Just a few seasons into showing menswear and Haider Ackermann already has one of the most identifiable aesthetics in the industry. Pop on a loose and louche jacket over some drop crotch jacquard trousers, layer up a couple of saggy baggy silk vests underneath and maybe accessorise with an oversized silk scarf and you're good to go. The easy, luxe bagginess that Ackermann champions is so different from the roomy sportswear we see on so many other runways, and speaks to a modern dandy - a sensual peacock. You find a lot of those types wafting around the music industry, so it's little surprise that Ackermann had gone a little bit more rock 'n' roll this season to appeal to that fan base. Some models' trousers could even have been legitimately called skinny - a departure from the oversized pyjama-loose silhouette we are used to seeing - though they were styled completely as expected given Ackermann's past shows.
Ackermann's focus as a designer now comes across as suggesting a vision for dressing, rather than perfecting key pieces. Indeed, in this collection it was hard to spot any standout pieces or meaty new ideas. Just great styling and a sensual proposition of how men can look. That's fine and serves him well at the moment, but every bohemian wanderer needs to grow up one day, so progression should be on the agenda for next season. Ackermann is a young, highly talented designer; he needs to leave himself room to grow.
