July’s new arrivals are here…
Our menswear buying team are blessed with a beady eye for design talent and luckily for us, this means welcoming exciting new brands to Browns each month. Bringing a mix of hot designers, ones-to-watch and exclusive capsules, our new season offering is unrivalled.
This month has seen the arrival of a menswear debut, a heritage Brit, an American icon, a force for change and plenty of specs appeal. Let us formally introduce you to the latest July arrivals…
Sies Marjan
Debuting his first Sies Marjan menswear collection this season, Dutch designer Sander Lak presented his AW19 and SS20 offering at the same time. Known for evoking a narrative of colour and playing with proportion, Sies Marjan approached its menswear with a sense of gender fluidity, adding seemingly feminine colours to soft silhouettes. Based in New York and named after Sander’s parents Sies and Marjan, this contemporary brand is introducing subversive fabrication to traditional menswear and challenging the norm.
Polo Ralph Lauren
Starting out as a necktie line sold out of Lauren’s drawer in his Empire State Building office, Polo Ralph Lauren officially launched in 1968. Never seen without his classic jeans, Ralph Lauren has had a long-time love affair with denim that has now seen a resurgence with his new collection of 90s styles, emblazoned with the iconic American flag print. Famed for its preppy Ivy League aesthetic, Ralph Lauren has also given rise its own subculture in the form of the Brooklyn based Lo-Lifes, known for sporting head-to-toe Ralph since the 80s. With ambassadors such as Mayhem Lauren, Just Blaze and Fat Tony, Ralph Lauren manages to be both an American classic and a modern day hype brand.
Bethany Williams
With a focus on conscious consumption and sustainability, LVMH prize nominee Bethany Williams is using fashion as a force for change. Her innovative designs explore the connection between social and environmental issues, using recycled fabrications and donating a proportion of her sales to charity. Working closely with local communities, Bethany has worked in shelters, food banks and prisons to create a unique collection embedded with the stories of real people. Often employing people using the charity services, she works with them to hear their journey, expand their skill set and give each collection a piece of their story. For AW19 Bethany worked with Adelaide House, a women’s refuge in Liverpool where she enlisted the help of the residents to create a range of knitwear, painted denim and sports jackets that draw inspiration from the landscape of the Merseyside city.
Sunspel
Steeped in heritage, British brand Sunspel dates back to 1860 when founder Thomas Hill used inherited expertise in the lace trade to produce luxury undergarments for men. Famed for introducing the boxer short to Britain in 1947, Sunspel was further catapulted into the spotlight after featuring in the infamous 1981 Levi’s 501 advert that saw a male model enter a laundrette and remove everything but his Sunspel boxers and socks. Cheeky and a little controversial, the commercial is a cult classic. Remaining true to its 150-year-old roots, Sunspel champion a luxury leisurewear aesthetic, sourcing the finest fabrics to create its range of T-shirts, sweats and underwear. Their Riviera polo shirts also happen to be a firm favourite of 007, as worn by Daniel Craig in Casino Royale (shaken, not stirred.)
Retrosuperfuture
Using unique materials, cutting edge shapes and bold colours, Retrosuperfuture are the label upping the ante on traditional men’s eyewear. Founded in 2007 by Daniel Beckerman, this fresh collection of glasses are a firm favourite with the likes of A$AP Rocky, Kanye West and Snoop Dogg. Well known for their colourful, Italian-made acetate frames, Retrosuperfuture also work with German lens manufacturer ZEISS to ensure each pair are finished with a pair of fully functional high protection lenses. Get ready for a bright Retrosuperfuture.
Words by Alexandra Oliver