MILAN, Jun 26, 2006/ FW/ --- If idiosyncrasy is a quintessentially English trait then it could be said the Neil Barrett is a quintessentially English designer. He did nothing to dissuade us of this view today with a collection for Spring Summer 2007 which persisted with some of the quirky elements present in his last winter show and which found its inspiration in the many, often contradictory faces of London.

This time out we were transported back to the acerbic capital of the early Eighties in which skin head soul boys bopped to the ska and post-punk inspired beats of The Clash, The Specials and The Jam. Times were hard back then you see and the flower power hippy dream was well and truly buried as peace and love gave way to urban unrest, shaved heads and a harder, more aggressive youth uniform to boot.

Today though, as then, this wasn’t the end of the story as more conservative, bourgeoisie elements were thrown in from the other end of the social spectrum in the guise of business like, Savile Row inspired city gent tailoring.

Consequently, string vests and white denim pants were juxtaposed with double-breasted pin stripe jackets while elsewhere Doc Martin’s style footwear was revealed by the half-mast turn-ups of bleach stained jeans to complete a look begun with a fitted chalk stripe waistcoat.

Sometimes such dichotomies were combined in the same garment with crisp white sleeveless shirts simultaneously offering pleated fronts, starched collars and frayed, unfinished edges. Again, casual shirts and T-shirts were lent the suggestion of more formal attire with ties and city banker braces printed on, thus continuing a theme witnessed in the winter collection.

With silk bomber jackets rubbing shoulders with traditional morning coats and black and white lozenged shirts giving a nod to Two Tone Records, Barrett enhanced his reputation as a designer capable of producing stylish and wearable pieces and of doing so with an unmistakable wit.

Neil Barrett

Neil Barrett

Neil Barrett

Neil Barrett