Inspiration for the now

With so much focus and attention diverted to the future in fashion it is easy to forget which season it actually is. Now, my mind is a little over stimulated with all of the AW10 look books and Press Day visits so as it is Friday afternoon lets step away from gazing in to our style crystal balls and savour the moment, the emergence of now, of Spring. Yet another discovery from Hong Kong (sorry to keep mentioning the trip) illustrates this desire perfectly...

Lane Crawford's 'The Portfolio' provides much inspiration for the present.

As mentioned previously, shopping is an important facet of everyday life here and practically everyone indulges in a bit of consumerism on a daily basis. During my last trip back in November I enjoyed in a spot of window shopping and brand discovery at Joyce, this time round it was Lane Crawford. In addition to marveling at Kim Jones' pop up store (as described below) I was impressed by the array of design talent stocked for SS10 and even more so by the department stores in house magazine The Portfolio. The highlight of which was the Midsummer Odyssey editorial which demonstrated all of the key season trends in an utterly beautiful way. In fact, I'm hard pushed to think of a stronger spread in any of my favourite magazines!

Desert Storm. Acne shirt, Rag & Bone tee, Wings & Horn trousers, Burberry Prorsum bag and bracelet and Cole Haan shoes.

The Porfolio showcases the apparent scaling back on previous seasons as showcased in the SS10 shows. The structured tailoring excess of the last season were forgotten. SS10 was littered with understated looks consisting of wardrobe staples that can travel confidently from work days and weekends alike. Casual wear came in a vibrant variety of wardrobe essentials that included tribal print designs, paint splashed pieces, military inspired separates and feather light knitwear. Delicately rendered cardigans, soft summer trench coats, feather light knitwear and trousers that drape slightly at the hem exude a restrained sense of luxury.

I just wish this could be my Spring/Summer uniform. Yves Saint Lauren cardigan, Rag & Bone tee, 3. Phillip Lim trousers and Pierre Hardy sandals.

There was certainly an Eastern promise feel to a number of key collections. Tribal patterns, graphic motifs and patchwork designs formed a colourful explosion of prints on the runway. Drawing inspiration from the Orient and North Africa, designers such as Givenchy, Yves Saint Laurent and Balenciaga ro name but a few, successfully delivered a rich and expressive range of textiles that are ideal for the months ahead.

Givenchy sandals. White Mountaineering jacket and Yves Saint Laurent trousers.

Richardo Tisci in particular created a collection full of ethnic impressions at Givenchy. The collection saw a refreshing mix of formal tailoring and punk attitude, an aggressive army of sportswear shapes and codes reinvented in tartan, middle-eastern prints and monochrome jerseys. As with a number of other shows, classics were modified for the utility requirements of the new season. A variety of military inspired jackets with zip detailing, garments with multiple pockets and practical accesories including backpacks and stylish holdalls.

Utility and sportswear. Ralph Lauren vest, Diet Butcher slim skin jacket, White montaineering trousers, Givenchy shoes and backpack.

One of my favourite aspects of the SS10 shows was the sense that sartorial elegance took on a different interpretation as meticulous and architectural tailoring gave way to a more relaxed silhouette. The overall attitude for the warmer months is one of effortlessness and nonchalance. Designers inclusing Yves Saint Laurent, Lanvin and Alexander McQueen all unveiled collections of subtly draped jackets and relaxed tailored pieces.

One of my favourite looks from the spread. Acne jacket, Alexander McQueen shirt, Armani Collezioni trousers and Raf Simons belt.

As the sun becomes a more constant feature in the sky above I think it is time we all reminded ourselves of the diversity of styles from this current season. Right from the understated soft tailoring and functional utililitarianism, to the vibrancy of ethnic influences and the modern artisans, it is time we dress for the now.

Kudu, will do now that I have my boots

The waiting game is over...Lodger's Kudu Brogued Boot.

After interviewing Lodger's Nathan Brown back in September my imagination was overwhelmed following his description of his September shoe of the month, the Kudu Brogued Boot. From this moment on I have been day dreaming about them gracing my feet during the coming winter months and beyond. When the Clifford Street store released the first images of the boot I fell head over bootless heels. They were the boots I had dreamed of wearing this winter but until then did not know they actually existed. After placing my order in September I have been patiently...screw that...desperately waiting for that moment when I could take them home.

