(Newswire.net — December 11, 2015) — The landscape of men’s fashion has seen a dramatic shift in recent years. Today, if you go to any UK city centre, restaurant, or bar, you’re likely to see a plethora of fashion-conscious men wearing heavily branded clothing. Newswire’s Chris Cantell initially covered this in 2013, when the shift away from subtle menswear first started to develop. Two years later, we’re taking an in-depth look at why branded designer menswear has become more popular than ever.
In June, GQ announced Kanye West as the most stylish man alive. Other influential figures who just missed out on the top spot include: Ryan Gosling, Pharrell Williams, A$AP Rocky, and Jaden Smith. The thing that all of these men have in common is their undeniable ability to fuse bold clothing and statement pieces to create a wholly unique fashion statement.
Kanye West has become almost as famous for his outfit choices as for his music career. His unmistakeable style is often controversial, however it nevertheless influences men all over the world to be more daring with their sartorial choices. His Yeezy Season 1 clothing line sold out online in less than a day despite its expensive price tag, which is testament to his personal fashion credentials.
This ubiquitous trend of increasingly bold designer menswear is nowhere more evident than in the UK, and retailers are having to adapt their stock in reaction to this cultural shift. Everything from classic designer brands such as Ralph Lauren and Hugo Boss, to more urban labels including Stone Island and Carhartt are all essential labels in British menswear stores.
Carl Elliot from Northern Threads, an independent menswear retailer in the North East of England, said: “While subtle and understated apparel is still an essential component of men’s fashion, we have definitely seen an increase in the demand for bolder branded garments. Whether that’s the small yet distinctive logo of a Ralph Lauren polo, or something much more elaborate, British men have never been prouder to show off the brands they wear.”
This noticeable shift is largely attributed to the rapid surge in menswear social media accounts. Today, the average man has 24-hour access to a constant stream of fashion images on platforms such as Instagram, Pinterest, and Tumblr. Italian style blogger, Mariano Di Vaio has over four million Instagram followers on his account, where he posts inspiring designer outfits daily. There is also an abundance of other influential Instagram pages out there such as Men With Street Style and Street Etiquette, offering inspiration for men looking to take their fashion to the next level.
Although bold menswear with an urban edge is a sartorial trend that has been gaining momentum for a few years, it has truly come to the fore this year. Influential pop culture figures and constant access to fashion news has also served to spur on the resurgence even more. Understated garments will always have a place, however, the shift towards more audacious pieces looks like it’s here to stay.