The inaugural London Collections: Men will see dozens of menswear shows and a cultural program run from Friday 15 to Sunday 17 June.
Christopher Bailey, Tom Ford and Mr Porters Jeremy Langmead will sit on the London Collections: Men steering committee. Designers who have already confirmed their participation include Aquascutum, Bunney, Christopher Raeburn, E.Tautz, Fashion East, James Long, J.W. Anderson, Lou Dalton, Margaret Howell, Oliver Spencer, Rake, Richard James, SIBLING and Topman.
The dedicated dates reflect a London menswear field that has grown in stature and content despite sitting outside of the traditional menswear calendar, the BFC said.
Currently, menswear shows are squeezed into one day at the end of London Fashion Weeks womenswear shows. The crowded nature of the LFW schedule, and the overlap with the first womens shows in Milan, often mean that mens designers dont receive due attention.
No longer shoe horned into one condensed hectic day, the newly established London Collections: Men, over three glorious days now has the space to breathe flourish and generate the buzz that will put its talented rising mens fashion stars firmly on the international fashion map, Topman Design Director Gordon Richardson said.
The new event also brings Londons menswear dates in line with the mens fashion buying scheduleit directly precedes Milan and Pariss menswear presentation dates.
Were sure the decision to establish separate mens show days has nothing to do with the recent tussle over dates for the main show season. But its still heartening to see the BFC unilaterally schedule its mens shows before Milan and Pariss established menswear dates after bending over backwards to accommodate those cities preferences for the womenswear shows.
That, and the designers deserve it.
The menswear industry has been growing from strength to strength in past years and this is [a] true testament to this, Harold Tillman said. London Collections: Men will not only be a showcase for brands and designers but will form a cross-cultural program creating a festival for mens wear, in what will be a truly exciting year for the UK.