Friday is finally here and if you’re already bored of the sports mania currently spreading over the globe, you could do worse that injecting a little bit of culture into your weekend. That’s how we feel anyway, so we asked three top upcoming menswear designers to recommend their favourite museums. A source of inspiration for their collections perhaps? Or simply a great suggestion from someone with excellent taste? Whatever their reasons may be, these three are certainly worth a visit…
Lou Dalton
The Louvre in Paris
Lou Recommends…The Louvre
One of the world’s
most famous museums has received millions upon millions of visitors
over the years, and with good reason – it’s colossal collection of art
and artefacts. And as Dalton points out ‘it’s such an incredible space,
it goes on for miles’, with even its external features (the glass pyramid
in the courtyard for one) seen as iconic. There’s also the little
matter of it being the home of a piece of work called the Mona Lisa.
Only the most famous and recognisable painting of all time. And that’s
official.
Citadines Louvre Paris, 8 Rue de Richelieu, 75001 Paris, France, http://www.louvre.fr/en
A bit about Lou
Louise Dalton and a look from her A/W 12 collection
Dalton
studied at London’s Royal College of Art before setting up her menswear
line, and since 2005 has been establishing herself as one of the
industries most inspired new names, via some neat and traditional
English pieces with a touch of rebellion.
Omar Kashoura
The Sir John Soane House Museum
Omar Recommends…Sir John Soane House Museum
‘It’s an open house that features his private art collection’ explains Kashoura of the home/museum of the late neo-classical architect Sir John Soane, a prominent public figure in the 19th Century. The London museum also showcases the antiques he accumulated in his lifetime, drawings and models of his projects, and in the back rooms – a miniature version of the ingenious light system he pioneered in the Bank of England.
Soane Museum, 13 Lincoln’s Inn Fields London WC2A, http://www.soane.org/
A bit about Omar...
Omar Kashoura and a look from his A/W 12 collection
Central Saint Martins graduate
Kashoura’s eponymous line has been
growing in stature of late thanks to his tailor’s approach to
high-fashion, combining a directional aesthetic with classic and precise
attention to detail and a subtle use of colour.
James Long
Paris' Musée d’Orsay
James Recommends…The Musée d’Orsay
Housed on fashion’s favourite river-bank, Paris’ Rive Gauche, the Musée d’Orsay was formerly a particularly attractive train station and now holds a collection of impressionist and post-impressionist masterpieces by the likes of Monet and Van Gogh. Currently it’s hosting an exhibit on Misia Sert, one time social queen of Paris, best friend to Coco Chanel and muse to Renoir and Toulouse-Lautrec – a must-see for style enthusiasts.
Musée d’Orsay, 73 Rue Lille, 75007 Paris, France,
http://www.musee-orsay.fr/en/home.html
A bit about James
James Long and a look from his A/W 12 collection
A name that’s becoming ever more recognisable on the fashion circuit, young British designer
Long’s genius lies in statement knits and pieces crafted out of super-luxe materials like leather that put an edgy new spin on the traditionally beautiful.