MARGARET HOWELL | Stylist Taichi Sumimura on the New Golden Rules for Enjoying Dresses and Casual Wear

MARGARET HOWELL

MARGARET HOWELL × FOX BROTHERS: New Rules for Enjoying Dress and Casual

Stylist Taichi Sumura on Margaret Howell

Margaret Howellusing either the jacket or trousers from the Margaret Howell × Fox Brothers setup,a "dress-down = casual-up" coordinatesuggested stylist Taichi Sumura. "This autumn's setup pieces can properly meet business needs, and also serve as finishing items for casual wear, making them very useful to have in your wardrobe," he says.

Text by KAJII Makoto (OPENERS)Photographs by OHMORI Sunao (TABLEROCK STUDIO)Styling by SUMURA TaichiMODEL by JENS

The Trick to Playing with Suits in Casual Wear

It's not particularly difficult to wear a setup separately and combine it with casual items. However, please try coordinating while paying attention to the balance of the bottom silhouette relative to the jacket's silhouette, and how the volume of the top changes depending on the trousers' silhouette.

Beyond that, while the overall balance is naturally important, a key point is to match the texture of the suit fabric with the texture of the casual items, and to align the color tones. For enjoying casual wear, this season especially, the use of vests is recommended.

In the casual coordinate on the left, only a vest, shirt, and trousers are paired, but if you were to add a jacket, it would create a much more relaxed impression than your usual suit styling, and the "sense of ease" that vests provide would naturally translate into a stylish look. This time,4 coordinateswere presented, and the look on the left is my personal favorite.

The Distance Between Dress and Casual is Shrinking

Due to influences like Cool Biz and this winter's Warm Biz, the casualization of dress wear has become socially recognized, and the variations in styling have increased. However, the foundation remains the jacket and trousers. This season's Margaret Howell Fox Brothers fabrics each have a different nuance; there's flannel, but with a moderate thickness that doesn't look too classic when worn for business, and it's also suitable for casual wear, offering wide versatility. The moderate texture and British trend are well-balanced.

In styling for fashion magazines and advertisements, the distance between dress and casual is also narrowing, so I focus on being able to "dress properly and break it down properly" for work. You can't break it down properly if you don't dress properly first.

Margaret Howell: A Brand That Takes Garment Making Seriously

I believe Margaret Howell has a sense of ease and understands the fundamentals of menswear, making you aware of them. What I liked about this shoot was the John Smedley striped knit on the right, and the fine material that gives a clean impression to the dress shirt. In autumn and winter, texture plays a significant role, so I think these are ideal items for a setup.

Margaret Howell is easy to use in styling, and in my mind, it evokes the image of a cool guy and a slightly quirky, cute boy. The way the jacket shoulders drop, for instance, feels boyish and somehow endearing. Yet, the British-inspired boxy jacket silhouette and the way the vest collar is shaped show that they take garment making seriously.
The way the vest collar is shaped, and the attention to detail, make me feel they are serious about making clothes.

Even a Single Pair of Socks Can Change the Nuance

When styling, I'm most mindful of the fit. Then, the balance of colors. I grasp the individuality of actors and musicians intuitively, but I add accents through layering to bring out their charm. For this shoot, socks were included for all four coordinates, but simply showing striped socks, for example, can change the mood and nuance of an outfit. Please use this as inspiration for your autumn styling.

Taichi SUMURA
Born in 1976. Studied under Yoichi Onishi. Became independent in 2005, and has since styled for fashion magazines and advertisements, as well as numerous talents and musicians.

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