Debenhams Hammond & Co menswear SS14 - a collection that's developing nicely

Readers will recall my admiration for Patrick Grant's Hammond & Co menswear collection for Debenhams. Combining real style, classic cuts and designs with quality and reasonable prices was bound to be a successful formula - and so it's proved; with Debenhams delighted with the positive response that the AW13 collection received, from press and public alike.

Patrick Grant - wearing what he designs

The Spring/Summer 14 collection continues and develops the theme with a seaside look to the casual wear and more crisp tailoring for the more formal wear. There's much here for the older man because much of the content is based on classic and archive designs, but given the Grant twist to update it. Here is my selection. See what you think (I've given prices below). See Debenhams Hammond & Co.

£45

£120

£45

£40

£60

£60

  

£36

Jacket £199, trousers £100, waistcoat £75

Debenhams new menswear floor opens

Have you noticed how, in department stores, menswear is often confined to the basement or the upper floors; with womenswear, beauty products and lingerie given priority? 

This is no longer the case at Debenhams, Oxford Street, London.

Clean, simple, stylish and logically arranged - Debenhams Oxford Street Menswear department

A £25m refurbishment has seen every department overhauled to include an extra floor, a glass atrium and the retailer’s largest ever beauty hall, shoe department and lingerie division. However, the menswear department, which previously resided in the basement, has been elevated to the first floor to reflect the high quality products on offer.

Rob Faucherand, Head of Menswear Buying, says that one of the main challenges in the past has been a lack of space, "Getting additional space in menswear is allowing us to actually... get our own offer out in its entirety, which up until now has been a challenge.” 

I found the layout of the new department completely logical. Head of creative Mark Stevens explained that, “Men are far less influenced by trends than women. For us it’s about letting our designers sing. We’re introducing ‘designer catwalks’, pulling together looks from each designer and showing men how to build looks.” This shows in the way the styles and brands seem to, somehow, be easily found as you walk round the floor. And when they're found they're attractively and neatly displayed - no piles of mismatching styles and colours here. 

I recommend a visit - or you can shop online at Debenhams website. See here for my reviews of Debenhams Hammond & Co collection, designed by Patrick Grant.

My Hammond & Co. of Debenhams Prince of Wales check suit

Shortly after I wrote in an earlier post about Patrick Grant for Debenhams Hammond & Co collection I was able to obtain one of my favourites, a double-breasted Prince of Wales check suit made from cloth from Alfred Brown (Worsted Mills) Ltd in Leeds, Yorkshire. 

I'm always a bit nervous about obtaining clothes online, as sizes, quality and cut vary so much from brand to brand. Luckily the suit fitted well and extra length in the legs enabled me to have turn-ups. 

Go on, smile Grey Fox!

The mobile phone image above (taken at the launch of Debenhams' excellent new menswear floor) isn't the best, but the soft cloth and slim-ish cut combine to make a suit in which I feel very comfortable. I've worn it a lot and it has shown no signs of permanently creasing, bagging, going shiny or losing its shape - hooray for British cloth. To my amazement, after a few weeks ownership, I found that the cuff buttons undo - not something often found on suits of this price (see below).

Patrick Grant has created a winner for Debenhams, who tell me that Hammond & Co sales have exceeded their expectations. This isn't surprising, Grant's eye for detail, genuine enthusiasm for the brand and his own undoubted style make him an ideal designer/ambassador for the collection. Look out for him wearing suits from the range in the new BBC series of The Great British Sewing Bee early next year (and see the image below in which, dammit, he looks a lot better than I do in the same suit).

The suit price? £299 - not a misprint. Get yours before they sell out. See web links below for information.

My previous review of Hammond & Co can be found here.

Debenhams, Hammond & Co online here.

Alfred Brown Worsted Mills, Leeds - website here.

Many thanks to Debenhams for providing this suit for review.

Hammond & Co - Patrick Grant menswear at Debenhams

Occasionally I feel I might be making some progress with my search for style as an older man. Then I see someone effortlessly exuding style wearing battered basics and my illusion is shattered.

Or I meet Patrick Grant. This master of style always seems to look elegant without being starchy. I know, because I met him a few days ago to see the Hammond & Co collection he's designed for Debenhams.

But, of course, I console myself with the thought that Grant can easily look stylish. He owns a fashion business and no doubt has cutters and tailors to cater to his every whim.

But then Grant tells me that he's been wearing suits costing £299 from his Hammond & Co for Debenhams collection IN PUBLIC and has even had compliments on them from fashion journalists who assumed they were creations from his Savile Row workshops. And you'll be able to see him wearing the same suits in several episodes of the new series of the The Great British Sewing Bee, to be shown soon on BBC.

Grant wears a Hammond & Co suit, made from British cloth

Is it really possible to look that stylish in a reasonably-priced suit? I tried on a Hammond & Co suit jackets and it worked for me. He's right - it is possible to look very stylish (after Patrick has tactfully adjusted my wonky shirt collar) without breaking the bank. The cut, fabric and details look and feel right - rather than cheap and insubstantial compromises.

How have he and Debenhams achieved this? In his presentation Grant used the word 'simple' on many occasions. Every penny has been spent on materials and fabrication. Styles are unapologetically classic - the design team immersed itself in the Savile Row heritage of Hammond & Co before starting the design process.

Maximum attention was given to a reasonable number of products, producing a carefully-thought out capsule collection through which runs noticeable themes of Savile Row-inspired shapes and styles. Colours are generally plain grey, black and navy for town wear, highlighted by splashes of mustard and burgundy. Quality of materials is good - reasonably-priced knitwear is often thin and insubstantial; this is thick and chunky. Suit cloths are silky and flexible.

This is a collection for men of any age. I would have worn most of the clothes without any hesitation, as would a young man in his twenties wanting well-made but affordable British classic styling rather than drainpipe chinos and low waistbands.

This is pure style, rather than ephemeral fashion.

Here are images of my favourites - the best of which, in my view, is the Prince of Wales check double-breasted suit (made from British cloth) worn by Patrick Grant in the picture above. There is more to the collection, which you can find at Debenhams online or at most Debenhams stores.