London Collections Men A/W'15-16: Overview
As the new year begins, the fashion fraternity gathers in London to kick off the season full of excitement and, of course, fashion in style. With parties scheduled and the shows set, London Collection Men treats fashion lovers to what is to come in the fall of the year. Over time, LCM has developed it's reputation as the hub of experimental menswear. Where the Brits were known for their dandy style in the past, LCM comes to shed off that image and show the crazy side to fashion through experimentation.
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The iconic British brand Burberry's Christopher Bailey knows how to reinvent a concept so well adapted in it's image that when he makes the models walk down the catwalk, one coudn't help but be in awe of what one sees. The collection, titled "Classically Bohemian" was the modern take to the bohemian man. Yes, bohemian fashion does not always imply rough dressing, but also classy, artistic, and chic in it's own entity.
From a designer who gave us the modern take on the Barbie and cashed in on the whole phenomenon of nostalgia, logos and "it" girls being the brand ambassadors, Jeremy Scott for Moschino did not live up to the hype that it has for it's womenswear. It was more like a trip to Alaska where the models wear nothing but tid bits of fur and fashionable thermals.
Topman keeps the same fits and silhouettes it has come to showing, but the patterns and the design is so much vibrant, so much nostalgic and so much of a visional beauty, that it was hard not to go for the cropped/skinny jackets and the tartan wonderland that Topman showed. Besides that, it was definitely an ode to the child that dreams of making it big, and then transitioning into the gentleman he is supposed to be. It was a story of struggle, and making it to one's dreams. In short, it was about never giving up.
Christopher Shannon's was a collection that made a statement. With paying homage to the mundane, this collection raised issues (and directions) towards our ignorance of the littlest things that make us who we are; what we get rid off and throw in the garbage. In a way, that's something that makes a huge part of our lives. Maybe this collection is the one that represents the creative mind; living off caffeine and having nothing to pay for it. So life becomes hard. And we become plastic bag, drifting through the wind.
Alexander McQueen's direction is always towards the dark side, and as per tradition, it was a sleek, fitted, skinny and dark hued collection that meant to make a statement towards the death of morals that the society pushes an individual towards. But the poppy flower patterns and motifs were clearly an ode to escapism; because in a life so dark, who wouldn't want to feel like hiding in the shadows, and hide in their own world.
With an inclination towards a more feminine cut, J W Anderson's designs for the A/W'15-16 collection featured a mix of the decades of the past with a modern cut and a new introduction. Sometimes, originality lies in the reinvention of an old idea, and in this case, the reinvention of the cuts once cut in a new pattern. The palette was itself like a memory faded somewhere. It was all very nostalgic and so present at the same time. Which itself is a hard feat to pull off.
The 'Coolman Collection' by Agi & Sam was inspired by Agi's childhood designs he had made aged 4 yrs old. So taking an innocent, incomplete idea and turning it into a collection that spoke to the mind that created it, while being worn by older men is itself a contradiction; but the way they handled the designs were clear as it were. Yes, it was a new concept (lego headgear and eye pieces) but they should know that the collection came off immature, and knowing the nature of LCM, the collection was weak with very few strong moments. It was basically all over the place, like a child's mind.
Meanwhile, one can expect Hardy Amies to keep it simple yet sophisticated enough for the modern gentleman who loves his suits and relaxed jumpers alike. It was a day to night collection featuring crisp business wear and party and dinner wear. Of course, with LCM one expects to be mesmerized, but the Brits do love their classics and Hardy Amies provided exactly that!
So while Hardy Amies kept it safe, Sibling was exactly the opposite. Eccentric to the max and crazy in its creation, the collection was an ode to the psychedelic young boarding school Brits. The Sibling kid knows how to let go of the world and create a world of fantasies where everything is innocent. It's a deconstruction of the world and mind of that kid, and with the lose and deconstructed jumpers, it's an ode to being one's self no matter where and how.
Katie Eary is one of those designers who knows she won't ever be the one to give in to conventions and still keep her work crazy enough to be wearable. The collection was an ode to "The Clockwork Orange" and the references from the styling to the patterns on the clothes were obvious. It was all about being weird and being crazy but knowing the price of being all that. The collection was clearly colorfully inspired by the film as it had the bright hues.
