Ben Sherman pays tribute to Mods and Rockers

MANILA, Philippines - The ‘60s converge as Mods and Rockers come together in full force and inspire Ben Sherman’s autumn-winter 2012 collection, parading into the season with the grit of Brit Rockers and the neatness of the Mods.

The legacy of these fashion rivals of the British ‘60s — the sharp look of the Mods combined with the roughness of the Rockers — has resulted in a collection takes that reimagines a “sharing of styles.”

Culture clash is apparent in individual items like the classic mod parkas, now created in ballistic cotton canvas — yet given a contemporary tweak with sleeves sculpted from buffalo leather.

Tailoring is evident in straight, clean-lined coats. The dapper jackets are mixed and matched with laidback “rock” elements including turned-up denims (featuring either raw or pre-distressed styles) and biker boots.

The interesting fusion of styles creates a stylish silhouette, taking tailoring and adding an intentional “sloppiness” to it — seen particularly in the trousers presented this season. Some jeans are held up with braces for smart casualness. Tapered chinos sit perfectly well with brothel creeper suits, especially when paired with elegant Ben Sherman shirts under jackets.

Outerwear consists of cotton raincoats that range from Shearling collared, to wool or even leather bomber jackets plus a total peach of a parka. Checks are everywhere — marching in with the traditional black/white checkerboard style or the more complicated but exquisite colors on knitwear and jackets.

Men, of course, love a hip hat, a simple belt and vibrantly colored plaids on shirts to round off their wardrobe. Despite the clashing spirits, Ben Sherman’s overall look for fall-winter 2012 is refreshingly original.

In the Philippines, Ben Sherman is exclusively distributed by Robinsons Specialty Stores, Inc. and is available at Level 3, Shangri-La Plaza.