by Stephen Doig, The Daily Telegraph, January 9, 2017
Of all the concerns over Brexit in 2017, its effect on your wardrobe may, admittedly, be bottom of the list. But as the price of Italian and French luxury goods is predicted to increase (snap up those Gucci loafers while you can), you can rest easy that some of the finest men’s fashion is found on our doorstep. And to prove that point London Fashion Week Men’s kicks off today, a bi-annual showcase of the best suiting, shirting and - in some instances - shake-your-tailfeathers silliness (cricket sweater crop tops anyone?) that the capital has to offer.
Chapel double monk-strap shoe, £1,490, John Lobb
The Italian knack for unstructured tailoring and America’s preppy sportswear undoubtedly have a place in our wardrobes, but when it comes to clothes that act as the building blocks to most men’s wardrobes, Britain’s always been something of a sartorial linchpin.
Craig Green hooded jacket, £374, Farfetch
Since the invention of our swaggering military regalia and the evolution of dandyism, the British man has always paid attention to the fine points of his attire. So perhaps it’s no surprise that St James’s in London is set to undergo a period of vast regeneration; the area that defined gentlemanly dressing in the glory days of Albany (that private members abode off Piccadilly, from which residents can stagger to Savile Row’s shirt and shoemakers and the most devilish night spots) is experiencing a £520m development process to regenerate the historic prime real estate.
Parker painted shirt, £295, E Tautz
What marks the UK’s men’s style eco-system out isn’t merely the suiting prowess so deftly demonstrated in the hallowed environs of Savile Row, but how historic sartorial institutions are being respected and quietly revived or maintained. Likewise, it’s evident in London’s ability to offer fresh, vibrant fashion talent that - despite its apparent disassociation with what the chap on the street might wear down the pub - nevertheless makes life a damn sight more exciting.
Ventile travel blazer, £495, Private White V.C
Houses like Private White V.C. (revived by fashion entrepreneur Nick Ashley, son of 1980’s floral interiors champion Laura) and E. Tautz (brought back to life by The Great British Sewing Bee’s Patrick Grant) invest in British manufacturing and fabric production, with factories in Manchester and Lancashire respectively.
Military shirt, £175, Kent & Curwen
David Beckham has also put his considerable clout, as well as his business backing, behind heritage sporting outfitter Kent & Curwen, which offers a more classic interpretation of the kind of kit Beckham cut his fashion teeth on in his early footballing days. And alongside these most wearable of pieces, London’s petri dish of raw fashion talent, amongst them Craig Green, J.W. Anderson and Edward Crutchley, are pushing a left-of-centre agenda to add a radical element to all the princely plaids and polite brogues.
This article was written by Stephen Doig from The Daily Telegraph and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network.