GIEVES & HAWKES – Fall Winter 2016/17

GIEVES & HAWKES - Fall Winter 2016/17

January 12, 2016

By Marcellous L. Jones

Photos Courtesy of Gieves & Hawkes

London, UK – Thanks to its bespoke couturier Jason Basmajian, the house of Gieves & Hawkes has on its hands one of the most beautiful and elegant collections of the Fall Winter 2016/17 season. It is one that is rich in the Saville Row tradition of fine craftsmanship, yet it has something more special to it.

In the Gieves & Hawkes collection, Basmajian has called upon exquisite fabrics including cashmere, velvet, knits, wools, silks, suedes leathers and blends of them. He uses them to craft a sleek silhouette that honors each fine aspect of the man’s body. Most notably are the shoulders, which are the absolute crown jewel of each silhouette. They have been done in such a way that they exaggerate (by just a hint) the natural power of a man.

In this work one can see the fine tailoring called into play. But there is something different from what we normally see from Saville Row houses. You see Basmajian became a star in Italy while at Brioni. And it is clear that he is bringing to Gieves & Hawkes a sense of practicality in the shapes that Saville Row tailoring sometimes fail to recognize. Their evolution since Basmajian began his reign there is as clear as the beautiful color palette that haunts the more elegant looks on the collection. It is true that he includes the hugely exaggerated suit lapels that Saville Row is not willing to escape. But he also tempers them with a more sleek energy that he embraced during his years of dedicated service in Milan.

And thinking on a more commercial level, the Basmajian has also taken the house of Gieves & Hawkes further down the road of contemporary sportswear and leisure wear. Here he adds denim pieces, outer coats and rugged shoes.