NEIL BARRETT delivered an edgy spring/summer 2012 collection in Milan this weekend, in keeping with his menswear label’s mission to deliver “masculine and credible” clothes.
Referencing rockabilly and punk looks, the British designer sent out a predominately monochrome colour palette (some army green and camel tones were present but used sparingly), which fused contemporary graphic prints - think convict-style pinstripes and Escher-inspired patterns - with traditional houndstooth check.
The check – carried through from two-piece suits worn with T-shirts, to trouser and bomber jacket separates and a few pieces of womenswear which also appeared in the show – gave the collection a modern rockabilly feel, while tough silver key chains and zipper details exposed the punk attitude.
A former top menswear designer for Gucci and Prada before going it alone in 1999, Barrett is famed for his leather jackets - worn by the likes of Brad Pitt and Jake Gyllenhaal – and on that score, he certainly did not disappoint.
Alongside traditional padded leather bombers, in keeping with the mix-and-match aesthetic which pervaded the collection, the designer showed new twists on the classic spring trench - both short and long – which had leather body panels and sleeves, as well as sleeveless leather waistcoats which worked for both boys and girls alike.
SEE THE NEIL BARRETT SHOW ARCHIVE