Black is best….or maybe not.

August 12, 2008
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Patrik Ervell

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Tim Hamilton

Following the previous White Shirt and Classic Sunglasses projects arrives the all new Black Trouser Project from retail mammoth Arcadia’s most cherished son – Topman. Never before have the Topman team excelled themselves to such a degree in recruiting some of the most talented, ingenious menswear designers of our time: Patrik Ervell [yus!], Tim Hamilton [perfect for this particular collaboration], Todd Lynn [the black trouser is a rock staple, after all], Ann-Sofie Back [a more suitable choice would be pretty unattainable], Aitor Throup [that mass of black and saxophones is bound to translate well here] and Topman Design.

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Aitor Throup

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Ann-Sofie Back

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Todd Lynn

Gordon Richardson on the project:

“The brief to design a future classic black trouser has to be one of the most challenging for a men’s wear designer,” said Gordon Richardson, Topman design and product development director. “Each of the hand-picked designers contributing to the Black Trousers project have managed to design a pair that not only reflects their own design aesthetic but challenges the existing Topman one. All immediately desirable, wearable and ultimately collectable.”

Although it’s all – ultimately – rather disappointing I do quite like the Ervell and Back pairs…love for the former could just be related to the superb styling but I’m undecided.

Also, I know they’re striving for that edgy, scene aesthetic which so epitomises Topman’s target market but this unnecessary contortion is beginning to be tiresome.

Images from Men’s Style

  • STYLE AND THE CITY . COM - PARIS August 13, 2008 at 11:47 am

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  • susie_bubble August 14, 2008 at 9:21 am

    I love the Ann Sofie Back ones the most…

  • TheSundayBest August 14, 2008 at 6:19 pm

    Welcome back.Aitor Throup is such a rockstar. Damn living in a country without Topman, Uniqlo, etc.

  • EJ August 14, 2008 at 6:31 pm

    I’ve found the black trouser project a little underwhelming so far… I don’t think the photos really help matters much. With something like black trousers I’m sure the interest is in the detail, sadly lacking from what I’ve seen. I may be wrong. But then I probably won’t get the chance to see them in the shops to tell…