Dunhill A/W 2018

Mood board: The season signals the catwalk debut of creative director Mark Weston, successor to John Ray who for three years crafted a look of studied heritage. Weston was appointed in May 2017 and was previously senior vice president of menswear at Burberry under Christopher Bailey. His A/W18 was hard, sexy and cool. Gone are the silk pocket squares and button cardigans. Weston’s Dunhill speaks to a modern man.

Finishing touches: In recent years the brand has flitted in and out of the fashion conversation. It was developed in the early 1890s by Alfred Dunhill after he inherited a small saddlery business situated on London’s Euston Road. Its heritage as a luxury goods manufacturer of everything from picnic sets to parkers has given Weston carte blanche to hit the reset button on its ready-to-wear offering. There are no archival constraints. No house codes to subvert. Weston’s Dunhill was tough. There was a hard sensuality to the many leather pieces within the collection, which seemed to acknowledge the saddlery savoir faire of its founder.

Best in show: The show notes listed 17 directives that only stated what was in front of us – it was free from the usual balderdash. The opening look was a great tracksuit in tweed selvedge; supple leather shirts in superb biro-ink blue were tucked into sharp leather trousers worn with shiny chestnut ankle boots. The suit had been split; lean two button jackets were worn with pocket front shirts and club stripe ties and tough leather trousers. Chocolate brown leather blousons were worn over pale blue shirts with wide-leg cavalry twill trousers. The interiors of cars inspired stand out moulded biker jackets.