The boots gracing my feet...(worn with Unconditional wool trousers)

The wait was undoubtedly worth it. The boot is an eight eyelet brogued style, and has a skeleton lining of the same Kudu leather as the upper, and a full lining in a plush purple velvet from Scabal. The craftsman in Northampton have created something truly beautiful out of that antique African antelope hide. As there was only a certain amount of kudu leather available Lodger could only make around twenty five pairs or so. There was only one parcel of this wonderfully battered and aged leather remaining, and the two tanneries that know how to produce it have ceased operation. Once this leather is gone, it is gone forever and my resolve did not last too long and I'm so pleased that I am one of the fortunate few...

Spoken for...My boots were made on 16th October 2009

Lace up boots can be something of a sartorial testosterone shot. They were employed with great effect in a number of Autumn Winter 09 shows, including Alexander Mcqueen, Calvin Klein, Rick Owens, Lanvin and I let's not forget my particular favourite Tim Hamilton. Last year's February shows demonstrated that they can be both smart and causal. Thankfully this AW09 experimentation with boots continued through to a few of my favourite AW10 shows. Not surprisingly Rick Owens did not deviate too much from his futuro-goth aestheticand this included showcasing beautiful boots and cropped tailored trousers. However, there so many lace up boots used in a wonderful and inspiring variety of ways. From Damir Doma's monastic looks to Burberry's military inspired outerwear. From Dunhill's travelling gentleman (as below) to Lanvin's urban warriors. They are a catalyst for the silhouette whilst accentuating both skinny and loose fitting trousers. Lace up leather boots are undoubtedly a true staple of the season and now that I have my beloved Kudu boots in my possession I just had to experiment integrating them in to a few looks...

Relaxed tailoring...Carolyn Massey for Topman Lens scarf coat, red cord shirt from Uniqlo, Carolyn Massey mittens, Maison Martin Margiela trousers.

An air of the military...My trusty old favourite (but often forgotten) Zara coat styled up with a black patent belt from Topman, Carolyn Massey cable knit jumper, Unconditional wool trousers.

Updating my everyday uniform..Custom made suit jacket by j.a.daye worn with polka dot pocket square from Muji, blue oxford shirt from Uniqlo, Oliver Spencer patterned jumper and my slightly battered A.P.C jeans.

A close up shot of my favourite look which demonstrates the mix of textures and patters.

Time for action

Time for action? Drawstring sheer top by Omar Kashoura.

After the month of excess that is December, every New Year brings a few heavy breaths and much belly surveying followed by the utterance that 'I'm going to be more active this year." Perhaps you profess that you will join a gym, take up pilates or jogging, or maybe you'll just cycle to work more often. Unfortunately these will end up either being short lives promises or downright lies on the most part. However, do not despair and throw down your skipping rope accepting your tubby fate before replacing it with a super deluxe chocolate eclair. You can look to the Spring Summer 09 shows for inspiration. Fashion156 have just unveiled the Sports Issue which is packed full of fashion inspired by and celebrating in those sweaty, active pursuits it tends to avoid. The time to be more active, or at the least appear so...is now.

From left to right. White neoprene shirt by Yang Li, black trousers by Matteo Bigliardi. Jacket by Yang Li shorts by Nicomede. Vest by Yang Li and shorts by Nicomede. Charcoal suit by Yang Li.

As we have all come to expect from our favourite online magazine, the real highlight can be found within the editorial pages. The sport inspired Fashion section showcases LFW favourites Carolyn Massey, Tim Soar, Lou Dalton and Satyenkumar along with emerging design talent including the likes of Omar Kashoura and Georgy Baratashvili whilst throwing up the freshest talent with Nicomede Talavera (current CSM student we caught up with last autumn) and Yang Li. This is the type of fashion which I'm prepared to run to the bus for.

Navy shorts and navy sliced tee by Lou Dalton

As soon as I flicked through the latest issue my mind raced back to an article I read by Dean Mayo Davies which talked about the tension that now exists in fashion. The confrontation between the sartorialism of the gentleman and the most active and reactive codes of sportswear. In the post he includes a comment by Casette Playa's Carri Mundane which keeps playing on my mind;

"It's a privilege to not have to wear a suit but still be in a position of power. The same way that working-class mods subverted the suit, taking the attributes of conformity by charging them with menace and the threat of violence. Sportswear now is no longer about performance but a refusal to conform."

