Men's Fashion Rebirth

There is a renaissance in men’s fashion with men swapping the ‘uniform-like’ clothes they’ve been wearing for the past two decades for an entirely more personal approach to dress. Previously the sole domain of the noughties ‘metrosexual’, fashion seems to be playing an increasingly large part in the professional male’s life. On a recent trip into the capital to survey the urban male in his natural habitat, I was pleasantly surprised by the number of men who clearly took an active part in planning and putting together their ensembles.

Visiting the new London menswear-only tradeshow ‘Jacket Required’ (Aug 7-8) showed me that not only have men changed their relationships with fashion, but that the men’s fashion industry is changing too, with the some of the most exciting fashion of the season. In fact, I would go so far as to say that this season the menswear collections far outshine womenswear. Dries Van Noten, Louis Vuitton and Givenchy all had particularly strong men’s collections and if the offerings from Graduate Fashion Week are anything to go by, the likes of Yan Liang and Matteo Molinari are two of a barrage of young designers who are determined to keep men’s fashion a very exciting place to be in the future.

Dries Van Noten S/S 2012

Louis Vuitton S/S 2012

Givenchy S/S 2012

Matteo Molinari

Yan Liang

Posted by: Kate Williams

A Man’s Urban Jungle by Rebecca Roe

Pursuing the most stylish men, asking them their fashion opinions and what they wear.

From the six men I interviewed and photographed, all had very strong opinions on fashion, what they wear, and buy. Most worked outside the grand and imposing Liverpool Street station, during today’s lunch time rush, I was “creative industries”, from painters to fashion designers and art directors. Each had different influences that dictated their wardrobes.  

All agreed that catwalks and high fashion influenced their style, as their jobs involved them having to keep a close eye on up and coming trends. Each of the men had a smart yet edgy look; black jeans seemed to be staple among them. Each one was wearing a designer label, from Hugo Boss to Alexander McQueen. But even though they wore a lot of designer clothing, they said they were not afraid to mix it with high street and vintage.

It’s safe to say that not all British men wear socks and sandals, and generally they have evolved their style to become a very well suited and booted bunch.

MY SUMMER STYLE

As we head into Autumn, Zoe and Anne from LCF interrupted lunch to ask at Spitalfields Market: "What was your Summer Style?"

Fixed Fashion

Anthony, 25, store manager, West Hampstead

"My summer look consists of vests, cut-off denim shorts and denim jackets. It was mainly the same thing last year, nothing really changed."

Summer Suit

Anna and Olivia, 13, students, Bath

"We wear playsuits, more than last summer. Most of them floral."

Selfsame

Sagun, 32, trader, London

"I am not very fashionable. I mostly wear jeans and t-shirts, always dark."

Print Passion

Anya, 16, student, London

"I've really got into star prints, tie-dye, head scarves and 60s dresses. My favourite piece this summer was the gypsy blouse I am just wearing."

Pleasing Pleats

Emma, 19, student, Epsom University

"I love this pleated maxi for this summer. But for the colour I can also wear it in autumn."

Colour Crush

Helen, 19, drama student, London



"I like florals and lace, but that comes every summer really. But I definately did more bold and colour-blocking this year."

Sportswear from the 80s

Andrew, 29, freelance art director from London.

He's definitevely got a thing for the 80s.

His love for sports is reflected in his passion for 80s sneakers (even if right now he's wearing Chuck Tailor All-Stars), which he usually buys in selected vintage stores around London.

Report by Val Moro

Prints galore from the 70s

Adam, 28, unemployed (for the moment!) from Nottingham.

He likes the use of prints and graphics of the 70s.

He's got a huge collection of printed shirts, and he loves his Pan Am shoulder bag.

Report by Val Moro

Take Me To Market

Tucked behind the well dressed offices of Spitalfields, there is a small community that captures the bohemian vibe of London street style. With tourists flocking from all around the world, Spitalfields Market is one of London’s street fashion gems. Georgina Ardill and Marissa Baxter scoured the market for LCF to discover the people behind the stalls.

Deborah, a leaflet distributor epitomises her home country's minimalist French chic pairing the now classic skinny jeans and an over sized jumper, creating a laid back yet stylish look.

Naoko Sato, a market vendor incorporates her personal style within her work outfit. Wearing a printed wrap around jacket from her stall paired with relaxed pair of 70s flared jeans.

Samzoe, retailer for GoldKid clothing maintains his street style look, fitting with the casual ethos of the GoldKid aesthetic.

This outdoor clothing vendor (name withheld) chooses to sport his own design, creating a tailored urban look with his outdoor military jacket and contrasting pair of vintage frames.

Nerd is the new cool

Lulu, 21, shop assistant at Brick Lane's Rokit.
She loves 90s' nerdy outfits.

For a girly touch, she likes sparkling details such as glittery make-up and bright nail varnishes.
Her source of inspiration are tv shows such as "Daria" and "Freaks and Geeks".

Report by Val Moro