Each season London Fashion Week Men’s highlights the creative and commercial importance of British men’s fashion. From established brands to emerging talent, the shows, presentations and events showcase the breadth of UK based talent.
After LCFMA17 Menswear show, LFW Men’s proceedings kicked off, and the runways showcased an abundance of UAL talent. Here we take a look at our LCF alumni, and brands that came through the Centre for Fashion Enterprise at LCF, showing their AW17 collections.
On Friday evening, CFE born brands Craig Green and Liam Hodges showed their collections.
At the BFC Show Space, Liam Hodges’ ‘Dystopia Lives’ collection for AW17, with its warning-like neon yellow, digital camo print and ‘This year’ hoodies, was both a wary riff on the apocalyptic state of politics and society post-2016, and at the same time, offered armor-like utilitarianism with which to face the year ahead. The collection also felt reminiscent of the 90s rave scene, with its road-worker neon wear and jaded slogans “Looking for a vacation in the decline of civilization” and 501s and outerwear came camo printed in multi-shades of green.
Later on in the evening Craig Green took over the Topman Show Space where he presented a collection of jackets and trousers made from strips of woven Arabic patterns, which he described as ‘English pub carpet meets Aladdin’. For the first time, Green also showed a tailored jacket – all of his previous ones have been workwear, but the collection also includes cotton blazers with collars, with a drawstring at the waist to give them shape.
On Saturday, fellow CFE developed brand, Agi & Sam also presented their Aw17 collection which was noted for its use of cultural patch-working, highlighting the importance of diversity. Working with Woolmark, the majority of the collection was made of or featured wool. It was also soundtracked by Boiler Room, which gave the show a vibrant energy.
Sunday saw LCF BA (Hons) Fashion Design Technology Menswear alumnus J.W.Anderson staged a labyrinth inspired show.
The collection featured multicoloured crochet knits, stained-glass window appliqués and digitally-distorted landscape prints, along with disco fabric and enormous capes. Anderson always takes inspiration from British art, and for this collection it was painters – David Hockney and Patrick Caulfield.
On Monday morning, Blood Brother founders Nicholas Biela – who studied BA (Hons) Fashion Design Technology: Menswear and James Waller who studied BA (Hons) Fashion Management, Buying and Merchandising at LCF, hosted a presentation at the BFC Space.
Their collection was inspired by cartography and in particular the mapping of London and the River Thames. It featured highly detailed embroidered silks, tailored garments, as well as over-sized coats and bomber jackets.
Other LCF alumni that featuring at LFW Men’s AW17 were YHIM, Beau Homme, and BA (Hons) Fashion Design Technology Menswear graduate Honest Man/Joseph Standish. As always, we applaud our brilliant alumni who continue to bring something new and inspiring to the the catwalks. Only a few weeks to go until womenswear, where we get to do this all over again!