Jonathan Saunders SS12

As I wearily staggered from showroom to showroom on a ridiculously hot and sweaty weekend in Paris last month I encountered a number of reasons to be excited for SS12. None more so than Jonathan Saunders' menswear. Now, ever since Saunders burst on to the womenswear scene with his graduate collection from CSM in 2002, the design talent has caused much excitement and fanfare. His intricately engineered graphic prints in a kaleidoscopic of colour have made him a real highlight on the LFW schedule. Having already dipped his toe in the inviting waters of menswear with a few complimentary looks within his runway shows (most recently AW11), this season sees the Scottish born designer jump right in with surprising aplomb.

As in his recent womenswear collections, Saunders offers a clean and concise statement as he applies his well honed design signature to true classics of menswear. The peacoat, trench coat and relaxed tailored pieces are all given a decidedly Saunders twist. His trademark print is of course in evidence. One flourish looks like Victorian wallpaper. However, it is in the more subtle variants where the pieces really shine, as in a striped shirt which showcases a delicate engineered jacquard. For me, the real highlights are the tan outerwear pieces that are brought to life with flashes of aqua. We've come to expect these assured games with print and colour blocking from Saunders' womenswear but it is a real treat to see them employed so well here. Now, I could wax lyrical about the collection but this is a collection that talks for itself. Without further ado, here is a selection of imagery. The following combination of supplied look book images and my own close up shots will surely get you all drunk on a heady cocktail of luxe staples and stunning details...

Look book images courtesy of Jonathan Saunders, close up shots taken by me at the Paris showroom.

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We have long declared that the real beauty of menswear is in the details and will never tire of taking the time to celebrate the finer details of men's style. Jonathan Saunders' full menswear debut is certainly a reason to blow up the balloons and pin up the bunting.

Posted in: Designers, Prints, SS12, Tailoring