London Collections: Men

Admittedly, I've never really taken much of an interest in mens fashion. Perhaps this is because for a long time, womenswear has had a higher profile in the fashion industry, and London Fashion Week has been dominated by womenswear collections. 


Until now.   


Times are changing, and menswear is finally emerging from the shadow of womenswear; at extraordinary speed. So much so, that the British Fashion Council has deemed it necessary for menswear to have it's own fashion week, in London, for the first time this year. This is very exciting news; London's menswear shows will now be on the fashion calendar alongside those of Milan and Paris. This means that British menswear can finally showcase it's innovation and celebrate it's tradition on an international stage. And about time too! See the launch video below.

Men have become increasingly experimental with fashion these days; sporting more colour, print and pattern. It's refreshing to see stylish, well-dressed men, and with menswear sales gaining momentum around the world, prestigious department stores such as Selfridges and Harrods have recently (and wisely) invested unprecedented space in their menswear departments. High-end menswear is more accessible than ever before, and last year successful e-commerce site Net-a-Porter launched Mr Porter, a brother site specifically for menswear collections. 


London Collections: Men runs from 15th-17th June as a three-day festival of shows, parties, exhibitions, dinners and talks.  I wouldn't mind being there myself! Featured designers include the likes of Burberry, Christopher Shannon, Topman Design, Richard James, Tom Ford, E.Tautz, Christopher Kane, James Long, Oliver Spencer, Margaret Howell, and the exciting, upcoming talent of MAN and NEW GEN. I might be taking a greater interest in Men's fashion from now on...

Burberry

Oliver Spencer

James Long

Acne Studios Flagship Store in NYC

If I could choose one brand from which to purchase a capsule wardrobe, Swedish fashion brand Acne would certainly be a leading contender. Their philosophy makes a lot of sense; to produce a 'framework for individuality' by making clothing that is simple and functional, classic and cool, stylishly relevant yet ultimately wearable. An acronym for 'Ambition to create novel expression', Acne is a lifestyle; a creative, multi-disciplinary collective, active in production, communication and fashion and denim. Below are a few images I find inspiring, which reflect the essence of the Acne brand.

“Fashion is the best form of self-expression. We like to design pieces that together form the coolest wardrobe, but is ultimately wearable. It becomes one way of thinking as individual pieces, but together creates a strong, modern and considered statement.” Jonny Johansson, Acne’s Creative Director.

The Acne brand is expanding. Just a few months after opening a third store in Paris, Acne is soon to launch a new flagship store in New York, on Greene Street in Soho. Reminiscent of an art gallery or studio, each Acne store encapsulates the contemplative atmosphere of a creative, working space.

The concept behind the design of the new store is to bring a touch of Stockholm to New York, referencing historical influences of the Gustavian era whilst capturing the vibrancy of NYC.  Jonny Johansson has envisioned a design concept largely influenced by the fragmentation of the city of Stockholm, and I can't wait to see the finished interior when the store is opened in New York on the 8^th June. Until then, the images below portray a glimpse of the London and Paris Acne store interiors.

Paris

London

Final Year Degree Show

One word; amazing. Although a range of adjectives could describe the creative talent showcased at the Nottingham Trent Final Year Art and Design degree show; inspiring, original, inventive...


As a Fashion Communication and Promotion student I revel in exploring the range of areas within art, design and fashion, and I'm glad my friend and I passed as professionals and sneaked into the industry opening night. The Degree Show displayed an eclectic range of work, from Fine Art to International Fashion Business, and it has inspired me to think about about potential, future collaborations for my own work. 


I was particularly interested in the Fashion Design collections, and I hugely admire the thought and detail which has gone into creating each style and producing each item. See for yourself a selection of my personal favourite, beautifully crafted garments below. 

Feminine

Classic Twist

Warrior

Sci-Fi 

Capsule

Colour Pop

Whilst The City Slept

The  fire alarm at 6am; not the most pleasant of wake-up calls and not an hour of the day I have seen for quite some time. However, I had almost forgotten how beautiful an early spring morning can be. Evacuating my flat and assembling in the courtyard in my dressing gown, the air was warm and the sky was bright. Instead of going back to bed I got dressed, picked up my camera and ventured into the sleepy city of Nottingham to capture anything and everything that caught my eye. My 3 favourite, serendipitous finds are shown below. N.B. I'm by no means a professional photographer, I just like to document things that inspire and interest me. 

The neutral colour palette of this image reminds me of the essence of the streets of Italy; a porcelain building, a soft, blue sky and a light shadow cast by a subtle, morning sun. Dreamy...      

The Nottingham Lace Market is a maze. I was intrigued by this doorway; it made me wonder what it conceals. The varying tones of white and grey in the desaturated image create a sense of nostalgia. I like the mystery, the ambiguity.

Texture, pattern and colour! I'm not sure of the name of this plant, but there is something about it that made me think  'textile print'. 

A Fashion Revival

Keen to challenge the notion of 'throwaway' fashion, personally I prefer to invest in quality rather than quantity. In a retail landscape dominated by transient trends and budget brands, I embrace the opportunity to accentuate the longevity and versatility of clothing.

Image by Talilla Henchoz

Thankfully I am not alone. Earlier this year 32 groups of first year fashion design students from Nottingham Trent University collaborated on a project with Oxfam; 32 bags of unwanted garments were donated to the fashion design department and the imaginative designers were inspired. They reinvented the odd shoes, random accessories, aged knitwear and worn denim, and transformed the original items to create a completely unique collection of stylish, wearable outfits. I was part of a select group of Fashion Communication and Promotion students who decided to organise a fashion event to showcase the remarkable outfits that were created.

A selection of garments from the show
Image by Elspeth Van Der Rohe


Organising the REVIVE Fashion Show was an amazing opportunity to produce a large-scale fashion event in collaboration with design students, and it was exciting to exhibit such an array of creative talent. The show proved that second hand clothes offer us endless opportunities to be more inventive with the clothes in our wardrobes, whilst limiting our impact on the environment and supporting local charities.
  



Image by Talilla Henchoz

The stunning church building of Pitcher and Piano provided the perfect setting for a fashion spectacle, and with live music, an Oxfam stall and a raffle the night was a big success. Having sent a press release to the Nottingham Post, I was delighted by their interest in the show, and it was very rewarding to see a spread about our event featured in the Weekend Magazine this morning. 

Spread in Nottingham Post