LCM | Thoughts

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.

Duck

Hello Lover

Sometimes it's not until the season is nearly over that a collection really leaves its impact on my consciousness.  But, more and more, I'm finding slow-burners are the ones which give me the greatest feeling of satisfaction.  Enter Comme des Garçons SS13 Poor King collection.  Just what I need right now. 

Duck

Photos from Style.com

Lazy Sundays

Lazy Sundays are for trips to Whole Foods to buy overpriced organic protein powders, afternoons spent coding in the back garden, and wearing those ancient denim shorts that are now three sizes too big for me (hidden from view: belt literally tied around my waist).  Taking some time out being totes casual before next weekend of party outfits and the looming world of business suits.  Should I dye my hair again whilst I still have the time?  Should I start on season 2 of Arrested Development or Six Feet Under?  A never ending stream of important life decisions...

Wearing t-shirt by Marvielab (gift from Anna), shorts by GAP, backpack by Comme des Garcons Homme Plus, keyring by Maison Martin Margiela, socks by M&S, shoes by Adidas. 

Duck

Comme des Garçons Blue

When you get a last-minute call from Comme des Garçons, you don't decline. Always remember that advice, because they just treated me to one of the best 24-hour experiences I've ever had, and all in the name of celebrating the world-wide launch of their new perfume line: Comme des Garçons Blue.

It started with a breakfast flight to Berlin and a short Mercedes drive from the airport to the brand-spanking new Das Stue hotel, housed in the former Danish embassy right on top of the Tiergarten and Berlin zoo. My room looked straight into an enclosure of ostriches and impala. I had the afternoon to myself, so I went for a run around the Tiergarten in the blazing sun before ice cream and beers with my friend David in the Englischer Garten. Then it was a quick change into my Giuseppe Virgone outfit and we were off to the Comme des Garçons Black store in Mitte.

The Blue line contains three specific fragrances: Santal, the freshest of the trio; Cedrat, possibly the most classic and commercial; and Encens, my favourite. Encens, as the name might suggest, has the heavy churchy incense undertones that you get from other Comme perfumes such as Kyoto or Avignon, but in a lighter, cooler blend. Incense for sunny summer days.

The CdG store had been given a makeover for the launch and was decorated with blue-themed artwork and copper sulphate creations (ahhh, memories of sunny days spent staring out of the window during high school chemistry labs, my 'crystals' turning out more a beaker of mush than sparkly rock formations). Everything was designed to match the very now dip-dyed bottles which look like the essence of Spring Breakers refined into chic minimalism.

How does one top an afternoon like that? Well, how about dinner at hip new eatery Richard with 100 of your closest friends, including REM front man Michael Stipe. The first two courses were light and flavoursome (for me, a caramelised goat's cheese salad with blood orange dressing followed by green and white asparagus risotto) but it was the incredible rhubarb and strawberry dessert which blew my socks off. And then into the Berlin night for cocktails and more (...) at Möbel Olfe (don't be fooled by the drab website, this place is FUN). 24 hours of crazy, chic, summer bliss.

Sorry but I also couldn't help mentioning this here! I got back home just in time to see Leah's performance on The Voice last night and wow can that girl sing. It's no wonder the song's already number 9 in the UK charts less than 24 hours after performing it in the competition. So fresh and, given her outfit, so Comme as well? I think so.

Ah, back to reality...

Duck

Antwerp Diaries

Well, I get to everything eventually. I may be off to Berlin this week, and Scandinavia seems like months ago (OK so it was last week), but now I'm finally getting around to posting these snaps from our shopping trip to Antwerp. A few of my favourite things in the city which I think you should check out if you ever happen to pop by.

Places to Stay

Hotel Les Nuits – relax in luxurious suites with marble bathrooms, enjoy a sumptuous breakfast in bed, take a glass of champagne into the rooftop spa or just sit back with a glass of wine of the evening on the sunny terrace. Total chic bliss and just a few steps from the major shopping areas of Antwerp.

Sleeping Around – converted shipping containers right by the harbour (slightly difficult to find but worth the trek) big enough for two, but only if you don't mind getting rather intimate. Have a gourmet breakfast looking out across the water and enjoy the sounds and sights of the trade ships at night as you stumble back from the nearby warehouse clubs...

