The runway shows at London Fashion Week always deliver an innovative take on men’s fashion. For the Spring/Summer 2024 season, designers focused on refreshing wardrobe staples with new styling twists and directional details. Black is back as the base color, with sculptural shapes and romantic accents adding drama. Grunge is making a comeback too, just in time for festival season. This report breaks down the top trends spotted on the London catwalks from modern updates on tailoring to eye-catching accessories, which are the key looks your customers will want next spring.
Table of Contents
1. Reimagining masculine classics
2. Grunge revival
3. Graphics Go Surreal
4. Texture Play
5. Suiting Redefined
6. Striking Footwear & Accessories
7. Denim Directions
1. Reimagining masculine classics
The Modern Romantic trend breathed new life into traditional menswear staples on the LFW runways. Designers like Labrum London and Natasha Zinko added draped and twisted fabrics, delicate bows, and flower accents to create a modern take on romantic style.
By updating classic shirting and tailoring silhouettes with expressive fabric manipulations and decadent trims, the London collections put a refined yet directional spin on occasionwear. Spring/Summer 2024 will help your customers work a bit of modern romance into their everyday wardrobe.
Try relaxed yet tailored shirts with softly twisted detailing at the placket and cuffs. Lightweight, unstructured suit jackets with a subtle sheen are an easy way to bring in the trend. Keep the rest of the look pared back and let these special accent pieces make the statement.
2. Grunge revival
The London runways showed that grunge is back in a big way for Spring/Summer 2024. But it’s not the distressed, gritty grunge of the 90s this time. Instead, designers like Mains and PERMU introduced a fresher, more wearable take on the trend.
Oversize shapes, soft-washed denim, and muted color palettes blended punk accents with streetwear comfort. The layered, relaxed aesthetic taps into the popularity of gender-inclusive and non-conforming styles. Retailers can focus on carrying key pieces like oversized plaid shirts, cropped wide-leg pants, and distressed denim jackets.
When merchandising a grunge-inspired assortment, keep silhouettes baggy but not sloppy. Washed denim and neutral, earthen tones will have more mass appeal than hardcore black and shredded textures. Consider carrying edgier graphic tees along with more inclusive wardrobe staples like joggers and knit beanies. Festival season will drive interest, so cross-merchandise with music and outdoor lifestyle brands.
3. Graphics Go Surreal
Bold, surreal graphics made a splash on the LFW runways. Prints and patterns took an avant-garde turn, with psychedelic colors, abstract designs, and optical illusions. However, designers grounded these standout graphics in wearable basics.
For retailers, focus on apparel and accessories that bridge the gap between directional and commercial. Try cropped logo sweatshirts in trippy monochrome prints. Incorporate hazy tie-dye effects into t-shirts. Opt for abstract graphics on accent pieces like socks and hats rather than all-over prints.
When it comes to head-to-toe graphic looks, make sure silhouettes and base colors feel familiar. Psychedelic prints on simple wardrobe staples will allow more customers to experiment with this trend in their own unique way. Lean into graphic accessories like decorated sunglasses and sneakers to drive interest.
4. Texture Play
Surface design and fabric innovation took center stage on the LFW runways. Designers incorporated 3D textures and unexpected materials to add depth and interest to menswear staples.
Bow embellishments, knotted accents, and draped fabric constructions lent a tactile dimension to classic pieces. The London collections also played with material mixes, like leather with linen or mesh with cotton, to create striking textural contrasts.
For Spring/Summer 2024, focus on carrying wardrobe basics with subtle texture twists. Try linen shirts with handkerchief hems or loose-cropped pants in linen-silk blends. Leather jackets with ruched sleeve details are another easy way to bring in tactile interest. When merchandising your assortment, display key pieces folded or rolled to highlight 3D details. Encourage customers to explore items hands-on and engage multiple senses.
5. Suiting Redefined
London designers put a radically fresh spin on traditional suiting for Spring/Summer 2024. Silhouettes went wide and billowy, while fabrics turned lightweight with a sporty dose of stretch and sheen. Details like low-slung waists, cropped hems, and relaxed fits brought suiting up to date.
The LFW runways also played with proportion, pairing oversized jackets with slim trousers or boxy shorts. Standout looks included floral printed suits, distressed denim tuxedos, and coordinating Bermuda sets.
For retailers, focus on carrying modern alternatives to the classic suit. Try unlined blazers in lightweight technical fabrics paired with shorts or cropped pants. Bring in coordinating sets with relaxed, non-traditional silhouettes. Implement details like contrast stitching, unique buttons, and patterned inner trims to add interest. Display suit separates together to inspire creative styling.
6. Striking Footwear & Accessories
Make a statement with bold accessories and footwear, straight from the London runways. Slim, rectangular sunglasses in neutral tones echoed the apparel’s focus on black and monochrome. Metal and leather details, like chain and spike embellishments, added an edgy accent.
Standout shoes included futuristic sneakers, western-inspired boots with exaggerated shafts, and glossy penny loafers splashed with vibrant patterns. Bags ran the gamut from practical crossbodies to avant-garde circular shapes.
For Spring/Summer 2024, offer customers eye-catching accessories to complement versatile apparel. Try classic penny loafers updated with bold prints or sneakers in mixed metallics. Incorporate of-the-moment silhouettes like slim sunglasses and convertible shoulder bags. Display statement pieces prominently to capture attention.
7. Denim Directions
Denim on the London runways took on wide, flowing silhouettes, workwear inspirations, and gender-inclusive details. Oversized trucker jackets and draped wide-leg jeans nodded to 90s style. Meanwhile, overalls and multi-pocket utility styles referenced traditional workwear.
Designers also played with proportion and hybrid fits. Details like asymmetric openings dropped shoulders, and curved waistbands made denim feel fresh. Mixing denim with leather, linen, or knits created striking material contrasts.
For Spring/Summer 2024, focus on looser denim silhouettes and gender-neutral details. Try oversized trucker jackets with dropped sleeves and wide-leg jeans with curved waistbands. Incorporate denim overalls or multi-pocket jumpsuits for a utilitarian twist. Display denim bottoms folded at the waistband to highlight details.
Conclusion:
London Fashion Week gave us an inspiring glimpse at men’s fashion for Spring/Summer 2024. By balancing directional themes like modern romance and grunge with innovative updates on classics like tailoring and denim, designers struck a perfect note. As you build your Spring/Summer 2024 men’s assortment, keep these key LFW trends in mind. Focus on wearable versatility with subtle twists – your customers will appreciate the subtle edge.
