Lou Dalton Autumn/Winter 2014
Lou Dalton proved she wears the pants in menswear as the designer opened London Collections: MEN for a fourth season. The first of the three-day event kicked off with a runway show, with Dalton presenting her AW14 collection. Taking place in London’s Victoria House in Bloomsbury, those in attendance included several high profile fashion journalists, bloggers and stylists, along with LC:M ambassador and supermodel David Gandy. Since graduating from The Royal College of Art in 1998, Dalton has become a starlet of the British menswear scene. The designer has developed a signature style, which she describes as “rebellious English sportswear with a strong attention to detail.” Inspiration for AW14 came from the work clothes of farmers and farmhands, which the designer remembers fondly from childhood. “This collection is very personal to me. It’s a man I know well,” said Dalton. The range contained wardrobe staples such as chinos, denim jackets, pea coats and trenches, but updated and altered with the designer’s own aesthetic and theme added. Bleached denim made several appearances, worn as single pieces or full looks. The same goes for corduroy, though the fabric had gone through a special wash process to give it a richer colour and texture. The farm wear inspiration was most visible in the western jacket, which appeared in both bleached denim and corduroy. The design was slightly cropped and included side and chest pockets for storage. On the runway, both versions of the jacket were paired with light blue bleached jeans. A pair of pastel pink chinos and matching long sleeve shirt was the most adventurous ensemble from the show. Shoemakers Grenson were on hand to offer footwear. The Northampton brand provided heavy duty army boots in oxblood and black to continue the British heritage of Dalton’s designs. The collection will be available later in the year from stockists including Liberty, Dover Street Market, Harvey Nichols and Opening Ceremony.
Available At
Lou Dalton AW14 Runway Video
Lou Dalton AW14 Collection At LC:M
