Songzio is a South Korean label making its second appearance on the London men’s schedule. And the lineup of polished, historically inspired men’s wear that designer Zio Song sent out marked a departure from the youthful, rather undone mood of the men’s fall season thus far.
Calling his show “Misanthrope,” Song fashioned pieces that swung between the sweeping and romantic and the strict and buttoned-up. The show opened with a black, three-piece suit worn with a velvet necktie and a high, clerical white collar, while another skinny, rather constrictive-looking suit came in navy pinstripe. But the more dramatic silhouettes made a greater impact — seen on great ankle-grazing coats, one done in a print of paint splatters, taken from a separate work of art by Song himself.
Also appealing were luxurious-looking pieces styled with unfussy fare, such as a midnight blue, velvet jacket worn with voluminous black pants and a crisp white shirt. While haute looking, they had a sense of ease, unlike some of the more overwrought pieces, such as jodhpurs with stiff, wide hips worn with starched shirts.