Good afternoon! By way of a continued apology for being such an awful blogger recently, here's another blog post I've written for work! This week I've been reviewing the London Collections: Men shows, and as I'm not usually very up to date with menswear I've really enjoyed familiarising myself with some of the designers and collections. My favourites were C.P. Company, John Smedley, Hackett London, Mr Hare and Alexander McQueen. Enjoy!
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Between Monday 7th and Wednesday 9th January the biannual showcase of London Collections: Men
took place. Over 75 events were staged within these three days
including private receptions, presentations, events and spectacular
shows. Chaired by Dylan Jones of GQ Magazine and supported by HRH Charles Prince of Wales, London Collections: Men has become an extremely influential event in terms of showcasing British design talent. As well as supporting emerging, innovative talent, London Collections: Men also shows established tailoring by design houses such as the strictly “invitation only” Alfred Dunhill. The committee of London Collections: Men is almost as impressive as the event itself. Committee members were specifically chosen by the Chair Dylan Jones to be ambassadors for menswear design to encourage innovation through design. The committee is not solely made up of men, Paula Reed and Tracy Emin also lend their support alongside music-sensation Tinie Tempah and comedian David Walliams. Influential designers Tom Ford and Christopher Bailey also included, uniting a variety of people from all industries all dedicated to creating this unique event.
C.P. Company, AW13
The AW13 C.P. Company collection embodied the brands ethos completely. A stunning combination of function, use and tradition, the collection was innovative and fresh whilst retaining the brands original values. C.P. Company is our go-to brand for outerwear because for C.P. Company, it isn't all about fashion. The brand is reliable and practical, presenting staple wardrobe items with a C.P. Company
twist. The collection was suspended and presented rather than modelled,
giving the audience the time to view the collection at their leisure
and have the opportunity to experience the materials used.
Hackett London, AW13
Another one of our favourite stockists is Hackett London. The Hackett London AW13
collection was a breath-taking display of immaculate tailoring.
Encapsulating a range of period and heritage style designs, the
collection was undoubtedly one of the best we've seen. The brand is
quintessentially British and this is evident through the collections
variety of bowler hats, bow ties, umbrellas and sharp, clean lines. The Hackett London
gentleman would surely have mentally added everything in the collection
into his wardrobe immediately. The show finished in a flurry of
unexpected excitement, with British model Erin O’Connor closing the show wearing pieces from the Hackett London men's collection. An andrognous vision in a bow tie, crisp white shirt, velvet burgundy cummerbund and loafers. Could this be a hint from Hackett London that they are considering expanding into womenswear?
John Smedley, AW13
John Smedley also showed its AW13 collection during London Collections: Men.
The setting was simple, refined and tasteful, everything the brand
holds dear to their original ethos. Eight models posed, some sitting and
some standing, relaxed in the clothes which perfectly reflects the John Smedley brand. All the pieces are manufactured in Great Britain using the best materials available. Merino, Sea Island Cotton, cashmere and silk are the main materials used, each of which lends itself to the simple luxury and high quality of the John Smedley brand. As a brand specialising in knitwear, you can expect to see elegant pieces with an edge of heritage and apres-ski from the AW13 collection.
Aside from our obvious three favourites, Mr. Hare's AW13 collection was a show in itself. Midway through the show the models leapt into a dance specifically choreographed to showcase the spectacular shoes which the models wore. Mr. Hare
is usually known for his minimalist, understated designs, perhaps AW13
marks a change for the brand as the show was completely unique, unlike
any the brand has ever staged before. The three day event closed with a
series of private events hosted by members of the committee celebrating
the success of the third season of London Collections: Men. Needless to say, we wish we’d been on the guestlist, especially the dinner hosted by Tinie Tempah, Sir Paul Smith and Dylan Jones- potentially the ultimate fashion dinner party?
