Abercrombie // 'Too Thin and Cool?'

So Abercrombie seem to be constantly making mistakes recently firstly with their CEO's comments saying such things along the lines of “Candidly, we go after the cool kids. We go after the attractive all-American kid with a great attitude and a lot of friends. A lot of people don’t belong [in our clothes], and they can’t belong. Are we exclusionary? Absolutely.” Even though the comments were made six years ago, the comments have surfaced and caused a massive storm of hate towards the brand. 

Reading a report about A&F sales it turns out their sales have dropped 17% in US first quarter, which honestly I'm really happy about. Mike Jefferies Abercrombie CEO has become such a target of hate, insulting not only people who aren't 'attractive' or people without 'a lot of friends'. He stupidly even describe their target as clothes for 'thin and beautiful people', honestly I have such a problem with A&F it's unreal. 

Offense has clearly been cause when a change.org petition to 'stop telling teens they aren't beautiful; make clothes for teens of all sizes' has 78,100 signatures to date.

//Fitch the Homeless//

Greg Karber from California has started a campaign and hands out A&F clothing to homeless people, clearly not Mike's targe audience of thin beautiful people. Honestly I'm confused with my position on this though, mainly because I feel like the homeless are being used a weapon, although agree its great they're being given clothing too. I think there's definitely a positive in there through them getting clothing! 

//#More Bfs than Taylor Swift//

Yet another of A&F's 'brilliant' ideas was this 'more boyfriends than t.s' the T.S standing for Taylor swift, firstly CEO comments then this. It's as if they're trying to ruin their own name and company.   

A main business rule should be careful who you trash, seriously this would keep so many people out of trouble if they just followed it. I mean the woman has nearly 30 million twitter followers, come on use some common sense?! 

Basically A&F just seem set on tarnishing there name and causing their brand trouble. Besides from this A&F are yet another brand who just use nudity as a way to sell their clothes, something I'n really against as I've mentioned when talking about brands such as American Apparel and the use of women in their campaigns.  

I've read comments about larger members of female staff having to wear menswear as uniform, if a brand can't support their own employees how can you even justify them as a customer? 

I think Mike Jefferies should no way name comments the way he should, it gives a whole range of companies a negative aura making them all seem elitist and judgemental. People see enough in the media based around body size and beauty to make them self-conscious, we don't need a brand supplying clothing to do the same. 

As blunt as it is Mike Jefferies remarks were disgusting, he shouldn't discriminate towards anyone. Possibly A&F aren't as in touch with youth as they think and should really take a good look at what they've been doing? 

Milan // Men's Fashion Week

Following up from LC:M we have MMFW, showing us just what Italy are bringing to the table for SS 14 with so many brands showing collections from Saturday 22nd June til Tuesday 25th June. I thought it'd be nice to select my highlights and favourites, find everything that really stands out to me. 

//Jil Sander//

My first love of Milan was Jil Sander I mean look at it where can you go wrong, the use of whites and this mix between a pink and orange. I love that colour and it was great to see such a bright collection for summer rather than black, which I hate as an SS colour!

//Versace//

 

Versace showed another collection who brought so much colour to Milan and can do no wrong. Honestly when I briefly saw this I hated it, but looking closer I realise how great it is. My favourite piece has to be the second look it's basically like bright abstract painting as clothing so mixing two of my favourite things ever. 

//Bottega Veneta//

  

Bottega Venta's collection was really dark and like I've said that is usually an issue especially for SS collections but with the patterns and lines of the trousers I couldn't help but love them. There was such a cluster of patterns and shapes, they work really well and look great too. I also loved how there was touches of colours throughout too!

//Calvin Klein//

  

Another brand to break away from a dark SS collection was Calvin Klein, their collection was majority blue and mainly a really nice lighter blue which I loved. Another area of their collection I loved was their sky based pieces, their pink based sky look has to be my favourite becaue it really did break up the blue of the collection but they really do stand out and look great. 

//Marni// 

  

Marni had some of my favourite jackets of the whole of the collections, I'd more than happily wear any of them. I think they're great, they have such an interesting shape to them and their colours and patterns are brilliant too. I think my favourite has to be the white one it's oversized, brilliant and perfect.

//Prada//

 

Prada had such an interesting collection, it had a lot of pattern and colour which I thought Milan really needed. I think the mixes of materials including the silks and patterns which were combined all really worked together and the whole collection flowed perfectly. Prada's set was called 'Menacing Paradise' which seems like a really apt name for what they delivered. 

