Catch all the action at London Collections: Mens? Us too, and boy was there hot stuff on show.
See below the 10 best collections that walked the ramp and let us know which you’ll be filling your wardrobes with when Spring/Summer’16 finally hits.
1. Christopher Shannon
Showing fellas the way to accessorise next Summer (an undone bikini worn around the neck, anyone?), designer Christopher Shannon sent his troop of handsome men down the catwalk in unforgettable neon pink, pops of orange plus items with unusual, mid-garment-set zips. A lightweight jacket patched horizontally by what looked like duct tape was another treasure in the mix.
For grooming, it seems one should get groovy with big, gelled and spiky brows and leave the house via a foam party, if you can, for “bubble hair, don’t care” sort of vibes, which Mr Shannon made sort of cool.
2. Liam Hodge’s Collection for MAN
Man oh man do we like Liam Hodge’s lineup for MAN, with its raw edges, patch-workings and insightfully street accessorising.
We mean, goalie gloves, multicoloured hair bands – and for one look – what appeared to be a TV ariel? These are finishings that truly bring the theme ‘street’ to life, and to complete clothes that mustered all the cool of our favourite ’90s rapstars? Let’s just say we won’t be forgetting this newcomer’s name anytime soon – not if it means going without his ideas for Spring/Summer’16.
3. Richard James
Richard James’ intricately worked prints covered everything from shirts to suits (only escaping wicker espadrilles that we thought tres cute), and ultimately left an impression on our hearts.
The designer’s palette of blue, green, red and gold was utterly to our liking, though the floral patterns were the talking point and left us keen to cover up in one – some suits on the day filing down the ramp with a feather pinned to the upper of a lapel.
This is the range to seek if dapper fashion darling’s your thing, which most certainly is ours.
4. Agi & Sam
Brilliant duo, “Agi” Agape Mdumulla and Sam Cotton are never far from mention in talks of the talented, falling further from the fringes of ‘the expected’ season after season.
For Spring/Summer’16, their way with design sent stripes, shorts and charred-looking, starry faces down the ramp and we at SPICE marvelled at the label’s magic.
Oversized jeans and light, sharp-collared jackets – some with fur – were spied in the mix for next Summer, a print-clashed ensemble not escaping our gaze either, and though the Agi & Sam guy didn’t always have time to button up a shirt, the emphasis was on the layering of clean, simple shapes. Stuff to think about next season.
5. Astrid Anderson
With show notes to say the range was “a little bit of ‘Big Trouble in Little China,'” Astrid Andersen brought Eastern vibes back to London by way of fabric and silhouette; the embroidered silk sets and billowing sleeves combining for the best sort of Asian and street-fused fashion that one might hope to don come Spring/Summer’16.
The Danish designer didn’t stray from his sporty, casual aesthetic but did have us somewhat taken with his new lineup – tall hats that streamed shoulders with scarves or kept hoods affixed to the head making for a touch of the unexpected against baggy basketball-lead garments, and leaving us thinking to look for them, for wear after Winter.
6. Casely-Hayford
The father-son duo that is Casely-Hayford make it clear there’s a stylist in its midst (Casely-Hayford Junior, fyi), with clothes colour-blocked and pieced together to utter perfection, and purveyed on the ramp.
Jackets and coats came long, the sorts of prints came varied and our love for the label renewed – so much so that we’re already making space for its retro, motorcycle jacket (or Power Ranger?)-inspired coats which came tri-toned and geometric all over. Hotstuff.
7. Coach
So the team at Coach had groovy inspirations when building their version of Spring/Summer’16, working wine-tinted shades and psychedelic paisley print into outfits, which promptly worked their way onto our wish-lists for next year.
There were safari skins on show too (a tiger print on a jacket, here – a leopard-trimmed tee there) and a lot of Cuban collars that we’ll be copping for the warmer seasons and citing Coach as the inspiration.
8. Alexander McQueen
The best Summers are surely those spent by the sea, and Spring/Summer’16’s will be better spent in a seaside printed suit by Alexander McQueen.
The designer heavyweight brought beach and maritime-inspired menswear to the fore, with the talented Sarah Burton pasting sailor tattoo, rolling wave and treasure map prints down the legs of suits and leaving them trailing down long trenches in the collection’s palette of blue, white, black and red.
Of course, this wouldn’t be a true re-imagining of seaside fun without a breton stripe, which on this occasion came without its sea legs, and coursed off-kilted, diagonally across chests – but the real pearl in this range would be the gold eyelet coat, which had us hook, line and sinker as soon as it stepped onto the ramp. Like, swoon.
9. Christopher Raeburn
Inspired by anthropologist Tom Harrison’s biography The Most Offending Soul Alive, Christopher Raeburn put jungly prints to knitwear and played with urban pieces like bombers, tracksuits and sweatshirts – some made with recycled parachutes and sleeping bags as has become a signature stunt from the designer.
Street, fresh, wearable and with room to spare in the leg, the range is sure to be seen emulated by men all over by Spring/Summer’16, and we at SPICE will be amongst those citing Mr Rabeurn’s range as the source of our next season ‘look.’
10. Oliver Spencer
Utilitarian yet romantic and based on the work of sculptor Richard Serra, Oliver Spencer’s sort of Spring/Summer is one we’re looking forward to wearing.
Colour and texture came layered – considerately so, to draw the eye – in mossy greens, navy blues, greys, black and white. And, though a clashing stripe set gave us ‘heart eyes,’ the floral two-piece is what we’re set on owning. See Mr Spencer’s range and we bet you’ll be planning ownership of the same showstopping ensemble.
Image source: Dazeddigital.com, Style.com, Wonderlandmagazine.com, Hungertv.com
