Last season, London-based menswear designer Bobby Abley installed a giant spaceship as part of his Fashion East installation. So considering S/S14 was his catwalk debut at MAN, it was fairly evident that kitsch and fantasy would collide once again – and that’s exactly what Abley gave us.

Models appeared on the runway wearing leather crowns, with their faces covered in temporary tattoos… and then there were the teddy bear references, which made their way onto jumpers and on the back of over-sized clutch bags. We caught up with the designer backstage to find out more about squire boys and royalty…

Dazed Digital: I want to hear about this fantasy teddy bear, medieval world that you have created…
Bobby Abley: It’s loosely based on the Sword and the Stone, where he’s a squire boy into royalty, that’s why he’s like the basket weaver and the wicker. Then the prints and the fabrics developed into more regal, and my friend Alan had pearl ears made. They sort of appear as he gets more regal, so that was the story.

DD: And then the markings on the face?
Bobby Abley: The birds and stuff, it was transfer tattoos that we had made and the birds were the middle transformation. Then he comes out in his bow and air tracksuit saying king.

DD: And then also the leather crowns…
Bobby Abley: I’m really into mixing candy colours with a bit of bondage.

DD: It was also quite fetish as well…
Bobby Abley: Yeah because I kept the buckle on it. It’s sort of my interpretation of a party crown I guess, a different kind of party crown.

via & more photos on dazeddigital.com

There’s been a lot of tension surrounding British menswear recently. So many issues remain unspoken – from its ongoing commerciality to the strange disconnect between established and emerging designers.

However, one of the biggest unspoken issues lies with David Gandy, an ambassador for LC:M, who during a recent interview on Alan Carr’s Chatty Man openly insulted the highly sculptural work of Craig Green. There was never an apology, nor did the industry ever acknowledge the issue. Apparently this season he requested a ticket for Craig’s show, but it was rejected.

So when Craig Green sent a tribe of faceless, psychedelic acid print covered sculptures down the runway I couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief. Someone had finally done it. Craig had made the biggest possible statement about the underlying issues in British menswear. What’s more, he took his “clumsy, chunky” aesthetic to new heights. His silhouettes were distorted, prints were haners – whether Gandy agrees or not.

Mnd-dyed and his hems were left raw. Like last season, Craig gave us a strong visual; but this time he created this strange rhythm on the runway where block colours of navy, black and white were set aside bright psychedelic prints. It was a spectacular show and reinforced his position as one of London’s most visionary menswear designers – whether Gandy agrees or not.

via & more photos on ore images on dazeddigital.com

– a collection of portraits featuring the male patrons who hung out at Zurich’s first punk and New Wave nightclub – to create a gang of individual guys. “I wanted to create my own kind of imaginary club inhabited by quite different guys who have a unifying interest,” Nicoll told us after the show.

The result was tough and moody counter culture, viewed through Nicoll’s effortless sportswear aesthetic and illuminated by his trademark blue. The collection also marked the launch of S/HE, a counter label by Nicoll and Linder Sterling featuring the artist’s collages as prints for menswear and womenswear. “I found some seventies gay porn in Barcelona and sent it to Linder who treated it with serpents and hawks,” Nicoll said. The bold, graphic prints adorned pristine leather-sleeved bombers and rubberised sweatshirts add a rich and sensual feel to the collection. via & more photos: dazeddigital.com

Much like Richard Prince’s Untitled (Cowboys) series, which was appropriated from Marlboro cigarette campaigns, this season Topman Design also took on the task of redefining one of pop culture’s cult figures.

But their interpretation was far from being kitsch; instead their cowboy’s emerged on the runway wearing hand embroidered silk Western shirts with their eyes concealed under dark glasses. There was something quite seductive about the collection, partially down to the strong casting but also the various silks, metallic yarns, deep reds and midnight blacks that made up the garments. There was also a twist – taking reference from 50s cult genre of B films, intricate embroidered flowers turned into slightly more sinister scratch stitched spiders.

via & more photos: dazeddigital.com

Barbara Palvin and Jan Aeberhard shot by Walter Pfeiffer. A.P.C. F/W 2013 Pre Collection are in stores now.

The Fondation Pierre Bergé – Yves Saint Laurent is preparing to open the revolutionary French designer’s archives from Monday June 17. The first installment is ‘Paper Dolls‘, digitized versions of early designs made by a shy, sensitive teen on the brink of huge success. image via vogue.fr

With the demise of Vogue Hommes Japan earlier this year, American readers may be in the market for a new photo-heavy Japanese menswear magazine. If the crowded racks at Kinokuniya seem overwhelming, let us help you find a suitable monthly guide to the Tokyo scene. Continue on T Magazine

Raf Simons presented at the Fall/Winter 2013 collection the satin jaquard backpacks, using the striped pattern of the collection. The minimal design of the Belgian designer met with the iconic bag brand to launch the forth collaboration of Raf Simons and Eastpak.

This limited edition is available now at Voo Store with three colourways. via fuckingyoung.es

ACE HOTEL has teamed up with Converse again to create their new Converse x Ace Hotel White Pro Leather High Tops — a custom version of the classic Pro Leather Sneaker, like the ones Dr. J wore on glides through the troposphere in the 70s.

They’re made from premium sheepskin and soft nubuck suede in two complements of white with a perforated ‘A’ motif and cream outsoles. A limited run with custom Ace-designed packaging. Available now on ACE HOTEL online shop.

via ACE Hotel Newsletter

Dior has announced that British ‘Twilight’ actor Robert Pattinson will take over from Jude Law, as the new face of the Dior Homme fragrance. via beautyandsecrets.