Debenhams FFP Men’s Clothing

Admittedly middle England’s department stores aren’t usually on my list of stores to hit when I’m on the look out for tough and masculine clothing to bolster my wardrobe. Kettles and toasters; I’ll be straight down to John Lewis. Bedding and furnishings? Thank you House of Fraser. But men’s fashion – not so much… until now.

This season Debenhams has launched it’s newest own brand foray into menswear, a collection entitled FFP (Fit For Purpose). The name suggests that the collection’s boots were made to stomp around in and climb mountains, the jeans to be worn by young bucks on horse back, and jackets built to weather any storm. OK so I’m getting a little carried away, but the tough name is the perfect prelude to a rough and raw collection with a distinctly urban vibe, and is a much needed shake up for the store’s menswear offering – this is after all a store that still has Sadie Frost and Julian Macdonald on its payroll!*

The in-house design team of FFP have drawn on global inspiration, with nods towards the military (but not in that obvious gold buttoned, army badges way) and the industrial (without the Conglomerate BP disaster connotations) – both key ingredients for a new brand that emphasises durability and functionality as integral parts of its design ethos.

The debut collection is comprised of 99 stylish pieces with prices starting at just £10, making the range accessible to all, and includes all you’ll need from head to toe – worn in leather boots, distressed wash denims and classic style outerwear are all on the Fashionbeans wish list.

Not ones to miss a trick, Debenhams have enlisted the services of British boxers Kevin Mitchell and Frankie Gavin to be the faces of the collection, re-enforcing the tough aesthetic of the collection with some mean and moody shots. Of course sports men modelling clothes is nothing new (I recall a time when it was extremely difficult to purchase anything that wasn’t being sold off the back of David Beckham’s universal good looks); Adam Creasey, Director of Debenhams Menswear, observes that “Boxers Frankie Gavin and Kevin Mitchell encapsulate the hard-edged but wearable nature of FFP. Frankie and Kevin were as natural and confident on the shoot as they are in the ring and have ensured our new launch packs a punch”. Let’s hope the tried and tested formula works out just as well for the department store.

The LookBook

Debenhams Menswear FFP First Launch Look Book

The Collection

Here Fashionbeans selects the must have items from the brand new collection…

  • Black double breasted Italian wool coat
  • Light grey hooded Harrington jacket
  • Dark green quilted gilet
  • Blue long sleeved chambray shirt
  • Green military shacket
  • Black Fidel toe cap leather boots
  • Dark blue raw slim jeans
  • Dark blue tapered jeans
  • Dark blue dust tapered trousers
  • Brown 'Fidel' toe cap shoes
  • Bright blue knitted v-neck jumper
  • Grey lightweight check scarf

*Sadie, Julian – it’s nothing personal, but I mean, putting bows and sequins and leopard print on everything is just a tad nauseating. Are women really still dressing like that? They are? Gosh. I stand corrected.