A. Sauvage 000-1 - 000-11

Cast your minds back to the busy month of May, where I zigzagged my way across the capital for various press days and viewings to help see what AW10 would bring. One of the real highlights was A. Sauvage. At that moment in time I was unable to really examine the debut offering of the label and instead chose to introduce the designs via Adrien Sauvage's This Is Not A Suit tumblr. The concept follows a simple logic within a strong framework. To explore the word suit and what it suggests. In each case, the artist invites subjects to wear garments from his collection and encourages them to express who they are whilst wearing a suit with no directorial interference. Having established the loose parameters of the experience it is left up to each subject to decide what to wear, diverse as they are, from the collection 000-1 - 000-11. TNS is a case study of the artist’s ongoing fascination with the internal and external influences that enable individualism. I have been truly captivated by his natives and captain series. What better way to start the consumers juices flowing than to beautifully capture the designs worn so effortlessly by a diverse band of men and women, from retired Harlem Globetrotters to Coco Sumner to Terry Gilliam, Berlin break dancers to a local deli owner? I love the questions that this photographic projects asks about sartorial individualism. What does a suit mean to you? How do you wear a suit? This Is Not A Suit, this is so much more...it is an attitude and an ongoing style project.

With my interest heightened combined with the knowledge that the collection is hitting Matches and Harrods imminently, I decided to learn more about the label by visiting the designer behind it all. The label is the brainchild of Adrien Victor Sauvage who whilst working as a creative realised that the stylish demands of his clients were not being met so set about meeting them with his own designs. There was a clear and obvious gap in the menswear market and Sauvage had the vision and drive to fill it. So the designer developed the art of dress easy, or DE as he calls it. The debut collection entitled 000-1 -000-11 showcases both radical and elegant menswear. Sauvage has built a debut collection on pieces that would add so much to so many wardrobes. To make matters even easier for the every man he has practically created an fool proof guide of creating looks. Of course there are a myriad of ways each piece can be worn but for those less confident, he has created a look book of colour co-ordinated assembly line-esque, everyday dressing...

Left: Country Blazer - Blue flannel Prince of Wales Check (single Breasted , two button with notch lapel) with electric blue corduroy trousers, white Sea Island cotton shirt with scallop collar and electric blue knitted tie.
Right: Country Blazer - Purple flannel Prince of Wales Check (single Breasted , two button with notch lapel) with plum winter cotton trousers, white Sea Island cotton shirt with scallop collar and purple knitted tie.

Left: Three Piece Country Suit - Grey Prince of Wales Check (single Breasted , two button with notch lapel) with flat front trousers, white Sea Island cotton shirt with scallop collar and plum knitted tie.
Right: Sports Jacket - Forest Green double breasted jacket (six button with peak lapel) with burnt orange corduroy trousers, white Sea Island cotton shirt with scallop collar and orange knitted tie.

Left: Lounge Suit - Dark brown flannel double breasted jacket (six button with peak lapel) with flat front trousers, white Sea Island cotton shirt with scallop collar and olive knitted tie.
Right: Lounge Suit - Dark grey flannel double breasted jacket (six button with peak lapel) with flat front trousers, white Sea Island cotton shirt with scallop collar and light blue knitted tie.

Left: Lounge Suit - Dark grey flannel double breasted jacket (six button with peak lapel) with flat front trousers, white Sea Island cotton shirt with scallop collar and light blue knitted tie
Right: City Suit - Blue pin head wool single breasted jacket (two button with notch lapel) with flat front trousers, white Sea Island cotton shirt with scallop collar and lilac knitted tie.

Left: City Suit - Grey pin head wool single breasted jacket (two button with notch lapel) with flat front trousers, white Sea Island cotton shirt with scallop collar and blue knitted tie.
Right: Evening Suit - Midnight mohair single breasted suit with flat front trousers, white Sea Island cotton shirt with scallop collar and dark grey knitted tie.

I was fortunate enough to try on a number of the suit jackets and I fell in love with each one. Sauvage even managed to stylishly sidestep my aversion to double breasted jackets. The moment I slipped on the Lounge Suit over my shoulders my ordinarily disagreeable and difficult frame was shaken by the cut of this feat of double breasted craftsmanship. The forest green double breasted sports jacket quickly followed and I soon wanted to explore the countryside in my new DB suited stature. Moving on from my rekindled tailoring lust for one moment, it should be clear to see that each garment has traditional details combined with progressive cuts. using the finest of materials. The entire collection is based in cashmere, flannel, mohair, micro cord and worsted wool that utilise and showcase the modern palette. Quite simply put, A.Sauvage works on the principle of perfecting cut and concentrating on fit while having a spot of fun. It offers something more than most with its pomp and colour. It is hard not to covet the dapper three piece suiting, natty Prince of Wales checked country blazers or colour popping slim cut corduroy trousers. The designer will add pieces to the range as the seasons and needs demand. The collection is having a celebratory launch evening at the flagship Matches tomorrow (29th) and I'll be there to raise a glass to this stellar debut.

Update:

The event was extremely well attended and I have to confess to feeling somewhat under dressed when I found myself surrounded by an array of sartorial peacocks and modern dandies. The lower ground level of Matches had been transformed to showcase the collection in all its glory. We might not do party pictures here at Style Salvage but we can offer you a sneak peek in to the transformed shop floor with images snapped by none other than Adrien himself...

All images exclusively supplied by A. Sauvage.