Mood board: Lucas Ossendrijver has been in charge of menswear since 2006 and his confidence is palpable. It is there in his clothes. He consistently applies a technical lens to tailoring; his propositions err on the right side of wild. Autumn/winter 2018 felt directional but realistic – new and old in the same breath.
Best in show: What is the fate of suiting if the generation queuing up outside Supreme on a Thursday lusts after elasticated waist joggers and statement hoodies? Tailoring needs a tweak. Prada showed suits pressed with dye to create a graphic trompe l’œil effect; Thom Browne added down linings to classic grey marl blazers. At Dior Homme, the iconic Bar Jacket was nipped into nineties sportswear proportions. Ossendrjiver spent the season thinking about the legacy of archetypal men’s dress. For A/W18, the suit was front and centre. The most classic English textiles were thrown into a new conversation; suits had narrow waists and strict ironed in pleats. Stripes and checks clashed and matched.
Sound bite: Classic lines from bespoke tailoring were reconfigured. A pinstripe suit jacket had pockets peeled from a classic duffle coat. Trousers were in smart wool with a combat pant attitude with cotton inlay, gusseted pocket and velcro. Giant ski jackets had their sleeves hacked off – jumpers were draped and worn with wide sleeve-shaped scarves. ‘What is a suit? Two pieces, a jacket and trousers, cut from the same fabric. I wanted to deconstruct this idea, using layering,’ Ossendrjiver said. ‘For me, these combinations make a modern suit. I wanted to create a smokescreen.’
