London Collections: Men A/W 2016 editor’s picks
Paul Smith: Showing at London’s Pace Gallery, Paul Smith painstakingly recreated his first shop and filled it with pieces from his A/W 2016 collection. Measuring a tiny three metres by three metres, the shop was jammed full with treasures and demonstrated how Sir Smith finds inspiration in everything that surrounds him – a philosophy that he still maintains today
Christopher Kane: This season Christopher Kane turned to the streets and the crushed car sculptures by artist John Chamberlain for inspiration. The collection focused on a relaxed and baggy silhouette: generously cut jeans and tailored trousers were cropped at the ankle and paired with oversized sweatshirts and geometric jacquard knits. An abstract crushed car motif was placed on t-shirts while a repeat patterned covered sporty outerwear pieces
Mathew Miller: This designer is a rebel at heart and his A/W 2016 collection was no exception to his anti-establishment stance. Jackets and tops came made of painted canvas, fragments of what resembled a Renaissance painting covering them, conjuring up the idea of a precious work of art being cut up to make clothing. Elsewhere mourning armbands were attached to sleeves. Photography: Jason Lloyd-Evans
Tommy Hilfiger: The American designer jetted into town to host an intimate dinner at Morton’s Club, where he revealed he’s got his own plans to enter the London gentleman’s club with his own establishment. Watch this space
Pieter: The contrast between the conventional and subversive in photographer Robert Mapplethorpe’s work acted as the starting point for Sebastiaan Pieter this season. As in pervious seasons Pieter continued to explore iconic garments from a man’s wardrobe, including the perfect pair of trousers, bomber jacket, t-shirt and raincoat, which were all re-imagined. Sartorial fabrics were mixed with leather in a nod to Mapplethorpe’s own dress. T-shirts emblazoned with the words ’Cruise’ and ’HH’ made cheeky reference to gay culture, and were teamed with tailored jackets and trousers. Photography: Andrew Unwin
Tiger of Sweden: For A/W 2016 Tiger of Sweden took a trip to the historic province of Dalarna, an idyllic place steeped in Swedish artistic history. Wild floral prints created by artist Jakob Krajcik blossomed everywhere. Suits were covered head-to-toe or in dustry peach velveteen, while a deep navy parka was covered with flowery crest patches. A stand-out piece was a leather biker hand painted by Krajcik. Photography: Jason Lloyd-Evans
Mackintosh: 2016 is sizing up to be a big year for the British heritage brand that’s renowned for its waterproof, rubberised cotton raincoats. Following their new store on London’s Conduit Street, the outerwear specialist, who introduced denim for the first time this season, is also set to debut boutiques in New York and Paris and a number of high profile collaborations, kicking off with Chanel-owned hatter Maison Michel
CMMN SWDN: Saif Bakir and Emma Hedlund of CMMN SWD entitled their A/W 2016 collection ’Domas’, Italian for home. Domestic textiles seen in late 1970s, early Eighties homes were a key inspiration for a collection that saw a shrunken bomber jacket made from what resembled the leather of an old couch and an oversized peacoat in heavy duty upholstery
Berthold: For A/W 2016 Raimund Berthold explored protection and shelter. A voluminous silhouette in supple rubber, shearling and coated jersey acted as an armour against the elements. Standout pieces included a vast hand-knitted blanket coat that wrapped around the body and a sturdy sheepskin sweatshirt that was soft, yet hardy
Christopher Raeburn: The designer continued his seasonal fashion travels for A/W 2016, this time looking to the extreme landscape of Mongolia from its mountainous terrains to vast desert and the nomadic people that inhabit them. This expedition took in an array of outerwear options. Parkas and bomber jackets came quilted and printed with a raindrop camouflage, while oversized hand knitted cardigans offered cosy protection from the elements. Variations on hiking boots and backpacks kept Raeburn’s urban nomad fully kitted. Photography: Jason Lloyd-Evans
John Lobb: Paula Gerbase tackled the elements and took to the moors for A/W 2016 looking to the mystic granite Tors of Dartmoor for inspiration. John Lobb’s iconic ’Museum Calf’ was given the all-weather treatment with a fine grain and waterproof finish, while the ’Balmoral’ group of working boots got a new rubber sole
Coach: Stuart Vevers continued his exploration of American menswear archetypes looking to late 1970s Hip-Hop, East Coast blue-collar workers and ’The Boss’ himself, Bruce Springsteen for A/W 2016. Within a set made of metal girders resembling a building under construction, models strutted to Fab 5 Freddy in patchwork leather jackets, lumberjack shirts and teddy bear costs, teamed with bucket hats and ’Born in the USA’ bandanas tied around necks and onto bags. Photography: Jason Lloyd-Evans