Anyone who had the privilege of growing up in the nineties will be familiar with French Connection. One of the UK high street’s most recognisable names, its T-shirts were basically standard-issue gear for the coolest guys at school. And while we haven’t forgotten the brand’s glory days, it’s no secret that the retailer has had its ups and downs, leading it to slip off the radar in recent years. Things, though, are changing, and French Connection is getting ready to enter 2017 on a new path. The brand is placing significant emphasis on colour, fabric and silhouette, with the updated vision for French Connection based around a core collection constructed of investment basics – knitwear and jersey, statement outerwear, plain tees, shirts and an updated denim offering – complemented by seasonal on-trend styles and premium design details. This translates into pieces like winter-ready wool-blend Melton jackets, classic dark wash jeans and cool-yet-understated graphic sweatshirts.
French Connection AW16 Collection
The autumn/winter 2016 range, the first in a new life cycle for the near half a century old retailer, doesn’t just take a new approach when it comes to design. French Connection has been drip-feeding mini-collections over recent months, serving as a personal shopper telling men exactly what to buy and when. From the earliest pre-collection drop of seasonal classics in May through the delivery of winter-weight essentials in August and up to the more recent capsule collection of hero outerwear pieces; the aim has been to guide us through the steps of building a capsule wardrobe of transitional pieces which work from summer to winter, day to evening, work to weekend. We know what you’re thinking: hold on, this isn’t the French Connection I remember. And you’d be right. But with fresh contemporary designs and a renewed focus, it’s fair to say the brand is shaping up to be a pretty stylish one. And if the clothes are indicative of a new direction, so, too, is the accompanying campaign. Take a look at the autumn/winter 2016 lookbook below and put French Connection 2.0 on your radar. The French Connection autumn/winter 2016 collection is available online and in stores now. Prices start from £15.