Back when she started out, Karen Elson had her eyebrows infamously off-ed at the suggestion of Steven Meisel. She catapulted to international fame fronting high-fashion campaigns and covers from W magazine to Italian Vogue. All this would suggest that the loss of one’s eyebrows is actually rather beneficial- a debate being started over on the Daily Mail website. In the latest Givenchy advert, model Adriana Lima shows off a pair of bleached brows and the Daily Mail is as always on the attack.
Unfortunately for my now traumatised retinas, the newspaper made up a few of Britain’s biggest stars without eyebrows (image above.) I’m not a fan; waking up without eyebrows would be one of my worst nightmares. I can understand that on someone staggeringly beautiful and Elson-esque, a lack of eyebrows would only increase allure. However, this is most definitely one trend I pray does not make the leap from womenswear to menswear. Let’s leave it to the models!
Esquire has brought together some of our favourite designers and our most art-throb artists for the Singular Suit Project which opens at Somerset House on July 31st.
Patrick Grant from Savile Row tailors Norton & Sons teamed up with one of our favourite artists, Turner Prize winner Jeremy Deller to produce a US-style boilersuit which accumulates patches as mementoes of the wearer’s life. Richard James‘ sheer tailored suit takes inspiration from Spencer Tunick‘s mass nude photographs and just so happens to be bang on trend. Newly appointed Dunhill Director Kim Jones worked with Terence Koh on an-all white suit, with mixed-media embellishments which cracks and ages as it’s worn.
The full feature will appear in a special hardback edition of Esquire’s September issue out on Aug 6, in the meantime check out our thumbnail gallery featuring a selection of the designs.
Displaying two very different menswear styles Daniel Merriweather and Tinchy Stryder put on their best togs for their appearances onstage at Wireless.
Daniel Merriweather, best known for his vocals on the Mark Ronson version of The Smiths’ ‘Stop Me’ opted for a tweedy jacket, shirt and tambourine, accessorised with a pair of aviator shades. Tinchy Stryder who recently acheived mainstream success with N-Dunz collaboration ‘Number One’ sported a t-shirt from his own ‘Star In The Hood’ range as well as a thick chain and Timex watch. Both very good efforts, and very different, hurrah!
Giles Deacon for New Look, one of the few designer X high street collaborations for men returns next week with another collection, featuring a selection of shirts, t-shirts, jeans and knits.
We like that the New Look collections are a chance to see Deacon’s lighter take on fashion with witty t-shirt prints and bright colours. Hopefully we’ll see see pieces which push boundaries a little more in future collections but as always it’s baby steps for menswear. Having said that the designer himself wears quite simple and classic clothes, miles away from his last Pac Man womenswear catwalk show. What do you think? Take our poll and let us know!
We’re still playing post-Glastonbury catchup with all the menswear shows, but the collections have set the cogs in the cranium a-whirring. First up is YSL‘s collection, which features the director, Samuel Benchetrit’s son lazing around a hotel room Nouvelle Vague style. The clothes themselves seem to be a mix of high-low tailoring and rock chic. Looking forward to seeing this in more detail.
As tributes for Michael Jackson continue to pour in, Sir Paul Smith made the ultimate gesture to the late King of Pop during his closing menswear show in Paris yesterday. The British designer danced his way down the catwalk to Jackson’s iconic “Thriller,” together with his light-footed models. It was a happy and celebratory moment as the audience clapped and bopped along. Catch sight of grey-haired Paul getting down to MJ by clicking play on the video above – fun!
Nickque Patterson is setting the London fashion world alight- slowly but surely. As a stylist, DJ, designer and all-round fashionisto persona, Nickque is one of those people for whom every street is a real-life catwalk. Whether in front of the camera as a model or working behind the scenes orchestrating an edgy editorial, Patterson knows the trends and makes fashion happen.
Ever so fortunately, he was excited to be interviewed for Brandish and after the jump we have his full interview. Prepare for shoes described as ‘elite,’ Nickque’s self-decided role as the “Jesus of Fashion” and grooming-secrets (just check out the hair!)
We love him!
Not content with causing a tidal wave of excitement when he stripped off for Armani in 2007 David Beckham is at it again.
