Why and what next in London Fashion?

"Why and What Next in London Fashion?" is a panel discussion at the Design Museum this Friday, June 12, 7-8PM. I will be part of this informal seminar where we will discuss what directions London fashion might be headed for in the future and it would be great if some of you could come down. Thankfully I will not be on my own (so you won't be forced to merely listen to the ramblings of a persistant mumbler) and I might just hide behind an impressive list of fellow bloggers including Alex Fury from SHOWstudio, Elaine Robertson of YouWereNeverLovelier, Jeanie Annan-Lewin of FatFashionAssistant, Leon Bailey-Green, Rebekah Roy of Stylist Stuff, Vicki Loomes from Fashion156 and I've even managed to drag a certain Susie along with me as well. The talk is part of the Super Contemporary exhibition which aims to celebrate the fearlessly progressive spirit of London's greatest creative minds, past and present. If you are in London tomorrow night then please do come down to the Design Museum as we explore the why and what next in London fashion?

The wanted images...

We've seen a fair bit of graduate talent over the last couple of weeks but one recent grad from across the pond has left his (finger) mark in particular. As mentioned below Edward Lorenz was recently named Parson's Designer of the Year but there are very few quality images available online. A friend of Edward's saw our post and forwarded it to the twenty three year old Los Angeles native who duly dropped us an email to say thanks for the feature and included his thesis look book for us to salivate over. Don't you just love the power of the Internet!? The piece in Segue certainly whet my appetite and thankfully these images serve up something tasty indeed!

He was awarded his prize for a wonderfully executed collection inspired by the old world style etchings of Russian Soviet architects Alexander Brodsky and ILya Utkin. The collection beautifully mirrors the somewhat bleak environment depicted in the architects sketches. The colour palette is predominantly black, charcoal and navy with a highlight of deep plum but Edward's talent for tailoring is evident throughout.

A closer look at that finger printed t shirt depicting the craftsmans handiwork which grabbed my attention in the pages of Segue.

The shoes were created in conjunction with Cesar Paciotti and provide some of the standout pieces.

The plum chashmere pea coat is the stamndout piece of the collection for me, I want it, nay need it and I love the layered details.

I love the finger print detailing on both the cape (below) and trousers (above) because the effects are more subtle than that of the white t shirt but still creates a sense of texture which makes me want to touch them and follow the craftsman's trail.

If you are wondering what the designer is up to since winning his award we asked Edward what his plans were and he replied with:

"As of now, I'm looking for jobs in NY and London, but most likely I'll probably stay here in NY. After I get the corporate/experience stuff taken care of for a few years, I'm planning on starting my label...in 5 years or so...that's my plan."

No doubt we will see alot more from this young talent but I am so pleased to have seen his graduate collection in full, God bless t'internet.

GFW Catch Up: Mehmet Ali

I must admit that I didn't have too much spare time at work yesterday to catch up with the goings on at GFW but thanks to the Fashion156 team I didn't miss out on the talented bunch at Ravensbourne College of Design and Communication. I expected great things from the College who produced the Gold Award winner Jessica Au last year (this article might jog your memory) and the current crop did not disappoint. The menswear highlights were without doubt, Calum Harvey and Mehmet Ali but it is the latter who interest me most at the moment. This weekend I'll be escaping the London smog and will hopefully be leaving the grey, damp skies behind me to be welcomed by the tropical climate that is Margate and Ali's collection provides my ideal travel wardrobe. Mehmet Ali’s travelling gentleman came dressed in a soft ice cream palette with swirls of peach, cream and pink, The relaxed tailoring on offer by this graduate is just perfect warm (but not too warm) weather dressing....oh how I'd love to stroll down the promenade in something similar with a 99 in hand...

Update: Mehmet Ali was awarded the River Island Menswear Award, congratualtions to him!

