For autumn/winter 2013, clothing brand Farah sought inspiration in the people, events and style trends of the twentieth century to create the menswear collection for its 1920 line. Named ‘Heroes of Invention’, the collection reinvents classic menswear staples by adding subtle touches of contemporary flair. This approach is best noticed in outerwear garments such as the Crampton Deck Coat, which is inspired by US Navy designs but with a lightweight shell fabric with a Melton liner, and the Wiggins Chore Coat, based on the utilitarian design of a 1940s US Railroad workwear jacket with a removable blanket liner that doubles as a waistcoat and a Nubuck collar that suggests a sense of luxury.
The collection’s fusion of heritage and innovation is also evident in the shirts made from fabrics such as checked flannels, waxed twills and overdyed ginghams that underwent washing processes to create a weatherworn and rustic look that is further stressed by the natural wood or shell buttons. This rugged and yet refined interpretation of style is also present in the two-tone twills used in tailored trousers and jackets that are finished with hand-sewn metal buttons and printed twill linings. The colour palette reflects the utilitarian concept that overall underpins the collection: dark indigo, petrol and teal contrast with warmer hues such as Bordeaux, ruby and gold, and earthy tones of almond and cocoa.
