Shall we talk about LCM (or LC:M in its ridiculously unhashtaggable official format)? You may have guessed from the Style.com assortment of photos below that I'm not in London this season. Ostensibly that's because I'm highly focused on job applications right now, but in reality I just couldn't face the pocket squares or the front-row ubiquity of David Gandy and Dermot O'Leary.
Is it just me, or do the London collections seem a bit staid? I think perhaps I'm just getting a bit jaded. Maybe it's because the mainstream press are pushing menswear so fucking hard right now, but I just can't see digitally printed suits and oh my God seriously another bow-tie as forward-thinking anymore. The total market saturation means I barely see any difference between a lot of the designers in London, Paris, Milan, NYC, and so I'm resorting to what should be the true test of a commercial collection: Would I buy it? If I would be willing to spend the ridiculous sums designers ask for nowadays then for me, it's been a successful collection. If I don't want to own it, I don't care. So let's get started with my four stand-out collections of the 'week'.
Richard Nicoll. Yes, please! Sexy, commercial, not too fitted. We have seen a lot of these styles before, but everything just worked so well together this season. The leather shorts look cooler than Wangs/Givenchy, the printed bomber/shorts combo brighter and more luxe than Qasimi. The simple leather jacket over the painted sweatshirt. In my head this is what every cool kid with the kroner to blow in Stockholm is wearing right now. I want to be this guy...
J W Anderson. I haven't been a fan of late since his killer earlier collections but somehow this feels like a turning point for the designer. Last season went too far for me – sure I love a concept but I also want to see something a store could sell to me and frilly womenswear just wasn't doing it. These black belted tunic tops layered over swooshing trousers, however, seem to strike the perfect balance between frock and Rick Owens-esque gentlemanly eveningwear. I like a lot.
Lee Roach. Yup, he's done the seat-belt jacket hybrid before but I still like it. And these look a little bit slicker than the ones currently for sale on TheCorner. Especially the belted black top which would easily slip into an interchangeable JW/Lee wardrobe. Is asymmetric panelling a 'trend'?
CRAIG GREEN. He took what he did last season and ramped up the volume, injecting the textural, layered looks with acid colours and even more crazy details. Oversized street furniture is just the perfect finishing touch. I feel like Craig is the best thing coming out of London right now, truly original, and by far the king of the MAN crop.
Talking of the MAN show, I also fancied the crowns at Bobby Abley (if not the prints or teddy bears) and the dusty pinks and greys from Alan Taylor.
Three other looks that caught my attention. First an all-white layering affair from Agi & Sam, the best closing look from their show and an indication that maybe things could be moving in a chicer direction? A polka-dot plastic shirt by Jonathan Saunders, a designer whose collections while vividly colourful seem strangely uninspiring to me. Oh, and the return of the cargo pant at Rag & Bone? I don't really get the point of this brand or why they're showing in London but I'm all for extra pockets on trousers, thank you.
Closing remark: still don't understand designers who aren't down for their own design aesthetic, particularly women designing womenswear/men designing menswear. Like Lee Roach clearly designs for himself, but JW appearing in a suburban Dad ensemble of stonewashed jeans and shiny dress shoes always makes me question his motivations. I guess I don't see fashion as art but as commercial design and I want to feel like I'm buying into a whole package... I know, I know, Lee McQueen; but then the womenswear there always seemed stronger to me than the men's offering, despite his tailoring background.
I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on London.
I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on London.
Duck