In short, London Collections men gave us a lot to be inspired from and inspire others who see the creations one will sport. It was a fun filled season and saw a lot of growth in terms of potential and creativity
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The iconic British brand Burberry's Christopher Bailey knows how to reinvent a concept so well adapted in it's image that when he makes the models walk down the catwalk, one coudn't help but be in awe of what one sees. The collection, titled "Classically Bohemian" was the modern take to the bohemian man. Yes, bohemian fashion does not always imply rough dressing, but also classy, artistic, and chic in it's own entity.
From a designer who gave us the modern take on the Barbie and cashed in on the whole phenomenon of nostalgia, logos and "it" girls being the brand ambassadors, Jeremy Scott for Moschino did not live up to the hype that it has for it's womenswear. It was more like a trip to Alaska where the models wear nothing but tid bits of fur and fashionable thermals.
Topman keeps the same fits and silhouettes it has come to showing, but the patterns and the design is so much vibrant, so much nostalgic and so much of a visional beauty, that it was hard not to go for the cropped/skinny jackets and the tartan wonderland that Topman showed. Besides that, it was definitely an ode to the child that dreams of making it big, and then transitioning into the gentleman he is supposed to be. It was a story of struggle, and making it to one's dreams. In short, it was about never giving up.
Christopher Shannon's was a collection that made a statement. With paying homage to the mundane, this collection raised issues (and directions) towards our ignorance of the littlest things that make us who we are; what we get rid off and throw in the garbage. In a way, that's something that makes a huge part of our lives. Maybe this collection is the one that represents the creative mind; living off caffeine and having nothing to pay for it. So life becomes hard. And we become plastic bag, drifting through the wind.
Alexander McQueen's direction is always towards the dark side, and as per tradition, it was a sleek, fitted, skinny and dark hued collection that meant to make a statement towards the death of morals that the society pushes an individual towards. But the poppy flower patterns and motifs were clearly an ode to escapism; because in a life so dark, who wouldn't want to feel like hiding in the shadows, and hide in their own world.
With an inclination towards a more feminine cut, J W Anderson's designs for the A/W'15-16 collection featured a mix of the decades of the past with a modern cut and a new introduction. Sometimes, originality lies in the reinvention of an old idea, and in this case, the reinvention of the cuts once cut in a new pattern. The palette was itself like a memory faded somewhere. It was all very nostalgic and so present at the same time. Which itself is a hard feat to pull off.
The 'Coolman Collection' by Agi & Sam was inspired by Agi's childhood designs he had made aged 4 yrs old. So taking an innocent, incomplete idea and turning it into a collection that spoke to the mind that created it, while being worn by older men is itself a contradiction; but the way they handled the designs were clear as it were. Yes, it was a new concept (lego headgear and eye pieces) but they should know that the collection came off immature, and knowing the nature of LCM, the collection was weak with very few strong moments. It was basically all over the place, like a child's mind.
Meanwhile, one can expect Hardy Amies to keep it simple yet sophisticated enough for the modern gentleman who loves his suits and relaxed jumpers alike. It was a day to night collection featuring crisp business wear and party and dinner wear. Of course, with LCM one expects to be mesmerized, but the Brits do love their classics and Hardy Amies provided exactly that!
So while Hardy Amies kept it safe, Sibling was exactly the opposite. Eccentric to the max and crazy in its creation, the collection was an ode to the psychedelic young boarding school Brits. The Sibling kid knows how to let go of the world and create a world of fantasies where everything is innocent. It's a deconstruction of the world and mind of that kid, and with the lose and deconstructed jumpers, it's an ode to being one's self no matter where and how.
Katie Eary is one of those designers who knows she won't ever be the one to give in to conventions and still keep her work crazy enough to be wearable. The collection was an ode to "The Clockwork Orange" and the references from the styling to the patterns on the clothes were obvious. It was all about being weird and being crazy but knowing the price of being all that. The collection was clearly colorfully inspired by the film as it had the bright hues.
In short, London Collections men gave us a lot to be inspired from and inspire others who see the creations one will sport. It was a fun filled season and saw a lot of growth in terms of potential and creativity