Three Style Lessons from the Boys: AW20

Fashion : News

13 January 2020

We’ve always been a proponent of stealing styling tips from the boys - look to the SS20 shows for proof- and the London Fashion Week Mens shows this season gave us plenty of inspiration again. Us fashion heads spent our first weekend of the decade noting our options for AW20.

With an Iranian wedding and a Jamaican feast being top highlights, the LFWM shows didn’t cease to surprise. From shirts in a rasta palettes to a tiara spouting sun rays, brands didn't hold back. We’ve reviewed our notes and we’ve picked three trends to keep top of mind when getting dressed next autumn.

Rules Are Dead
Punk, but make it fashion - was the motto for menswear designers this season, as we were treated to an array of anti-establishment inspired looks and no-holds-barred mix and match approaches. Martine Rose, who is consistent in showing in her Kentish town neighbourhood , presented models in glossy PVC trousers, beer branded pin buttons and side buckle skirts.

Other designers presented their punk with a pinch of feminine, up-and-coming duo, Stefan Cooke, styled mini tartan skirts over their trousers accessorised with vintage bags and John Lawrence Sullivan accessorised his staple leather looks with pearl embellishments (skirts and purses for men? Looks like they are stealing styling tips from us). But however you wear it, wear it with attitude.

Invest in Timeless Silhouettes
With sustainability on the forefront of everyone’s minds and processes in London, this season we found it to be translated through garments’ shapes, looking at sempiternal silhouettes to reduce fast fashion habits. Qasimi, in the first show since the passing of Creative Director, Khalid al-Qasimi, stuck to its usually tailored classics, but opted for new shades of grape and forest green to update the styles.

For Wales Bonner, their denim trench coat suggested a 70s spin onto the British staple and the button up dress from Art School, in monochrome shades of white and black, showed a minimal, hourglass shape that could flatter all body shapes for years to come.

Luxe Up Your Sportswear
As sportswear has continuously repeated itself on the catwalks, it seemed necessary for this trend to have a 2020 update. Nicholas Daley mastered this, mixing Fred Perry (just one of his AW20 collabs) cotton jackets with black wool trousers, or Adidas (to name another) coin-embellished trainers with tartan trousers.

This grown-up take on sportswear was also adopted by pariah/FARZANEH, who layered ‘balaclava’ style hoodies under paisley printed gilets. Taking the comfort and functionality aspects of sportswear, and combining it with smarter day to day pieces, equalled a win-win situation for the comfortable day look.