9 of Fashion's Most "WTF?" Collaborations (The Good, the Bad and the Hideous)

Over the years fashion, possibly more than any industry other than music, has produced some of the world's most talked about collaborations, though not always for the right reasons. 

With the rapid evolution of streetwear from being reserved for hip hop's elite to becoming de rigeur for basically everyone, collaborations have become an effective way for brands to target mass audiences without diluting their brand. Once looked down upon by fashion insiders, the high street is now the go-to for trend-led affordable pieces and high-end fashion brands have become quite savvy in developing mutually beneficial relationships. 

And it's worth noting that this doesn't always mean a collaboration between two fashion brands, collaborations with celebrities are a near-daily occurrence while some brands look elsewhere (e.g. home furnishings) to extend their reach. 

Some collabs result in sheer genius, others in disaster. I'm somewhat obsessed with the phenomenon so I decided to write about 9 of fashion's most WTF collaborations - or at least 9 of my favourites - the good, the bad and the hideous. Buckle up. 

POEM: New alone.

POEM: Frissons

POEM: It's been said once

4 Womenswear Designers Who Need To Start Designing Menswear- Stat!

It's blindingly obvious to say but it always needs to be said - compared to womenswear, menswear is invariably uninspired, not particularly innovative and let's face it, pretty fucking boring.

Fashion week is not solely to blame, nor are premium brands, if you've been in a high street store lately then you will have been overwhelmed by the plethora of options on offer to the fairer sex. Fashion forward separates to mix and match seamlessly into a wardrobe of classic staples, trend-led outfits inspired by (and perhaps direct copies of) fashion week looks, celebrity street style for a fraction of the price, all over a minimum of two floors. Meanwhile, us men settle for a depressing melange of dated graphic tees, ill fitting faux leather jackets and literally the same shoes that have been on sale for the past twenty years, all huddled onto one floor or perhaps a sad little corner of the kidswear floor (yes, I'm talking about you ZARA). Speaking of ZARA, can any of you dear readers help explain why their menswear is so seismically disjointed from their womenswear offering? Because I can't. I know plenty of girls who get gorgeous pieces from ZARA on a weekly basis while I struggle to find anything that doesn't make me look like an Italian barber with a sports car (not that there's anything wrong in that, it just isn't exactly the aesthetic I strive for).

I've recently Carrie Bradshaw-ly "got to thinking" about from who I would absolutely love to see a menswear offering. Brands and designers who not only show great tailoring prowess which could easily be transferred into menswear, but also a brand that has fun, brings innovation to the table and could offer something wholly new to the lacklustre world of menswear. And so here, in no particular order, are my ideal fantastic four.

Short Read: Menswear Cheers Up (Spring 2018 Review)

A few months ago you may remember me lamenting at the absolute state of recent menswear shows in my post - Menswear Needs An Antidepressant . It was a post born out of frustration and a mild cry for help. Bored of seeing drab, oversized, suffocating looks come stomping down the runway, models appearing to be riddled with angst, the clothes themselves looking as though they bear a grudge, I took to this blog to exorcise my outrage. This season, it brings me an immeasurable amount of satisfaction to say, men's fashion has cheered up! Well... a little. I'd like to think that John Galliano, Raf Simons et al are all avid readers of this blog and were absolutely distraught that I was feeling down about mens fashion so took it upon themselves to turn it around... a boy can dream.

With so many brands now showing their menswear and womenswear in singular shows, there's added pressure for designers to amp up the menswear to match the resplendence of their womenswear, and make both lines equally as Instagrammable. This season saw prints, patterns and sequins (oh my!) clashes of faux fur and stripes with florals and fringe to boot. It all sounds over the top, I know, but these things can be done tastefully when done with restraint. Excess may work for some, but it doesn't mean all brands should succumb to "Guccification" just because there's freedom to do so. 

As the winter of discontent is slowly turning into a summer of love (with J.W. Anderson literally putting hearts all over everything) I thought I'd offer up my favourite menswear looks from the season, below. Special shout outs go to Paul Smith who showed an incredible use of colour without going overboard - a stark contrast to the refined "tailoring with a twist" the brand is so synonymous with and also to J.W. Anderson who's entire collection I'm now coveting (particularly the love heart-speckled leather jacket).

Oh, and the key colour we'll apparently all be wearing next spring? Red. Not a certain obscure shade of red, we're talking red - bright, brash, unapologetic, Crayola, post box, Louboutin sole red. Just divine. Check it all out below.