A number of the more progressive SS10 shows (Ann Demeulemeester, Giuliano Fujiwara, Calvin Klein, Juun J, JW Anderson, Damir Doma to name but a few) demonstrated graphic shapes, bold attitudes and even more interestingly tech derived fabrics. Despite the obvious tension within the different schools of fashion, I am enjoying watching these two aesthetics challenge and push one another forward on the runway and on the street.

Black trousers and blue jacket by Carolyn Massey.

Boots for the wilderness

Looks from Tim Hamilton's Aw09 collection.

Fashion moves so fast and at this point in to a season I am always a little confused. As the nights come earlier and the days that bit cooler I never know quite what to write about because most of my inspiration is somewhere in the future. Everything around me is geared towards SS10 (look books, press days etc) but in the real world it feels as though we are only just entering Aw09. I feel like I am lost in the great unknown, the fashion wilderness, no man's land. What does one need in the wilderness? Boots of course.

These boots are made for walking...and looking like a modern day dandy. Lanvin Aw09

Lace up boots can be something of a sartorial testosterone shot. They were employed with great effect in a number of Autumn Winter shows, including Alexander Mcqueen, Calvin Klein, Rick Owens, Lanvin and of course, my particular favourite Tim Hamilton. The February shows demonstrated that they can be both smart and causal. This experimentation trickled through to a number of look books, most notably in Christophe Lemaire's offering which saw the French designer use them effectively throughout the relaxed volume and natural textures of his collection. They are a true staple of the season. A catalyst for the silhouette whilst accentuating both skinny and loose fitting trousers.

The waiting game. Lodger's Kudu Brogued Boot.

Regular readers will know that I fell head over heels for Lodger's September shoe of the month, the Kudu Brogued Boot and I am now (im)patiently waiting their delivery. The wait will undoubtedly be worth it. The boot is an eight eyelet brogued style, and has a skeleton lining of the same Kudu leather as the upper, and a full lining in a plush purple velvet from Scabal. As there is only a certain amount of kudu leather available Lodger can only make around twenty five pairs or so. With this in mind and to pass the time until I can shoe horn my feet in to my beloved Kudu's I have trawled through the best of the rest online. There are just so many beautiful boots available online. If you too are stumbling around the fashion wilderness then take a look at the offerings below...

The best of the rest list (clockwise from top left):

• Raf Simons for Dr Martens 8 hole boot: Raf Simons works his magic on a simple and classic 8 hole DM boot in a black leather. Available from oki-ni.

• Ann Demeulemeester buckle lace up worker boots: Black leather lace-up worker boots from Ann Demeulemeester featuring a buckled strap around the top of the boot. Fine if you have a spare £695. Available from farfetch.

• B Store suede lace up worker boot: Navy suede ankle boot from b Store with seam detailing and grey laces. Available from farfetch and bstore.

• Trickers Tan Leather boot: Something of a classic. Tan leather brogue style lace-up boots by Trickers. Available from farfetch.

• Alexander McQueen ‘Calamity Halfboot’: A sturdy leather lace up boot with a double side zip detail, heel pull and heavy treaded Vibram sole. Available from oki-ni.

• Mr. Hare Kerouac: The Kerouac is a man’s boot with a little romanticism and some healthy disrespect for the rules. It’s an adventure boot. It was oh so tempting when I first saw the collection and I was close to buying a pair. Must resist buying a pair now but they are so gooood...Available from oki-ni.

• Bed Stu Leather boot: An antiqued black leather boot with leather lining and sole. Five eyelet laceup. Available from Oak.

• Lanvin Leather lace up ankle boots: The "I wish I were rich" boots. These black leather lace-up ankle boots have wool detailing on both sides. Available at Browns.

• F-Troupe Black Sheepskin Hi Top: If all of the above are just too aspirational, how about this pair from f-troupe? The classic shape gets a winter upgrade with a shearling upper. Available from Oak.

Celebrities to go uggly?

