Britain's Rising Stars

In British Menswear, two designers with completely opposing styles are re-defining the landscape of British Men's fashion. Lou Dalton and Craig Green come from two completely different design backgrounds but both have won a legion of fans with their ever-evolving collections. Craig Green is the epitome of what's been dubbed the 'new wave': Green’s designs embody introspective concepts and challenge the accepted forms of modern fashion, the London natives genius lies his ability to create wearable art with utilitarian edge; Green himself was a former sculpture student who never once considered being a fashion designer. Tim Blanks, the widely respected fashion critic and editor-at-large of The Business of Fashion once wrote, “Craig Green is fearless in his idealism. His clothes are grand gestures, but they're poetic and romantic too. People sobbed at his Spring show. Fashion craves that emotion”. However, Green's post-modernistic approach has received both its plaudits and it's critics, with the Daily Mail newspaper often poking fun at his unconventional work, but Green wears such criticism as a badge of honors, claiming that if his collection doesn't get a barrage of Daily Mail hatred his collection wasn't weird enough.  This season perhaps took some criticism on board and moved to a more wearable palette, as militaristic khaki and olive drab were used alongside workwear inspired fabrics. While Green lives for the abstract, Lou Dalton provides Britain's antidote for every day: each collection Dalton creates is born out of practicality. Dalton once worked at Stone Island in Italy, which perhaps shaped her future work and interest in producing wearable, technical driven menswear. Dalton has gained a cult following for her minimalistic approach with great expertise in detail and fabric. This seasons collection was inspired by Britain itself: the Shetlands whirling landscapes and mammals provided the earthy palette. Practical fur, knitwear, and heavy winter coats are central to the collection. With Dalton's obsession with quality,  British brand John Smedley, who are famous for their luxurious knitwear, were tasked with producing the collection. With a strong sense of tradition and British heritage, silhouettes were relaxed and materials such as Tartan are used sparingly. Indeed, both Dalton and Green are the complete opposite ends of the fashion spectrum but are retrospectively re-shaping menswear. Shop the Autumn/Winter '16 collections now at Hervia.com