Fashion Brief
The worthy winner of last year’s BFC/GQ Designer Menswear Fund, Christopher Shannon put the investment to good use for his autumn/winter 2015 collection, another example of his ability to marry a witty take on British street culture with designs that men will want to wear.
Here are five things we learnt at his show – the highlight of LC:M – day one.
1. Plastic bags aren’t just for American Beauty.
Photograph: ANDREW COWIE/EPA
Shannon used them throughout his show. Some models wore them on their faces, others wore jewellery fashioned from them, by Judy Blame. All supermarkets’ versions were welcome but we liked the cheap stripy ones from the corner shop best.
2. Shannon had Fuzzy Felt as a kid.
Photograph: Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images
And, he used the brightly coloured stick-on shapes as a motif in his collection. Sharp shirts and sweatshirts were thoroughly cheered up with rectangles of red and yellow stuck on haphazardly. The sweatshirt with the fuzzy nose was particularly pleasing.
3. Being skint can lead to great clothes.
Photograph: Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images
Knits were pepper up with slogans like ‘broke’ and ‘thanks for nothing’ written across an image of a plastic bag. Ordinary life given a fun spin, which is Shannon’s bread and butter.
4. Nothing is quite as it seems in Shannon world.
Photograph: ANDREW COWIE/EPA
Bunched up fabric on the waistband of cotton boxer shorts was reworked as a peplum. The quilting of a puffa jacket was turned into waders. The message? Feel free to freestyle next season.
5. Streetwear classics still get the love.
Photograph: ANDREW COWIE/EPA
Puffa jackets, tracksuit trousers with poppers and loose cotton jumpers were all included and are firmly established as Shannon staples. Mixing old favourites with an experimental point of view, this London talent is the real deal.
