In the town of Monnow...

How I managed to hold a decent conversation with someone in my illin’ state during London Fashion Week, I haven’t a clue but at the Peter Jensen AW08-9 show, I found myself sitting next to a guy called Daniel Jenkins with whom I probably had the most intelligent and insightful pre-show chat ever (just to note, pre-show chat usually consists of ponderings about the lack of goody bags and who the heck is sitting front row...). Daniel is an owner of a boutique that focuses on modern menswear and it is in the most remote of places.... Monmouth in Wales, populated with 8,457 people. Nope, never been there either but Wikipedia is throwing up a quaint and history-laden depiction of this Welsh town.

As I was attending the show as both buyer for Brittique and press, it was interesting to chat to someone who had some very strong views about the state of British Fashion and how it is distributed in this country, especially when talking about menswear. My perception after chatting with Daniel is that the talent is there but the distribution and business side of things aren’t up to scratch and after bStore and the big department stores, there aren’t that many options for intelligent menswear shopping. Even though I’m a shamelessly Laaandon-centric gal, I can appreciate that fashion shouldn’t be relegated to the Big Smoke. A wee digression but Daniel also spoke of the rise of a consumerist, more affluent generation that is lacking in individuality, and looks back to ‘The Way We Wore’ by Robert Elms (if you haven’t read it, you must, you must, you must!) which immediately gets my seal of approval...

Back to Daniel Jenkins Ltd though (I feel like saying that with a bit of pomp and grandeur...), in a Grade II listed building on 94 Monnow Street, dating back to 1724, lies a collection of labels that aren’t widely available and for me sum up an aesthetic in British menswear that is accessible and fashionable but not intimidating. Unconditional and YMC which are the sort of menswear labels that have ‘something for everyone’ yet aren’t run of the mill are staples for Daniel Jenkins. They’re one of the few stockists of Sateyenkumar, a new menswear label launched in Paris last year and ‘and i’, who do great ‘classics with a twist’. A guys’ uniform of ‘jeans and a t-shirt’ is satisfied by Acne, Chronicles of Never and Marshall Artist. The erratic British weather gets some help with outdoorswear from Canada Goose and Griffin with practical man bags from Ally Capellino . There’s nothing ostentatious about the brands but Daniel is smart enough to know that modern British menswear is about original subtlety. Style Salvage Steve and EJ would most certainly approve...

Next season, Raf by Raf Simons, Raf’s Fred Perry shirts and Siv Stoldal will be new additions to the rosta...

A similar approach has been applied to the womenswear labels they stock with low-key pieces from Peter Jensen and Unconditional and next season, YMC (quite looking forward to these guys launching womenswear...I’m thinking English version of A.P.C...might end up looking like the female version of my boyf...)...

To end though, I had to share some of Daniel’s wit just to demonstrate that a ‘personality’ behind any business venture will surely make things happen.
Re: The Welsh Thang, Daniel had some hilarious words about the state of Welsh mens’ fashion...

‘The Welsh Press itself promotes the stereotype of Builders’ crack and cargo pants topped off with a back to front hard hat. Wales had been given less of a chance than England to inhabit an individual style. Casual does not consist of looking like a surfer whose lost his board and dressing “tidy” is more than a lager shirt and white loafers. Its not a matter of education and even less of patronage. It is a question of availability.’