Nicomede Talavera at MAN AW15

Initial reaction:

Middle Eastern 90s and early 00s mash-up: elongated, layered silhouettes worn with strappy octopus trousers and side-popper bottoms from the designer’s youth – re-imagined in pinstripe fabrics with frills – and raver-style mini backpacks folded across the chest. There was also a faint David Beckham circa 2003 hair mood happening with hair bands holding the models’ locks in place.

Flashback Friday:

Like his fellow MAN designer Rory Parnell-Mooney, Talavera also revisited his MA collection from Central Saint Martins, where he graduated from under the watchful eye of the late Louise Wilson in 2013. “This season for me was all about memories,” he said. Talavera’s throwback also entailed a clerical vibe, inspired by his upbringing in Hounslow and the Muslim boys he’d see heading into the mosque next door to his house. “I’ve never even thought about the religion itself. For me it’s just the way these boys have such beautiful ease and the beauty within the clothing and the way they mix sportswear with their traditional cloths,” he explained.

The soundtrack for Nicomede Talavera AW15: