LFW Men’s Kicks Off the Designer Circuit
06-01-2020
It was back to business as per usual as London Fashion Week Men’s kicked off the international designer circuit of shows and presentations. Now in its 15th edition the 3-day event pitched camp at the Truman Brewery in the heart of London’s east end.
The schedule commenced on Saturday 4th January 2020 with London’s eclectic mix of fine, quality tailoring alongside the industry’s new breed of innovators and radical creatives.
Day 1 provided the perfect mix with the likes of E.Tautz injecting a modern twist to classic tailoring; think wide cut trousers, relaxed single-breasted jackets worn over super-fine knits in classic shades of denim, camel, cream and stone. In contrast Charles Jeffrey Loverboy’s padded shoulders, bold tartans and love heart motifs referenced Teddy Boys, Scottish roots and art by Margaret Mackintosh – with an ecological message thrown in.
Another designer taking inspiration from her background was Bianca Saunders: “This is a collection about my background, about my heritage, about being Black Caribbean. I used distortion, things that curved, and always a play with gender, and how we see masculine clothes,” the designer said. Experimenting with detail as well as movement Bianca includes tailored trousers with belted backs, denim jeans with inside seams that curve outwards and waist-coats cut super long so their points touch the knees.
Sportswear influences are ever present at the men’s collections and this season Vinti Andrews showcased their specialist techniques with recycled designs that included layered-up hoodies, slouchy tracksuit pants, re-constructed sweats and bold puffa jackets.
Capturing the spirit of the moment our current Fashion Awardee for British Emerging Talent in Menswear – Bethany Williams struck a cord when she revealed she was currently collaborating with ‘The Magpie Project’, a charity dedicated to supporting homeless mothers and children. Each and every step of her collection has been responsibly considered from her recycled fabrics, to the use of discarded glamping tents for utility wear, right through to manufacturing and working with ‘Making for Change’, a London College of Fashion initiative that trains women at Downview Prison in garment manufacturing. Bethany’s approach to the environment and social enterprise is to be applauded. As for her clothes she presented blanket coats, tracksuits and chunky knits that featured graphic illustrations of mothers and children by Melissa Kitty Jarram that gave her underlying charitable connection a positive and colourful spin.