The Visible Craftsman

During a lull on Sunday I wandered around the exhibitors at Earls Court and found myself unsurprisingly attracted to a display of magazines at the University for the Creative Arts at Epsom. I've been flicking through the contents of Segue (available online here) ever since. My favourite article inside issue seven introduced Edward Lorenz Tan, a menswear graduate from Parsons, to me. The Parson's judging panel recently named Lorenz Tan Menswear Designer of the Year and from this article it is obvious that he is an exciting talent. There are few images of his work available online so I had to snap my favourite image from the article which shows a t shirt from his 'Craftsman' collection.

"Most men who buy clothes now don't necessarily understand how much work actually goes in to a button-down shirt or a pair of pants," Edward Lorenz Tan.

The designer dipped his fingers in black paint during the construction of each piece of his 'Craftsman' collection documenting where he touched the garments and ultimately demonstrating how much work was put in to the creating process. It is true that most of us have no idea what goes in to the construction of our favourite wardrobe inhabitants and I for one would love to know more. This collection explicitly displays the designers craftsmanship to a much more tangible level for a newer generation and ultimately shows that there is art in the creation of even the seemingly simple pieces. I have to confess that I am tempted to dip my own fingers in to paint and attempt something similar...although it might just get me in to trouble...

GFW Catch Up: Fringe Festival

Alas I could not be with Susie in her perspex box today so missed out on the shows firsthand but I've been reading her coverage along with that of Fashion156 and I must say that I've been pleasantly surprised by the amount of good menswear on show. Leading the pack was Jason Mui from Nottingham Trent who experimented with exaggerated, structured looks which were covered in fringing and hair.

The mix of fabrics (the fringe and furry shoulders was combined with wool, suede and just look at the spikes on the footwear) all combined to create a depth of texture previously unseen in any of the other menswear collections I've seen thus far. Of course these looks won't be to everyone's taste but for me, this is one of the strongest graduate collections I've seen all week because it explores a concept fully and most successfully, pushing the boundaries in the process. This is certainly a designer to keep an eye on for the future.

The collection made me think of a recent post on Jak&Jill which caused a bit of a negative stir (granted this was mainly because of the look of the chap as opposed to his furry shoulders). We've seen fringe and furry shoulders stake their claim on the womenswear runway in recent seasons and subsequently paraded by the fashion crowd as captured by various street style blogs and I for one welcome the cross over in to menswear.

GFW Catch Up: The Emperor's New Clothes

Each June Graduate Fashion Week stages a static exhibition showcasing the work of some 50 universities across 52 courses, and approximately 22 university fashion shows. I kept Susie company in her perspex box exhibit at Earls Court 2 yesterday but managed to escape from the hamster cage (alas no wheel or giant water bottle) to take a seat during the shows. The amount of menswear on show during the first day of GFW was spread pretty thinly throughout the day.

Kingston University, on their first appearance here, had a wealth of talent on show and the menswear was particularly good. Alexander James was the standout collection of the day for me because he successfully reinvented a new set of clothes for his imaginary/contemporary emperor as he combined structured jackets with elegantly pleated trousers and cummerbunds which created stunning visuals. This collection would no doubt make us all want to steal the Emperor's new clothes. There is no mime here, in fact there is a great deal of real drama on show and it is plain to see that James is no Hans Christian Anderson swindler character. Of course the real star of the tale were the super pleated trousers which fell like harem pants and from behind had an extraordinary amount of detailing...with trousers like these I would be tempted to moonwalk everywhere just so people did not miss out on the pleats.

LCF BA Catch up: Chain Male

I'm currently at GFW in Earls Court (expect a post on this later today)and in between shows and wandering through the exhibits I am catching up on things I missed earlier this week. I unfortunately had to miss LCF's BA show last Thursday but thanks to the wonders of the internet I have managed to catch up on the missed talent. Though the show was low on menswear, Asger Juel Larsen shone through with his take on modern chain mail. Asger opened with a chain mail top which must have weighed the model right down but it certainly made the audience take notice. His simple colour pallete of grey, black and silver came in many textures including sheer to faded metallic silver and shiny patent making this collection anything but boring. Larsen created a modern adaption of armour by producing 'futuristic' ideas of chain mail, using alternative materials such as leather, PVC and rubber cords and I'd love to find out more about how he accomplished these looks.

