Guardian fashion on tumblr

I love MAN. You never quite know what’s going to happen. There’s been wheelchairs on the catwalk, joss sticks on models heads, dripping ceilings, gimp masks and lashings of sexy sportswear. There’s been the discovery of the likes of James Long, JW Anderson and Christopher Shannon – a trio of brilliant menswear upstarts.

If you’ve no idea what I’m raving about, then here’s the back story; Fashion East is initiative for the showcasing of new designers, they got together with Topman to create MAN. It started as a show of 3 new talents plus Topman’s catwalk collection and was shown during womenswear. It’s now evolved to London devoting a whole day to men’s fashion. Hurrah etc.  

Further reason for rant. They’ve just announced the three designers showing their spring/summer 2012 collections in September. Drum roll… they are Martine Rose, Matthew Miller and Shaun Samson. I asked Lulu Kennedy, Fashion East’s Director to give me a one-liner on what she likes about each designer.

Martine Rose is in the seventh season of her own label, this will be her third time at MAN. Last season she was all about mashing up textures, playing with layers and lengths. (I loved the gold). Lulu says: “Martine is a born and bred Londoner and it shows in her style and radical references. Her lyricism melts me. I wear a whole load of her gear.”

Matthew Miller is a newbie to MAN. He trained at the Royal College of Art, loves maths, science and technology and mixes sportswear with textile décor. He’s a brilliant colourist and all about the details. Lulu says: “I love his jolliness, and all the geeked out details. He’s a proper ‘boy’s boy’ kind of designer and gaining a real following.”

Shaun Samson is also joining MAN for the first time. He’s a California-born, Central St Martins graduate, has worked with Jeremy Scott and just won the ITS Fashion Collection of the Year (previous winners include Mark Fast). His autumn/winter collection was all about long tunic-jumpers with trousers. Lulu says: “He stood out a mile at the Central St Martins show. He’s got it all going on – great style, technique, energy. How rad is his Mexican inspired stuff?”

- Simon Chilvers

“Betty Jackson says she is not closing her company or retiring but is taking a ‘gap year’ from the London fashion week catwalk”, writes Jess Cartner Morley

Read the full article here

- (Picture Jonathan Hordle / Rex Features)

Over in New York it looks as though all is not well at Halston. First we heard that the label’s megabucks investor and film mogul Harvey Weinstein had pulled out of the heritage brand. Next came the departure of Sarah Jessica Parker, who had been the chief creative officer on the Halston Heritage line. Surely you remember those pleated metallic-y double tiered dresses from the SATC 2 movie? (No? Then see above) Which, come to think of it, were more memorable than the plot. And now we learn that Marios Schwab who was designing the mainline collection has also left the Halston building.

What does it mean for the future of Halston? Who knows, but it doesn’t look good with reports from WWD that the autumn/winter 2012 collection which has already been bought by department stores may not even get delivered. But it could be good news for London Fashion Week as it means that Marios can throw all his body-con dress designing energy behind his own label. Without the Halston/New York/Weinstein/SJP distractions the London-based Greek designer is freed up to concentrate on his own show, which is scheduled for Sunday afternoon at LFW. Expect sexy dresses with cut out panels and the odd bit of hardware if recent collections are anything to go by.

- Imogen Fox

Kanye West’s loves Céline so much he committed Phoebe Philo’s name to stone in the lyrics to 2010’s Dark Fantasy. But his much talked about foray into fashion- he described wanting to intern at a fashion house, preferably Louis Vuitton, in 2008- appears to be coming to fruition with the help of Central Saint Martins professor Louise Goldin. “The award-winning Goldin, 30, who has not shown a catwalk collection for the past two seasons, and West, had been spotted setting up a studio in Paris but the pair have reportedly relocated to Goldin’s studio in Clerkenwell, London,” reported Natalie Evans-Harding in the Guardian this weekend

According to Goldin, West is “incredibly knowledgeable” about fashion and a “very interesting person”. Praise indeed for the man once derided for wearing a woman’s blouse on stage at Coachella (and yes, it’s Céline).

Rumours are that the duo will be unveiling their women’s wear collection at New York (though we’ve also heard Paris) but saldy not LFW. But here’s Goldin’s LFW profile to keep us ticking over. 

- Rosie Swash

I

The arrival of the new London Fashion Week schedule in my inbox feels a lot like the moment I first get to see the Christmas TV Schedule. Am seized by immediate need to sit down with a selection of coloured highlighter pen, and indulge in lengthy planning session. This is a Moment. This schedule rules my life during fashion week. There is no mute button on the fashion week schedule, and the biscuit selection has nothing on the Christmas coffee table, but apart from that – same same, basically.

News headlines of September fashion week, at first glance: well, Tom Ford is doing a ‘presentation’ at 6pm on the Saturday. This is pretty exciting. At his fashion show in New York a year previously, Beyonce and Julianne Moore modelled, the clothes rocked, the grand dames of the front row whooped and hollered and the whole night was, frankly, awesome. Second point to note: in a triumph for princess power, Issa - Kate Middleton’s Favourite Label TM – now has a high-profile, paparazzi-friendly Saturday evening slot on the schedule. The new slot, along with the fact that Camilla Al Fayed recently bought a controlling share in the label, with a view to global expansion, suggests Issa’s profile is going to blow up. And if a Middleton, let alone a Duchess, shows up at the show, then I’d say designer Daniella Helayel has it pretty much in the bag.

Other than that, it’s pretty much business as usual on the schedule. Although, am I missing something, or is Charles Anastase’s name missing this season?  

-Jess Cartner Morley