London Menswear AW19 Has Begun. But Does It Still Matter?

Menswear? Men’s where? The opening day of the Autumn/Winter 2019 menswear season in London questioned gender and blurred boundaries — it began at Art School with a bias-cut dress, which was technically the first look of a fashion week with the word “men” tacked on to the end. Yet what relevance does a men’s-only fashion week have in a cultural landscape of increasing gender fluidity? Particularly when billion-pound behemoths like Burberry and Gucci are combining men’s and women’s into single showcases (economic in both creative and financial senses). Well, menswear is big business by itself, for one. The UK market alone is worth £15bn; a further 11 per cent growth is anticipated over the next three years, to £17.1bn. It is expected to outperform womenswear entirely by 2020. Read more at Financial Times.