London men’s tradeshow Jacket Required (26-27 Jan.) closed the doors to its 12th edition on Friday night. Held yet again at The Old Truman Brewery in east London, the show has grown considerably over the last few seasons, but as co-founder Craig Ford noted, it probably won’t expand much further. “We currently have just under 300 exhibitors, and we like to offer diversity by presenting brands across different categories – from technical outerwear and premium casualwear to accessories and lifestyle product,” said Ford.
Here’s our pick of trends and highlights from the show’s F/W17 edition:
Master scribbler
Prints featuring text and scribbles – and sometimes even complete sentences – emerged as a bit of a trend at the latest edition of London Fashion Week Men’s – and it turned up at Jacket Required, too. A.Four’s artful doodles, courtesy of artist and A.Four co-founder Lucas Price, gave a compelling twist to classic flannel shirts.
Wrangler and Peter Max reunite
Wrangler is turning 70 in 2017. To celebrate, the brand has teamed up with psychedelic print icon Peter Max to create a new premium denim collection, thus reviving aspects of the pair’s ’70s collaboration. Peter Max’s colorful prints and badges appear on tees, jeans and cropped paneled jackets – and in some cases it extends onto the inside of the garments.
MoonStar’s move
Cult Japanese footwear brand MoonStar is entering the UK market for the first time in FW17 – though its sister line Shoes Like Pottery has been available for some time at retailers such as Dover Street Market. MoonStar’s moisture-busting boot, which features substantial rubber overlays atop a canvas base, will go down well in rainy UK.
Teddy and friends
Fuzzy materials have transitioned from the catwalk to the casual end of the men’s wardrobe. Mohair, bobble fleece and cord added a tactile quality to all manner of garments. The “teddy bomber” stood out in Wesc’s booth. The fabric first appeared in the womenswear collection for SS17, before creeping into the men’s range for FW17. Japanese label Curly’s fluffy flannel-look jacket, cut in kimono style, appeared just as cozy.
Elka’s new carrier
Danish rainwear purveyor Elka continues to extend its repertoire. For fall, the brand has introduced a roomy, fully waterproof backpack. The style is available in plain colors as well as camo prints in blue and green.
Billionaire Boys Club’s spaceman camo
The camo print continues into the new season with confident strides, and a myriad of different iterations cropped across the Jacket Required fair landscape. Billionaire Boys Club’s space-themed take on the military classic was among the most uplifting interpretations. Not news as such, as it’s in fact a reissue from the brand’s archive, brought out especially for the European market by UK licensee A Number of Names.
Pink poser
Soft, washed-out pastels featured aplenty. Shades of pink and lilac took center stage at British workwear brand M.C. Overalls’ booth by way of lilac overalls and marshmallow pink sweatshirts lined with a biscuit-colored waffle knit.
Bright hands
Swedish family-owned glove brand Hestra brought a myriad of styles to the show. A little like Nudie Jeans, many styles bear Swedish names, the latest addition to the Hestra family being Heimdall (an Old Norse name) – a butter-soft but sturdy deerskin gloves available in colors including a fetching shade of yellow.
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