January has been a blur of menswear. Now that the presentations, shows and installations have come to a close, Team i‑D revisit their highest of highs.
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The early start to the autumn/winter 2013/14 menswear season allowed little opportunity to nurse any hangover from the New Year festivities but thankfully, the fashion capitals of London, Florence, Milan and Paris provided plenty of reasons to continue the celebrations by serving up a heady cocktail of print, texture and colour. A sartorial hair of the dog that has left our heads spinning. Over the last few weeks our minds have been preoccupied daydreaming about checks, fantastical facial hair and well crafted worlds while humming David Bowie. To help take stock of a season heaving with highlights, we asked i-D’s Fashion Editor Elgar Johnson and Fashion Features Editor Anders Christian Madsen for their favourite moments.
MORGAN O’DONOVAN. The photographer shares his visual diary from the first day of LC:M.
“The Kenzo show was a huge production at the Mercado Centrale city market in the middle of Florence. We all got Kenzo blankets, which came in handy during all the shows that followed in chilly Florence. The Kenzo party was held in the gilded salons of the Palazzo Gianfigliazzi Bonaparte with a balcony overlooking the River Arno. There weren’t a lot of us in Florence so it was quite intimate and the energy was amazing.” Anders Christian Madsen “Jil Sander opened the week with a lot of grey and check, which really set the mood for the season. We could write our entire seasonal trend reports just from that show. Pretty cool.” Anders Christian Madsen “Neil Barrett played Joy Division and Grauzone and matched it with a clean-cut collection devoted to the 90s, and the marble pillar backdrop of the Palazzo del Senato made for quite an epic show. It was really strong. Afterwards Neil hosted a party at his house.” Anders Christian Madsen “Prada had built the most incredible 60s interior set, which made total sense once her intellectual mods started walking around on it. It was Woody Allen’s wet dream and the collection marked a new, more wearable Prada. Before the show, they served mini apples and pears.” Anders Christian Madsen“Fendi took place in a huge space where a set featuring loads of staircases had been put up. The models walked up and down like soldiers on a march, and the Icelandic-inspired collection looked amazing in the cold (not physically) surroundings. It was really swish.” Anders Christian Madsen “Valentino really made an entrance at Paris Fashion Week. From the intimate seating to the couture-like collection, everything seemed super luxurious and it really summed up the entire season as well: the Great British vibes, a sense of extreme luxury and craftsmanship, and a desire to have things a little more toned down at the same time.” Anders Christian Madsen“The Craft inspired set for the Riccardo Tisci’s Givenchy extravaganza.” Elgar Johnson “David Bowie classic ‘Modern Love’ closed the Raf Simons Show. Also loved the Adidas Collaboration with Raf Simons.” Elgar Johnson “Dries van Noten was just so beautiful. And his concept of ‘pick ‘n’ mix’ was an interesting comment on menswear, which is becoming more and more like that. Trends are expanding, men are open to more things. Showpieces don’t seem be as important. It’s about a very broad wardrobe. Smart Dries things.” Anders Christian Madsen “Foils Gold at Issey Miyake” Elgar Johnson “The Ziggy Stardust inspired Walter Van Bierondonck show.” Elgar Johnson “Paul Smith was such a great conclusion to the week and all the Englishness that had been going down on the catwalks. And more Bowie on the speakers as we walked in!” Anders Christian Madsen.
