The SS12 Build-Up: James Long & the snakeskin jacket

Back in September, during menswear day at London Fashion Week I attended the James Long SS12 show. I didn't really know what to expect because I wasn't too familiar with the designer then. This was, perhaps, the most surprising of the menswear shows because it didn't feel like the kind of thing you see in London. It was like I had been transported to Milan. I understood the reason for this when I found out that Long had been working on the men's division at Versace. The only element that brought me back (metaphorically) to London was the eccentricity in styling and in the mix of prints.

It was super interesting to see a collection like this at LFW. Despite what it might seem at first glance there were a lot of very wearable elements in the collection. The ultra-slim tailored shorts and the printed shirts were among these and some of my favourites.
But the pieces that stood out the most for me were the python jackets. I have had a fixation with croc and snake for as long as I can remember and I have wanted a jacket like this ever since I saw Brandon Flowers looking like this a few years back. I really liked the maroon biker jacket option from James Long but thinking about it I would probably wear the beige one a lot more. I love the classic cut and the more muted colours, which would work so well with the kind of palette that I wear in the summer. Picture it with a nice pair of denim shorts, a white tee underneath and some cool sneakers for a summer's night. Cool, non? – See below my video from the show's finale.

You can buy some James Long online here. It's also available at Harvey Nichols in London.