London Menswear AW10: Carolyn Massey's Obsolete Prototype C53.

Sometimes getting out of bed early proves so very worthwhile. Case in point: Carolyn Massey's AW10 show Obsolete Prototype C53, recently held on LFW's menswear day. While I may have rolled off the sista's couch amid jet-lag-assuaging sleep in order to allow time for trekking to Manor House tube station, I was - just a minute into the show - reminded of how privileged I was to witness Massey's genius work its sartorial wonders once again. Yes, I know this sounds gushing, but it's difficult not to be when a designer manages to bring together all of the aesthetic elements that inform your own personal style.

This season, Massey was inspired by a body of military patterns (many of which date back to WWII) sourced from an anonymous donor, which were suited to her trademark - and my preferred - silhouette - strong shoulders and not-too-lean trousers. The palette, which moves from dusky to dark, derives from a fondness for the "Tokyo morning sunrise" so that the stark robustness of the military is offset by the soft rose-tinted stripe or pair of trousers.

Undoubtedly, though, the impact was carried to its full potential by men's jeweler Hannah Martin's who, adopting military insignia as a starting point, fused heritage with contemporary to produce badges that resembled ninja death-stars but were so much more. Obv.

Oh, and as you're aware, previous seasons saw leggings for men (Tisci), Massey now proffers fishnets for the boys and I can't honestly say I'm averse...

Images from The Fashionisto