The LCM Guide: Designers to Watch
London Fashion Week Men's kicks off this weekend and we have all the information you need
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Where to go, who to follow and what to know before London Fashion Week Men’s kicks off…
Designers to know
Private White V.C
Designed by Patrick Grant of Norton & Sons, E. Tautz is a collection made for everyday living. In fact, Grant told GQ magazine:
Essentially, it is about clothes I wanted to wear. I had been working at Norton & Sons, wearing a suit every single day – if you work in a Savile Row bespoke tailor selling suits, it’s kind of obvious that you have to wear one. And when I started wearing non-suit stuff because I, say, was in the studio at Tautz, people’s eyebrows would raise. E Tautz clothes are a lot easier to wear and, while sometimes I enjoy the formality of putting myself together in a very structured way, I’m not going to buy my loaf of bread on a Saturday wearing a suit.
Authentic motorcycle clothing since 1936 – Barbour International is home to the original biking jacket. This line is the cooler, grungier sibling to the main Barbour collection.
Charlie Casely-Hayford launched the brand at the age of 22, with his father, Joe Casely-Hayford OBE. The brand reflects an archic element of each mans identity.
Anarchy is not about the total absence of rules, but rather the significance of autonomy. The Casely-Hayford ethos represents a unique expression of freedom created when conformity threatens identity, or convention restricts spontaneity; we fuse this expression of the free spirit with the very particular gestures of English sartorialism. The House aims to distil a multitude of ideas into a simple pure entity – innovation through tradition.
Craftsmanship is key with Casely-Hayford, but never without a devil may care attitude.
A recipient of the BFC Fashion Trust in 2016, big things are expected from Phoebe English, a thoroughly British brand, with a keen eye for detail and little known techniques. Watch this space.
Kent & Curwen
Kent & Curwen, which was established in 1929, made its name supplying ties to the venerable universities of Oxford and Cambridge. After the loss of the founder Eric Kent, the brand ceased trading. Last year, the brand relaunched for S/S’17, under the creative direction of Daniel Kearns in partnership with David Beckham. Kearns has taken inspiration from the authenticity of this past story to create a wardrobe fit for the modern man. It’s about reworking the classic hallmarks of British sporting pastimes for the everyday, pillars that are very much intertwined with the story of Kent & Curwen. The new aesthetic of the brand is a wardrobe with roots in British tradition that fits seamlessly with the way men around the world live their lives today.
Private White V.C
With fans including Douglas Booth, Eddie Redmayne and David Gandy, it’s hardly surprising that the brand is a part of Great British Brands 2017.
‘Private White V.C. is for people who have an emotional attachment to the clothes that accompany them through life,’ says Nick Ashley, Private White V.C.’s Creative Director, who designs all of the brand’s collections. Nick possesses a long and illustrious history in the fashion industry, having worked for Kenzo, Tod’s of Italy and Dunhill Menswear among others. The son of Laura Ashley, the renowned fashion and interiors designer, Nick was immersed in design and creativity from an early age and so it is little wonder that he should follow in his mother’s footsteps. Expect great tailoring and cool separates for the modern gentleman.
People to follow
Dylan Jones (@dylanjonesgq) Editor of GQ – is the man to watch at the shows. Follow Jones for behind the scenes glimpses into the fashion industry.
Tim Blanks (@timblanks) is arguably, the cleverest man in fashion. As Editor at Large for Business of Fashion, he is forever travelling around the world to cover every fashion event from here to timbuktu.
Johannes Huebl (@johanneshuebl) aka Mr Olivia Palermo, is often topping best dressed lists. Looks great in jeans and a t-shirt, or Savile Row tailoring. Follow for New York skylines, smart tailoring and the occasional candid of Olivia Palermo.
David Gandy (@davidgandy_official) the male model, businessman and designer for M&S (just like Rosie Huntington -Whiteley) is a frequent member of the LCM crew, so make sure to follow to see what’s going on next season.
Jack Guinness (@jackguinness) is the British fashion insider. He holidays with the Delevingnes, is chummy with Alexa Chung and has the classic British humour to make him a fashion favourite.
Places to go
Berners Tavern © Nikolas Koenig
The BFC venue is along the Strand, just down from the former home of London Fashion Week, Somerset House. Perfect for shows anywhere in Central London, from Soho to Marylebone. Here are some key LCM hangouts:
For a bite to eat:
Thomas’ at Burberry, 5 Vigo Street, London W1B 4TB.
Rose Bakery at Dover Street Market, 17-18 Dover Street, Westminster W1S 4LT.
Princi 135 Wardour St, Soho, London W1F 0UT.
For evenings and drinks:
Chiltern Firehouse, 1 Chiltern St, Marylebone, London W1U 7PA.
Berners Tavern, 10 Berners St, Fitzrovia, London W1T 3NP.
READ MORE: GQ’s Dylan Jones on modern British style
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