10 key trends from London Collections: Men
Super long sleeves, extreme denim and anarchic dressing are what's in store for spring/summer 2017's most fashionable men. After four days of shows Sarah Young considers the top trends that you'll be wearing this time next year
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.With the ninth round of London Collections: Men at an end it’s time to cast our sartorial eye over the spring/summer shows. Next summer may be a while off – and to be frank we’re not even sure this year’s has begun just yet - but keeping up to date with the style directives for the year to come will guarantee to future-proof your summer wardrobe. LC:M has ushered in a whole host of wearable innovations this season and we’ve picked the ten best trends to give you a glimpse of what you might be wearing this time next year.
Tracksuits
The rules on sportswear shifted this season with a retrograde approach to the tracksuit. The humble two-piece has evolved from its athletic roots to signify a life of illicit leisure; think ‘Nice Guy’ Eddie from Reservoir Dogs, Vinz from Le Haine or Chris Maltisanti from The Sopranos. The classic shell suit has been reimagined by designers in keeping with the modern wardrobe which for Christopher Shannon meant head-to-toe denim while Cottweiler opted for pallid shades of pink. Nevertheless, this sportswear staple has held on to its nostalgic edge so for instant style points make sure you invest in one with a funnel neck.
Desert Tones
We’re fairly used to seeing light neutrals on the runway and while they remained present the spring/summer 2017 collections saw a shift in focus to warmer hues like copper and sienna. Golden sandy hues adorned classic work wear staples at Craig Green but for Oliver Spencer linen suits and bomber jackets adopted far richer, toasted shades. The same can be said for Alex Mullins but the British designer mixed things up with a play on saturation corresponding the warm with the cool.
Daring Denim
A recurring theme for spring/summer, denim is undoubtedly a seasonal staple but this time round it’s taken on a multitude of different guises. The functionality of denim was pushed to its extreme with full-length denim coats at both Ximon Lee and Casely-Hayford though the latter chose to experiment with bleaching and patchwork too. For Christopher Shannon the utilitarian fabric was seen in almost every look from knee cuffs to off kilter bucket hats and a double dose of super-distressed denim.
DIY Punk
The defiant DIY spirit of Punk culture has had us ripping up and reimagining our wardrobes for over 40 years and this season designers decided to rewrite the rule book with pin-badges and hand painted outerwear. For Matthew Miller, blazers swathed in badges and handmade slogan tees that read “Megasonic Teenage Warhead” harked back to schoolboy rebellion but he wasn’t the only one rising against the mainstream. Charles Jeffrey opted for paint splattered two-pieces while Coach’s offering saw intricately hand painted leather jackets covered in bottle cap pins, studs and leopard print fur.
Red
Colour was a hot topic for London menswear with enflamed hues of red at the vanguard of the spectrum. A popular and characteristic shade associated with sportswear it seemed only fitting for Nasir Mazhar to introduce the colour to his instantly recognisable aesthetic but for the likes of Coach and Casely-Hayford it was far less predictable. Both brands sought inspiration from revolt; for Coach it was a love affair with rebel youth – think tough, red leather and studded straps to boot. Casely-Hayford on the over hand looked to 70s rock music as their muse with the creation of a head-to-toe tomato red suit.
Short Shorts
Hemlines have seen a sharp rise for spring/summer 2017 so you can expect to see a lot more leg on show. For the most part, the designer’s penchant for short shorts laid reminiscent of 80s style running shorts cut super-high to the thigh especially over at Christopher Shannon and Topman but it doesn’t look like this trend is reserved to the playing field. E.Tautz translated this abbreviated style into tailoring with their version of a pint-sized city short.
Slogans
Slogan heavy casual wear dominated a hoard of collections at LC:M from the tongue-in-cheek to the contentious . Henry Holland and Christopher Shannon used this as an opportunity to incite the logos of instantly recognisable brands; for the former, staple foods were renamed with 90s Madchester in mind as Quavers became Ravers and Marmite became All Nite but for Shannon, British retailer Sports Direct’s emblem was reworked to read “Lovers Direct” or “Haters Direct”. Liam Hodges on the other hand adopted the grammatically uneasy slogan “IM OK” to accompany x-rays of his infamously terrible teeth.
Stripes
A motif almost synonymous with summer, time-honoured stripes are set to make a triumphant return next summer with the likes of Margaret Howell, Lou Dalton and Phoebe English experimenting with lines in every shape and form. There’s no right or wrong with this trend; horizontal or vertical, thick or thin, it’s up to you how you wear them, nonetheless, they guarantee to add some texture to any lacklustre ensemble. If you’re feeling brave though it’s time to get matchy-matchy by pairing different types together ala Phoebe English.
Super Long Sleeves
This may not be the most practical trend but it’s certainly one of the most impactful. Xander Zhou, Liam Hodges and J.W.Anderson surpassed traditional cuff lengths with a super-long sleeve reminiscent of the grungy hey-days of the 90s and its unruly heartthrob Kurt Cobain. While taking this trend too literally could muster up images of wearing your dad’s clobber as a child, if it’s executed with restraint your summer wardrobe will be apprised instantaneously – just make sure those wrists are covered at all times.
The Wild West
The rugged revolt of the cowboy came to life at the spring/summer 2017 shows with spaghetti western emblems, worn in bandanas and distressed leather. At Topman, monochrome tailoring was complimented by wild wild west patterned shirts and silver tassel chains while Coach opted for hand painted white leather boots and cowboy insignia. Give the spurs a miss with this one though as it’s a trend that requires a little restraint – you don’t want to end up looking like you’ve roamed too far from your home on the range.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments