Telegraph Men: Darren Kennedy’s 3 Ways to Wear…Orange
Orange is the new black. Yup, the colour that was ‘banged up’ for bad behaviour after the 1990’s rave scene has staged a prison break and is now at large in a community near you. Without much warning, nearly every designer worth their sartorial salt has included the pigment in their spring summer collection, with tones ranging from dark rust and vermillion to bright citrus and even flashes of fluoro, worthy of a Stone Roses album cover. Tom Ford, Fendi, Agi & Sam, JW Anderson and Vivienne Westwood (never known to be colour-shy, let’s face it) all get in on the orange-action this season so if it’s a shade you secretly hanker after, now is definitely the time to give it a fling.
If you want to go all-out orange crazy then Katie Eary’s new collection points the way, with acid-bright orange leopard and pink flamingo prints, said to be inspired by Irvine Welsh's raucous novel Marabou Stalk Nightmares. While not for the faint-hearted, Eary does deliver a veritable masterclass in clashing colour and pattern-power in what is sure to translate into street style favourites. Similarly, Dsquared2’s jail-jumpsuit orange bomber jackets are likely to be among the most sought after highstreet pieces this season, for those with the budget to invest.
Farfetch.com founder José Neves says orange is definitely a trend but there are plenty of options and adaptations to choose from. “There are some great pieces which use the colour as an accent, just a touch of clementine on a t-shirt, or a flash of orange on a cool pair of trainers. Enough to perk up any wardrobe.”
As a guy who wants to be stylish rather than slavish, give your tailoring a little gusto with a tasteful orange tie and pocket square, which will give life to an otherwise muted suit. I paired a dark orange knitted tie (£45, www.Reiss.com) and orange/navy polka dot pocket square with the ‘Aidan’ three-piece navy micro-check suit from my new ‘DK x LC’ collection with master tailor Louis Copeland (£875, www.louiscopeland.com).
For a more casual look, I teamed this light orange printed shirt from Gabicci Vintage, (£55 www.stuartslondon.com) and layered with a light blue bomber jacket (£50 www.Topman.com) and slim fit black jeans.
If you’re a bit wary of coming across all Umpa Lumpa-like, then try introducing orange by way of an accessory. A satchel or bag will, quite literally, keep it at arms length. This navy padded backpack by Duck and Cover (£35, www.duckandcover.co.uk ) with acid orange straps and detailing gives a subtle lift to the timeless trench (‘Cesley’ trench £350 www.tommy.com) and Breton strip tee combo. Or ‘tip your hat’ to the trend with a tangerine trimmed fedora, maybe, or a pair of zesty orange socks, both available from E. Tautz.
So whether you go full on hi-vis or opt for more subtle accents, you’ll find the complete spectrum of shades from blood orange to pastel pales popping up in a store near you. Orange is likely to be a micro-trend that wanes as fast as it’s arrived so, my advice, just enjoy it while it lasts. After all, orange is the colour of happiness and contentment. Perfect for this summer season, whatever the weather.
Originally published on Telegraph Men
