Do and try to mean as you do. This could be the mantra of London Fashion Week Mens Fall-Winter 2020. Fresh, unapologetic and efficient, London’s talent deliver a season rooted in pragmatism yet festive. Sustainability also strong move, from optional to almost compulsory
“Fashion, a world of consumption and destruction that heaps misery upon human beings and reaps damage on the planet on a scale almost no other industry comes close to matching.”
Said an eloquent Patrick Grant in the communiqué that welcomed guests at E.Tautz FW20 presentation. Did you say heavy ? Well we can’t say it wasn’t the main intent behind this, to make you, us, feel uneasy and engulfed in shame as it is often the case every time the industry is called out for its not-so-collaborative attitude towards earth. Still eyebrows were raised, just like questions. At least the time to get distracted by the lighting shift announcing the show was on stage, not on paper. Heavy was the coat opening the walk. Heavy in the shape : slightly ovoid slouchy shoulders, minimal in the cut : large collar, clean finishing, savvy in the details : two sides pockets, discreet buttoning. Eloquent by the Prince of Wales pattern covering it all. What was supposed to catch our attention however was at the bottom right of the coat. A square patch of scratched fabric that looked like it had been sewn-on right before the show backstage. This small piece of fabric hinting at a change in fashion.
Indeed about 50% of the fabrics used for the E.Tautz Fall 2020 originated from repurposed material provided by industrial recycling Astco. Ethics had to be visible. Aesthetically speaking. And there is no shame in it. Otherwise, the show was all about pants. Sure, every now and then a blazer – we’re thinking about that very specific deep bordeaux one – might have caught our attention but it wasn’t enough to overshadow the impeccable series of pants that overtook the runway this day. A series of long and fluid and flare pants – in denim for the major part – so perfectly cut, they drew the line of the leg in motion, dancing-like. You know the man tailors at Savile Row. Anyway E.Tautz was a demonstration of what wonders a denim and flare combination can make, day and nightwear. Plus it was sustainable.
London made sustainability the word of the week and meant it. Indeed sustainability has been out for several years now more often spoken and stated than applied with “conscious”, “green”, “waste” being spread hashtag-like speed. A situation reinforcing the idea that fashion and sustainable were antinomic within the collective consciousness. Well change takes time and is a process. Time then has been given on bail to the industry until found guilty or not.
London showed positive evidences of moving dynamics and shift in mindset in the way we produce, consume and do think fashion however. Think of Bethany Williams. Not only the designer delivers a strong collection rooted in up-cycling, she teaches us about purpose and grassroots activism in the process. You might have – or not – spotted the initials NRPF splashed all over the colourful clothes imprinted in abstract graphics – all courtesy of Melissa Killy Jarram – on different items.
No Rescue for Public Funds is how Williams has decided to name her collection and is the condition of thousand of undocumented people living the UK – mostly migrant mothers – ostracised. A condition translating into poor access to basic accommodation and welfare like housing and health. The designer connected to Magpie Project , a grassroots organisation making impact east by helping those women and include them in the manufacturing of the collection. This translated into a vibrant collection of reworked materials assembled into a practical urban wardrobe.
The designer who doesn’t believe in solace in eternal growth and expansion in productivity once vowed to not dramatically increase her volume of production for the sake of profit. Big change come from small initiatives which is the mantra of Williams when it comes to impact. Say it. Mean it. Do it. Not alone. She brings into the light those forever in the shadow of society hence highlights the definition of sisterhood : create, nurture, protect and all of this through menswear. Bravo.
Sustainable and responsible production also came in minor changes. Feng Chen Wang used non-toxic pigments extracted from herbal tea sourced in her natal Fujian and developed poetic prints echoing her a past personal retreat in the mountains of the region. Sensitive and caring. Bianca Saunders on another note got groovy and responsible with a dancing presentation – reminiscences of her Jamaican heritage she said – with all denim sponsored by Isko which produces organic and recycled fabric in Turkey. By having her cast dancing in separated booth on the rhythms of her 90’s youth, the intent was to make clothes you can actually dance in and that look even better while you’re doing it. She said she’s interested into motion more than anything else.
London Fashion Weeks translates the diversity of the city through its large panel of designers with different background and influences like no other city. Indeed take a trip to Paris or a New York or Milan, homogeneity is still thicker in the air. Sure it is not snobby-cool New-York nor grandiloquent Paris, and even less absurd Milan. No. London is all about the vibe. Just like when you cruise in any of its street. It is tinted with multiple scents, textures, influences, faces and histories which are not the same but collectively shape London. The Great(er) London. No wonder music took a hold on the week.
Nicholas Daley literally took EartH, his show being presented at the infamous venue while Wales Bonner’s Lovers Rock collection was self-explanatory. One of the highlight of the week. Talking about influence, Chalayan wasn’t the only one to experiment with hybrid nomadic spirit. Think of Daley’s mix of afrofuturism, psychedelics and berbers influences or Saunders and Bonner’s celebration of the Jamaican diaspora that jammed around the city in the 70’s. Heritage comes in different shapes for London. From top notch tailoring to recent waves of immigration – think of Iranian Paria Farzaneh – each have their seat on the table.
Last year during FW19/20 we predicted the end of logomania and a transition towards soft branding. It looks like designers are eventually taking this direction this season. Talking to Dazed Virgil Abloh even said streetwear was dead. Well that’s not how we phrase it but we couldn’t agree more with the designer’s saying : “how many more t-shirts can we own, how many more hoodies, how many sneakers?” The death of streetwear, hype or whatever you call it is imminent. Calling streetwear what has become casual and workwear is already a pleonasm.
Tables turn and fresh ain’t synonymous with new new anymore. Upcycling even took collabs as Williams and Daley made use of reworked and custom Adidas material for their shoes. It makes sense. At least to a generation that shops second hand on Depop and thrift and live in an era of instant obsolescence. This week in London was a hint of what is really coming at us for the next seasons. Festive and pragmatic. Something worth reminding after seasons of maxi maxis then mini minis things.
Fresh, unapologetic and efficient, London will always be the cool kid on the bloc. Just like a good party, it is well-timed. You don’t really know who and what you’ll see there and will leave wanting more. And, We don’t want it to last too long. This is how you throw a great party.
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