Martine Rose is a designer with a deep sense of community. Her latest show, staged in the gym hall of a Kentish Town primary school, was a literal articulation of this passion, relying on the nostalgic backdrop to take guests at her London Fashion Week Men’s show on a journey.
Their destination was the London of her youth — with everything from Kinky Gerlinky clubbers to football casuals cited as a source of inspiration.
As is Rose’s way, the collection had a retrospective feel, each look loaded with cultural references from Seventies streetwear to terraces-approved parkas on offer.
Mirror logos baring the designer’s name found homes on tracksuit tops while tie-dye jeans came teamed with belts and paisley shirts. Each outfit felt like an insight into a school yearbook as punkish hair styles and retro tailoring provided a distinguishable aesthetic.
The designer’s love affair with London also featured, with place names such as Ladbroke Grove embossed on oversized jackets. Sportswear was undoubtedly this collection’s most commercial inclusion, with track tops and skater-style t-shirts certain to appeal.
The showcase completed the second day of the capital’s men’s fashion showcase and followed a stellar collection from Londoner Grace Wales Bonner.
As British menswear continues to evolve away from its association with big-budget tailoring brands, it is labels such as Rose’s which are its life force, bringing a rich and unique approach to dressing the modern man which is unmistakably British.
