With the world's focus on London Menswear Fashion week we felt it was only right to send two of our most stylish folk along to check it out. In their most dapper attire, Tom and Oli mingled with the a-list of the fashion world at the E. Tautz show. Here's what they thought: Autumn / Winter 2013
LONDON COLLECTION : Mens
From the 2 E.Tautz shows that I've attended, I enjoy puzzling out where inspiration came from for the collections as much as the clothes themselves. Patrick Grant has an extremely diligent approach to researching and finding things that shouldn't inspire, then pulling it together to make something quite extraordinary.
For AW13 his inspiration is the "dourness" of Scottish Highlands, presumably from his searches to find that perfect cloth. The introduction reads "The Scottish Isles are riddled with sentimentality good and bad, blessed with but hamstrung by tradition, filled with ugliness and wonder, deeply fissured". There's reference to naff gift shop tea trays and teenagers with trackie bottoms tucked into socks, it's beginning to sound like he's fixed on the observations of Alex Turner through his iPod.
The collection focused mainly drab greys, reflective of the Scottish winter oceans, offset with striking, bold oranges of long forgotten rusted old farm machinery.
The E.Tautz style we've come to appreciate of slim, jacked up trousers and sharply cut jackets were present, but gave way to the headline acts of oversized trousers and overcoats large enough to camp out in. Loose is the new slim-fit and if you're brave enough, (and come next winter, I think we might be) tuck your trousers into your socks for a fresh take on plus fours or, what East 17's Brian Harvey introduced in 94. But this is what's so great about E. Tautz designs - they push you, but not so far that you wouldn't ever consider it.
Lots of tartan and checked tweeds stood out, but belying the typical E. Tautz sense of humour we're familiar with, was still that attention to detail and quality. Combine that with an unwavering commitment to using only UK suppliers and it makes Patrick's a menswear label that's ever original and never short of surprises.
