When you're as good-looking and well-dressed as us, it's Fashion Week every week. But this week it really is Fashion Week. This is a roundup of the best things we've seen at London Collections: Men so far.
KATIE EARYKatie Eary's Spring/Summer 2014 collection was inspired by the Irvine Welsh novel Maribou Stalk Nightmares, which I haven't read. Unfortunately, due to that slight oversight, I'm not going to be able to pull out insightful moments from the book to interpret Katie's collection for you, but I'll do my best to try. Judging from what I saw, if I had to hazard a guess what Welsh's story was about I'd vouch for, "A bit like Kids, but flamboyant," which – judging by Clive Martin's reaction (he wrote the press release for her and he's sitting right next to me – is entirely wrong.Actually, the novel revolves around a clash between the genders – a heady exploration into cliched, extreme ideas of feminine beauty and masculine dominance. The aggression was reflected in the warning red of the clothes, predatory leopard print and flashes of lurid neon Air Max 90s. Female models had sugar pink wigs and fluttering flamingo, print chiffon babydoll dresses. Cut-out bikinis and 70s head scarfs completed the look, and I reckon Katie expertly managed to pull of that elusive fashion week coup: informed, understated, powerful.
SHAUN SAMSONRelative newbie Shaun Samson's show was inspired in equal measure by the classic combination of West Coast style and wetsuits. Stacked slip-ons, which mediated between classic Vans and something you'd wear to protect your feet from little crabs in the ocean, grounded a collection that was varied within its theme. Unlike the relative uniformity of Katie Eary, Samson presented relaxed open shirts and mid-shin white socks alongside LA meets futuristic Star Trek robes with metallic sleeve detail and high, hard collars.Bucket hats and festival bands were a clever and subtle way to tie the collection together, while the rich tones Samson worked in at points lent the show an element of the luxury sportswear theme that's been reflected in many of London collections this season. If you're planning on going windsurfing in California and want to look heavy, this is your guy. Kanye, I'm looking at you, BB.
NASIR MAZHARNasir Mazhar doesn't normally do runway shows. Normally what you get with Nasir is a loud, dark room that contains around ten ridiculously good-looking kids in PVC backpacks, bikini tops and mesh. So deciding to actually make use of a runway is kind of a new thing for him. It worked, but then so does pretty much everything Nasir does. (We love him, can you tell?) There was nothing precious or contrived about these models: they got the job done, working utility in the reflective panels, pocket-suspenders, backpacks and holsters.Nasir obviously picked up on how a hard-working day bleeds into a hardy-partying night and vice-versa, working a mix and match aesthetic with monogrammed pink terrycloth tracksuits and sequined shorts, pencils oh-so-practically tucked into baseball caps and hardy workwear. But, before things got too wearable, there was the classic upside-down wash bucket wobbling down the runway.Hey, Nasir, how about doing something that isn't great for once so I can stop racking my brains trying to think of interesting descriptive words to replace "amazing"? Or, if not, can you just send me a pair of those knee-highs? Thanks!Follow Bertie on Twitter: @BertieBrandesPreviously – Alex Mattsson, Astrid Andersen and Richard Nicoll
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