Cher de la cruz (left) and Asger Juel Larsen (centre and right) images taken from Fashion156's impressive Graduate coverage over on their daily blog.

Knowing Me, Knowing Old Town

I have to admit that when I think of Norfolk my mind is taken over by Alan Partridge quotes and the vague recollections of visiting Norwich whilst at Uni to meet up with a few friends studying at UEA. I think I enjoyed myself in this eastern corner of England but my only tangible, non alcohol fuelled memory is that it took ages to get there...we trundled along one long A road in a clapped out Golf Polo behind a caravan for eternity and I've not been back since. However, Quail By Mail put us on to Old Town after our post on Engineered Garments' AW09 line and gave us another reason to visit East Anglia. Old Town is a clothing manufacturer producing approximately fifty garments per week from their own workshop using British cottons, woollens and linens wherever possible. It was first recommended to us by Charlie Porter when we interviewed him back in January but it has somehow taken us this long to follow it up.

Quail By Mail suggested that followers of Daiki's work might like this Norfolk counterpart which not only offers but makes its own clothing which conveys an affection to the past whilst being more than reproductions. Garments are selected from an evolving range offered in various sizes, fabrics and colours. Items are individually cut, sewn and finished before dispatch by post. In this North Norfolk town of Holt, garments are made to order in four to six weeks from traditional, durable fabrics such as drill, serge and flannel. If you are looking for plain and simple garments which have just enough design detail whilst at the same time giving a friendly nod to the past then this is the place to visit. The website certainly whets the appetite and I plan to visit the store and here is a selection of garments which have caught my fancy...

The Overall jacket is my favourite piece. Available in heavy flannel with pockets and body lined with check woollen and there are cotten and linen versions which are unlined but I would go for the chocolate serge (shown bottom right).

The Fleet is a lined double breasted jacket which would certainly find a place on my coat hook, again I would go for the serge but this time in navy.

The Sleeved Waitcoat might not for the very tall or large but for those it suits it recalls a lost age when men trundled iron wheeled sack barrows over Yorkstone flags...and I like that image. It is available in all the Tin House cottons or in navy cotton drill with wool serge fronts.

The shop is well stocked in the trouser department but the above High Rise option is the pick of the bunch. Popular, loose cut trouser style worn mainly but not exclusively by men.

Inspired by what I've seen online I might just embark on a road trip to the physical shop in this Georgian market town in North Norfolk to inspect the garments and to obtain Miss Willey's advise on style, fit and to discuss the merits of the various fabrics. The website reads..."If you do fancy a jaunt to this neck of the woods, Miss Willey will be happy to recommend places to stay and where to find the finest jam tarts North Norfolk has to offer." I am partial to a jam tart, who else fancies exploring this neck of the woods with me?

People watching despite the rain...

One of my favourite ways to spend a sunny day is to find a nice seated spot, preferably with access to initially coffee and then as the hours pass alcohol, with some reading material and observe the people around me. Oh the art of people watching is a glorious thing to do anytime of the year but people (the watched) become a bit happier, animated and a touch more sartorial daring when the sun shines.

As the sunshine has deserted London today and been replaced by a damp sheet of grey I have been forced to sit at my table armed with a caffitiere and have duly spent people watching through the eyes of a couple of recently discovered street style blogs. Of course I will always make the daily trip to the old favourites (Garance and the Sartorialist) but it is nice to encompass a street style blog with a slighlty different eye. My favourite find is Vanessa Jackman, a lawyer turned photographer who is now taking thousand of photographs ever day, some in her head and thankfully for us, some with her Nikon. Here is just a selection of the people I've watched this morning thanks to Vanessa...

