London Collections: Men

London Collections: Men

BRITISH menswear is finally ready to fly solo. This weekend, from June 15 - 17, 54 shows are taking place across the capital as part of the inaugural London Collections: Men spring/summer 2013. The event begins tonight as HRH The Prince of Wales, himself a master of timeless tailoring, gets set to host the opening reception at St James' Palace. After that, drinks at Tommy Hilfiger, before embarking on a busy weekend of shows, presentations and dinner parties.

The London Collections: Men will also showcase the work of designers previously more associated with womenswear. Christopher Kane, Richard Nicoll, Jonathan Saunders and Meadham Kirchhoff are all raring to go, with Nicoll and Kirchhoff debuting their very first menswear collections this Sunday.

It's not going to be all Savile Row and dapper gents though. Joining the polished institutions - Hackett, Dunhill, Richard James, Patrick Grant's E Tautz and Hardy Amies, to name but a few - are Fashion East's wildly individual MAN initiative, Lee Roach and JW Anderson. On Friday, London College of Fashion will host its first standalone menswear show in the vaults of the Royal Society - featuring new collections from recent alumni.

READ THE FULL MENSWEAR LINE-UP HERE

British menswear has always been about mixing tradition with an edge only London streets can provide. What started out as a single day that closed London Fashion Week, is hopefully on its way to becoming an establishment. 

YOU SHOULD SEE:  What Dylan Jones told us about the new men's initiative...

YOU SHOULD SEE:  All the action from the men's catwalks in Paris and Milan...

Source: VOGUE - ANZEJ DEZAN 14 June 2012

Richard Nicoll confirms he has a new investor

Nicoll Investment

RICHARD NICOLL has a new investor in his business, the London-based designer confirmed today. Nicoll announced that he would show his collection in an intimate presentation rather than his usual catwalk show this season, explaining that it was the "economically and emotionally responsible" decision for the business at this time.

SEE NICOLL'S LATEST CATWALK SHOW

"The investor, who wishes to remain anonymous, is a private individual who has known Nicoll for many years and is committed to supporting the future growth of the business," Nicoll's spokesperson confirmed today. International expansion, "including strengthening and nurturing retail partnerships around the world and specifically building brand relevance for identified markets through extended PR and celebrity ambassadors" are high on the agenda for the coming year, after welcoming the minority shareholder. He also plans to develop a bespoke service for VIP clients.

"It is incredibly inspiring to have this financial support at a time when we are ready to grow the business and from a source whom we know incredibly well, someone who knows the business inside and out and someone in whom we have great trust," Nicoll said today. "This investment will give me the opportunity to really focus on the design of the collections and expanding the ranges and spend time introducing the brand to a much broader global audience."

"Our new investor is there as a support for us," Jo Knight, Nicoll's business partner and director, added. "They will remain a silent partner but will be there to offer advice if needed and financial support when necessary.  We have a very clear vision of the future of our company and are delighted to have the resources to make that vision a reality."

YOU SHOULD SEE: Richard Nicoll's latest blog...

YOU SHOULD SEE:  Nicoll's latest LFW show...

Source: VOGUE - LAUREN MILLIGAN 17 February 2012

Fashion Fund Winner

Fashion Fund Winner

JONATHAN SAUNDERS has won the 2012BFC/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund. The Scottish-born designer will receive a £200,000 cash prize, as well as a bespoke mentoring programme which will help him to achieve his business goals over the next 12 months.

SEE SAUNDERS' CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

"I am delighted that Jonathan has won this year's award," said Vogue editor Alexandra Shulman. "His recent collections have shown that he is a designer who can provide beautiful clothes that women enjoy wearing and he is in a great position to build on his current success."

Saunders beat off stiff competition for the award - from Peter Pilotto, Mary Katrantzou, Richard Nicoll, Roksanda llincic,Marios Schwab, Zoe Jordan and Meadham Kirchhoff, as well as footwear label Nicholas Kirkwood. All nine of the shortlisted designers were invited to meet the fund's judging panel, chaired by Alexandra Shulman, and present their latest collections, as well as their business proposals.

"I'm so happy about winning the fund," said Saunders. "The last 12 months have been an exciting time for me and my team and I'm very proud of all their hard work. We have many exciting plans for the near future and this along with the support network provided by the BFC will enable us to achieve our goals."

READ SAUNDERS' BIOGRAPHY HERE

Saunders first began his fashion career at Glasgow College of Art, before continuing his studies at Central Saint Martins - where he graduated in 2002 with a MA distinction in Fashion Textiles. In 2006, he won the BFC's British Enterprise award and since then his clothes can be seen on the front row each season, with shoppers vying to buy his printed, colourful and wearable designs.

The BFC and Vogue would like to thank the fund sponsors: Burberry, Clothing at Tesco, Debenhams, Harrods, HSBC, Jaeger and Aquascutum, LF Europe, Marks & Spencer, Paul Smith, Toni & Guy, Topshop and Westfield Shopping Towns.

SEE SAUNDERS' COLLECTION HIGHLIGHTS

YOU SHOULD SEE: Watch the entire series of nominee interviews on VogueTV...

YOU SHOULD SEE: The full 2012 Designer Fashion Fund shortlist...

Source: VOGUE - ELLA ALEXANDER 01 February 2012