The British certainly know how to start the new year in the most fashionable way: With London Collections: Men on the horizon, the UK’s capital is once more becoming one giant hub for creatives this upcoming weekend. Taking place from January 6th to 9th and with some of fashions most exciting designers and diverse collections on the schedule, LC:M is again set to prove itself as the perfect place to spot new talent, young voices, and surprising visions. From LVMH Prize winner Grace Wales Bonner to all time stunner J. W. Anderson, from Savile Row ready tailoring to Sibling putting giant teddy bears on their clothes for A/W 15, LC:M might just be everything a fashion lover could dream of – yet never quite how you’d expect that dream to turn out. And as the next generation of boundary pushing designers is just getting started, we picked the talents you should definitely keep an eye on this weekend – and beyond!
Ka Wa Key
Ka Wa Key takes us on a trip to Asia through his designs. The Royal College of Art graduate looks to Asian men as inspiration and channels his observations into pastel coloured, dreamy designs. After winning the Hong Kong Young Design Talent Award and taking first steps into establishing his own brand, Key is part of LC:M since last season, presenting his collection in a captivating presentation and building his soft yet impressive aesthetic one garment at a time.
Art School
Designers and Art School-founders Eden Loweth and Tom Barratt had quite the tight schedule: They graduated college in summer 2016, Loweth did BA Fashion at Ravensbourne while Barratt studied Art Criticism at Central Saint Martins, founded their label and are now showing their debut collection as part of Fashion East. Having previously worked for Grace Wales Bonner or Sadie Williams, Loweth and Barratt now try to play with the ideas of gender and queer style in their own way – constantly inspired by their friends and their personal relation to unisex clothing.
Honest Man
“For the Honest Men, the beer drinkers, chainsmokers, piña coladas, good guys, bad guys, tall guys, all guys. The 9 to 5’s and the 5’9’’s”, is how designer Joseph Standish describes his brand Honest Man. Using only recycled and repurposed garments, the London College of Fashion graduate seeks to change the way we purchase clothes and think about sustainability in fashion. For A/W 2017 he’s set to show his approach as a presentation during LC:M, with clothes channelling punk and a DIY vibe.
Per Götesson
Growing up in Småland, Sweden, and making his LC:M debut just a few days after graduating from the Royal College of Art back in June 2016, Per Götesson has had quite the journey already. Fortunately, he’s nowhere near stopping: With designs that are as casual as they are mesmerizing, loaded with denim and oversized cuts, as well as a spot on the Fashion Easts MAN program, Götessen seems to have already found his unique voice in fashion – and a lot of people who want to hear it, too.
Danshan
Consisting of designers Dan and Shan, menswear brand Danshan explores the relation between menswear and womenswear, affected by their own upbringing in China and Hong Kong. Since graduating Central Saint Martins, the pair decided to combine their heritage with their views on gender and clothes and founded Danshan, already showing their S/S 17 collection as part of LC:M in June and furthering their vision with a presentation this weekend.
Header image courtesy FASHION EAST
