Trade Show Trends: Jacket Required

The F/W 12 edition of Jacket Required took place on February 12th and 13th at Victoria House in London’s Bloomsbury Square. Increasing its vendor count from 38 for its first season to almost 100 this go around, the show is striving to fill a void in the world of UK menswear. Focusing on a mantra of ”quality of brands, diversity of offering and uniqueness of experience,” the men behind the show, Craig Ford, Mark Batista and Andrew Parfitt, are insuring that buyers and editors alike come away a renewed appreciation for the place London holds in updated tradition. Standout brands included Universal Works, Mark McNairy, The Superior Labor, Filson, Bedwin and the Heartbreakers, Garbstore, Human Made, Sanders, and many more.

Similar to the overarching themes seen in Florence and Paris the month prior, exhibitors at Jacket Required focused on menswear classics remixed for the modern dude, all with a much-needed undercurrent of ruggedness and masculine luxury. Click here to check out all of the images from the show.

Some of the KEY TRENDS for F/W 12 include:

1. “NEW TRADITION” as a theme, with reworked and slightly edgy versions of preppy classics
2. CAMOUFLAGE used on unexpected classifications like footwear and in digital new ways
3. SOFT AND WASHED WOOLENS
   
4. OLIVE GREEN
5. CANVAS + LEATHER RUCKSACKS
6. COLOR-BLOCKED OR PIECED BROGUE BOOTS
7. WEDGE SOLES
8. ANIMAL PRINTS used both as applique on knits as well as on allover motifs on footwear
9. THE LUXE PARKA
10. CONVERSATIONAL PRINTS on woven shirts
11. FAIR ISLE MOTIFS for puffer vests and jackets
12. BOLD STRIPES
13. SHIRT-JACKETS, some two-ply weights and color-blocked
14. FELTED WOOL and FLANNEL used in new ways, like on desert boots and patchworked on knits
15. HUNTING JACKETS, many with contrasting pockets, unconstructed silhouettes and shawl collars
16. FLAT QUILTED SURFACES
17. THE FASHION SWEATSHIRT, including short-sleeve bodies, raw edges and patterned piecing

As London gears up for its first-ever Men’s Fashion Weekend in June, the momentum and excitement behind Jacket Required is sure to continue. Stay tuned for details on the dates and location for the S/S 13 edition.  —Michael Fisher

Know what’s next. Become a WGSN member today to benefit from our daily trend intelligence, retail analytics, consumer insights and bespoke consultancy services.