London #Fashion Week Men: The Selection of the Top Seven and Other Delicacies #lfwm
This season brought a very calm Men Fashion Week, nevertheless full of exciting new designs: established ones and new comers. The Selection is here and other discoveries along the way.
ICEBERG is the vision of Giuliana Marchini Gerani and her husband Silvano launched in Italy in 1974. Iceberg are original innovators and rule-breakers in both product and marketing with the brand revolutionising and introducing the concept of luxury sportswear. Signatures include premium knitwear, bold colour, graphic prints, pop culture, art, denim and high quality product. James long, after completing the prestigious rca ma, has been creative director since 2016 designing men’s, women’s and the made in italy capsule collections marrying his own distinctive London style with the heritage and joyful signatures of Iceberg.
ICEBERG hit London with Creative Director James Long’s remix of iconic technical knits in modern casual silhouettes: an ode to the past with a vision of the future. Pillaging the Trophy Room at ICEBERG’s head office James fuses an Italian love of Fl with ltalo pop while giving it an energetic, dance meets football London attitude where the cartoon is King, the logo is Queen and everyone is part of the winning team. Deep-fried glitched graphics are a new, often hand drawn or collaged take on Peanuts, Joe Cool and tone on tone logos. Superb tailoring and original designs made it one of the favourites at this season. The models then paraded all over Covent Garden and Trafalgar Square.
Every year a new comer makes a mark. This time it was Blindness very much into the gender fluidity current clima. KyuYong Shin and JiSun Park based in Seoul. In 2015, jisun join into the Blindness then turn out to the menswear collection brand. KyuYong has study fashion at the fashion school and JiSun’s major was a Furniture Design from Hongik university. They have variety perspectives each. Theirs opinions are mixed into a single theme to create a Blindness collection. In 2017, Blindness was nominated the LVMH PRIZE Short-finalist. A clever and unique use of ruffles, pearls and transparents unusual in menswear creates the vision of a romantic and daring contemporary man. Definitively, the ones to watch.
Labrum presented Highlife Revival, a contemporary version of African designs as a reminiscence of West Africa in the 20’s. A revolutionary moment. For this collection, Labrum’s creative director Foday Dumbuya has collaborated with London designer Kelly Anna, to create a collection influenced by Politics, Music, Fashion, Photography and Film across Ghana, Nigeria and Sierra Leone through labourers and travelling artists. Foday has taken inspiration from the Malian photographer Malik Sidibe as well as similar greats across genre, including Nigerian artists Fela Kuti, Adekunle Gold and Orlando Owoh, and Sierra Leone’s S.G. Rogie.
Nine8Collective gave us a multimedia presentation with live performances that became one of the highlights of London Fashion Week. Arts collective “Nine8” are a youth run and led platform serving an underground scene of young experimental London based artists and musicians. Using creativity as currency and limited resources, Nine8 have grown a cult following, successfully throwing political club nights, exhibition parties and hosted several shows commending London’s sphere of young artists.
For this years LFWM Nine8 will be taking to the DiscoveryLAB to present haus of nine8: lavaland x corrupted christ — a physical embodiment of the audio/visual culture behind their movement — presenting live performances of the collective’s homegrown lo-fi sounds in the vein of alternative hip hop whilst also presenting a custom collection from their self made boutique “Nine8 garms”, creatively directed by the collectives founder, 19 year old lava la rue in collaboration with this collection’s theme designer 17 year old corrupted christ.
Linder brings this New York quirkiness which is rather refreshing. Linder is a designer label headed by Sam Linder and Kirk Millar. The label started after an unlikely friendship was formed when the two met by chance back in 2012. In the years since, they have created a partnership, and a process, that is both unconventional and dynamic. With differences in age, interests, approach, and background — Sam in Art and Photography, Kirk in Fashion — the two have developed a label that is led by an unorthodox, instinctual creative process. The results mix aggressive concepts, thoughtful design and execution, historical reference, and sensitivity to silhouette, into a dark but celebratory sensibility, creating the tension that is the brand’s DNA. The brand’s distribution continues to grow with some key stockists being Opening Ceremony, Boon The Shop, Harvey Nichols Hong Kong and SSENSE to come in Fall 2018.
In 1936, founder John Barbour’s grandson, Duncan Barbour, a keen motorcyclist, introduced into the range a one piece wax cotton suit called the Barbour International. Developed specifically for the 1936 International Six Day Trials (ISDT) event, and hence its name, the Barbour International became so popular that it was worn by almost every British team right up until 1977. In 1964, actor Steve McQueen famously wore his Barbour International suit as a member of the US IDST team. Today, they still manage to keep the level of craftsmanship and exquisite tailoring.
Engines & Gentlemen has its roots in a family history marked by love for vintage cars, evolving through generations into real collections. It is in the garage of home that born the brand dedicated to the accessories of author, conceived and realized inspired by the design of the most iconic cars of the British era 1950s and ’60s. The Engines & Gentlemen collections are the result of Made in Italy excellence, authentic and sophisticated design accessories, handcrafted by skilled craftsmen, the selection of the finest materials and the finest details. Engines & Gentlemen synthesizes the passion, the pursuit, the elegance and the gritty accelerated spirit of contemporary times.
Christopher Raeburn was also an exceptionally and meticulously crafted collection with a strong environmental message. REDUCED, REMADE, RECYCLED was the refrain plastered across Christopher Raeburn’s SS19 collection, React Now, which showed on day two of London Fashion Week Men’s. The designer was urged to respond to an NASA-shot image of melting glaciers, which would later be incorporated as a print into the collection, serving as a “creative call to arms.”
Sustainability has been a conscious aspect of Raeburn’s business since inception in 2008. “Everything is done in our studio, so it’s a real labour of love,” said Raeburn, backstage after his show. “We actually manufacture everything there — each garment is individually numbered and we do a maximum of 50 pieces. We try to keep things in those three categories. We’re not perfect — it’s challenging — but that’s the way we try and work.”
OTHER DELICACIES that I discovered in my journeys
Axel Arigato Clean 90 Sneakers are handmade from smooth Italian leather and a premium rubber cup-sole. The minimalist silhouette features a slightly higher heel and is equipped with cushioned footbed and arch support for maximum comfort. #BeyondBeauty
Maison Margiela — Black Tailored Raw Edge Shorts
A new London destination for exciting contemporary fashion retail at 13 Brewer Street, Soho, London, MACHINE-A is an independent concept store for men and women with exceptional British and International fashion design as its focus. It is a showcase for London’s Fashion energy and optimism, selling only the most interesting and current collections from a blend of standout emerging and established brands.
Bremont-ALT1-C automatic chronometer with 42-hour power reserve. 43mm hardened stainless steel case Trip-Tick® case construction. Water resistant to 10 ATM, 100 metres. Blue nubuck strap. Bremont redevelops an icon: Introducing new designs to the original alt1-c range. Not only was the original ALT1-C the first Bremont ever designed, but it has become an iconic part of the Bremont line-up and has been a bestseller for the brand since launch back in 2007.
FINALLY Central Saint Martin’s Final Degree show: Menswear and Knitwear
Kanjelly — Menswear
Outdoorwear fashion menswear for the gentleman
https://www.instagram.com/kanjelly/
Ed Brooks — Knitwear
Look 5: Reversible jacquard coat with multi stitch jumper and chenille trousers. A cathartic colourful experience.
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