Menswear blogger Gary Kingsnorth, of TheStyleKing.com, grabs 10 minutes to interview our very own Jonathon Lovett, Head of Design. Read on for his style tips for Spring, top cities, favourite films, hang-outs and more…

What were your main inspirations for Spring/Summer 12? 

I am continually inspired by what I see guys wearing, watching style blogs and doing plenty of trend spotting. I see a lot of influence coming from the UK, London is once again a hot bed of ideas but the big two directions for us come from City Trekker, the whole fascination with the great outdoors and Festival, which is fast becoming a national past time and way of dressing.

 

Are you influenced by catwalk trends?

I definitely am, right now I feel they are a great measure of trend and what could be big the following season. I use them like a research tool to help me make decisions up to six months in advance.

 

What would be your top tips for Spring/Summer 2012?

Wear more colour but never all at once, get into textures for this season especially on jersey and knitwear and wear it as slim as you feel comfortable in. Oh and stay relaxed yet more clean this time, that over worn in look has gone for me, I am really over dirty old trainers.

 

Three must haves for Summer 2012?

For summer it would be either the rolled hem chino trouser or shorter short in a bright colour, a stripe tee or polo and a pair of lace-up plimsolls, you cannot go too far wrong with that combo.

 

When did you first start developing an interest in fashion?

According to my mum it was around 4 when I started to select what I wanted to wear to pre-school but for myself I have a great picture somewhere of me around seven or eight years old sat on a swing in the garden wearing an embroidered Afghan coat and red Clarks shoes, the coat stank especially in the rain but you had to prize it off my back. I think then I kind of knew I was hooked on clothes.

 

Who are your favorite brands or designers and why?

Personally I really like wearing that whole Scandinavian/Brit trend that is  happening right now so brands such as Norse Projects, Acne, Albam and Oliver Spencer are top of my shopping list.

 

Do you have a ‘style icon’?

No, I am over the old cliched ones and celebrity is not inspiring me however I am often taken aback at how style aware the man on the street can be, I live around Broadway Market and have seen some very well put together stylish guys on the street there.

 

What is your favorite film?

One past is The Single Man, a fantastic Tom Ford visual explosion of style with the cool Colin Firth and the even cooler Julianne Moore. I recently saw The Iron Lady which I was surprised at how much I enjoyed.

 

What is your favorite city for inspiration?

As a constant, it has always been London – even when I worked in Hong Kong we used to fly over to see what was happening. The only other one that I love right now for style is Tokyo, because the Japanese are so good at taking a trend and going crazy with it (but in a good way)!

 

What and where are your favorite stores?

That changes constantly, right now I love this new London store on Calvert Avenue called Anthem which stocks some unusual kind of workwear inspired pieces. A small boutique close to my home called HUB is also somewhere I like to browse.

 

Favorite department store?

Has to be Liberty’s of London because the buyers select ranges I like to wear, and also ones which inspire my work.

 

Favorite  drink and bar order?

I am quite simple, a glass of Pinot Noir and a bowl of Cashew nuts plus some good conversation.

 

Motto?

Enjoy it while it lasts – I have learnt nothing lasts forever.

 

Want to hear more from Jonathan? See shots of the high Summer press day, and his notes on the collection, here.

And don’t forget to check out The Style King  for daily menswear style inspiration!

Inbetween working really hard to bring you lot the best menswear on the high-street (oh, we’re a modest bunch, we are) we occasionally jack around in the office for your enterntainment.

Well, this is one of those times.

In an effort to show you all the true wonder of our limited edition James Corden Tshirt for Trekstock, a couple of us pulled one on, and struck a pose. We jumped out of our office chairs, flexed our *ahem* muscles, and got papped, mach-o- mach-o- man, style.

Laugh away!

 

All net profits from our James Corden Tshirt go to Trekstock!

You can find out more about how we’re working with Trekstock here.