Monday 8 March 2010

Fashion156 on the new fragility of menswear

Over the last few days the blanket of grey that has loomed ominously overhead for months on end was finally thrown off and my weary eyes have been greeted by that unfamiliar sight, blue skies and sunshine. Officially we are still in Winter but Spring has Sprung in my eyes and I have the daffodils from Marks & Spencer sitting proudly on my desk to prove it (and to offer a fragrant reminder). Once again the talented folks at Fashion156 have unveiled a timely editorial that has left me staring in awe, semi drunk on a head alive with inspiration. The Fragile Issue is dedicated to romanticism and offers a welcome remedy from the hard edged aesthetic we have seen so much of in recent months.

John Michael O'Sullivan pens an excellent piece titled 'The Shape Of Things To Come', where he predicts a shift away from the prevalent archetypes of masculinity to a more fluid and relaxed aesthetic of menswear. The hegemonic status of the soldier, businessman, hero, warrior, leader is shifting towards an "uncompromisingly asexual and startlingly pure archetype, a fusion of utility, ease, and poetry." For me, no designer is doing more in the evolution of this new archetype than Damir Doma. Doma is a designer following who is his own path, refusing to follow trends and instead carves out the shape of a new kind of man. Doma fuses slouchy tailoring with casual sportswear shapes with layers of beautiful fabrics that blend into a grungy uniform for the modern nomadic man. In the latest editorial Fashion156 turn to a number of my favourite designers (including Satyenkumar, Tim Soar and Casely-Hayford to demonstrate that you don't have to look too far from the SS10 collections shown right here in London last September to achieve a more fragile ensemble. The shifting constructs of masculinity and the effect it has on menswear is a subject that interests me greatly and I will certainly return to it at later date but I am conscious that I have overloaded you all with text heavy posts in recent weeks. So, for now I'd just like to gaze at Fashion156's romantic editorial which is just perfect for a bright afternoon in March...it is time to be full of the joys of (fake) Spring....

Shirt by Martine Rose.

Jacket and trousers by Satyenkumar. Shirt with sheer wrap detail by Yang Li. White shoes by Wintle.

Rain mac and shorts by Tim Soar.

Jacket, trousers and scarves tied on arms by Casely-Hayford. Shoes by Church.

Shirt, shorts, bow tie and shoes by Wintle.
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Photography: Fabrice Lachant. Styling: Guy Hipwell. Hair Stylist: Koji Takayanagi. Make up Artist: Sally Tooth. Production: Emma Drinnan. Styling Assistant: Luke Raymond. Models: Stuart R at Models1. Joshua O at Premier. Shot on location The Russian Club Studios.
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