//Moschino//

 

Moschino for me was yet another amazing collection and one of my favourites, it had so many different elements to it whilst still standing together as a whole. There being more formal and casual elements, mixes of print and pattern, all of it stood out and looked great. I love the shirts which were a mixture of different elements and the lighting patterns are one of my favourite menswear things I've seen for SS 14. I loved the additions of metallics and red, they really ticked everything for me. 

Other notible mentions go to Vivienne Westwood who's political India themed collection really stood out from all of the collections, obviously underooted in her collection was politics but that's what I love about Westwood. Diesel Black Gold had some really nice looks from their collection that had some great whites and off whites, they also had clothes that had a great fit on the models. 

Gucci probably had the best florals of Milan, they really had interesting and not the obvious colour too with a darker olivey green too. Belstaff jackets stood out to me alongside Marni they had a strong mix of colours and styles with orange, orange being a colour I love to see making an appearance. Marc Jacobs delivered some toned down colourful looks with the inclusion of some greys and silvers, their collection was understaded and brilliant. 

I think Milan Mens Fashion Week really had so much brilliant collections to show, I think some of the brands had a lot of black which really didn't appeal to me personally. I also think some of the formal looks don't appeal as well but that's more of on a personal level, I still think some amazing stuff was shown at Milan. I think my favourite shows have to be Calvin Klein, Moschino, Marni and Jil Sander.

Dolce & Gabbana // Tax Evasion

With everything that is fashion law and politics flying around at the moment and to add to the mix there's now news of Dolce and Gabbana being guilty of tax evasion. Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana have both been sentanced to one year and eight months in prison after a jury 

The lawsuit looks at the label's 2004 deal with Gado Srl and the sale of their signature and D&G lines. Italian authorities believe that this sale was a way of evading taxes in Italy, which are described as high.  The prosecutor Gaetano Ruta also believes board member Cristiana Ruella and Luciano Patelli should also be sent to prison.

I've seen various comments surrounding this issue and I think that something needs to be done if it is true, they maye appeal the current decision. I think that we've seen so much from other brands and tax evasion and people's in response to that, in instances where this has happened before people have spoke about boycotts. If this was to happen for Dolce and Gabbana then it could be really fatal to them especially if people decide to just turn their backs to the brand.

It depends how serious people feel about this especially in our current economic climate but this could cause trouble and could possibly be the start of a deeper look into fashion's taxes?

Barbara Hulanicki // Boring Style

So I was checking out some fashion news on Vogue and I discovered this piece about Barbara Hulanicki saying 'Women have boring wardrobes' she continues to talk about how people's style has become so predictable. 

If you want to check the article out you can find it //here//

Barbara thinks theres more focus on whats actually fashionable rather than looking at how we put clothes together. Honestly I think Barbara is right here, we seem to be so focused around what's on trend or who's collections just been shown. I think people have forgotten how fun fashion can be, we're constantly taking fashion in and it being judged so I guess we're scared to take as many risks.

Is this why street style is seen as such an interesting topic? Is this why we love people's blogs who make style posts? If something's different and stands out we're drawn to it so is Barbara highlighting how these vary basic ideas are emphasised because the norm is so boring.

She also says "it's very difficult to know what to wear now. That's why I always wear black", does this mean ideas such as style manifestos need to something we all adapt to. Like women of the past such as Schiaparelli who lived by a manifesto is Barbara highlighting there's a need for more personal considered style choices and rules?

Balenciaga Suing // Nicolas Ghesquiere

For a few days it's been everywhere about Balenciaga suing Nicolas Ghesquiere, we all know about him and Balenciaga's problems which lead to his departure last year. Nicolas then followed up and finally revealed all with his controversial interview for System. 

In his interview Ghesquiere made comments about how he felt frustrated at the brand, he ended up feeling alone and felt everything had become so corporate it was no longer about fashion anymore. He was left feeling unappreciated and they only cared about merchadising and the results. Nicolas even made comment of saying it all became so dehumanised, it was all about branding and corporate sales. 

As James St James once said 'don't dis anyone in press' press instantly becomes the truth and perhaps Nicolas could have thought about his choice to go public on their fued. I mean I think it's good that he went to press and talked about it rather than slating them on social media sites, he managed to remain fairly degnified about the whole affair. 

I guess it's all a rule of business not to act in such a way and also bite the hand that feeds, I don't know depends what peoples thoughts are on this issue? 

Christopher Shannon // SS 14

My favourite of Day Three, is Christopher Shannon. Like I've talked about in previous LC:M colour has been my main focus and is a direction for menswear to head and to move way from such drab colours. Christopher Shannon's collection had so many colours in it I could have cried. 

