Luckily for me though there was an abundance of shows to tickle my fancy. London offered fresh in-your-face design talent with alternative "artsy" show installations. Milan did what they do best - high end glamour and gloss, whilst Paris brought together the two showcasing some of the best menswear design talent. But throughout all of the shows, several themes emerged. Bright saffron, red, cobalt hues and neon footwear played along side muted colour palettes; american sportswear and nomadic influences were made evident through uses of fisherman hats, hockey t-shirts, oversized parkas, fur accents and 3-D detailing.
With so much to choose from, I narrowed my selection down to the collections that stood out the most for me.
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Richard Nicoll - Refining his influence from the anti-synth movement of the early 80s, No-wave, Nicoll formed a clean contemporary uniform version of the mini era featuring fresh muted tones, a painterly camo print and mirrored jackets. Towards the end we are suddenly jolted to attention at the sight of an almost neon orange, reminding us that rebellion is what the collection is really about.
Meadham Kirchoff - The design duo Benjamin Kirchoff and Edward Meadham are notorious for their don't-take-it-too-seriously approach to fashion with showcases to cleverly support their concept. In this instance, the boys are tossing out the garbage leftover from 2012 and are leading us into a sombre military mood of parting friendships into the new year.
Jonathan Saunders - Very typical to Saunders was the magnificent spectrum of colouring exploding on to garments. Fused with a sportswear/outdoorsy vibe, bomber jackets were layered under woolen overcoats with patches of leather provoking a complimentary youthful appearance.
Gucci - With an assortment of candy coloured arrays seen in many of the shows so far, the Milanese powerhouse released an Autmn/Winter collection compiled of military precision with a light-hearted stroke of mod dandiness. Filled with plenty of lust worthy pieces such as the brick red shearling lined suede jacket and leather holdall, Frida Giannini has done well.
Etro - It was another time travel back: Mongolian warrior meets bohemian rhapsody. Paisley and organic tribal prints ran through heavy tapestries and velvet, whilst garments hung loosely on models emulating a free spirit that runs through every Etro show. The collection also offered an alternative to the dinner jacket in luxe silk patterns.
Carven - Guillaume Henry revisits the working class of the 1950's man travelling to work at La Défense, also donning practical ski attire to venture up the Anguille du Midi. The collection is brought up to date with splashes of on trend red and cobalt.
3.1 Phillip Lim - Scooter mod influences reigned at yet another Philip Lim show, only this time our chic biker has returned from travelling a little farther afield. Chunky zip detailing, graphic patchwork, a simple colour palette and quirky styling touches combine making this one of my favourite collections of the season.
Saint Laurent - Fueled with a rock & roll edge, Hedi Slimane payed tribute to his musical icons this season. Indie band casted models wore ripped jeans, oversized jumpers, plaid shirts and leather pants - the sort of clothing you'll also find worn on the streets of Camden. Whilst it is refreshing to see un-refinement in a luxury brand, maybe Hedi should have kept this one out of the main line?
Alexander Wang - With a relatively small collection, Wang has continued to back his urban-street influences primarily focusing on outerwear (as ever appropriate for the cold season). Face masks are merged with hats and padded jackets are given kangaroo pockets for a healthy dose of sportswear but with higher-end materials - a force to be reckoned with.
All images sourced from Style.com. Click the link to see all the full menswear collections.
Saint Laurent - Fueled with a rock & roll edge, Hedi Slimane payed tribute to his musical icons this season. Indie band casted models wore ripped jeans, oversized jumpers, plaid shirts and leather pants - the sort of clothing you'll also find worn on the streets of Camden. Whilst it is refreshing to see un-refinement in a luxury brand, maybe Hedi should have kept this one out of the main line?
Alexander Wang - With a relatively small collection, Wang has continued to back his urban-street influences primarily focusing on outerwear (as ever appropriate for the cold season). Face masks are merged with hats and padded jackets are given kangaroo pockets for a healthy dose of sportswear but with higher-end materials - a force to be reckoned with.