This is a blog that I'll certainly be adding to list of 'daily must visit' sites because come rain or shine I'll be able to practice the art of people watching...

Possible case of heat stroke

We get a lot of emails about a lot of things on the ol' Style Salvage email account (and, by the way, we are generally dreadful about replying- give us a kick if we forget). A lot of emails about a lot of things- menswear, womenswear, handbags, parties, blogs... even shaving your groin. We'll twitter some of them, forward on others, ignore the womenswear stuff but occasionally I'll think 'ooh, that's worth sharing'.

Madeline Hansen emailed us to let us know about her new online vintage shop, The Good Shop, and a few things caught my eye so I thought I'd share. Now these aren't the usual things I'd obsess over so either the glorious weather we've been having has given me heat stroke or maybe my tastes are changing ever so slightly.

1940s Fly Away Sweater - $45

I know, I know, it's JUNE. I can't help it. Only last night I was bemoaning the fact that I have suddenly become obsessed with the idea of autumn again, and begging Yokoo to stop making lovely knitwear that just taunts me in the summer months. I do love this though, it reminds me vaguely of the feather-shouldered jacket that Brandon Flowers wears from time to time.

Spring time shorts - $45

Here you go, some summer clothing! Everyone needs shorts with old-school cartoon animals on don't they? So glad you agree. Also, I just love the way they're styled in this shot.

Geometric leather jacket - $50

Ok, so this one I'm still mulling over. Short sleeved leather jacket? Brown and black? But I just can't get the image of some on Facehunter or some such site seriously rocking this. Put it down to summer madness maybe?

Oh, and if you share my madness, Madeline told us that if you use the promo code BLOGZ you'll get 15% off. Just maybe steer clear of the bikini optical illusion tee, folks!

Steve's thoughts - I've never been a successful vintage shopper and often leave London stores empty handed and disappointed. Some people have the eye for it, they can spot an interesting piece from one hundred yards even if that piece is buried under piles of poorly made 80s clothes but alas I must have my blinkers on. Madeline Hansen and her team definitely possess the gift of unearthing unique pieces and EJ has definitely picked out some of the best items (although I like the Art Skool Blazer in addition to her picks). Apologies if you fancied the Geometric Leather jacket above because I nabbed the last one in stock!

CSM BA 09

Apologies for the lack of posting this week but we've both been busy beavering away at our non-blogging lives. I managed to get out of work on time on Tuesday evening to make the graduate show of Central Saint Martins to marvel at the class of 2009's designs up close. As is seemingly expected of them, the latest crop of talent from CSM put on a BA show which demonstrated a pleasing range of talent and I was more than a little bit pleased by the menswear design talent on show and I hope this came across on my twitter updates. Forty students trooped out with their BA collections with eleven of these dedicated to menswear, the future certainly looks bright for some of these...

Neil Young opened the show which was a surprise because I thought the Canadian singer songwriter was in the middle of his record breaking tour so how he found the time to create this collection I'll never know (apologies but that little joke just had to be made, lolz). With menswear graduates generally relegated to playing bit parts in the Press shows it was great to see it take centre stage here and kick start the show. Young's cyborg-style set the bar quite high with it mix of lightweight fabrics and strong tailoring and as I sat back in my seat I knew that this was going to be a good show.

Kye's collection made much of the audience chuckle and even the models had fun whilst donning the playful designs. The collections was themed around physical features of the body with fun details. It played on proportion whilst drawing on a body-building aesthetic that transpired through the garment's details, pockets became pecs and depicted intestines.

Caroline Jarvis' pastel palette collection continued the jovial mood on the catwalk as one of the models reached inside of his bird box bum bag and picked out a biscuit which was duly passed down the runway in a game of pass the confectionary. The collection included a number of subtle details that the more I look at it the more I notice, for example one jumper had a spine woven in to the back.

