Jacket Required, the UK’s only contemporary menswear and streetwear trade exhibition took place last week at the Old Truman Brewery London and, despite record-breaking temperatures outside, the show kept its cool welcoming leading buyers from award-winning indies Psyche (Middlesbrough) and Albion Stores (Margate) as well as Goodhood London, ASOS, Topman, John Lewis, Aria, Idle Man, JD Sports, Office, Harvey Nichols, Manière De Voir, The Curated Man, Zacci Menswear, Zee & Co, Fenwick, and Amazon Fashion.
 
Luke Williams, Buying Assistant at John Lewis said during the show: “It’s a really exciting time at the moment and it’s great to come to events like Jacket Required where you can meet lots of brands that you might not have heard of.”
 
Ash Bellis, Menswear Buyer at Manière De Voir added: “It’s always nice to come and meet people in the industry and it’s such a social thing to do. It was great to see all the stands and be inspired. The talks were very good as well – sustainability is something that I’m really interested in, especially as our customers are asking for it more and more.”
 
Offering an edited international line-up of contemporary menswear, breakthrough talent, selected womenswear, footwear, accessories and lifestyle products, Jacket Required provided a platform for brands including Tretorn, Oliver Sweeney, Peregrine, Guess, Religion, Kangol, Lefrik, Hymn, R.M. Williams, Glacial, Yogi Footwear, Lacoste, TOMS, Teva, Hartford, Fjӓllrӓven, Santa Cruz Skateboards, Powell Peralta, hummel, Izipizi, Secrid, Cheaney, and Chrome Industries to showcase their new SS20 collections. Joining the Jacket Required community for the first time were pioneering backpack brand Osprey Europe, Consigned, Ellesse, Gode, Voited, Afends, Passenger Clothing, From the First, and Orbit Keys. Here’s what some of our brands made of the show…
 
“We come to Jacket because it’s the only show of its kind and it works for us. Great buyers come here and we’ve opened up new accounts.” Måns Henrik Uhrweder, Export Sales Manager, Tretorn.
 
“Jacket is a great opportunity to meet existing customers to showcase our newest collections, and potential customers. The location and vibe are brilliant.” Alex Stokes, Retail Marketing Manager, Toms.  
 
“This is our second year; it makes sense coming so we get our brand recognised. We’ve met a lot of the higher up people at brands like ASOS. It’s a great location and we are really picking up momentum as a brand now.” Stephen McKiernan, Country Sales Manager, hummel.
 
“It’s a really good place to network - catching up with old faces and meeting new people!” Simon Labbate, Head of UK Sales, Oliver Sweeney.
 
“Jacket Required is a really good opportunity to meet with the main base of London buyers.” Tanya Brown, Co-Founder, Hot Futures.
 
“This is the best show to come to. We come here to buy, and we bring our own range with us. It’s the best of both worlds and it’s such a nice environment to be in.” Lauren Marvromatis, Business Manager, Mr Mullans.
 
The season looks bright for SS20 with bold colour combinations, neons, vibrant tropical prints and abstract patterns. Crossing gender boundaries, millennial pink, neo mint and whitened yellows sit with ever popular brights and acid neon’s. Menswear prints and patterns for the SS20 season are anything but subtle, from Hawaiian florals to tie-dye and geometric digital designs, as well as tribal motifs and modern streetwear patterns. Athleisure and streetwear continue in the popularity stakes while tailoring and menswear shapes are becoming less defined, looser and slouchy for SS20.
 
Sustainability and zero waste collections were prominent across the show including Peregrine who launched its fully traceable, sustainable, zero waste, 18 gauge knitted range of tops…all Made in England too. Sustainability and authenticity topped the agenda during the show’s ‘Discussion Required’ content sessions on Wednesday which provided data insights from Mallzee Insights, and brought together Tretorn, Lefrik and Howies to discuss ‘Doing business the right way – how brands are successfully doing no harm’. Zak Avery from Ethically Woven then moderated a panel with Scott Fraser Collection, Nima, and Favour Up on being authentically sustainable.
 
Adam Gough, Event Director at Jacket Required says; “This season has been a transitional season, the new team and I have an exciting strategy for the show’s future. We will be back at the Truman Brewery next season where we will better utilise the amazing space. The brand edit will be tighter, and the content will be unrivalled. Look out for information on a few new projects we will be incorporating into the show next season, Jacket Required 20.”