London menswear: Burberry, Craig Green, Xander Zhou

Burberry

‘Classically bohemian’ was the theme at Burberry this season. Christopher Bailey’s lads had a bookish air about them with their tortoiseshell-rimmed glasses, corduroy pants, carryall bags and fringed scarves (as is now customary with the tech-forward brand, the latter two options can be preordered online and personalized with your initials). The fringed pieces and folksy touches (inspired by Durham quilts) were mixed with suede, camo and animal patterns for a slightly more rock ‘n’ roll edge. 

Craig Green

There was plenty of expectation on Green’s young shoulders following his last show in the summer, where audience members were reportedly brought to tears by the moving tribute to the late Saint Martins Professor, Louise Wilson. He was back with some of the same: tassels, ascetic martial arts champion-inspired silhouettes, and models without shoes. But there were also new ideas: bonded outerwear, thin metallic pinstripes and peekaboo sweaters. Once again it was a print-free zone, with blocks of solid colors. 

Xander Zhou

The young Beijing-based, Dutch-trained designer shows in London, and this was a strong collection from a name to watch. There was an urban rodeo theme to the pieces which included reworked denims, leather tailoring, oversized and decorated collars, and tasseled and fringed finishes with outerwear focused on woven coats, patchwork shearling, and wool topcoats. Footwear-wise, the cowboy utility boot was a key theme, coming with a lug-sole in a variety of finishes.