Sneak Peek: John Smedley AW10

I appreciate that most of your attention will be focused on the final goings on in Milan but I'd like to divert your gaze from the European catwalks and on to an award winning heritage brand. Ever since I visited John Smedley's base deep in the Derbyshire Dales I've not looked at their knitwear in the same way. This brand may have been churning out quality knitwear for over two hundred and twenty five years. Yet, it has lost none of its passion, sense of craft and desire to innovate. For me, it is one of most unsung British brands and although it likes to go about its business quietly and assuredly, I feel like shouting from the roof tops. I therefore jumped at the chance of sharing an exclusive sneak peek at one of the images from their AW10 offering with you...

John Smedley's AW10 collection ‘The Archivist.’

For AW10 John Smedley's menswear collection draws inspiration from the personality of ‘The Archivist.’ It explores the concept of a ‘collection’ in all its guises. It blends well loved pieces with future classics to create a textural and colourful anthology reminiscent of a passionately compiled archive. The collection really taps in to my understanding of the art of wardrobe building. After all, new items should be timeless pieces which we can collect and treasure. Classic designs like the Dorset shirt and Daimler cardigan have been carried over to ensure the best selection of necklines and fits, while new silhouettes and trends compliment these well loved heritage pieces. This theme continues in to the colour palette with classic tones of charcoal, black, navy and silver running alongside new additions like rosebud and feather grey whilst stripe formulas and block patterns allow for dramatic combinations of rich hues.

The attention to detail, colour and textile which characterise John Smedley craftsmanship are all key. In combination with new and exciting developments in production technology and a few progressive design pieces, this collection is an eclectic blend of classic and contemporary, lovingly drawn together like the most memorable of archives. Before I get my hands on the rest of the look book images, this is a timely reminder that I still need to sort out my wardrobe and continue the art of wardrobe building!

Umit Benan's Retired Rockers

Umit Benan (far right) admires his retired rockers.

As well as being the Disneyland of menswear tradeshows, the Pitti foundation supports and promotes new fashion talent. Umit Benan produced his first-ever live show for his AW10/11 collection, called Retired Rockers. Now, ever since I encountered his self titled debut collection I have been a fan of Benan's desire to create garments which can be truly appreciated by the wearer. His classic tailoring and high quality garments are made to be worn. It sounds simple but it is surprising how many collections fail to consider this point. There always seem to be an ease in his look books so when I heard that he had been invited to present at Pitti Uomo I could not wait to see it.

In a recent interview with Valet, Benan remarked "the clothes are never more important than the character. I think personality comes first" and here the German born designer looks to aged musicians. The retired rockers inspiring Benan's collection are a group of musicians who made music history in the 70s and 80s. Once wild kids with no direction besides rousing an entire generation to a blaring rock beat. These rockers, think the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan and the boss Bruce Springsteen, experienced and exceeded the limits of everything, women, money an drugs. I caught a glimpse of Ronnie Wood watching the snooker masters final last night at Wembley...I very much doubt Umit Benan's characters would be seen at such a 'sporting' event...

For his presentation at Pitti Uomo, Umit Benan assembled his vision of these old rockers thirty years on getting together at an old East Village. There to reminisce about the good old days whilst enjoying the present good life. The seasoned rockers sat around a dinner table with a couple of young band members with a few beautiful women thrown into the mix, and around them sat the audience. Despite the positive buzz around the Who's on Next menswear award the presentation itself fell a little flat apparently. Kristopher Houser reporting on A Shaded View of Fashion was one of the audience members and even though he was on the front row he felt like an outsider to the clothes. Similarly, WWD described the presentation as 'painfully awkward.' Thankfully, these look book images allow us a closer look in to the style of these aged musicians without a hint of pretension of awkwardness...

Thankfully these old rockers no longer need to wear skinny leather trousers to feel young and now prefer a relaxed, free and easy yet classy style. Retired rockers rarely grow old gracefully but Umit Benan has at least imagined them to dress just that. Fine tailoring sets the tone for the cuts and there is a continual play between slim silhouettes and soft volumes using an easy mix and match of luxurious fabrics with intense colours and innovative graphics. The designer uses the most exclusive of fabrics. From the luxurious textures of classic wools to a comfortably heavy alpaca, From soft cashmeres to shetlands. Velvet and cotton, pique and chambray, suede, pinto pony and even tyvek makes an appearance.