Places to Eat

Lux – at the marina, just a short stroll from Sleeping Around. Like the name suggests, this place is seriously luxurious. I recommend wearing something daring and sleeveless to shake up the standard business-man clientèle. I also recommend the desserts which were out of this world.

Hippodroom – chic and chichi, right around the corner from Ann Demeulemeester's flagship store, this cosy resto has a menu brimming with Michelin-worthy modern delights. Every mouthful was packed with flavour, current updates on Belgian and French cuisine.

Places to Drink

We found lots of bars and cafés to sit out around the square bounded by Waalsekai and Vlaamsekai. Perfect for taking the air in the summer months. A lot of chic binge-drinkers were also spotted in the bars across from the Museum of Fine Arts up on Leopold de Waelplaats. And if you fancy a couple of glasses of quadrupel (i.e. you have the rest of the day to remain plastered), I highly recommend the cathedral bar decorated with all manner of holy figurines – Het Elfde Gebod.

Duck

Raf Simons | Mr Porter

The word collaboration fills a Duck's heart with fear. A fear of poor quality knock-offs, botched dissections of past collections, itchy fabrics. But Mr Porter seems to be reinventing the fashion trend for collaboration by inviting designers to produce capsule collections for the site, which fit in with their current season offerings both in terms of design and in quality. Last fashion week this led to the excellent lines by Richard Nicoll and Matthew Miller (I notice a few pieces are still available), this time around it gives us Raf Simons for Mr Porter. This time of year online shopping gets a bit stale – can we really be expected to pay full price now for the Givenchy t-shirt we've already been staring at for months, when sales are just around the corner? – but collaborations like this give us something to lust over once again. Bright colours and floral prints which not only fit into the general theme of Raf's SS 2013 mainline collection, but also hark back to my all-time favourite floral from his Jil Sander SS 2011 offering. The chain-bedecked brogues from last season have also been given a new lease of life. Exactly what I want to be wearing when I go to Berlin on Thursday for a very special trip...

Duck

The Acne Jean

There's something about Stockholm style that just gets me every time. It's the simplicity, the painfully chic look of a perfect white shirt, expertly-cut jeans and of course, the Scandinavian staple of trainers (New Balance, natch). Sometimes in the UK I think it just doesn't work quite so well, since everything else around us looks such a mess. But still I try. The wonderful saleswoman in Acne Archive tempted me into buying these skinny jeans – I was finally won over by now being able to fit into a 31” waist... It's been a slippery slope since that first pair of Nicolas Andreas Taralis denims I found on The LN-CC. She also talked me into this just-sheer-enough shirt. So, my tribute to Stockholm style, shot in a park in the heart of Glasgow.

Wearing shirt and jeans by Acne, trainers by Raf Simons, sunglasses by Hardy Amies. 

Duck

Passed

Yesterday I passed my doctoral viva in Oxford! It was two hours of pain, and two days of nervous vomiting, but I finished it. For evermore I shall be Dr Duck. Whenever someone on a plane yells 'Is there a doctor on board?” I'll cry back 'MEEE'. Then I'll try to sort out their heart condition with a few quantum calculations on my supercomputer. And yes, I'll be having the title changed on all my credit cards/utility bills/Dover Street Market mailing lists.

Now all that remains is to figure out what to do for the rest of my life.  And drink champagne.  Lots of champagne. Quack.

Wearing jacket by Damir Doma, vest top by BLK DNM, trousers by Odyn Vovk, brogues by Dr Martens. 

Duck

Copenhagen | Malmö Diaries

Apologies for the blogging hiatus – I'm currently prepping for my DPhil viva coming up next week (and which I've just discovered in German is threateningly termed das Rigorosum). Just enough time to upload my photos from Copenhagen and Malmö from the weekend. Basically: EUROVISION EUROVISION EUROVISION. But before that we managed to sneak in a sweaty walk round the botanic gardens, a dinner at Mother in Vesterbro, and a tour of Christiania and the temporary sandcastle exhibition (props to the creators of the sandstorm Stephen Hawking). And then sparkle, glitz and glamour... Ah, poor Bonnie :'(

Next year in Copenhagen!

Duck