Ugg Boots become a must have fashion accessory for celebrity men

This is the most provocative headline I've read for some time which is saying something given that there have been some ridiculous ones in recent weeks what with the US Election and the Brand/Ross BBC saga. For me there is a great deal of room for men to interpret the world of fashion and style and interpret them to fit them as an individual. I dislike the very idea of following rules in all aspects of life but in particular with regards to personal style. I do have one rule/commandment though:

Men shall not wear ridiculous bear feet monstrosities instead of actual shoes/boots.

Is there anything to salvage from di Caprio's outfit?

I appreciate the fact that these boots have some appeal; they are supposedly very comfortable and warm but no self respecting man should be wearing them outside the confines of his own home and question marks can even be raised when he's wearing them in the safety of his own abode. These are comfortable slippers nothing more. They should only be worn when the the central heating packs up or if you have circulation trouble. At £140 these are far from cheap as well and there must be more affordable and better looking options out there for those who suffer from cold toes. Male celebrities should certainly know better! Sadly, once again this is a case of a celebrity having more money than (fashion and style) sense. You have let us all down Mr Di Caprio but most of all you have let yourself down. How can we take your ideas on politics seriously when you wear such ridiculous boots and combine them with that purple velour tracksuit?

My favourite part of the article was the final paragraph where an unnamed editor of a men's magazine (Dylan Jones perhaps?) told the newspaper:

"They are a monstrosity. They are like glorified slippers. You may as well shuffle down the street in your pyjamas and a pair of incontinence pants."

Disclaimer: If I've offended anyone by posting about my distaste for this particular choice of footwear, I apologise (for your bad taste, mwahaha). In all seriousness thought, if you think you wear these boots wear then let us know, you can even send us images and who knows you might be able to change my mind.

Oh god, this is really testing my salvaging skills... um, um... like the purple, just not on Mr DiCaprio? At least he's adding colour to his wardrobe? Maybe there's something tasty in that plastic bag?? Oh, I give up. Perhaps this is just his fancy dress costume for Halloween... and he's dressing as JLo from about 8 years ago... Someone please tell me this is a belated April Fools joke!

Is the thin man redefining fashion for his generation?

I only recently stumbled across the photos and musings of Bill Cunningham of The New York Times (after a reader pointed me in his direction). During my lazy weekend I have managed to catch up on the internet world and that included a visit to the New York Times Photographer's page where I came across his ideas on a new generation of men in New York. For Bill there has been an interesting evolution in men's style, with a new thin silhouette having reached the streets of New York in all its conservative force. After more than a decade where young men either cared nothing for clothes and more in frequenting the gym, or chose to dress like slobs. Now a younger generation are neat, precisely dressed and sleek are to the photographer's eye showing the future. Up to this point I am right there will Bill, nodding approvingly all the way BUT then he loses me by discussing the sobering economic period as reason why these men are dressing as they are and will continue to do so. There can be little doubt that (thankfully) there are an increased number of men who are taking an interest in men's fashion and most importantly their own style. The reasons why there has been this shift in male attitudes to their clothes is less clear. Is it really that important? Let's just continue to celebrate it.

Take A Walk On The Wild Side

Okay, so today's post is not MJ's great guess of stalking MK for a full day and taking lots of marvelous photos of her (that would have been a phenomenol post!), but some of you guessed it anyway. This post is all about leopard because ever since I saw these two photos from New York Fashion Week (Lou Doillon) and Milan Fashion Week (The Sartorialist girl), I've had leopard print spinning in my head.




I know that it's maybe slightly off-beat talking about leopard print since it's not in all the fashion magazines and it's not referred to as the 'hot new trend' at the moment, but still, if there's one thing that I've heard from many a stylists mouth it's: Don't throw away any of your leopard pieces! This print always comes back in style. It's that, and you should own at least one perfect Little Black Dress. So, because I feel that my leopard mania is here to stay for a while, I'll share some of my favourite ways of wearing this print. It's important to know what you're doing at all times when you're dealing with something leopard printed because we just have to face it: leopard can go from classy to trashy in a second. So jot down a few style notes from these photos to get it juuuust right.

