Burberry Menswear Spring Summer 2012

I do love a bit of Burberry, the iconic British luxury fashion brand, which held its Spring Summer 2012 menswear show earlier today in Milan. It's going from strength to strength at the moment under the control of the brilliant creative director Christopher Bailley and has come a long way since Daniella Westbrook nearly single-handedly brought the brand to its knees when she and her daughter donned top-to-toe Burberry check.

Anyway moving swiftly on. Burberry has for the last few seasons taken to streaming its fashion shows live (which you can watch below) for those not lucky enough to bag a front row seat, which means we can now get a glimpse of the show as it happens.

So what's going to be hot next spring/summer?




Well cropped parka jackets teamed with cowl nek patterned jumpers in colours such as mustard, worn with short shorts and topped off with orange knitted/crocheted hats with bobbles (which I loved by the way). Okay so I am kidding, kind of, they did all exist but not necessarily all together. And they all looked fabulous. 

Bailley said of the collection, "this collection started with our iconic heritage as the foundation, we really wanted to emphasise this feeling of artisanal and decorative pieces that had been touched by hand, celebrating craftmanship but always with this playful element. We had taken our icons and played with texture to personalise and give them a real character and charm using colour to highlight the intricate detail that goes in to crafting them."


The models looked impossibly beautiful of course, as all Burberry models do, although in need of a bit of sunlight and a good meal.

I would happily take most of the pieces in the collection, particularly the macs. Oh how I dream of owning a Burberry Prorsum mac. I do also dream about eradicating poverty and world peace - honest!

Five of the Best: Designer Man Bags

With little room in the average man's trouser pockets for all the requirements of a busy modern life, any last struggle against the man bag is slowly fading away and along with it the idea that real men don't carry bags.

There is now a wide range of men's bags on offer, from the rucksack through to the shopper, in a variety of styles, colours, materials and prices. And if it's okay for Hugh 'Wolverine' Jackman to carry a bag (pictured below), then it's okay for you too!

It might not be long before we see the rise of the male IT bag, the much coveted, usually sky-high priced bags, such as the Hermes Kelly, that have women breaking out in a sweat when they are unveiled and which usually have waiting lists running into months. Particularly as Burberry have recently announced that its sales of men's bags have leapt 27% in the last year. And in a recession!

So here are five of the best designer men's bags, in no particular order. Credit cards at the ready boys...

1. The Classic: If you want a stylish hard-wearing bag that will last you for years, and mine certainly has, then you should definitely opt for the Mulberry 'Barnaby' bag. It's been around for a while but will never date and looks as good fresh out of the dust-bag as it does once it's been bashed about a bit. It has simple details such as the push-lock disguised as a buckle and comes in a range of colours (shown here in chocolate), it's a bag for any occasion. Price £506. www.mulberry.com.

2. The Budget Blower: If you've just got your banker's bonus, won the lottery or just want to treat your self to something unashamedly extravagant, this 'Bigger Cube Bag' from the mighty Fashion House Balenciaga will do the trick. With soft black leather and signature stud detailing this bag just screams indulgence and might just have your girlfriend/wife/sister attempting to steal it for themselves. Not that this bag is in any way feminine, it's just pure class. Price £1,025. Available from Matches.com.

3. The Monogrammed: If you are into monogrammed bags, and many people are (just not me personally) then keep it tasteful and simple with this Gucci messenger bag. Matches is obviously a good place to browse some quality bags as this one is available there too. This black leather GG embossed bag comes with a simple leather strap and lots of lovely details inside and out. Price £640. Matches.com

4. The Overnight Bag: This Vivienne Westwood Man 'Resort' bag is not the largest overnight bag in the world, but it sure is aesthetically pleasing. It would be fine for a single night away, if you don't pack the kitchen sink. Alternatively it would make a very stylish gym bag. The bag is black canvas and features the famous orb detailing on the front, with contrasting grey 'Vivienne Westwood' printed handles. The really exciting thing about this bag though has got to be the price. £135, down from £270. Viviennewestwood.com.

5. The One You'll Have to Wait For: Not yet in the shops, these bright and playful Burberry Prorsum totes are perfect if you want to make a statement. With detachable shoulder straps and leather bottoms, these bags are sure to fly out of the shops when they hit the stores later this year and will brighten up any outfit during those dull Autumn/Winter months. Get saving now because these babies won't come cheap. Price unknown. Burberry.com.

Man Bag Yourself One Of These: The Best Man Bags

The average man now carries an astonishing range of gadgets and gizmo's around with them - from i-pods, mobile phones and blackberries; to the more traditional items such as keys, wallet, a pen, notebook and glasses. With the Britsh weather being as unpreditcable as ever you can also throw into the mix an umbrella and sunglasses. Oh and we haven't even mentioned grooming products yet - a quick spray of aftershave before that date after work?


So it really surprises me that so many men are still against the idea of a man bag. I mean, where does a man put all of these things if he doesn't have a bag to carry them in, because lets face it bulging trouser or jacket pockets are not attractive? Particularly if you have splashed out on some decent threads. Or if you are wearing skinny jeans!


There are now so many good men's bags around ranging from sporty to classic, masculine to camp, edgy to the frankly ridiculous that it must be impossible not to find one that suits your style.


Since getting my first Man Bag (A black Mulberry Seth, pictured below) I could never live without one. I do have a thing for Mulberry bags. They are classy, timeless and long lasting; getting better with age particularly once they have been bashed about a bit. I soon followed up the Seth with a brown Mulberry Barnaby (also pictured), which has slightly more room for those days where I need to take more out with me.

For work, I like my bag to match my shoes and belt (sad I know) and so at the momnet I am looking for a bag in a lighter brown but not another Mulberry - I want something different. In my search I came across this lovely Vivienne Westwood satchel (below) which is reduced from £418 to £214 on triads.co.uk. This is an absolute bargain! I am not sure which season this bag is from but to be honest I think with good quality bags, as long as they aren't too fashion forward it doesn't really matter.

Personally I steer well clear of the shopper. For me it is just too feminine but I have seen some nice ones. I suppose it depends on your individual style and whether you think you can pull one off. On the right person they can look great.


Anyway I thought I would pull together some of my favourite man bags of the moment:


BEST SPORTY - This green, white and red tennis bag from Lacoste has to be one of the best sports bags I have seen. Smart and masculine this is the bag to get you to the gym in style or dazzle your opponent on the tennis court. The bad news is I have never actually found it!

BEST HIGH STREET - This All Saints grey messenger is classy without being too smart, a great bag to wear casually with jeans. All saints do a great range of men's bags.

BEST DESIGNER - For this one I am going back to Vivienne Westwood. There are two reasons for this. Firstly it is a classic bag that will never date, it looks strong and masculine and hardwearing, with some nice details that sets it apart from other similar bags. Secondly it's the price - £209 for a Vivienne Westwood bag is a bargain. Bring on payday I say!

BEST LUXURY - this Mulberry Balthazar bag is beautiful and at £995 does not come cheap, but I think it is worth every penny. It's beautiful soft luxurious leather means that this will add real touch of class to whatever you are wearing and it's simple, classic design will never be out of fashion. This is a bag for life.

BEST BARGAIN - This Topman red check holdall, at £35 is the way to go if you are looking for something more bright and colourful. It's bargain price means that you won't have splashed out when you eventually tire of it.