As the curtain closes on the ninth installment of London Collections: Men and editor-types make their way to sunny Italy for Pitti Uomo, there are a few things we can take home from those four days of fashion forecasting.
For one, all is change in London. The British capital saw only 57 designers take part in its latest showcase (there were 77 this time last year), yet, to be fair, we can get on board with some of the reasons why. Sarah Burton, for example, is about to pop out her new mini-me, so we can forgive her for depriving us of our McQueen fix. Others, like Burberry, are getting ready to dip their toes into the new wave of shows that will combine men’s and women’s collections on one catwalk come September.
Oh, and did you hear? London Collections: Men will be no more. Yes, after this season it’ll go by the name of London Fashion Week: Men’s, with a whole new rebranding plan to be unveiled by organisers. Watch this space.
Luckily none of this means that the fashion had to suffer, with S/S’17 throwing out some of the most progressive trends to date. Milan and Paris are still to come, but here’s a little of what you can expect to be wearing come S/S ’17…
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1. Suit and Tie
But not as you know it. Next year you’ll be delegating your black double-breasted two-piece to the back of the wardrobe and investing in a sharp pastel pink or navy blue offering. Team Topman’s winner (below) with a casual tee and you’ve got the trend nailed.
2. Nineties Nostalgia
Designers had us all reminiscing about the good old days as logos and characters from our favourite nineties’ shows were big news in London. Think Law and Order sweaters at Christopher Kane, Only Fools and Horses tees at Agi & Sam and South Park-style hoodies at Craig Green (below), if anything they’ll help raise a smile when all else seems to be doom and gloom. And there’s nothing wrong with that.
3. Check Mate
It may be the premise of your nan’s favourite cardigan, but checks never goes out of style. They were championed hard in 2016, but the heritage print look set to stay for next year too. Just look to Astrid Anderson and Agi & Sam (below) who channeled the trend through oversized silhouettes, the latter in a light and fresh colour palette.
4. The Dress Coat
For the stylish traveller, a good coat is a no-brainer. Perfect for when you need to dodge downpours in Europe in June, or for when you just need a little extra layering on a crisp winter evening, The new outerwear hero is lightweight, offers just enough coverage and comes emblazoned in everything from bold prints as seen at Astrid Anderson and off-white and navy at Lou Dalton.
5. Bright Bombers
Orange, red, yellow – you name it, they made it. A bold update on an athleisure essential, these casual cover-ups nail that sweet spot between a safe staples and a statement-making piece. The tracksuit top cropped up too at Christopher Shannon and Topman (below), erring slightly from the sporty side into more luxe designs.