And just to let you know before looking at the pictures: I've chosen not to post photos of the really known leopard printed looks..you know like the ones worn by Kate, Sienna, Kiera, Nicole etc. (I know, I know...Angelina's coat and Gwen's dress are quite known for the leopard lovers, but I just had to include them!) The reason why is because I would like to mix it up a little, and I have sometimes found that looking beyond my favourite style icons and towards others who I pay a little less attention to, rewards me. If you only tend to stick with a few style icons, things can easily become a bit similar and you might get a bit stuck in your ways of styling your outfits.

Do you own anything leopard printed that you absolutely love?

Images: google, the cobrasnake, style.com, the fashion spot

Ps. I'll comment on all comments tomorrow..busy busy busy.

September Trends 1: Fade Away

Photo Source

Mad about Plaid

Hey EJ

I am huge fan of plaid at the moment and seem to see it everywhere although at times when I do see it want to burst into the Python's lumberjack song (one day soon I will just have to). I know you are a fan of the plaid shirt but are your eyes feasting on it as much as I am in recent weeks? I'm just working out a myriad ways of wearing it and have been inspired on recent style posts from the sartorialist, facehunter and DDD!

Have a look at these...

The classic - shirt worn with (slightly faded) denim jeans (image courtesy of thesartorialist)
Plaid shirt used as layering - very subtle plaid here, even with the stripes though it works! (image courtesy of facehunter)

Plaid Shirt with matching hat (the shot doesn't do it justice really, it actually looked pretty damn cool) - NB - I love the style of the guy on the left. (Image courtesy of DDD) Dressing up in Plaid - I love the hair here and red socks - not a fan of the trousers (they give him the appearance of sporting child bearing hips). Thesartorialist is finding some great shots in Stockholm (image courtesy of thesartorialist)

I think everyone in the world knows of our love for plaid. I also think H&M have been reading my mind as they have devoted a whole section of their accessories range to black & red plaid... love love love. For ages now I have been meaning to post this picture of Joe Strummer- I love the jacket and the loose teddy-boy-esque look. Come on, this hair is just beautiful.Sigh. And then this afternoon I was watching the extra features on the Science of Sleep DVD and admiring Michel Gondry's rather adorable jacket. I googled him and began to suspect that Michel may share our love...

The coat seen on the DVD- I love the suit GGM wears throughout the film but that's a different post

Michel giving a talk in New York in August 2006

Michel at a show via this blog

It's clearly a long-term love.

Sorry to hijack/distract the focus of this post... oops.

Wearable Fashion Trends 18: A Skirting Way

Out of the picture for the last couple of seasons - overshadowed by its sister the dress - skirt is firmly back in fashion focus.

There's nothing like wearing a skirt to make a woman feel feminine yet empowered. It's a garment with many moods; the knee-length is perennially practical, the midi is easy and carefree while the mini is bold and brave. Check out the new season's skirt shapes with net-a-porter's tips on how we should wear them...

The welcome death of Indie (both music and style) as we know it

Mixtape Necklace seen on Craftlog

Two events have sparked my desire to write on the subject of indie music and its relationship with style in recent years: firstly reading a Bethan Cole article in 10 Magazine and watching the ineresting Pitchfork documentary - A Classic Under Review, on The Smiths' The Queen Is Dead (one of the very best albums of the 1980s). During the mid 80's whe the band were in their prime, indie referred to a tangible musical genre or atleast a collection of sub-genres, a distinct sensibility, an opposition to mainstream pop. Indie was naive, retro and obsessed with authenticity. Indie kids felt like they were members of a secret cult, a world away from the mainstream of Rick Astley and Stock Aitken and Waterman. In recent years indie (as it is loosely termed today) IS the mainstream and the style is on sale at every high street store imaginable. Look around you and spot how many guys are wearing checked or plaid shirts, skinny jeans and cardigans. With this in mind we should all declare the era od faux indie truly dead and celebrate something new. Music is beginning to break out of the faux indie bubble it has been in throughout the 00's, with the likes of These New Puritans, Vampire Weekend, Maps and Santogold leaving the faux indie bands like the Pigeon Detectives and Joe Lean & the Jung Jang Jong sounding lame and unconvincing. What should certainly be left behind is the faux indie skinny silhouettes for men. Put down the waistcoast and skinny jeans and try something different. Diversity and difference make for an exciting music and fashion scape.

