Junya Watanabe Man

A former pupil and protégé of Rei Kawakubo, Junya Watanabe is a master craftsman when it comes to mixing materials - not one to shy away from the more advanced textiles and synthetic materials on offer, but also not a man afraid to use the very best when it comes to the basics: woven wools in a fair isle pattern, water repellent cottons in gossamer soft hues, or heavyweight Japanese cotton fleece turned into a take on the standard varsity sweatshirt.

Watanabe's MAN collection pulls off the feat of being both contemporary and timeless, a tender, lovelorn set displaying a rich appreciation for sartorial heritage. As always with Junya, it's the parts that make the whole. The construction of the garments, from the patterns to the fabrics to the weight of the clothes, is key. They blend beautifully, one piece complementing any other. If there was ever an excuse to buy an entire wardrobe of pieces from one designer, then Watanabe's your man. It's the sort of precision engineering you see in the buildings of John Lautner - every last thing falls into place, one piece sliding seamlessly into the next.

Ever the enigma, Watanabe insists there is no meaning behind what he does – the clothes are just there, ready to be worn and cherished. Whether there’s any hidden meaning or not, it’s impossible not to admire his fashion bricolage. Watanabe doesn’t make clothes to please himself, but purely for us to wear. He delights in taking standard pieces, ones easily recognisable, and altering them. He makes things we never knew we wanted eminently desirable. A standard blazer in fine fair isle wool? A peacoat merged with a hunting coat? A sailor jacket in deep khaki? Why not? Watanabe’s gift lies in making these odd concoctions seem like the most natural things in the world. And who wouldn’t be impressed by that?