London Fashion Week Men’s – Words by Lewis Robert Cameron. The current political state of the United Kingdom has left nations, towns, cities and homes divided, here in the bustling capital of London however, menswear designers are showing a united front for A/W20. Bringing together kindred spirits in a unifromed attack on individuality, traditional masculinity and all things unsustainable with nail biting colletions referencing militant groups from soldiers to militia, street crews and youth tribes alike. Basically a whole lotta leather.
JORDANLUCA kicked things off in a candelit Church of all places, sharing a more elevated and luxurious colletion from the London design duo with an air of poetic modernity, serving us textural tailoring, sophisticated and structured silhouettes, complete with opulent sportswear styling and their signature eccentric prints prominent throughout. Not to mention milliner mogul Stephen Jones created the chic AF headwear. www.instagram.com/jordanluca_official
PRONOUNCE defined their AW20 collection by transitional states; between functional and decorative, restriction and freedom, real and artificial. A way of explaining beauty within masculinity. Based on the story of 108 heroes in the “Water Margin” story, shown in the handcrafted metal-encrusted jade accessories inspired by weapons from each hero, large scale buttons, embossed techniques, jacquard fabrics and gender fluid styling. www.instagram.com/_pronounce
1X1 STUDIO went full BDSM on us at Fabric Nightclub, bringing all the pain plus all the pleasure in sex dungeonesque boy laden beds, featuring glittery gimp masks and leather jock straps as recycled and sparkling gold yarn, vegan leather and metal trimmings featured heavily. Created with the firm belief that there are very few boundaries between menswear and womenswear.
www.instagram.com/1x1studio_official
Youth culture was at the forefront of Li Gong’s latest 8ON8 offering for GQ China, the setting, a private party for ageing celebs, showcasing various professions, identies and personalties presenting ‘tribes’ in attendance in the colourful Kappa tracksuits and a golden robe, silk wrapped suiting, a brown leather power suit and a standout, off-white Waitrose jumper. Random but full of youthful power. www.instagram.com/8on8_official
XANDER ZHOU kept it fantastical as always, in his futuristic ‘HOMO MULTIVERSALIS’ with star warsesque galatical troopwear and android sensorary circuitry detailing throughout his sci-fi exploration of the quantum realm. In a world of uniformity and controlled organic fabrication. Reforming jackets, trousers and shirts in a zigzagged subverssive take for AW20. Paired alongside pixelated make-up, blunt cut vibrant wigs and electric eyelashes, Zhou blurs the line between reality and virtual once again. www.instagram.com/xanderzhou
ASTRID ANDERSEN revisited her own archive to recreate signature pieces in logoed tracksuits, boilersuits, sports shorts and sheer patterned tees, all in a neutral earthy palette with a hint of camou in khaki jungle prints and pops of bright, burnt orange throughout. A distorted floral print ensemble being the standout, seen on the physical invitation, featuring heavily on puffer jackets, boiler suits, shirts and a balaclava or two. The rose, a symbol of optimism for the future.
www.instagram.com/astridandersens
Finally, TOKYO JAMES returned to LFWM for a second term moving things up a level in the heart of Chinatown to a bigger venue and an impactful snowstorm finish in “The Last Winter”. A tongue in cheek way of saying Winter is Coming and we’ll be wearing ‘Tokyo Fucking James’ with exquisite tailoring fit for a tundra/apocalyptic era of new masculinity. Offering classic men’s cuts and traditional gentlemen’s tailoring, with a bow to activists, and celebrating their movements of the past — such as the Teddy Boy, techno, grunge, punk and kwaito eras. At the same time still balancing ageless modernity and effortless silhouettes that once again can be styled to transcend both age and gender. www.instagram.com/tokyojamess
Until next time London.
