Jonathan Saunders is quite possibly the best colorist in British fashion. He also has a knack for finding a vehicle that allows him to exercise that talent to its max. For his latest—and best—men's collection, it was the work of Hungarian op artist Victor Vasarely, king of the dots. Saunders' geometric honeycombs of color spanned spectrums, and loaned an arch precision to his signature knitwear. But that archness fit perfectly with another of the collection's influences—the endlessly inspiring David Bowie, this time in his plastic soul phase. The slicked-back hair and shaded eyes of the models were the stylist's flourishes. The lean monochrome tailoring (shoes to match by Christian Louboutin) and soft, belted coats were more fundamental to Bowie's sleek decadence in that mid-'70s moment. Likewise a double-breasted pinstriped suit, its pattern printed, rather than woven, as a reminder of Saunders' own ability to artfully warp perception as Bowie once did.
The real spine of this designer's menswear is that he creates it first for himself. There's nothing that he wouldn't wear…er…strike that. He's not a shorts man, and there were plenty of shorts in this collection. "They're youthful," Saunders explained. And bloke-y, too. That was something to keep in mind during London's menswear weekend, with the bared leg the running thread of show after show.
