26 & 27 January 2017

The Old Truman Brewery, Hanbury Street, London, E1 6QL

Time stands still for no man and, in the ever-evolving world of menswear, for Jacket Required, too, as the clock strikes upon its twelfth edition, the seasons change and so, too, do the curators-come-organisers’ plans for the premium London trade show.

 

On day one – in August 2011 – co-founders Craig Ford and Mark Batista identified the need to unite fashion’s past, present and future, with both up-and-coming and established labels together in London during the international buying period. A style destination. A home where brands, buyers and press could meet – and mean business. Covering tailoring and outerwear through to denim, sportswear, footwear, accessories and lifestyle products, Jacket Required was born to bring together the menswear industry, an amalgamation of peers, forging a fashion family.

 

Having launched at Rochelle School, Arnold Circus with just a number of selected brands, Jacket Required then headed to Victoria House, Bloomsbury, finding further labels relevant to the current market, continuing the initial collective energy and style quota, before returning to East London where it found its home in a newly converted space within the Old Truman Brewery – combining cutting-edge style and creativity with gritty East End appeal. “Jacket Required has grown considerably in size since it first launched,” says Ford. “From 30 brands to just short of 300 collections. We’ve always worked towards persevering with the show’s original identity, and we’ve now reached a point where to grow the number of brands any further would mean compromising the integrity of our selection. We’re just not going to do that. So, as we move forward we’ll keep bringing our visitors the best of the industry, but we’ll continue to make sure that our brand mix changes in line with what our buyers are looking for. We’ll also look to continue to develop the more inspirational and creative side of the show in line with the collaboration we’re launching this season.”

 

So, what does this new season bring for Jacket Required? As the show prepares its autumn/winter preview, gathering together the sartorial select, the team continues to offer its diverse brand line-up, while choosing to pay particular attention to the continuing rise in popularity of fashion’s technical elements that are really appealing for the autumn/winter 17 season. 

 

“Brands like NemeN, 7L, with innovative fabrics, real craftsmanship, interesting dying techniques and distinguishing functional features,” says Batista. “The technical content these brands have to offer are at the pinnacle of the market right now. We’re embracing this by developing a growing interest further with the help of some good friends of the show.” And so, for January 2017, Jacket Required will play host to an installation of iconic pieces selected from the Massimo Osti archive in Bologna. Including pieces designed for brands such as Chester Perry, Stone Island, CP Company, Left-Hand, Boneville – including Navy Arctic – and Massimo Osti Productions. It’s a retrospective, a celebration, and just as Jacket Required set out some six years ago – it’s a celebration of fashion’s past, present and future.