Smartening Up

A scene we have all become so familiar with might be changing

"An invesigation into the average man's attitude to his clothes would fill a substantial treatise and still not be able to get the bottom of the riddle of why the so-called stronger sex is so happy to dress in ways that suggest weakness."

When the rain is beating down on the window and the wind whistles and haunts the streets outside there is little better than curling up with a nice cup of strong tea (with a suggestion of sugar) and a new magazine. I was fortunate enough to pick up the new issue of 10 Man earlier today which made up for the poor weather. As always the magazine is packed full of interesting articles and inspiring editorials. The above quote is from an article by Colin McDowell which explores the phenomena of how the average man has often refused to grow up, insisting on hanging onto to the cute little boy their mums never wanted to see grow up..but in recent times things are improving. McDowell questions whether the everyday scenes of sagging jeans, insanitary trainers and semi-exposed bums which have made up the very fabric of our streets for so long are now evolving into something smarter. Just like women's fashion, men's clothes go in cycles and it is now time for men to embrace formality. The new mood of formality is certainly their on the runway and designer presentation, seen in designers as diverse as Pilati's vision for YSL, Tom Ford, Raf Simons, Thom Browne and Junya Watanabe. Dressing formally in a perfectly laundered shirt, tie and well cut suit can enable a man to fulfil his birthright (whatever that might be)... certainly not something one can achieve in flip flops and 3/4 length shorts.

Mad (Men) Confession

A few weeks ago I had a discussion with someone (I forget who but they know who they are) about how there is a lack of stylish men on TV. For me stylish men are few and far between on TV shows, there were cast members of Josh Schwartz's creations who dressed well but there is no comparison with their female counterparts. However, it seems I have overlooked one show...I have a confession that might shock you all. I've never actually seen Mad Men. Over the past few months I have noticed countless articles on the series (a continuous lean has a mad men section for goodness sake!) but somehow managed to not read any of them...until now. The pick of the coverage comes from Valet who recently proclaimed "It is for men, what Sex and The City was for women—smartly written dialogue and extreme characters we secretly wish to be, all wrapped up in a super stylized package." The woman behind the slick Eisenhower-era styling is Janie Bryant (award-winning costume designer) who outfits the cast in both custom costumes and tailored vintage finds. For Bryant the days explored by the series "were such elegant times for America, when men came to the office in these gorgeous slim-cut suits. You know, that's a good look for a guy." My favourite quote from Bryant is this: "It was the attention to detail that made the era so iconic in terms of style". This for me is what makes menswear so exciting, why I write about it.

Valet offers the below pieces to help one and all get the look:

1.) Sterling silver tie bar by David Donahue, $40 at Nordstrom. 2.) Lemtosh frames, $169 (without prescription) at Moscot. 3.) Sidecar gunmetal briefcase by Dunhill, $1,240 at Dunhill, 212.753.9292. 4.) Bow tie by Band of Outsiders, $92 at Blue Bee. 5-7.) Ties, (from left) Mike & Chris, $83, Ralph Lauren, $125 and Shipley & Halmos, $92, all available at Blue Bee. 8.) Suit by John Varvatos Star USA, $795 at Nordstrom. Shirt by Theory, $125, at Nordstrom. Tie by Hickey, $115 at Hickeystyle.com. 9.) Wool hat by Rod Keenan, $360 at Barneys New York stores. 10.) Cotton handkerchiefs, $25 for a pack of seven, at Brooks Brothers.

I've since read how canny eBay sellers are now marketing their vintage clothes as "Mad Men-style", while on message boards ideas are swapped as to what to serve at a Mad Men party...how has this retro revival passed me by until now. Still, it's not just the thrill of retro, the "Mad Men effect" is apparently increasing the sales of everything...from tortoise shell glasses to fedoras, while the stars of the show skip from the pages of Vanity Fair to GQ to Vogue. The rest of my week will be spent catching up on this show and seeing if it has substance as well as style.

