fashion week | Bainser - Menswear Style Blog

Unconditional // London Fashion Week // Menswear

I think my friend Ollie is beginning to think of me as some sort of fashion talisman for shows. Last season I cajoled her into joining me at Charlie Le Mindu, which left us both reeling and a little delirious in very very good way. So far this season I’ve dragged her along to Unconditional and Jayne Pierson, both of which were inspiring. Having left her quaffing champers with Notion magazine at the esthetica brunch to check out another show we caught up on the front row of the show. Glancing around we saw a very edgy and beautiful crowd. The venue was just ramshackle and industrial enough to compliment the crowd and as Jodie Harsh’s music began pumping the event could easily have shrugged off it’s fashion show mantle and descended into a full on club night. Jodie herself was seated in the front row just opposite alongside Pete Burns and partner.

Unconditional are growing rapidly and with collections like this you can see why. The womenswear was slick in both tailoring and draping, starting in black moving through brilliant yellows and pinks and into a deep burgundy.

When androgyny is done well it draws strengths from both genders and this collection certainly did that. A burgundy tailored jacket with black chiffon tails certainly highlighted Unconditional’s great eye for detail and balance.

As for the menswear…I’ll admit I was late to the party on this. Maybe I’m just not cool enough or something. But I feel in love back in June or so with their directional tailoring and cutting techniques. Menswear has a predefined set of rules that you must obey and to my delight Unconditional bend these as far as they will go. The brilliant colour and checks in the menswear had me clamouring for next summer already and I haven’t even psyched myself up for winter.

In addition to the collection I was delighted to spot Unconditional’s collaboration with the very lovely Úna Burke (I can say this as I met her later that evening and we joked about how hot a models ass looked in a pair of her leather hotpants!). Úna first showed an installation at the Hospital Club last season and has fast become an editorial favourite of the likes of Dazed and Confused. Her leather strapwork harness and gauntlets were stunning. Their apparent intricate nature is based on a simple yet beautiful framework. I have no idea where I would wear either but that doesn’t mean I don’t desperately want them!

I could harp on about this collection for hours, but I’d soon run out of synonyms for amazing and I’d rather not sound like some sort of sycophant. So let’s leave it that I am a massive fan and quite frankly you should be to.

Loden Dager // New York // Spring Summer 2012

Loden Dager SS12 // Bainser Mens Blog Loden Dager // Bainser Mens Style

Despite the general lack of formalwear in this collection I quite liked it. The whole retro americana fifties surfing look has long appealed to me.We’ll just gloss over the styling in certain areas, rolling up just one trouser leg is not a catwalk look that needs to translate into the general public. It’s bad end of!

Instead let’s focus on the retro graphic print shirts, the great knee length shorts and the lightweight preppy knits. Simple and sorted. The ever growing trend of formal jackets and shorts continued here and I’m glad I really like this look when it works.

Menswear Day at London Fashion Week

Over the next few weeks and months I’ll be covering the events and madness of this seasons fashion month. But if you just can’t wait til then have a quick look at my brief synopsis on SoSoGay.org.

Click through the amazing Sibling Panda’s Rock cardigan above to be taken straight there.

What no menswear reviews?

What with both Milan and Paris menswear weeks now a distant memory in fashion terms (3 weeks ago), some of you may well be wondering why no reviews? I mean after all this is a menswear blog isn’t it?

Well they shall be coming soon enough. Work has been a bit hectic of late, and this season I’m going to spread the reviews out over a longer period. I may have immersed myself in the utter madness of fashion month but you need not. That and New York Fashion week has only just finished and London doesnt start until Friday. Just sit back relax and let me cherry pick the most amazing collections over the next few weeks and months. Just in time for them to hit the store, and you to max out the credit credit cards.

In the meantime I’ll leave you with this little gem from Gant by Michael Bastian just off the runway in New York

Photo credit: Style.com

Todd Lynn AW10 @ London Fashion Week

The internet is without a doubt my new best friend, we’ve had a tempestuous relationship. Connections going down, wireless being unreliable at times and the like but today I love you t’internet. From the comfort of my sofa, and from deep underneath my hangover, I was still able to witness the fantastic tailoring of Todd Lynn. Now lets also be honest, I’m a high st designer, writting a barely read blog, even if I had been fortunate enough to get a ticket my view would not have been half as amazing as that of the camera streaming directly into my lounge.

Incredibly sharp tailoring, and simple yet stylish asymmetric detailing on biker jackets, overcoats and suits. Particular favourites of mine, were the leather strap carapaces, prob not the most practical for a nip down the shops but stunning nonetheless. Also the tightly fitted jacket with a web of leather strapping at the back. Todd’s craftsmanship and excellence were demonstrated brilliantly across this collection. The first third of the show was dominated by cream, and the jackets reminded me of a safari adventure crossed with Star Trek uniforms, but in a crisp and exquisite way. The gilets, which on screen appeared to be made of freshly skinned teddy bears, am sure will have an almost buttery softness to the touch.

When the collection moved through fox fur, into grape purples and blacks it really took off. Lynn’s signature androgynous tailoring is something I look forward to every season and he didn’t let me down. There aren’t any pics yet as I wasn’t quick enough to get a screen grab, but I’ll post them soon. Loving the way the collections develop from season to season, I hope the buyers in attendance choose well, and the Lynn brand will be around for many more years to come, by which time I hope to be able to afford them!

Paul Costelloe AW10

There are many reasons I love my job, its inspiring and creative and though at present its a bit 9 to 5 I’m loving it. This morning was however not 9 to 5. Up early and into Sommerset House for 7.30 this morning I was certainly feeling the bitter cold wind, and could have married my Vendi Vanilla Late! Pass in hand I skipped backstage where the whole Paul Costelloe collection was out on rails, ready for Amazonian women and good looking guys to strut down the catwalk and open London Fashion Week A/W 2010. I genuinely couldnt have been happier.

There are few places less manic than backstage during a show, and today was no exception. Clothes were being flung off and on in a matter of seconds. (I’m now a master at getting a models legs into leather leggings), and in the midst of all this the menswear collection, which had been produced in this office no less, was also being shown. There will be stacks of press about the lovely ladies, but lets take just a second to admire the kick ass victorian goth saloon owning cowboy that marched down the BFC tent this morning.

I want pretty much all the coats, the boots, and the jeans. 2/3 of which I’ll fit into so will be raiding the sample rail when it comes back in. Cannot wait to wear a floor length coat and not look like an matrix reject. The boys dressed in combinations of tweeds, denims, herringbones, and sequins were stunning and a fitting match to the victorian glamazons marching beside them.

But enough fashion hyperbolic waffle from me check out the pics below!

(Courtesy of the LFW website and catwalking.com)