I am a very lucky chap! I kindly got invited to preview the M&S SS15 collection. And boy oh boy do they have some beautiful pieces in their menswear lines.
The trends that were featured, were a play on casual tailoring, the return of double denim, knitted geometric tees and of course the new lines of David Gandy loungewear.
It really is difficult to pick a favourite piece amongst such strong contenders but this coat had to be within the front runners.
A practical piece with sizeable pockets and some really great detailing around the neckline. This contrast in materials gives it an architectural feel, which is inherently masculine. The brown leather strapping and metal clasp really project this item into a statement piece.
What struck me overall, was just how wearable I found everything. The models are always going to look great in the clothing, but this season’s offerings gave me a sense of confidence in how I would look in the clothes too. This cable knit sweater in a slightly poppier purple than your average pastel colour will work with any shape or size and look great alone or accessorised.
Ask your average crowd of twenty something’s on the street, and M&S might not be in their consciousness as a fashion outlet, but this collection just goes to show that these very people are going to find fashion forward cut, excellent styling, but most of all fashion that you want to wear.
I really enjoyed the combo of the daywear too. This khaki jacket with the muted floral shirt works well and appeals to my less preppy sense of style, this is everyday wear that has personality and great fit at its very core. The tailoring of the jackets is obviously great, but some of my favourite pieces were daywear, fun and flattering, using pattern and texture.
Their accessory wall of goodies was an Aladdin’s cave of chic, but masculine, items of which I wanted all of them!
Particularly, the manbags were exquisite, and there was such a variety of shape and style amongst the range. This gym bag, was an epiphany moment for me, when you consider that you would probably go to the gym more if you had that bag!
As you would expect with M & S the quality is exceptional and particularly the brown leather products, were out of this world. This reddish brown belt with silver coloured buckle is the piece to wear with the structured denim that we will see this Spring/Summer.
Now, I have to speak about the double denim scenario. Intrinsically, it has been ingrained in me over the years, that double denim is bad. In truth I really liked it, but I do think it’s a younger look than I could probably pull off, but I have to say that, as long as the fit is right, then there is a lot of “look” to be found within he confines of denim. Styled impeccably, I dare say I could be convinced to wear it myself!
It did get me to thinking though, that double denim has a bit of an historical reputation in the same sense that M&S does. And that’s a shame because from what I have seen from the Spring/Summer collection, this is where young people should be shopping. No longer is M&S just for the middle aged – it’s easily the best place to get modern tailoring on the high street, and also a place where you are not going to feel too “put – together” because it seems to me that each piece is designed as a stand alone item. But between the individual pieces, the collection is cohesive enough to mix and match amongst them.
I couldn’t review the collection without returning to David Gandy’s loungewear. It would be wrong and inappropriate! These are going to be as big sellers in 2015 as they were this year. Since my initial review of these comfortable items – I couldn’t help but explore more of the range (afterall winter is the time for comfort, right?!) The houndstooth lounge trousers are lightweight and stylish, so comfortable in fact, that I want to wear them all of the time, so much so I have been to my local supermarket wearing them! And the fit is equally as good as the more intimate wear within the collection. The double button fold fly (my words not theirs) continues on from the boxer shorts and into the frontage of the lounge pants, which is flattering and a feature within the design. The fabric itself hangs well and all in all they are just a stylish option for around the house.
And on that note I want to offer you a little David Gandy exclusive!!!!
These look so good on us guys, that the girls want in on the action!!!
And so I can reveal that there are definite plans to bring out an extra small size in at least a few items in the range, which means our better halves could well be catered for too!
I also had the chance to get up close and personal with this piece from the David Gandy Range and it is a beaut! Soft & warm it’s everything a real man needs to get through those winter evenings by the fire. Sign me up immediately – this is the piece your bloke wants for Christmas.
So that is my first impressions of the collection as a whole, but I will be following this up with a look at the M&S best of British collection really soon. This collection is a textural as it is tailored and I for one will be using that as my fashion reference for spring summer.
If you haven’t already, then why not check out my previous post on David Gandy’s Loungewear.
TIB
ThatIsBeyond 