Men’s – Future Vamps. JW Anderson AW16

January 11, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

Jonathan Anderson takes his brand, and his creative vision, to a totally undiscovered and widely misunderstood field. You can love it, hate it, ignore it or praise it – but still, J.W. Anderson is the most absorbing brand coming from London. The city buzzed about the menswear show for autumn-winter 2016 season a long time before the show-day – it was reported that the brand will live-stream the fashion show on a dating-app, Grindr, presenting the show within a few seconds to about seven million people. Just like that. Without much effort.

Maybe the PR of Anderson are genius – but surely, the brand knows how to excite in the media sphere. However, streaming the collection on a dating app is not such a strange idea. The codes of the brand are focused on “future”, and “perversity” – somehow, a dating app is all about sex and modern way of life, right? And the collection for men definitely didn’t lack any of those. The looks, which fused the everyday basics, like a chunky cardigan or a simple, British mackintosh coat, had something modernistic about them – new, over-sized silhouettes, high-tech fabrics (take a look at this transparent, organza-like piece, printed with a dog called Bonzo from the 20s) and the seriously ugly planet-Zenon trainers with pastel-pink toe. But still, these techno vamps had something to do with a perverse, clubbing manner – the models’ hair, which was held back, looked dirty from a hard night out. Some wore perspex chokers, modestly ornamented with silver studs – and some had those cheesy hoop ball earrings on. To make even more extraordinary, one look was focused on a camel coat, worn over a naked body, and a pair of, again, Zenon shoes.

But looking back at the animals in the collection – everybody noticed the turquoise snails, which were lazily stuck to a rabbit-fur jacket and a white pea-coat. Was Jonathan trying to convey a message? SLOW DOWN? The frustration of fashion’s speed, which made Alber and Raf say “bye” to Lanvin and Dior, is a struggle for most of young designers, as they need to be creative for 24/7, do their best to afford pre-collections and have a perfect, on-time stock for the retailers. Or maybe, Anderson ironically said “catch me if you can” to all the others in the industry? This guy is a real propeller of ideas, so why not show it off in the most bright and bold aspect of the collection?

Men’s – Contemporary Uniform. Casely Hayford AW16

January 10, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

If talking of London’s menswear brands, Casely Hayford is the closest to my heart, style and wardrobe. I just love how this fashion-family duo, Charlie and Joe, reconstruct daily basics into something exciting and beautiful. The best example is the MA1 inspired parka above. Definitely, this piece totally changes the meaning of a jacket / coat – it’s both functional and mind-blowing with its elongated silhouette and the “unfinished” manner. Masterfully styled with these sleek, burgundy pants and a simple black top, this look might be called the contemporary uniform. Just like most of the collection – see the patched-work denim, psychedelic prints on casual suits and uber-cool sweat-shirts. To give a military swing to the collection, Casely Hayford nailed two looks with an ornamented, officer collar – a bold detail which makes this collection blur the everyday clothes with something much more bold and unexpected.

Men’s – Globe Trotter. Haider Ackermann SS16

June 25, 2015 | Design & Culture by Ed

Haider Ackermann is a globetrotter since being a small child – he was born in Columbia, spent his childhood in Ethiopia and Algeria and later in the Netherlands. But he still loves long, exotic journeys. His recent collection for SS16 is a fusion of Persian and Japanese culture, with which he has been inspired lately. But don’t think he went kimonos. The new silhouettes for men, and partially for women, were all about sharp cuts and beautiful shades of blue, gold and grey. The collection was rich in details and had this “I need everything” reaction . But the thing I enjoy the most about this oriental summer was the styling – different textures and not so banal textiles were mixed in a very stylish, Haider way. As always, a favourite of mine!

Rose Marie Meyer, the newcomer beauty.

The amazing Yassine Rahal and the Cuban boots. Also a newcomer!

Men’s – The Boys. No21 SS16

June 22, 2015 | Design & Culture by Ed

“I took a big risk, breaking the mold I have created myself,” Alessandro Dell’Acqua of No21 said. “It was time, I think. Freedom was high on my agenda. I’d like to convey a clear message of fashion as an amusing expression of personality. We can do that in Milano, too.” Indeed, the new collection for men was totally different than all the others up to date. Totally new silhouettes – shorts which reminded skirts; over-sized knitwears (which, basically, land on my wish-list); great varsity jackets and elegant peacoats. The textures here became more tactile and softer. And the ultra-long t-shirts and tank-tops gave us a chilled out vibe, just like the boots, which had their laces tied in a messy way.

In reality, every piece of this collection is totally wearable – I already see a lot of outfits that would personally match my wardrobe. Also, through this collection, Alessanro proved again, that he is a styling genius. You can simply take notes for your next summer look, guys!

Stella Jean Boys

May 8, 2015May 9, 2015 | Design & Culture by Ed

Stella Jean is the queen of ethnic fashion. Her women’s collections are always way better than many other Milan-based designers fancy shows. For AW15 season, Stella referenced her work to India and Nepal – sunny colours, enchanting embroideries and oriental silhouettes appeared not only at her women’s collection, but also at men’s. I mean, these guys look so good in all that bold, print splendour! The kaleidoscopic jackets, hand-stitched pea-coats and turquoise trousers rule. Although I am not a print-loving person, I would love to wear a few of those pieces on myself.