VERSACE MENSWEAR AUTUMN WINTER 2015/16 COLLECTION

I had the pleasure of attending the gorgeous Versace Menswear Autumn Winter 2015/16 Collection show at Milan Fashion Week earlier this month to witness some of the most amazing pieces pieces presented by the Donatella Versace.

The introduction of the new Versace suit, with a neat constructed shoulder and a sharp shorter jacket length, in a variety of styles and cloths.

Cashmere knitwear is a focus, whether it’s fine-gauge long rib knit tops, or chunky knit sweaters and cardigans that sit below the hips.

Tone-on-tone dressing gives a fine look, especially when it’s a single-button suit worn with matching shirt and tie.

Fur is an essential, with full or cropped hooded coats in mink, plus a bomber of intarsia mink. Fur also trims coat collars and the inside of hoods.

Graphic black-and-white blanket coats are noble, while double-breasted coats are long and lean, with a dominant power.

Metal details shine throughout, from the gold tabs that fasten tailori

The Unstructured Travel Jacket

As you may already know I love casual, unstructured, “soft” tailoring.  In my opinion it’s the ideal way for a modern gentleman to dress.

I designed this jacket with the NYC-based team behind online custom clothier Black Lapel (as seen in our Online Custom Suit Review) for two reasons. First, I wanted to test their ability to create a fully unstructured made-to-measure jacket (which they just about nailed) and second, I’ve been researching and sampling different manufacturing techniques for my own collection – which will be available later this year. More on all that later.

This particular jacket, a sort of experiment for Black Lapel, has no shoulder padding, no sleeve heads, and no chest canvas whatsoever. The result is a “shell” of a jacket, made from a soft wool flannel fabric.

In my opinion, this makes for a jacket that strikes the perfect balance between dress and casual. It’s still a sharply cut sportcoat, but it looks and feels less rigid and more causal than a traditional tailored jacket.

The advantages of an unstructured jacket:

it’s a versatile piece that can truly be dressed-up or dressed-down
it’s lightweight on the body and very breathable
it’s flexible, making it more comfortable than a canvassed jacket
it’s easily packable. I rolled this one below to show that it’s really just one piece of cloth.

The Season - festive period

The Season - festive period

The party season is upon us, the time of year where we reach for our best wares in the lead up to the festive period.

Whether it’s the office party or a family occasion you’ll want to look your best to make up for those not so good dance moves you may later throw in the evening.

In this post i choose the Velvet Jacket in Berry from Next. The tuxedo jacket is vast becoming something you can wear for that full evening look or even as a separate for a not so formal occasion so definitely worth considering as a fulltime piece in your wardrobe.

Wearing a white pintuck pleated dress shirt and bow tie, tuxedo trousers and patent evening shoes and I’m ready for the holiday season.