UTILITY VESTS TODAY

Workwear has been a mainstream in menswear for some time –,boilersuits, postman (or Derby) shoes – but more recently the trend has taken a step even further towards the functional. In recent seasons we’ve seen what look like fly-fishing jackets on the catwalks. There are models wearing sci-fi utility belts. And most commonly there’s what’s been dubbed my much of the industry as warfare.

It’s no longer just the uniform of manual labour roles that have taken fashion houses’ fancy, but the utilitarian gear of the battlefield too. Sure, MA-1 bombers and camo-print is evidence we’ve been borrowing from the battlefield for some time but we’re talking a whole outfit overhaul for the trend’s next step.

The catwalks have been awash with utility bags, vests and chunky-soled shoes from everyone from Louis Vuitton to Alyx to Landlord. Technical textures and features like anti-stab fabrics and bullet-proofing, made specifically for the front line, have remained in street-ready designs, with some thinking fashion’s current obsession is a nod to the world being, excuse the hyperbole, in the midst of an impending apocalypse. Armour up!

Off the catwalk and in stores too, the military-inspired garms are now a regular feature. “Brands like Engineered Garments, Beams Plus, Stussy – they are perfect modern interpretations of these iconic shapes and always are a highlight for us,” says Joe Warner, Goodhood sales and brand manager.

These shapes have been welcomed by streetwear aficionados and fashion week street-stylers with the term ‘utilitarian’ casting a wide net and allowing for plenty of sartorial eccentricity. And, as mentioned, no shortage of pockets.