The colours explore the various shades of grey reminiscent of the rockers themselves, Benan introduces forest green and earthy brown, wine red and midnight blue to create a rich palette. These hues meet and mix regularly throughout the British style checks and in the regimental stripes.

An alternation of volumes is a constant theme. Tops and bottoms mix contrasting volumes. Trousers come in all forms imaginable, classic long and straight to tracksuits and pyjama bottoms to cashmere leggings with full waist, low crotch to tapering and narrow cuffs at ankles. Similarly shirts continue this put together theme which is emblematic of Benan's retired rockers wardrobe. The shirts are long and loose fitting at times, with inside out seams and distinctive stripe graphics or check prints whereas some mimic pyjama tops and others more elegant styles have faux-crushed collars. There was a definite sense that this was showcasing a wardrobe which has been built over time. The clothes were styled in a way as to suggest that pieces were thrown on look but everything worked in a wonderfully relaxed way. For more information on the collection, an interesting interview with the designer himself and a closer look at the presentation itself, head over to Dazed Digital...

I Pitti the shoe

Church's AW10. Revision of the country collection.

Pitti Uomo is the Disneyland of menswear trade shows. Now most of you are excitedly looking to the goings on in Milan but it is Pitti Uomo that opens the 2010 international fashion agenda and should not be overlooked. Unfortunately, I was once again unable to make the trip to Florence but I still long to wander the stalls and observe the impeccably dressed gentleman in all of their pomp and glory (as shot by the Sartorialist). As I sat at home feeling a little sorry for myself, Susie fortunately did make the trip and agreed to take a few crafty snaps of stalls of interest for us. In total there were seven hundred and sixty five firms and nine hundred and thirty six brands exhibiting. She recently returned, waxing lyrical about the food on offer and the style on exhibition making me all the more green eyed but she did make amends with a few footwear finds.

Church's AW10 - Pembrey Loafers in Autumnal suede

The new Church's collection presents a slight revision of the Country Collection for the coming AW10 season, styling a new of the classical derby lace up with the heavy rubber sole. A large fringe and new distressed leathers are applied to the latest model maintaining the traditional characteristics that we know and love of the brand as well as a country wintery feel.

A closer look at Church's Pembrey loafers for AW10

The Pembrey loafer is styled in a range of suede leathers of autumn hues. I might be sick of the cold weather at the moment but a part of me would love to be wearing these in a country cottage in front of a roaring fire. Oh how quintessentially British.

Eiichi Katsukawa's distressed boots.

Having informed me of the developments of a brand that I know and love, Susie then introduced me to a new name, Eiichi Katsukawa. Katsukawa's makes hand made, wonderfully distressed nibe leather brogues and boots from Tokyo...

Eiichi Katsukawa's distressed nibe leather brogues

Katsukawa fell in love with shoes when he worked in the shoe repair department at the Japanese retailer Isetan. After happy days in Tokyo he moved to Northampton to learn shoe design and its production method at "Tresham Institute Footwear" course where he met Paul Harnden. Following his graduation from the Institute he gained further experience interning for Harnden in Brighton before returning to Tokyo. From there Eiichi Katsukawa continued his passion for shoe making, creating bold and striking designs. As far as I can ascertain from his website, the brand is only stocked at United Arrows in Tokyo.

Luxe hiking boots from F.lli Giacometti Marmolada

The final Pitti footwear find are these interestingly luxe hiking boots from F.lli Giacometti Marmolada. Over the last twelve months we have seen the continued rise of work wear and hiking boots in a number of guises (some bordering on the ridiculous) have been lauded. However, I've not seen any as interesting as these from this Italian heritage brand. After abusing the Google translation tool I have managed to find out that F.lli Giacometti Marmolada remains the only brand in Northern Italy's Dolomites region and was founded in 1890. The boots combine authentic history and smart design. I might not be about to book myself a walking holiday just yet but I am keen to find out more about these boots.

A closer look at F.lli Giacometti Marmolada's trekking boots.