I have to confess that my concentration wained a little during Mathew Grant's collection because it was so very hot in York Hall. As I looked through the images over on catwalking I was surprised by how much I missed during the show, I just don't fair too well in the heat!

Peir Wu created one of the most wearable collections and I can see his designs doing exceedingly well commercially...I would happily snap up pieces from this collection right away, the cobalt blue long shirt in particular.

Peter Bailey's collection all started with the idea of doing a resort collection for men. As the sun has begun to shine most of us our thinking about our next holiday and this graduate gave us his vision of what he'd like us to be wearing. The Club Tropicana prints were accentuated by a soundtrack of Kelly Marie...this was one cheesy Summer but then, cheesy Summers are the best sort. He wanted to do something with a free spirit, going on holiday and being glamorous and I think most of us what get on board with that.

Latex beyond fetish wear

Latex is normally associated with good ol' fashioned fetish wear but with the help of latex experts Atsuko Kudo, Tim Soar, refined it into something that was actually wearable outside of a darkened room for his A/W 09 collection. This was certainly a talking point during the show and it has played on my mind ever since because the show demonstrated latex in a completely new light to me and I wanted to answer my what, who and why questions...thankfully Dazed have done this for me with an interview with Soar which is well worth a read.

We wanted a slightly dark/fetish feel for AW 09. And latex seemed the obvious choice.
Jodie (my stylist) had worked with Atsuko before, so she was top of the list. If you want top quality latex garments you go to Atsuko, it is as simple as that. Tim Soar

For me Soar's clothing is all about the detailing and at times these intricate and clever additions can often be overlooked on the runway but my keen eye spotted the buckles and zips added to the back of suit jackets and the elasticated belts used throughout the show...that said, I just cannot wait to get my paws on the collection to inspect the pieces up close. The collaborative pieces in this collection included some of my favourites, the parachute/quilted garments which were with Chris Raeburn and Atsuko Kudo's latex tailoring which provided the final few looks were real highlights for me. Atsuko is the leading designer and maker of high fashion latex clothing and she has made some beautiful latex tailoring for this collection. I love it when designers create something which creates an element of head scratching and interest whilst still creating something quite wearable and Tim Soar certainly demonstrated this. The Dazed interview hints that we might just see more of the latex creations as George from These New Puritans was enquiring as to whether Tim could work on some stage wear for the band. Of course latex will always be niche but it is nice to see it used, approached and worked with in a different light.

Dressing Right and Looking Good

The covers of Charles Hix's Dressing Right and Looking Good

I must admit that despite being a massive consumer of men's style and fashion magazines I do not own any dedicated books on the subject. I've been tempted to purchase the odd one after a recommendation but up until when I walk out of a bookstore I tend to have spent my money on a Photography book. I might just have stumbled across a couple of books by Richard Hix which are too intriguing to pass up and will hopefully soon be gracing my book shelf.

In 1978 a new kind of book was published which taught men how to be beautiful men. With the help of Bruce Weber's photography Richard Hix (a former grooming columnist for GQ and Playboy) spelled out the attractive rules for the modern man. Looking Good helped open the floodgates for what was to follow and what we now take for granted. Hix's work set the stage for the male body worship/insecurity axis that the entire advertising world has since turned on. The two hundred page book contains thoroughly professional sections on shaving, moisturizing, beard configurations...even genital odour...not to mention pages of wet and semi-naked black-and-white photos by Bruce Weber - Weber certainly knew how to capture a certain essence of masculinity.

A principle from Dressing Right...image courtesy of wecouldgrowuptogether

The first offering was an unprecedented smash, riding the best-seller lists and going into multiple printings. Its commercial success launched a small dynasty for Hix, who followed with Dressing Right (a commercial disappointment), Working Out (a blatant short-shorts parade and an even bigger hit than Looking Good), Male Model, and Man Alive! We Could Grow Up Together managed to pick up a copy of Hix's Dressing Right and fortunately posted these wonderfully inspiring images.

