Christopher Shannon Menswear Spring/Summer 2013

By leaving behind the creative elements that made his talent shine in his previous collection for Autumn/Winter 2012, Christopher Shannon’s menswear range for Spring/Summer 2013 also abandoned enhancing features such as printed lace or knitted words to return to trademark fabric patchwork and panelling, as well as colour blocking and short fringes, in a somewhat disappointing regression in the career of this talented menswear designer.

Claiming diverse sources of inspiration that included 1970s English folklore, ancient Summer rites and images of gap-year backpackers exploring south-east Asia, Shannon’s collection included an innovative and interesting design detail in the form of multi-coloured blanket fabrics panelled at lower hemlines of sweatshirts or down one side of whole outfits. Loose-fitting shirts and shorts featured prominently with the intention to create a casual slouched silhouette but, in the end, failed to reveal any constructive ingenuity to the collection.

The casual look continued in pieces such as black and indigo denim jackets and t-shirts in horizontal striped patchwork with frayed edges. A new collaboration with Cambridge Satchel Company saw the creation of an interesting hybrid between the classic satchel and a backpack by elongating the bag in a rectangular shape and adding shoulder straps. Most versions of the bag contained leather fringes, with only one design in black leather being successful and standing out precisely for being toned down on the fringe count.

All in all, this was a collection that pleased Christopher Shannon’s faithful followers who believe that fashion collections do not need to generate creative shifts when they are unveiled every season. Nevertheless, the final result did little to impress those who could be drawn to the young designer’s promising talent.