Best Dressed of the Week - Olivier Rousteing

Although not strictly this week, Mr Olivier Roustening is always stylish. Razor cheekbones, slim fitting jackets with small military details, plain white oversized vests and T shirts and narrow leather trousers, he always looks effortlessly cool and completely himself. Following another strong show this season with Balmain, he is well deserving of this accolade.

New article online - Edward Snowden: Hero or Traitor

As well as blogging about mens fashion, I have recently written an article for online debate platform debater.org.uk. The article is entitled "Edward Snowden: Hero or Traitor" and is pretty self explanatory. Debater features loads of brilliant articles on a range of subjects - UK Politics, Society and Culture and the Middle East. The site actively encourages debate and welcomes your opinion so please do not hesitate to make comments and join in the debate.

Read the article at http://www.debater.org.uk/The_Americas.html

Weekend Style

Reiss Eden Jumper, Topman denim, Hugo Boss brown leather rose gold watch and Links of London bracelet.

Best of the Paris Mens Shows

In my opinion, the best of the show season, the Paris shows have shown some brilliant new designs.

Balenciaga

Starting with a black on black on black short, sharp suit, this was a strong collection of tailored pieces with great leather details and a loose but slim silhouette.

  

Haider Ackermann

A fantastically luxurious, evening wear inspired collection. Beautiful silk blazers and bombers, teamed with narrow, flattering trousers in wonderful jewel colours. I cannot wait for these trends to filter down, but this was a strong collection for Ackermann's first menswear show. The heel less slips on were a great new shoe too. 

  

Valentino

There is a reason that Valentino is a power house - they know good clothes. Wide, horizontal stripes of colour blocks, boxier and looser than ever before and gorgeous printed trousers. As any big brand knows, accessories are key and here they were brilliant in oxblood and cement grey with flshes of fluorescents. 

  

Alexander Wang

Oversize leather shorts, paired with lean poplin tops gave the models in this collection a feeling of being players in a lux basketball team. The leather touches will filter down the high street quickly and with success. 

  

Balmain

Olivier Rousteing is a genius. Each season he shows us a small departure from his own aesthetic of cheekbones, skinny leather trousers and fantastic blazers. As with previous seasons, this was a strong showing for Balmain.  Now the slip on flats have monk strap details, and nautical stripes and badges adorn the clothing. So French, so chic. 

  

  

Louis Vuitton

A strong contender for show of the season, Kim Jones at Louis Vuitton focused on travelling in luxury. This show was the most stylish road trip there ever was with looks ranging from preppy and hippy. A great mix of bandana prints, and neckerchiefs worn with suits in an effortless and carefree style. Wonderful evening wear and shoes completed the look. 

  

  

Dries Van Noten

Florals are not going anywhere fast. They have been all over the SS catwalks and were a strong feature of the Dries show. Tougher florals than seen elsewhere worn with surf shorts and macs gave the collection a rough, tough and eclectic air. The translucent, floral baseball vests and the contrast collar formal shirts were a highlight. 

  

Junya Watanabe 

A very different collection than seen elsewhere at the Paris shows. Models were dressed in checked shirts, pork pie hats and tough jackets and leather boots, none of which would look out of place at Glastonbury circa 1993. 

  

Maison Martin Margiela 

Fresh and desirable - inside out jackets, jumpsuits and reworked evening wear. 

  

Acne Studios

Klimt was a big inspiration at the Acne show. A wonderfully rich colour palette of pink, yellow and blue were here mixed with tailored and masculine metallics.

  

Berluti

So rakish. This collection had it all and more. Boater hats, coloured suits, monk straps and leather luggage would make you one of the men of the Berluti gangs - that being the most stylish gang you will ever see. Beautifully vintage, grand and extravagant. 

 

  

Givenchy

Techo tribal prints mashed up with stripes at Riccardo Tisci's show were a new look but the collection did not have the urgent and desperate quality of previous seasons. 

  

Kenzo

Cool and streetwise, skater style unhemmed trousers and loose tops gave this collection a distinctly American feel. 

  

Hermes

Two words perfectly sum of this amazing collection - effortless luxury. A fantastic mix of luxury fabrics (the suede T shirt and leather wrist wear) and wonderful double breasted evening wear, will keep the clients of this collection, with their heavy wallets, very happy indeed. 

  

  

Lanvin

Whilst the rest of Paris showed off with florals, leather and metallics, Lanvin was surprisingly subdued. Post fall of the Berlin wall style models, all with neat hair and slim legs were dressed in short, sharp suits. The colour blocked shirts in lurid pinks and jade green were a welcome mix. 

  

Paul Smith

The strong use of colour at the Paul Smith show gave the collection a vivid and bright, Summer feel. A gorgeous palette of pinks, peaches, navy and yellow on knits and on suiting. 

  

  

Ami

A wearable collection of coloured knits and other great separates in a collection inspired by flying in the 60s. 

  

Saint Laurent

Hedi Slimane has always championed the indie skinny rocker boy. His recent collection for Saint Laurent had so much swag it was unreal. 50% Bowie and 50% Jagger, here were the skinniest of jeans and shiniest of jackets. A fine finale to the end of the mens show season. 

  

Orlebar Brown

Orlebar Brown is without a doubt the best holiday wardrobe that you will ever have. They have developed a reputation for chic, wearable and masculine simple clothes. This season the T shirts, polos and shorts are better than ever. Everything fits like a dream, is slimming but never tight and perfect for day to night whilst holidaying. My picks of the collection are below

Shorts come in 4 different sizes - Springer, Setter, Bulldog and Dane from short shorts to longer board shorts. I think that the Springer is the most flattering, although not the most wearable. The Bulldog comes in wonderful, nostalgic prints of old holiday photos that would look great paired with a white T shirt and simple sandals

The Springer Short

  

The Bulldog Short 

The Montage Sweater

The Felix Polo

Shop the collection and live the Orlebar Brown way of life at http://www.orlebarbrown.co.uk