Kiko Kostadinov A/W 2019 London Fashion Week Mens

Mood board: For autumn/winter 2019 the Bulgarian designer cited two films as references: the luxurious 1960s thriller Midnight Lace and the 1998 Japanese horror The Ring. The campy appeal of Doris Day hearing eerie voices through the Mayfair fog whilst dressed in a succession of gowns and opera coats doesn't immediately come to mind when considering Kostadinov’s position as one of the city’s most conscientious contemporary workwear designers. But the three-quarter-length sleeves, bell shaped coat that Day wears in the film’s opening sequence has been translated into a succession of brutalist, modern options. Looking into the costume designer Irene Lentz’s work (and her penchant for stripes), the collection explores a villainous, faceless elegance.

Finishing touches: Kostadinov recently departed the British heritage label Mackintosh, yet his learnings were all there to see. His focus on outerwear was much bigger than previous seasons, taking their cocooning shapes from midcentury women’s coats and swing jackets with removable cowl collars and scarves. Stand out too were the contrast stripe bias-cut suiting, creating a maze of cascading lines across the body.

Team work: Collaboration with the Japanese performance wear brand Asics extended to two new shoe silhouettes and a debut capsule of Asics Apparel – a cropped anorak and a quilted bolero. The models wore dramatic long-haired black wigs, studded with crystals and beads conceived by the celebrated Japanese hair stylist Katsuya Kamo, who is perhaps best known for his longstanding working relationship with Junya Watanabe.