PRE VIEW: REISS AW 13

Reiss lifted the lid on their Autumn Winter 2013 collection this week and I was lucky enough to be attend the press day. Reiss is one of the few British labels that deftly balances luxury, high end quality with much more affordable prices.

My preview of the new collection started off with a Reiss benchmark: fine tailoring. I really liked the modern, slim fit silhouette for the season, cut in a variety of luxe fabrics and colourways. I was immediately drawn to a soft grey three piece suite in Prince of Wales check, styled with a matching houndstooth military overcoat. It's just quintessentially British and totally on trend when you look at some of the other great winter collections. The colour palette for tailoring and the collection as a whole expands to include deep, inky blues, crisp wintry whites and rich shades of brown and green.

My favourite part of the collection has got to be the outerwear. It's usually the backbone of any great winter collection and Reiss really knocked it out of the ball park with their offering. It's a great mix of formal overcoats and trenchcoats to more casual options like quilted biker jackets and this year's breakout wardrobe favourite, the bomber jacket all presented in fresh contemporary cuts and fabrics.

Aside from the clothes, I was really impressed with the new fragrance line from Reiss. It's made up of two perfumes, Black Oud for men and Grey Flower for women. The fragrances were created by Reiss founder, David Reiss and perfumer, Azzi Glasser. I tried both of them and I think they are truly a feast for the senses. As much as I love both of them, I preferred Grey Flower. The scent is surprisingly musky for a women's fragrance. It's not flowery or frou-frou but quite mature with a spicy kick. The perfume range took over two years to develop and from what I can tell, the outcome was worth the wait. they've got the look and feel of luxury and decadence without breaking the bank. Look out for Black Oud and Grey Flower when they launch in September.

Looking back at the collection it's clear that Reiss are looking at creating timeless pieces. Pieces that will sit well in your current wardrobe and transcend seasons without looking dated. With so much disposable fashion at both ends of the scale it's great to see a brand that understands what true style is all about.

Xander Zhou - London Collections: Men AW 13

Xander Zhou's Autumn Winter 2013 collection was a tribute to the "self-confident boy", just as comfortable on the street as he is on the catwalk. He presented a body of work that was heavily inspired by streetwear and military staples, re-presented in luxurious, tactile fabrics. The beloved hoodie and bomber jacket were re-imagined and given a sartorial yet ultra wearable edge. Metal monograms on lapels and ornate brooches were a throwback to military uniforms.

In contrast to the more formal tailoring Xander infused a sense of playfulness and mischief to the collection. This could be seen in the tongue in cheek catchphrases like "BOYS WILL BE BOYS" and "I AM UNDRESSING YOU" which were stitched or printed on to collars and around the frames of sunglasses. The footwear was one of my favourite aspects of the collections. They were designed with an 80s sneaker feel that was an appealing contrast to the sharp tailoring.

Zhou was able to cleverly toe the lines of gender with floor-length coats and jumpers that draped subtly over the shoulder, cropped tops and high-waisted trousers. I really loved the way he played with varying lengths and layering in a way that seemed almost futuristic but not totally over-the-top.

Although he's still relatively new on the British menswear scene, Zhou's talent is undeniable. There's a level of detail and expertise that can only be experienced when you see these garments up close. Luckily I had the privilege of seeing them from the front row and I was spellbound. He closed the London Collections line-up in fine style and definitely gained a new fan in me. 






 

TOPMAN Fall/Winter 2012 Look Book

TOPMAN’s Fall/Winter 2012 Look book has been released and it looks like a winner. I’m loving the moody, darker palette which really suits a British winter. It’s seems to share quite a few similarities with the TOPMAN DESIGN FW 2012 collection shown in February. Models, Jester and Jackson Rado were photographed by Laurence Ellis and styled by Harry Lambert and Stevie Westgarth. 

The collection boasts a variety of popular trends at the moment. There’s a real sense of proper, British style seen in the three-piece suit, it’s also clear that the Aztec/Tribal trend is going anywhere. I love that TOPMAN have given it a more modern twist. The choice of fabrics and colour palette are on-point and as usual, tailoring is impeccable.

If you’ve been following some of the stuff I post, you might have noticed that I LOVE bold, intricate prints. I literally gasped when I saw the orchid-print shirt below. It’s got the same sense of symmetry and florals that Riccardo Tisci so effortlessly used in his SS12 collection. I’ve been waiting for a great print like this and I definitely think TOPMAN’s take on this trend is a step in the right direction. My other top picks from this collection are the shearling lined peacoat and the baseball jacket and hat combo seen in the last picture.

What do you think of TOPMAN’s Autumn/Winter line-up?

Sh*t Guys Should Know About Fashion - #2

From my personal experience, fashion can be pretty hard to follow if you don’t know what people are talking about. So I thought that starting the S**t Guys Should Know About Fashion segment would be a great way to unravel most of the jargon you hear or read about fashion. 

If you’ve got any confusing terms to add to the list, just drop them in the comments section and I’ll be happy to help!

Today’s mystery fashion term is: