First look: M&S launches Made In Great Britain heritage menswear for AW13
Hands down, one of the biggest menswear trends for AW13 is all things traditional, homespun and British. So think Harris tweeds, Scottish cashmeres and Savile Row-style tailoring using textiles from our oldest mills. Nicely timed then, is Made In Great Britain from Marks & Spencer, its heritage line that will be launching in selected stores in the autumn. Continue reading
Bringing back the ‘Comma’ heel
We saw mutated versions of it at Raf Simons’ debut Dior couture show last July, and now Bruno Frisoni has updated the original in silver mirror leather and pink mink for Roger Vivier’s Rendez-Vous collection AW13. The iconic ‘Comma’ shoe, designed by Vivier in the 1950s was a precursor to the stiletto. As shoe designer for Dior, his creations set the benchmark in footwear design for years to come, and the bent, squat ‘Comma’ was one of his best.
Fast forward to 2013 and we’re seeing more versions of those inwards- and outwards-curved heels, both from the house of Dior and from the house of Vivier and in short and tall versions. For Dior RTW SS13 they’re tall, slightly flared and bent inwards, while at yesterday’s Dior couture show they were super-slender and came in bright metallics and chalky shades. Let’s see if the ‘Comma”s influence spreads further…
Original Roger Vivier ‘Comma’ heel 1957
Roger Vivier Rendez-Vous Collection AW13
Buy it now: new spring things
This winter I did really well on the jumper front so for now I can ease off on the knitwear buying. That said, I’m very drawn to Stella’s fruit salad chevron stripes and these Maria La Rosa socks. For tapping into the big 60s monochrome story, Motel’s block-striped top will come in very useful, both with tailored skirts (like Carven’s lush poppy red one) and boy fit jeans. Its loosely cut proportions are very flattering and the zip at the back makes it slightly more dressy. While the skinny cigarette heel is making a huge comeback, chunky heels and flatforms are still best for everyday city living – preferably dipped in silver or gold…
ABOVE LEFT TO RIGHT:
TOP: Stella McCartney top; Giorgio Armani Cheek Fabric; Marni shoes
MIDDLE: Olympia Le Tan book clutch; Motel top; Nina Peter gloves
BOTTOM: Maria La Rosa socks; Carven skirt; ASOS flatforms
Nail news: Spring nudes and the perfect pedi pink
On the nail front, the general consensus is that nude nails are in, and that includes the so-out-it’s-now-in French mani. I haven’t had a French manicure for years but I did go through a phase of having an American (the more subtle version) at Topshop every week. For doing it yourself though, it’s all a bit of a faff. The lazy-girl option could be Dior’s new, one-step clear Nail Glow. According to Vogue, it enhances white tips with one sweep of the brush. Continue reading
Barnzley Armitage and the bootleg Chanel tees
Some time last year, I was asked to contribute my thoughts on slogan T-shirts to a book that was being published by Bloomsbury. I met up with writer Stephanie Talbot and we discussed the non verbal communication of T-shirt culture, the communication of blogging and the genius of Maison Martin Margiela’s AIDS T-shirts. Continue reading
Buy it now: red and green
Spring is (kind of) round the corner but I’m still feeling the pull of red and green for some reason. There are a few treats still lingering in the sale, from Valentino’s pine green stud bag, to this rough-n-ready scarlet sweater from American Vintage. The green vintage Mulgler top is a real find and looks utterly contemporary today. Add the broad-brimmed Borsalino hat to pre-empt Spring’s ‘witchy woman’ look…
ABOVE LEFT TO RIGHT:
TOP: Shaun Leane bracelet, £385; Kenzo cardigan, £290; Valentino bag, £1075.16
MIDDLE: Borsalino hat, £93; Jonathan Saunders top, £118; Chloe boots, £773
BOTTOM: vintage Mugler top, £170.66; Hermes fragrance, $200; American Vintage sweater, £76
AW13: Kinky primness
Prim kinkiness, kinky primness. So say Celine (pre-fall 2013) and J.W.Anderson (AW13 men)…
London Collections: Men AW13 – from highland heritage to city subcultures
Can you forecast next season’s trends based on three days in one city? A little. Two stood out for me at London Collections: Men this week – neither very surprising. Menswear trends are a bit more predictable than womenswear because (as a rule) men like to shop for the familiar rather than the new. So we saw a ton of youth subculture references, plus many nods to Great British heritage and manufacturing. Continue reading
Mr Porter collaborates with young British designers for London Collections: Men
Today, the second day of London Collections: Men, saw the release of Mrporter.com’s commercial collaboration to support independent British designers. Katie Eary, Sibling, Richard Nicoll and Matthew Miller each created three exclusive pieces for Mr Porter and every one of them is a thing of beauty. Continue reading
AW13 menswear day 1: Hi-vis meets intrepid traveller at London Collections: Men
In the main, I like my menswear shows colourful, casual and youthful. So thank you Topman Design for your intrepid traveller theme, incorporating hi-vis berry and citrus-hued outerwear (above), including many variations of furry hooded parka (is the cropped parka the new cropped puffer?) and some clever backpacks dripping with tech-cessory hooks and holders. Continue reading
