The Seventies — a trend that’s emerging at a number of the London men’s shows this season — was one of the touchstones for Louise Trotter, creative director at Joseph, and Mark Thomas, the brand’s head men’s designer.
“I moved houses this year, and during the move I found these old pictures of my parents during the late Seventies,” said Trotter. “What was really interesting was how feminine women dressed at that time, but also how feminine guys dressed as well. That idea, and that nostalgic mood — that English kind of sensibility — was something we really worked with for this collection.”
To mine that theme, the designers played with what they called an “off-kilter,” retro color palette, to create cozy, appealing designs for a “slightly eccentric” muse. An overcoat with elongated, exaggerated proportions came in deep maroon wool, while there were nerdish Fair Isle vests, one knit in shades of mustard and navy, paired with cropped-hem, checked pants and a round-collared shirt. And the tailoring — which included check jackets in shades of red, white and blue — had wide, Seventies-esque lapels.
But while there might have been a vintage inspiration, the designs were throughly modern in their construction, designed for an increasingly season-less climate. Trotter and Thomas pointed out that one brushed alpaca coat was unlined, making it “ideal for layering,” while a parka-meets-car coat design was done in light, fluid nylon.