This time he launched the advert in our very own London town, with an in-store appearance at Selfridges. He said he was “a little embarrassed” at the bombastic unveiling, but if previous form is anything to go by Mr Armani is no doubt very pleased! Jump through for a better look, and don’t forget to take our poll!
Kingston University‘s show was a much-anticipated one, and the atmosphere was electric as the lights went down.
Philippa Jenkins showed smart adventurer looks, with great accessories, she obviously has a knack for colour. Myriam Saumtally focused on sports items and workwear, giving grey jersey a twist with embroidery and we particularly loved the semi-sheer nylon jacket, with houndstooth fabric just visible underneath. Alexander James‘ subtle moorish influences married perfectly with details like cummerbunds and we fell in love with the pleated grey harem pants. A big GFW trend, Eleanor Searle‘s sheer tailored boilersuit was the centrepiece of her sportswear collection.
Last night the London College of Fashion‘s BA Fashion Design students showed their graduate collections.
With only three students doing menswear there wasn’t so much for the Brandish reader but Aleksandra Domanevskaya‘s collection caught our eye. She took the limitations of menswear, reworking staple items with a dreamy touch. I love the oversized blouson after the jump, and I can’t help but being reminded of the ‘Mr Soft’ advert by the trenchcoat.
Farfetch, the website that brings together the best from designer boutiques around Europe, is having a private sale. Admittedly there isn’t much for a credit crunch budget, but there are plenty of quality investment pieces with up to a 40% discount.
The Missoni sweater should by rights, be an eyesore, but because it’s Missoni it just works. Use as a cosy beach cover-up over some tailored grey shorts. The limited edition design means that each jumper will be different which is an added bonus. Raf Simons‘ transparent grey aviators are totally modern, whilst retaining the classic shape. If you can manage not to sit on them these will last you a long time. Fummel & Kram‘s tapeman scarf is colourful and playful, but the taupe fabric will go with a multitude of summer colours. Finally, brogues are firmly positioned as a wardrobe staple once more, and B Store’s pair scream summer.
Jump through for full product details
Kings of Leon can always be relied on to scrub up well for awards ceremonies, and at the MTV Movie Awards yesterday they did look pretty good with one exception. Jared Followill (far right) lets the side down with his whiskered jeans, let us concentrate instead on the chambray shirt and neat peacoat worn by his bandmates.
Jump through to see what Bruno aka Sacha Baron Cohen wore to the event and watch this hilarious clip of Baron Cohen royally annoying Eminem by landing in his lap!
The Clothes Show kicked off today and over at CQ we were left wondering what Katie Price had in mind for her equestrian bikini.
Also at the Clothes Show was TV and radio presenter George Lamb, normally his style errs the wrong side of indie, but he looked quite fetching in a taupe jacket with a gorgeous mustard silk tie. He seems to be positioning himself as a bit of a menswear expert. Would you take fashion advice from George Lamb? take our poll and let us know!
The Times has a feature at the moment detailing the changing size of the common tie as we go through decades of economic change. Apparently John Lewis has announced “a dramatic inch-loss of nearly 25 per cent in width over the past six months” with its most popular ties. Charlie Allen, the famous tailor Brandish recently had an exclusive sit-down with over the new ‘n’ improved England kit, told the Times that “the impact of economic turmoil on tie design can be traced back through the previous recessions of the 20th century. While postwar Britain and the Swinging Sixties embraced exaggerated prints and widths of up to 5in, the downturns of the 1930s and 1980s saw sizes reduce to as little as an inch.”
See after the jump for my Top 5 ‘Skinny Summer ties’- on the cheap for your enjoyment! (They’re all under £10)
Back when she started out, Karen Elson had her eyebrows infamously off-ed at the suggestion of Steven Meisel. She catapulted to international fame fronting high-fashion campaigns and covers from W magazine to Italian Vogue. All this would suggest that the loss of one’s eyebrows is actually rather beneficial- a debate being started over on the Daily Mail website. In the latest Givenchy advert, model Adriana Lima shows off a pair of bleached brows and the Daily Mail is as always on the attack.
From:What David Gandy Can Do For Your Style