Amelia’s Magazine | Bobby Abley, MAN: London Collections: Men A/W 2014 Catwalk Review

Bobby Abley A/W 2014 by Krister Selin

Ethereal Mickey Mouse lyrics played as it was time to welcome latest L’Enfant Terrible to the MAN stage: Bobby Abley. The crashing and banging of M.I.A.‘s equally terrifying Meds and Feds from album // / Y / (that’s harder to type than it looks) soon interrupted Mickey as his first model appeared…

All photography by Matt Bramford

First up: an oversized white jacket, synched at the waist, with the designer’s name printed down the sleeves. I could tell there was something going on with this guy’s mouth, but it wasn’t until the model walked to our side of the room that I clocked the metal mouthpieces, forcing open the mouth in a sinister, dominant fashion as he gripped a trademark Bobby Abley bear.

This was quickly followed by a whole load of visual treats, as much a delight as they were disturbing. Pink baseball caps featured Mickey Mouse ears, XXL tops carried slogans such as ‘Abley Ever After’ ‘R.I.P.’ and ‘Dream On’ in the Disney font and would probably have Walt spinning in his grave. A pink brain motif was used to great effect on trousers and rucksacks and had the tabloids asking ‘Is this what your boyfriend will be wearing’ in the way they know best. Grotesque cartoon crows and a barbed wire motif adorned t-shirts; knuckle dusters completed the looks.

Take away the Piers Atkinson Disney villain millinery and the gothic grills and what you’re left with is a pretty amazing collection of wearable pieces that it would be foolish to mock. His comic and cartoon influences might not be to every man’s taste, but his sportswear aesthetic and innovative and varied approach to materials (jersey, faux fur, translucent sheers) will satisfy a wide range of fashion dressers.