As London’s ninth annual men’s fashion week began on Friday, there was a mood of uncertainty in the air. When London Collections: Men launched in 2012 it was a signal that menswear was to be taken seriously on its own terms. With its own showcase for established and rising talent, menswear was no longer just the ugly sister of womenswear.
But half a decade on, that confident mood has become more muted as the industry shifts to the see-now-buy-now model of trading and collections are increasingly presented as unisex.
From September, Burberry and Bottega Veneta will be on the women’s schedule but will also show menswear there, with Gucci following suit in 2017. Tommy Hilfiger has made noises it will follow in that direction.
Despite the threat of rain and the absence of marquee names such as Alexander McQueen and Burberry, the introductory Topman Design catwalk show felt of the moment and full of a very British brand of joie de vivre. If last year’s show was all about re-energising the dandy looks of the past (floral patterns and male blouses) this year was a reinvention of seaside postcard Britishness for the Ibiza Uncovered crowd, with a soundtrack courtesy of The Streets and New Order.
On display was a host of archetypes: the spiv (cowboy shirts with embroidered tailoring, beaded mermaids, ice creams and palm trees – half pearly king, half nudie suit); the east end gangster (teddy boy suits with extra-long jackets); the boxer (towelling hoodie robes) and the raver (short shorts, mesh tops).
Seaside town naughtiness – pastel-coloured hoodies emblazoned with logos that said things such as “dirty weekend” and “life’s a beach” – rubbed shoulders with historical references as red Tudor roses made an appearance on the shoulders of a Wimbledon green denim jacket as did the Richard the Lionheart lion on a buckle belt.
The short shorts and beaded loafers without socks spoke to a type of Brit who might be taking part in a street party to celebrate the Queen’s birthday and perhaps dithering over which way to vote in the referendum. Backstage, Topman’s design director, Gordon Richardson, said: “The kernel of the idea for the show came about when the discussions about Europe were beginning.” Meanwhile in his opening day speech, Ed Vaizey, the minister of culture, said of London Collections: Men: “It’s become a remain event.”
It seemed right that Vaizey was so buoyant. Despite the menswear shows being in a state of flux, the statistics paint a positive picture. The menswear market grew by 4.1% in 2015, accounts for 25% of the total clothing market and is expected be worth £17.3bn by 2020, while other retail sectors are going into steep decline. Stella McCartney’s first menswear range launches next year. Perhaps the streamlining of the two genders into one season is the ultimate sign that menswear is, finally, on a level playing field with womenswear.
