The joint initiative between TOPMAN and Fashion East returns in January 2014 to showcase the most exciting menswear designers.
This is the ninth year that the original supporters of London menswear talent have scouted and provided a launch pad for emerging designers.
Following spring/summer 2014's stellas line-up, Craig Green, Bobby Abley and Alan Taylor return to the MAN catwalk for autumn/winter 2014. This marks Craig Green's third and final season and both Bobby Abley and Alan Taylor's second. The trio follows in the footsteps of designers J.W. Anderson, Christopher Shannon, Shaun Samson and James Long, who all launched their brands through MAN.
Craig Green
Craig Green has struck a chord with his conceptual yet wearable pieces. His catwalk debut made the headlines in January 2013 thanks to his light and shadow twins accessorised with extreme wooden body sculptures. The CSM grad’s trajectory has been steep ever since, less than a year later he’s been nominated for the British Fashion Awards’ 2013 Emerging Menswear Talent accolade alongside MAN alumni Agi & Sam and Christopher Shannon.
For SS14 he surprised and delighted with tie-dye outbursts on signature raw-edged separates. Worn with dramatic sculptural body pieces, the collection was picked up by leading international stores including Dover Street Market Tokyo, NYC and London, 10 Corso Como, Milan and Other Store, London.
Bobby Abley
Bobby Abley’s unmistakable, upbeat graphics, typified by the bear logo, make his collections a joy to wear. Following stints with designers Jeremy Scott and Alexander McQueen and a cosmic installation with Fashion East’s Menswear Installations, he attracted much attention and secured a space in the SS14 MAN line-up.
SS14’s Sword and the Stone fantasy collection came complete with buckled leather crowns, tattoo-ed birds and baby pink bears stuffed into rucksacks. Worn by Azealia Banks and profiled by LOVE and ES magazine, it’s no wonder Bobby’s fun cartoon-printed sportswear is highly coveted. He is already stocked by an impressive roster of international stockists including I.T, Nightvision, Candy and Wildstyle.
Alan Taylor
Dublin-born Alan Taylor is reinvigorating London’s traditional tailoring scene with his modern, considered perspective. Having graduated from Dublin’s National College of Art and Design and gained experience with Alexander McQueen, Agi & Sam and Simone Rocha, he made his catwalk debut with MAN for SS14.
Alan takes a Cubist approach to tailoring, exploring the ideas of a fourth dimension and how garments fall on the male form. His intelligence and attention to detail sets him apart; he collaborates with a traditional Irish mill to create bespoke woven fabrics comprising luxury silk and tweed. Fans of his work include W magazine. Vogue Italia, HERO and Dazed & Confused and Selfridges who featured him in their 2013 Bright Young Things.
