Image courtesy of London Collections: Men
Following the release of the Pre-Fall/Winter campaigns by designers and labels worldwide, the first Fashion Week of the year has just started - The British Fashion Council presents London Collections: Men. This event gives a chance for the best of established, luxury and recently graduated fashion designers to showcase their collections to myriad of media, bloggers, buyers and celebrities.
The first day packed shows from Hackett London, John Smedley, MAN, Hunter Gather, Fashion East, Orlebar Brown, Hentsch Man and Meadham Kirchhoff. My favourite collections from the day included Lou Dalton, Richard Nicoll, Mr. Start, Lee Roach and Topman.
Lou Dalton Autumn/Winter 2013
Lou Dalton's collections have always been for the unconventional man, who prizes minimal and eccentric fashion as his choice of wear. The clean lines and tailored fits of the garments are made eccentric with the choice of material such as creased silk and a modern take on British heritage patterns such as tartan.
Richard Nicoll Autumn/Winter 2013
Boldness and confidence are needed to pull off the intriguing garments from Richard Nicoll's latest collection. Only a man with the right personality can carry these looks with ease, so no, this collection is not for every man, but if you're brave enough, I say go for it.
Mr. Start Autumn/Winter 2013
A contemporary approach to timeless men's fashion is taken by Mr. Start, with classic tailored garments modernized by matte muted colours such as ox blood, olive green and navy blue. Details are not overlooked in this collection, the simple placement of leather panels on gloves, missing buttons and a glowing zipper only enhancing the beauty of the clothes.
Lee Roach Autumn/Winter 2013
Sleek, discreet minimalism is abundant in Lee Roach's latest collection. The soft hum of crisp whites, humble greens and striking black harmonize to create a collection for the future man. Once again, material choice is key in this collection - nylon, neoprene and suede adding depth to the seemingly simple clothes.
Topman Design Autumn/Winter 2013
Topman are courageous to release a collection so focused on colours not usually associated with the cooler months - prime example being the bright orange, but, there is no doubt that this collection may be one of the best so far. The desert sun inspired colour choices create the illusion of warmness, which are of course actualized by the wools in the sweaters and jumpers and the rugged masculinity of the clothing.
On a final note: The live stream of the show was one of the first to use 360 camera vision available to online viewers worldwide, and the chance to tweet magazine editors in the front row, as you can see below I had a conversation with one of Steve Salter from i-D magazine. I must say I was starstruck!
Images courtesy of Fashionising, Twitter and London Collections: Men
