London Fashion Week Men’s SS18: Street Style Report

In recent years however, the men’s fashion on display off the catwalk has been as interesting as the collections inside. Fashion Week street style highlights the best of the current season’s trends from some of the most sartorially gifted members of the style glitterati. Summer 2017 is about blue plaid, pink suits, and the emergence of the next big men’s accessory – a statement clutch bag.

Frayed edges, asymmetrical hemlines, and coats that are just a little too oversized. This street style trend is about looking just a touch too cool to be there. These gents bucked the clean white sneaker trend in favour of scruffy trainers for low effort cool. But here’s the catch – camel coats, denim jackets and a white shirt with the cuffs turned up are timeless fashion staples. They’ve just been given a shabby chic fashion week update.

For decades, this simple wool hat has been one of fashion’s greatest revolutionary symbols. Was the influx of berets onto the streets of London the same weekend as the UK general election a coincidence? Probably just an homage to the AW17 shows. At the start of this year, a whole host of designers brought the beret to the catwalk. Prada’s version was leather, the Louis Vuitton beret featured a logo strip around the forehead. But this iconic hat is at its most classic in deep black or French navy blue. Make it 2017 street style ready with a cross-body bum bag.

A pale-ish blue suit is a menswear summer essential, and so long as it’s nowhere near navy, it can be any shade you like. Elevating it to SS17 super style status comes with a simple twist – adding plaid squares or graph check. A geometric print adds some subtle depth to this fashion staple, whether it’s worked into a smart three-piece with a crisp white shirt, or dressed down in linen by the likes of Toby Huntington-Whiteley.

It’s tricky to think of a more quintessential gentleman’s fashion piece than the double breasted suit jacket, modeled so excellently by Roger Moore during his reign as 007. Fashion week street style needn’t be zany – matched with a statement tie, pocket square and shiny dress shoes, a double breasted suit is the definition of dapper.

Elsewhere at London Fashion Week Men’s, the double breasted jacket took on a more flamboyant spin. Seen here in lime green and graph check, and in a sophisticated floral, it’s a bold revamp on a style classic. But one thing’s for sure – a statement jacket needs statement shoes.

Blue and pink are some of the colour spectrum’s closest companions. Whether in blush and nautical blue, or an aquamarine and almost hot pink, the Fashion Week attendees who chose summery pastel shade suits were in perfect harmony for street style shots. Darren Kennedy’s clean lines were brought to life by a dark Hawaiian shirt, whilst Richard Biedul’s unstructured baby pink suit was a monochromatic win focussed on texture and shape. When tucking in a graphic shirt, a tan leather belt keeps the look smart and polished.

The Fashion Week clutch bag comes in many shapes and sizes. From large, flat envelope bags with statement graphic patterns to subtle black squares that sit snug under the shoulder. A clutch bag is easy on your shoulders and will sit neatly on your lap if you’re destined for the front row. Only the finest luxury leather will do.

Sadly, English weather dictates that not everything can fit into a clutch bag. For rain-o-phobes, an umbrella and a street-style-worthy jumper must be dragged along everywhere, even to the BFC. Introducing: the holdall as streetwear. They may not be subtle, but a holdall is a fashion forward compromise for carrying all your belongings in style, even outside the airport. After all – you shouldn’t ruin a good suit with a backpack. A blue canvas duffle with brown leather detailing is a flexible colour scheme for a variety of suits, or copy Jai’me Jan with a holdall in classic tan.

Nick Wooster and Oliver Cheshire champion the millennial pink trend. As a bomber this look works best in monochrome – no frills, fuss or graphic patterns. Cheshire’s black cuffs draw together with his sporty black trousers. A suede texture adds depth to the single colour, and the wrinkles give essential character.

Clean, simple, effortlessly stylish. The white sneaker trend simply won’t quit. The appeal is obvious – they make every outfit smart casual. But to truly appreciate the fashion mastery of a plain white trainer, you need a suit that’s just as simple, ideally all one colour in the likes of Jim Chapman and Raja Sapra. Keep the upper half clean with a white shirt and no tie, and the trousers tailored to ankle length to let the box-fresh sneakers really shine.