London Collections Men round-up: from tiny shorts to transparent tops here are the trends for men

Karen Dacre and Emma McCarthy tell us what they learned on the f’row
Latest trends at Christopher Shannon, Topman, JW Anderson and Christopher Raeburn
Pictures: Tristan Fewings/Getty and Eamonn M. McCormack/Getty

Put a knot in it

Of the many messages to arise out of a weekend packed with new ideas is the notion that wraps and ties could replace zips and buttons as the only way to fasten your clothes. Unsurprisingly, it was Craig Green — a man who counts the technique among his label’s USPs — who proved the champion of this look. Tightly bound shirts and padded kimono jackets in primary shades served as highlights in Green’s perfectly puritan collection. At Alexander McQueen, ties cinched long-line silk and towelling robes.

Fashion’s for anoraks

The fashion-conscious consumer will be well equipped to face the elements next summer thanks to a host of collections that placed practicality at the top of the agenda. Among the most functional — and covetable — items was the humble cagoule. Christopher Raeburn, a designer renowned for dressing the modern urban explorer, presented the all-weather cover-up in a host of incarnations while Savile Row tailoring brand Hardy Amies paired suits with aeronautic-inspired parachute silk blouson jackets.

London Collections Men round-up

1/8

Free the nipple

The “dad bod” might be in favour on planet celebrity but where London’s menswear designers are concerned a buffed bod is king — how else to explain the number of exposed torsos on display? At J W Anderson, where jarred childhood fragility met sci-fi, sheer long-sleeve tops left little to the imagination while in Cottweiler’s Hari Krishna-inspired presentation basketball shorts complimented perfectly formed physiques. Time to hit the gym, it seems.

The only way is Wigan

“Danz like you’re northern” was the prevailing message at Topman on Friday as the high-street chain unveiled a collection littered with references from the hedonistic heights of northern soul. Wide-leg trousers with navel-high waist bands and muscle-back vests were designed with Wigan Casino’s sweat-soaked revellers in mind. Its modern-day place? The dancefloor of The Dolphin in Hackney should serve as a fitting 21st-century alternative.

It’s a lads life

That this year’s LCM should collide with the return of TV gold TFI Friday was an excellent coincidence. After all, not since that kid cried milk alongside a swearing Shaun Ryder live on Channel 4 has the lad in all his beer-swilling, Stone Roses-loving, football-watching glory been so much in favour. Riding on the zeitgeist, Henry Holland collaborated with Martin Parr to create a decidedly English collection emblazoned with the phrase “Lad Legend Lover” while Christopher Shannon invited his front row to join in on a full-scale Marbella Foam Party. In essence, LCM was one massive stag do — albeit a sartorially astute one.

The legs have it

If Shannon gets his way, men the country wide will bare their pins next summer. In homage to boozy all-nighters spent on the Marbella strip, the Liverpudlian designer presented high-rise running shorts cut from spongy Aertex which were teamed with taped-up shirts and stolen bikini tops. This was Joey Essex with a place at art school. Topman also embraced the thigh with a series of printed running shorts topped with bright anoraks.

Accessorise all areas

Chances are, you and Coach’s shearling slider are already acquainted: the US luxury leather brand was among the hottest things on social media this weekend. And no wonder. With a showcase that took New York street style as its starting point, British boy Stuart Vevers delighted with skater shoes, leopard-print sliders and leather backpacks. There was much to delight in.

Girls always gatecrash

Savvy Burberry capitalised on the number of international buyers in town for its menswear show by showing its latest pre-collection for women alongside. Delicate lace shift dresses and animal-printed feather embroidery were among the highlights. For the boys, Christopher Bailey offered up lace-trimmed trenches and painted Derby shoes.

Create a FREE account to continue reading

eros

Registration is a free and easy way to support our journalism.

Join our community where you can: comment on stories; sign up to newsletters; enter competitions and access content on our app.

Your email address

Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account

* Required fields

Already have an account? SIGN IN

By clicking Create Account you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use , Cookie policy and Privacy policy .

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in

MORE ABOUT