The world of fashion waits for no man. Although you’re undoubtedly still kitting out your wardrobe for the SS19 season, the catwalks are already racing ahead and preparing us for what men’s streetwear could look like in AW19. At times, it’s incredibly hard to keep up.
Casual menswear is continuing to evolve at a truly staggering rate, with the likes of Louis Vuitton and Supreme beautifully combining high fashion with eye-catching street styles. These gorgeous designs are often brimming with bold colors and outrageous patterns, turning everyday items of clothing into unique fashion statements. More importantly, these striking styles are keeping guys interested in fashion.
Despite David Beckham inadvertently stealing the show, the thirteenth season of London Fashion Week Men’s became the perfect showcase for this kind of luxury streetwear. Bringing together some of the biggest designer brands on the planet, last month’s show taught us some serious lessons about the future of men’s streetwear.
The Nineties are Still Cool
After three days of catwalks and enough photoshoots to make the head spin, LFWM 19 made one thing abundantly clear: the future of streetwear is all about the 1990s.
Although we didn’t see many guys wearing backward caps and baggy cargo pants, the likes of Raeburn and Qasimi weren’t afraid of showing off full head-to-toe blocks of color, reminiscent of those outrageous vintage tracksuits which remain so popular today. Designer brand Iceberg, in particular, certainly didn’t shy away from bold color combinations and retro-style patterns, with most of their selection dripping with nostalgia.
Bobby Abley’s show took our love affair with the 90s to a whole new level, however, displaying an entire collection of Pokémon-themed joggers, sweatshirts, tees and oversized jackets. Bursting with Pikachu’s, Squirtle’s, and Charmander’s, these bold designs showed us that AW19 could look more like AW95 than anything else.
Go Bold with Check Patterns
Check flannel shirts are another unmistakable trend from over 20 years ago, immediately inciting memories of Kurt Cobain and the 90s grunge scene. In AW19, however, these striking patterns are set to make a significant impact on men’s winter outerwear instead.
LFWM showed check patterns boldly displayed on scarves, trousers, and thick winter coats, while they even featured heavily on Craig Green’s futuristic (and bin bag-featuring) menswear collection. The likes of Wood Wood and Kent & Curwen also stole the show with some of their gorgeous check designs, flaunting graphic prints, and plaid patterns across all manner of comfortable jackets and knitted jumpers.
Instead of playing it safe with our typical black and grey winter coats, the fashion shows are daring us to dream a little bigger in AW19.
Oversized is the Way to Go
Jumpers. Jackets. Tees. If LFWM 19 and the other start-of-the-year fashion shows are anything to go by, pretty much everything needs to be oversized this winter season. Even scarves are becoming significantly larger, with oversized designs featuring in both the Bobby Abley and Kent & Curwen shows.
Of course, oversized menswear is certainly nothing new, and guys have been flaunting baggy sweatshirts and t-shirts for as long as we can remember. But this year, the fashion shows have turned things up a notch, with trousers, shirts, blazers, and jackets now relishing such a voluminous style—an ideal winter style for anyone wanting to keep things laid-back and relaxed.
Everyone Needs a Puffer Jacket
Puffer jackets are typically associated with long country hikes, but now these fashionable winter coats are being brought into the realm of high fashion. Brands such as Iceberg and A-COLD-WALL unveiled their distinctive puffer styles, with Kent & Curwen showing off a batch of longer, oversized designs.
These comfortable jackets have become incredibly popular in recent times, with the plush puffer design always offering a distinctive, stylish look. Well, there’s no doubt that this popularity is only going to grow further, and this should undoubtedly be considered an essential addition to your winter wardrobe. Whether you go for one of those striking aforementioned check designs, however, is entirely up to you.
Light and Mid-Wash Denim are Back
Believe it or not, denim is coming back with a bang in AW19. Both light and mid-wash materials featured heavily throughout LFWM, with the likes of E.Tautz and Liam Hodges hoping to vanquish the era of the skinny black jean once and for all.
These brands even went as far as unleashing full double denim pieces, exhibiting a style that has always divided public opinion more than Brexit or the 2002 series of Pop Idol. Featuring loose-fitting or straight-leg jeans, modern double denim slots in seamlessly with current men’s workwear trends, incorporating lighter shades, and ultimately creating an ultra-relaxed suit.
Whether you like it or not, this divisive style is now bigger and better than ever before. However, it’s still notoriously difficult to pull off.