An afternoon flicking through 'When you're a boy'

(When you're a boy) You can wear a uniform (When you're a boy) Other boys check you out (You get a girl) These are you favourite things (When you're a boy)
David Bowie and Brian Eno, Boys Keep Swinging (1979)

Two weeks have passed since the opening of Simon Foxton's When you're a boy exhibition at the Photographer's Gallery and the closest I've got to the images is the Gallery Shop whilst seeking shelter from (one of many) Summer downpours. Alas, we just didn't have enough time to explore the exhibition space fully so rather than trudge my sodden hi tops around I just picked up the exhibition catalogue. For those of you who have not been to able to see the exhibition yet, why not make yourself a cup of tea, sit in a comfy chair and pour over the pages as I have done this afternoon and marvel at Foxton's amazing body of work...

From 'Punk', photographed by Nick Knight. Published in The Face, Feb 1986

The exhibition explores exactly what a great stylist contributes to a fashion photograph beyond selecting clothes and dressing models. Through the impressive body of work of pre-eminent menswear stylist, the exhibition traces the growth and development of men's fashion over the past three decades. Foxton has deservedly built himself a reputation as one of the leading image-makers of men’s fashion; anticipating and defining key shifts in menswear design throughout. the 80s, 90s and 00s. Foxton's interest in masculinity, ethnicity and sexuality are captured in images shot by photographers and longtime collaborators Alistair McLellan, Nick Knight and Jason Evans. Foxton's contribution to fashion photography goes way beyond the production process that precede a shoot, and towards offering a benchmark of taste; it is a singular world view. In combination with longstanding photographic partners (Knight, Evans, McLellan) who each bring their own specific perspectives to bear on the work produced, Foxton's unique perspective inspires discrete and different bodies of work.

Left: From 'Punk', photographed by Nick Knight. Published in The Face, Feb 1986. Right: From 'War' photographed by Nick Knight. Version published in Big, No.18, 1987

Elements of the styling practice that Foxton had been responsible for popularising in the 1980s - street casting, customisation, inveigling non-fashion accessories into shoots, using 'model's' own clothing - were crucial in shaping the identity of my favourite magazines whilst growing up and beyond. Foxton began styling for i-D in 1984, at a time when the visual language of fashion photography was still being established. Since then he has contributed to my favourite magazines and more including The Face, Arena, Arena Homme Plus, Vogue Hommes International, Details, W, GQ Style and Big Magazine. Without his work, the magazines that we know and love would certainly not be the same.

From 'Strictly', photgrpahed by Jason Evans. Published in i-D, July 1991

There is a great Penny Martin interview with Simon Foxton in his garden shed featured inside the catalogue, below are a few of my favourite questions and answers...

Penny Martin: How did you make the shift from designing to styling?

Simon Foxton: When I had my own little design company, I found the whole process of from imagining the clothing to the realisation and production such a long, laborious and tedious journey. The idea that I could come up with ways of dressing people to make them look different and for it to happen almost immediately was like a big light going on in my head. I thought "I don't have to deal with factories in the East End, or order buttons. I can actually come up with ideas and make them happen within a week."

From 'Hey there fancy pants', photographed by Jason Evans. Published in i-D, May 2004

Penny Martin: If not money, what do you think still motivates you after twenty five years?

Simon Foxton: It is only when you stop and look at it, like now, with doing an exhibition, that you think "God, I have been doing this for twenty five years! Why?" I don't know. It is partly because it is fun. The commercial things can be tough but the editorial is usually great: having a freehand to make images. Once that whole character is there, it's almost like giving birth. I've created this thing and it's like "wow, I've not seen that before, a person dressed in that way." That is enough for me.

From 'Atlas', photographed by Alasdair McLellan. Published in Arena Homme Plus, AW 2003/04

With wit, sophistication and irreverence, Foxton continues to redefine perceptions of masculinity with his uniquely thrilling and fantastical portrayals of men. During his twenty five year career, Foxton has evolved a highly recognisable and much emulated approach to creating fashion photography. An approach which sees him balance a deep respect for traditional men’s fashion design with an injection of street culture, popular imagery and much needed humour. He is quite simply the quintessential menswear stylist, consistently progressing men’s fashion and truly deserves this exhibition. If you are in town anytime from today until October 17th, you have to make a trip to this exhibition...if you've already been, please let us know what you thought.

Selection of shots published in i-D, unpublished work and webcasts on SHOWstudio.com