Oliver Spencer AW18 at London Fashion Week Men's

London Fashion Week Men's, which finished earlier this week, has sadly shrunk over the last few editions and none of the usual classic (rather than fashion) menswear brands were present, with only Oliver Spencer putting on a catwalk show. E. Tautz wasn't there and none of the tailoring stalwarts like Turnbull & Asser, Gieves & Hawkes, Chester Barrie etc etc, who used to put on local presentations even if they didn't show on the catwalk, were around.

However, Oliver Spencer didn't disappoint; with the usual diverse selection of models livened up by the presence of a few women (including the lovely Catherine Hayward, Fashion Director of Esquire and Daisy Lowe, left and middle above).  The clothes are available for purchase online through Oliver Spencer’s Vero page.

The collection comprised a significant amount of corduroy, some velvet and sober but rich colours redolent of London, the theme of the show. Greys, pale blues, brown, mustard, burgundy and cream held no threats to men cautious of bright colour. Shapes were very Oliver Spencer, relaxed but essentially classic. Suiting all men, the collection would provide an excellent alternative to the usual unadventurous uniform of the older man, artificially distressed jeans, fleeces and unfortunate trainers. Here are a few of my favourites:

See Oliver Spencer for the current collection.

London Fashion Week Men's on Jermyn Street St James's London

One of the exciting highlights of London Fashion Week Men's has been, for me, the menswear fashion shows put on by St James's, that mecca of menswear in central London. Held in Jermyn Street, which is closed to traffic for the day, the shows are open to members of the public and even those who don't have tickets are able to get a good view from the pavement to the side of the catwalk.

FROW, but not posing for the camera

St James's includes so many excellent menswear brands that it has become a favourite destination for me. From Aquascutum to Turnbull & Asser, there is tailoring, footwear, hats and accessories, much of it with a strong British bent. In the show, I particularly enjoyed the offering from New & Lingwood, a brand I'm getting to know better (see image above). Their silk dressing gown and linen safari-style jacket and flannel cricket trousers were hits with me (below).

New & Lingwood showed a strong collection

The shows illustrate some of the best of British menswear and the interest shown by the many passers-by who crowd around the catwalk suggests that the formula is a successful one. While, as you'd expect, I had reservations about the lack of grey hairs on the catwalk, I enjoyed the show, styled by GQ's Grace Gilfeather, immensely. Many of the surrounding shops held events to entertain and inform visitors, from cocktails to demonstrations of shirt-making and shoe polishing.

This year the Jermyn Street shows were followed by one by Thomas Smedley (who have a store on Jermyn Street) who showed a powerful and very contemporary collection of British-made knitwear for men and women.

The proximity of the catwalk to the thirty or so brands' stores enables consumers to walk a few yards to buy the products that caught their eye in the show. The whole event is a successful formula and one I look forward to seeing develop in years to come.

This sponsored feature is a collaboration with St James's London.

Tickets Available for St James's Menswear Show at London Fashion Week Men's

The St James's area of London is one of my favourite menswear destinations with a large variety of brands from Lock & Co, who've been selling hats since the 17th century, to Jigsaw Emporium, which opened only a few months ago. Next week sees the start of London Fashion Week Men's and St James's will celebrate this by holding an open air fashion show on Jermyn Street to show off its wares - and you can apply for tickets to the show.

Londoners and visitors will be able to attend shows on Jermyn Street on Saturday 10th June at 1.30pm and 3pm free of charge. Brands showing will include heritage names such as Turnbull & Asser, John Smedley, Lock & Co and John Lobb as well as contemporary, newly arrived names including Paul & Shark, Jigsaw Emporium, Sunspel and Barbour International. The shows have been styled by British GQ’s Fashion Editor Grace Gilfeather and will show a variety of styles from contemporary sportswear to more traditional tailoring so there will be something for everyone.

Visitors will also be able to drop into the shops of St James’s for various in-store activities such as a shirt cutting demonstration from a Master Shirt Cutter at Harvie & Hudson and complimentary wet shaves at world renowned perfumery Floris. Jermyn Street will also play host to some of London’s best street food retailers so you can fuel up for the day's activities. 

For further information on the LFWM St James’s show and to sign up for free tickets from May 30th please visit http://www.stjameslondon.co.uk or apply direct for tickets through Eventbrite. I hope to see you there.

This is a sponsored collaboration.