London's prestigious men's fashion event has entered its fifth year and is being hailed as a huge success by its organisers, (British Fashion Council) with designers unveiling collections for SS18 and showcasing the best of local as well as international talent. Today, men's designer wear is a whopping £14 billion industry and London certainly has a proud history of producing iconic and international names, competing with hot rivals such as New York, Paris, and Milan.
World-renowned names such as Vivienne Westwood and Topman showcased their highly anticipated collections on the final day of the event - Monday 12th June. However, London, undeniably has a wealth of talent and emerging designers are always encouraged to apply to the esteemed extravaganza.
Gender-neutral wear
With gender neutrality being all the rage right now, Vivienne Westwood’s collection incorporated a unisex theme and featured torn and transparent dresses and skirts for men with many outfits decorated in geometric patterns. A range of colours were utilised in the outrageous collection such as reds and greens, but ultimately, the designer stuck to her gothic roots.
Fellow couturiers stuck to the unisex trend and aimed to represent this with silks and daring florals out in full force, giving a summery theme. Fashion insiders believe this trend was likely inspired by Northern Ireland's JW Anderson with his gender experimental collections influencing fellow Brit designers. Just like summer, vibrant hues were also included within the designs, ranging from bright yellows to bold reds.
Continuing the feminine shift in men’s clothing, accessories were also a big hit across the five-day event, with metal chains and skull rings adding a masculine touch to the jewellery designs. With these new trends, each fashion collection seems to be defiantly turning its back from the gender restricted status quo and giving hope and empowerment globally to millions as well as ushering in a new era of confidence.
Street wear
Switching gears from unisex clothing, street wear was also a common theme with oversized shirts being paired with tracksuits to give a more edgy look. Though this is a summer collection, layers were on display too with Topman designers proving that if it’s done right, with thin elements, a comfortable layered look can be achieved all year round.
Previous men’s collections
Fashion collections can be wonderful and weird all at the same time. But for fashionistas everywhere, February and September are two of the most vital times of the year and keep us well informed of the latest and hottest trends available. Check out what happened at last season’s men’s AW17 fashion spectacle.