JW Anderson, Richard Nicoll and Agi & Sam are business savvy at London Collections: Men SS15

Menswear superstars delighted fashion insiders with their ability to marry creativity with the ability to grow a successful business
Silver foxes: the Richard Nicoll catwalk at London Collections: Men SS15
Karen Dacre16 June 2014

London's reputation as a global hub for menswear is in the safe hands of a generation of innovative young designers with plans to turn their independent businesses into major brands.

Unveiling their latest collections at the capital's three-day men's fashion week which opened yesterday, London's own menswear superstars delighted fashion insiders from across the globe with a shrewd ability to marry creativity with a determination to grow a successful business.

The result of this more commercially aware approach was a mature opening to the capital's sixth men's fashion showcase which saw the best designers bypassing gimmicks and faddish design in favour of a more honest aesthetic. It served as further proof that British menswear, which was recently valued to be worth 12.9 billion to the UK economy, has evolved from the days of three-piece suits and Saville Row into a dynamic industry which has the brands and the talent required to compete on a global stage.

London Collections: Men - Agi & Sam, JW Anderson and Jonathan Saunders

1/8

Proof of this evolution was clear to see in the latest collection from JW Anderson. Kicking off the second day of shows this morning, the Northern Irish Dalston-based designer who creates a womenswear line as well as collections for Spanish luxury giant Loewe, reaffirmed his position as one of the capital's most exciting young stars. Showcasing a collection which included stripe shirts with pussy bow necklines, knitted batwing sweaters depicting coastal scenes and cable-knit muscle back vests, the designer who is known for his ability to shock with fashion did little to disappoint.

While Anderson's menswear is undoubtedly not for everyone - it's not every London gent that wants to stand at the bus-stop in apple green printed slacks and a lemon twin set- he has a loyal following who return to him season after season for his exquisite knitwear and his contemporary take on tailoring. This customer was fully catered for today as Anderson sent polo-sweaters and a supreme offering of colour-block knitted jackets down the catwalk. They were then delighted further by the announcement that Anderson is to expand his business with the introduction of an online store. The new venture which launches today marks a major step forward for the Anderson brand which began in 2008.

The latest collection from Anglo-Australian designer Richard Nicoll served as another fitting example of a brand that has come of age during the recent menswear renaissance.

Unveiling the stand out collection yesterday, Nicoll delighted fans of his clean, effortless style by combining light-weight fabrics and Japanese tie-dye prints with the staple pieces for which his label is already known.

For Nicoll's customers this means the chance to wear perfectly cut bomber-jackets, updated for next summer with a washed out colour palette, and printed Bermuda shorts worn with lightweight parkas and oversized shirts.

"It was about putting the signatures people know me for into a new context" said Nicoll, speaking backstage after his show, "I wanted this collection to feel approachable".

"Throwaway" fabrics used to create oversized parkas emphasised this easy, effortless aesthetic while pocket-front trousers teamed with baseball caps and Adidas's Gazelle trainers continued the notion . The purpose of this collection had not been to move the Richard Nicoll brand into a drastic new direction but to showcase it at its very best.

Scottish colour genius Jonathan Saunders is another who seemed intent on staying true to what he does best. Presenting a revered offering of elegantly-cut slacks, printed bomber jackets and tailored shorts, the designer demonstrated a respect for his loyal customer whilst opening the door for new fans to his distinctive aesthetic.

Other highlights from the opening shows have come from Liverpudlian Christopher Shannon who showed his collection of playful printed sweatshirts and parachute anoraks just days after being recieving The British Fashion Council's Designer Menswear Fund - a cash injection of £150,000 - and from design duo Agi and Sam who harnessed their position as one of the capital's most exciting young menswear brands with a collection which combined the duo's love of conceptual print with a deconstructed silhouette. Placing an abstract shape at the top of their agenda, the pair who have already collaborated with high-street giant Topman sought to redefine the conventional suit for a contemporary menswear customer who in 2014, is more adventurous than ever when it comes to adding to his wardrobe.

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