London College of Fashion MA Menswear

The London College of Fashion hosted its first ever stand-alone MA Menswear catwalk show yesterday, further proof that men’s fashion is quickly catching up to its counterpart: the womenswear season. A selection of graduates from the capital’s prestigious school were whittled down into a group of 12 by some of London’s most renowned faces, including Anders Sølvsten Thomsen, who styled the show and worked closely with the students to help shape the collections throughout the production stages. In a city brimming with talent, here Dazed’s fashion editors select their favourites from LCF’s MA Menswear crop.

JASMINE HAOYAO DENG

Initial reaction:

Peruvian nomads clean up with a good dose of 70s prints and tailoring.

How it was worn:

With large mohican safari hats designed by Vesna Pesic which saw coloured bristles peeping through the straw. 70s silhouettes – turtlenecks, high waisted tailored trousers and geometric prints – were rife in bright block colours, soft knits and crepe. A standout was a red belted ski suit-style all-in-one, and an Eastern influence surfaced in fisherman trousers that tied loosely above the navel.

Past to present:

“It’s very authentic,” said Haoyao Deng on the Peruvian inspiration running through her collection. “There is a tribal village where they create all the fabric by hand, they hand dye, it’s hand spun, but this collection is very computerised with the fabrics. I wanted to use very advanced techniques of weaving to represent those old, traditional techniques.”

EMMA FENTON VILLAR

Initial reaction:

American workwear punks, taking their tools to strip back and reclaim their beloved denims.

How it was worn:

Denim in grey, blue and indigo were either shredded and frayed or offered untouched, ripe for customisation, and finished with chunky white combat boots. Boxy button downs and parka jackets layered trousers with hidden pockets.

Own it:

“The idea is that people can customise the garment to what they want so it’s kind of building a relationship between designer and wearer,” Fenton Villar told us. The designer’s vision came from her concerns over customers being too compliant with what’s handed to them – a loss of individuality. “It’s about re-approaching denim and also about something people have lost after being dictated by the fashion industry where everything’s very polished and finished, and provided to them”.

KITTY NG

Initial reaction:

Rockstars waking up in the middle of a farmer’s field.

How it was worn:

Clad in leather trousers, bodies were entwined with Raffia that crocheted turtle neck tops and vests as a long electric blue coat dragged behind a model like plumage. The material was woven over Western boots and wide brimmed hats overflowed with the palm like porcupine spikes.

In the details:

Hailing from Hong Kong, Ng found herself inspired by her homeland, looking towards ancient farmers’ jackets which were typically made from waterproof organic plant material and a variety of handcraft techniques. By mixing tradition with technology – such as high tech knitting and weaving techniques – the designer updates her pieces into the modern day.