Another spread from Dressing Right...image courtesy of wecouldgrowuptogether

If you, like me, want to add some Charles Hix titles to your you can still find inexpensive copies over on Amazon and even on eBay (but please don't out bid me).

Picture Postcard: Savage Grace

I must admit that I am struggling this morning after a work jolly where the drinks were flowing free but I'm excited because I've packed my bag and will be leaving for Manchester when the clock strikes five. In an ideal world though my day before I leave London would involve me lying on my sofa watching a film in my darkened living room instead of pretending to work in a hot, loud office. After reading the Mr Peacock interview with Style Salvage favourite, Kwannum Chu yesterday if I were at home, I would be watching the wonderfully stylish and weird Savage Grace. I talked about the film soon after watching it last summer but if you've not had a chance to see it for yourself it is well worth it for its style alone! The film is a tale of money and madness, incest and matricide and tells the saga of Brooks and Barbara Baekeland - heirs to the Bakelite plastics fortune - and their son Anthony, unfolding against a glamorous international background.

When asked who his style icons were, the always wonderfully turned out Kwannum responded with Sebastien Flyte from Brideshead Revisited and Anthony Baekland from Savage Grace. The character played by Eddie Redmayne is one of the most stylish men I have seen on the silver screen for as long as I can remember. Comparisons can certainly be drawn with The Talented Mr Ripley but I believe this film has more style substance. I will leave you with the best style related one liner I have ever heard which was uttered by Anthony whilst declaring his suit was Anderson & Sheppard..."One can walk in to Gieves but one has to be walked into Anderson & Sheppard."

Silver Spoon Attired

I would be hard pushed to find an image that makes me any happier than the above shot. No amount of cute kittens, puppies, or even Cesc Fabregras lifting a trophy and the like could compete to a simply wrapped present (albeit a gift to myself) garnished with tasty and free penny sweets. You may recall that I was riding the wave of pop up store excitement earlier this month and was particularly enamored with the opening of 143. This two week store reacquainted me with Silver Spoon Attire, which is a label I've heard so much about but up until recently never had the chance to examine up close and personal. Over the gloriously sunny weekend we decided to shopping and as we were slightly overcome by the heat we sought shade in this store and it was a good thing we did too, because this was the last weekend that the store was open. It must have been a good two weeks because the shops stock was greatly depleted but I spotted the shirt that caught my attention on the opening night and thankfully it was the last one and in size 'smedium'! I'm so pleased to have finally acquired my first Silver Spoon Attire item. The label is known for providing comfort through using fabrics that are usually reserved for more casual styles and manipulating them to be structured and more tailored and this sits perfectly with my preferred Spring style.

Oh I do like to be beside the seaside (on my balcony)...my new purchase worn with rolled up Uniqlo wool trousers and now, slightly battered suede bstore lace ups.

The blue denim chambray button down polo shirt with patchwork paneled pocket fits in nicely in my softly tailored Spring/Summer wardrobe. The latest issue of h(r)r collective (fast becoming one of my favourite online reads) take material interest in chambray and rightfully so. Did you know that it is now most common in shirts but was first designed for sunbonnets in Northern France? The natural soft tone of the fabric is what got me hooked and I can vouch that this button down polo feels damn good to the touch and feels even better on. Whilst wearing it I feel I should be strolling down the promenade with a fast melting 99 in hand, oh I do like to be beside the seaside...

RCA Class of 2009

RCA's MA graduate show is one of the most exciting places to discover the fashion stars of the future and Dazed Digital recently previewed the RCA's Class of 2009. The thirty six MA students, in menswear, womenswear, footwear and accessories are hoping to follow in the footsteps of fellow alumni, including Ossie Clark, Philip Treacy and Christopher Bailey. More recent graduates who are making an impact on the fashion world right now include Erdem, Holly Fulton, milliners Justin Smith and Soren Bach, and most importantly for us, menswear designers Aitor Throup, James Long and Katie Eary.

The show takes place at the College in the Henry Moore Gallery on 10 June 2009 (more info here) but DD exclusively got a sneak preview of some of the newest and freshest menswear and womenswear talent that will be unleashed this year. Having only seen a few images I don't think it is fair to pass any judgement just yet (other than to say, I can't wait to see more) so here are a selection of designs alongside the graduates own words on their collections...

Alex Mattson: "This collection is my fantastical vision and of a gang called ‘The Sixth Sun’. The Sixth Sun gang is a Mexican biker gang that has reverted to ancient Mayan/Aztec beliefs and rituals after realizing that their ancestors had predicted the future."

Charlie Ross: "This collection embodies the rebirth of a destroyed civilisation - playing on the moral - 'to continue living the way we do will ultimately lead to our undoing'." All the fabrics and materials used in the collection are recycled, reclaimed, by-products or are eco-friendly.

Mason Jung: "Sartorial Burden - My inspiration is based on the antipathy towards formal wear for its fossilised forms and attributes of restricting individuality."

Jasper Sinchai Chaprajong: "This is the journey of my past-present-future of love. Ideas come from relationships, the first feeling of love and the colours associated with it, blue for man, yellow for woman, mix the two you get purple, but then what happens after love when a relationship breaks down? Is loving really that simple?"

Mathew Miller: "The collection 'Masculinity and his jovial approach to the macabre', was born, laser cut polka dot bombs, dancing skeleton pique bibs, cute cable knitted skulls, unexploded pom poms, and engineered army boy digital prints, aesthetically cute with dark undertones."

Kimchoong Wilkins: "Referencing both the anatomical drawings of Vesalius and the eroticism of Hokusai, the collection revolves around skin, sinew, muscle, and bone. It pumps sex back into a craft that has become lust-less, prompting arousal and addiction for men's knitwear by examining the relationship between seduction and repulsion."

Bronwen Marshall: "I was inspired by the horrific facial injuries of World War I, where recognisable features were distorted and made abstract. I have taken other beautiful and natural forms like horses and birds and combined their organic shapes with geometric futuristic patterning. I wanted to create a collection that captured the aggression and sadness felt by these men."

The RCA’s MA show is always packed with spectacular, individual work and the above images suggest that this trend is sure to continue this. I just cannot wait to see the complete collections in June and am a little annoyed that I can't take the afternoon off...oh well, in the meantime I will just keep re-reading the feature on DD.

Engineered Winter

For those of you who are a little worried that the blog has turned in to some kind of Royal style propaganda machine I thought I'd best serve up something a little different and what could be more different than some American work wear. I encountered look book images from Engineered Garments AW09 line over on h(y)r daily and as the sun has vanished this morning and been replaced by a damp, grey sky I didn't think it was too perverse to share them with you.

Unsurprisingly there is a fair bit of wool; herringbone and worsted, NYCO Ripstop, cotton flannel and brushed twill throughout the collection and it is the interplay and layering of these fabrics which excite me most. Here are a selection of my favourite looks where details taken from classic American spotswear, outdoor clothing and military uniforms are updated and combined to create something special.

The looks are styled precisely to my taste. I am not a huge follower of this classic American sportswear, the rebirth of which was a big surprise to many (me included) and even to Engineered Garments' very own Daiki Suzuki but his label (along with his Woolrich Woolen Mills) have continued to lead the way and managing to turn my head in the process. Daiki coveted American sportswear whilst growing up in Japan because to him, clothing which came out of the US was an interesting blend of design innovation and the latest in industrial manufacturing. Daiki makes clothes which are meant to survive with the wearer which are designed to become a second skin, to me this is worth celebrating.