature style is once again shown flawlessly in his Autumn/Winter 2014 collection. A mix of casual and formal, yet keeping to vivid colours such as bright orange, heathered grey and differing shades of blue, is typical of this British designer. The odd print here and there is present, to complement the tailored looks with movement and interest.

Topman

Fast fashion isn't always a stampede of trends coming at you, as Topman proves with their designer collection every season. Topman's collection is focused on the quality of the garments, with a specially curated few dictating over the usual turnover of trends within its stores. This season's collection relies heavily on the slightly risky turtleneck, textural trousers and altering men's highly sartorial silhouette. 

Burberry Prorsum

Following Burberry's leopard and hearts prints from the Spring/Summer collection, a more calm yet subtly patriotic collection was shown. An emphasis on silk scarves, wrapped around the collar of the men, questionable totes and dynamic outerwear, was easy to spot. The presence of the mesh wife beater did not hinder on the spirited pieces throughout the collection, including scarves with London maps, but rather complemented them, and even diversifies the collection into a trans-seasonal one. 

For a preview of all the British designers' collections, head to www.londoncollections.co.uk

Images courtesy of Fashionising

Mosaics by Christoffer Aguilar

Best of New York Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2014 Pt. 1

September is the busiest month within the fashion industry, a month marking the seasonal change, the release of fashion publication's most important yearly issues and the chance for designers to showcase next season's collections. New York plays host to the first fashion week of the month, and after reviewing the week's runways, a review of my personal favourite collections from the first half of the week follow:

BCBG MAX Azria

Florals may be a cliché motif within the Spring/Summer collections of designers, but Max Azria has tied in the pattern without discounting the relevance of the neo-futurist minimal aesthetic that dominates the fashion industry nowadays. A modern silhouette that draws on classical beauty flow throughout the collection, but still stays grounded with the right amount of florals.

Tess Giberson

There was one colour that stood out amongst the collections in New York that ultimately may start a trend - Green. Tess Giberson's abundance of green throughout her collection brought this tough colour to wear, especially for women, to the forefront once again. The deconstruction of wools, sombre cubist patterns and relaxed feel of the clothing effectively brings the colour in with no effort.

Cushnie Et Ochs

Cushnie Et Ochs have shown a sultry and sophisticated collection, focused on not only on accentuating the female form, but the careful consideration of fabrics and weaving within the garments themselves. A discreet colour palette of greys and whites are perfect in emphasizing the quality of the fabrics and the fact that these dresses would look tantalising even on a hanger.

Helmut Lang

It's no secret that Helmut Lang is one of my favourite labels, and the artistic vision of wearability which I'm so fond of has continued into their latest collection. The dresses are revealing without being tacky, the use of black and white is strategic and the use of sheer and origami like construction of the garments is truly unapologetic. The collection is the refinement of effortless, New York style, and is able to be worn by a variety of fashion-conscious women.

Images courtesy of Fashionising

Kukula's Kute Kouture

Sometimes it's hard to appreciate the wonderment of Haute Couture, especially when the extremities of the designers' creativity is expressed in full. But, there are a few who translate these inapproachable pieces into more appreciable works. Israeli-born artist, Kukula, has illustrated a few of the outstanding Couture pieces presented by the designers last week, including Ulyana Sergeenko, Valentino, Chanel and Giambattista Valli. The faintness, subtle impact and ethereal air which the illustrations exude match the designer's visions perfectly, spreading the reach of which Couture usually is limited.

To view the complete collection of illustrations by Kukula, CLICK HERE

Images courtesy of SHOWstudio

The Zen Garden of Viktor & Rolf

Of all the Haute Couture shows in the past week, one stood out amongst them. The 13 year hiatus of Viktor & Rolf from Haute Couture has made many fashion elite anticipate a collection that makes testament to the creative brew they may have been cooking since their 1999 "Russian Doll" Couture collection. The calmness and ease of the return of Viktor & Rolf to Haute Couture marks their expertise in producing garments that are masterfully artistic, yet somehow wearable, especially in this time in fashion when the minimalist fashion stream is at the top.

The pair's Fall Couture show presented to the fashion elite the extent to which their vision can go. Bringing elements of traditional Japanese Zen Buddhism, both in the construction of the awe-inspring couture and the presentation itself, the designers manipulated and moulded the human hangers into solid, mountainous forms that directly reflect the tranquility of the Japanese Zen Garden. There is no doubt the lamentable yet intriguing collection has characterised the pair's aesthetic diversity.

Images courtesy of Fashionising

GIF-induced Menswear Overload!

Dries Van Noten Spring/Summer 2014

The "revolutionary" reblogging central called Tumblr has brought about the overuse of the GIF image file. More often than not, these image files causes headaches and maybe even the odd puke, and I'm sorry if this has caused you to do so. But, I confess, I can look at these repetitive and seizure-inducing Spring/Summer 2014 menswear GIFs with ease. I can't help but wonder that maybe this is how fashion shows may be viewed in the future, especially because of the rapidity of information flowing throughout the world and the constant demand for swiftness in the exchange of information. Warning: These images may cause a fashion overload!

Dolce & Gabbana Spring/Summer 2014

Jil Sander Spring/Summer 2014

Neil Barrett Spring/Summer 2014

Prada Spring/Summer 2014

All GIFs were designed by Paul Wagenblast

Images courtesy of Dazed and Confused

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