Spring/Summer 2013

Spring/Summer 2013

JONATHAN SAUNDERS

Jonathan Saunders is quite possibly the best colorist in British fashion. For his latest—and best—men's collection, it was the work of Hungarian op artist Victor Vasarely, king of the dots. Saunders' geometric honeycombs of color spanned spectrums, and loaned an arch precision to his signature knitwear.The real spine of this designer's menswear is that he creates it first for himself. There's nothing that he wouldn't wear…er…strike that. He's not a shorts man, and there were plenty of shorts in this collection. "They're youthful," Saunders explained. And bloke-y, too. That was something to keep in mind during London's menswear weekend, with the bared leg the running thread of show after show.

ACNE

Acne the last few seasons have represented a growing confidence , which now finds itself with credit to spend. But while there were echoes of that in the raw-edged denim vests and classic jean jackets, and perhaps also in the looser, boxier silhouette, flourishes like the scuffed gold and silver lace-up shoes added a note of tarnished glamour.

LANVIN

From beginning to end, the collection had relentless drive, defined by the tension between fashionable opposites: classic versus high-tech, linear versus rounded, detail versus no detail. But those pieces were all in black and white, as atonal as the Soft Cell track "Memorabilia" that played on the soundtrack. In fact, you had to apply the beady eye to find color, usually a Lanvin strong point (find it you could, in the slim layer of Lanvin blue that shaded shoe soles).