I've seen so many bright colours and this is exactly what Christopher Shannon brought us, I saw someone make a comment saying 'Christopher Shannon bringing me back to colour' and I thought what a perfect way to describe his collection. My favourite look has to be the green, I love the materials used and the colour I'd mentioned green being another main trend I'd seen emerging but who wouldn't want that look!?Another thing to mention is the fact Christopher doesn't only use really bright colours there were also some muted tones, whites and blacks too there was so much range on show.

LC:M // Day Three

The final day of LC:M was brimming with creativity and clever design as expected and what a final day of collections it was!

//Shaun Samson//

Shaun Samson has the perfect collection of really simple yet effective fashion, I think that's one of the main points that stands out here. Fashion can always be a subject where people adapt the mentality of 'more is better' but I think this completely trashes this idea, it's clean simple and brilliant. I love the colour's here they fit perfectly with the whole theme on Shauns collection. 

//Fashion East - Joseph Turvey//

Joseph Turvey really manages to bring colour pattern into whites, I love how his work looks like coloured shapes have been projected onto his work. His mixes of yellows, blues and pinks really stand out whilst still managing to not overpower the rest of the patterns in his looks. I absolutely love that he has his moels with matching hair too, it really is a perfect acompliment to all of the looks. He has a really nice balance of florals and white whilst keeping his work smart and casual too, a really intriguing collection. 

//Fashion East - Kit Neale//

Kit Neale is one of my favourite designers under the Fashion East name, I think his designs and work are great. This collection is perfectly playful using childrens play maps in his work, bringing our childhood's back to all of us to wear now. I love his playful uses of colour reminscent of a child's scribbles, his collection based all around Peckham too it's basically my version of a perfect balance of colour and pattern. I think he's created a grown up version of childrens paradise and adventure. 

 //Nasir Mazhar//

Nasir Mazhar's first time showcasing in London Collection's: Men and what a collection it was, whilst using feminine pinks, his collection is a really good balance of street/sportswear. I think is choice of colour palette and cut aren't expected to work together but they do, Nasir's collection highlight's that pink can not only be a men's colour but doesn't subtract from someone's masculinity too. My favourite piece of the collection being the red, black and metallic I just love the perfect balances of colour and materials including the headpiece. 

Overall there have been so many great shows including Burberry Prorsum who definitely just confirmed for my that menswear is totally heading in the way of colour, which I obviously love and I've voiced my opinions of this before. If anything LC:M has just proved the fact menswear is moving in a direction I like and London design is as strong as ever. 

Katie Eary // SS 14

Katie Eary last season delivered one of my favourite collections of LC:M and again she delivers what I'd describe as genius. I honestly don't know how she does it, I really don't!

A collection mixing reds and oranges with flamingos and leopard print Katie Eary has such an unusual mix of taste and yet pulls it all together. Her black, blue and pink pattern mix from last season is a total change from this season, but she really has just a brilliant eye for pattern and colour. Obviously because of their places on the colour spectrum I expect orange and red to be a total clash and yet Katie Eary manages to get them to work together perfectly. 

I love the mix of red, orange and yellow in the image in the centre, it all manages to flow and work without being too much. Obviously not a menswear collection for the faint hearted but this is exactly where menswear needs to move to in terms of pushing boundaries. I always voice how I feel menswear always remains safe and uninteresting and I love how Katie Eary just crushes those thoughts for me. 

LC:M // Day Two

The second day of LCM continued providing everyone with more menswear delights, with everything going on it's taken me longer than I'd have wanted to get these posts up here. They are finally done!

//JW Anderson// 

 

JW Anderson again bringing us something fascinating to blur the lines between menswear and womenswear. In my opinion I think JW has really toned down this collection this time it seems to have provided less of a shock value and provided us with a really delicate toned down collection. JW brought interesting shapes and choices and really did live up to his standards. 

//Sibling// 

The newest Sibling collection had a really interesting feel to it, it has an american jock feel too. I love the use of colour, it's interesting to see pastel colours making a reappearance to fashion. It's interesting a mix of knitted sportswear in various colours too. I think Sibling bring a really diverse mix of looks through out their collection and it still flows together really well, my favourite looks have to be the blue leopard print pieces I just think they really pop and stand out.

//KTZ//

As normal KTZ provide me with exactly what I expect from a KTZ collection, I think KTZ always excite me bringing some really cleverly constructed lookss together. Their collection had a real focus on world affairs that flows throughout with various symbols in their looks. I love how the silver pops against the black, really making it stand out KTZ brought a really interesting collection especially with various looks including map based prints which are some of my favourite of LC:M.

Day Two really provided some interesting collections and looks, including Kit Neale, KTZ and Katie Eary. I think LC:M really highlights how strong menswear desgin can be and currently is.