Tom Lipop and River Island focus on menswear

Debuting in September 2013, River Island’s Design Forum and British designer Tom Lipop have partnered to produce a 16-piece menswear collection for autumn and winter.

The designer, who graduated from Bournemouth University in 2007, has featured on Sky One’s Project Catwalk TV series and has gained industry experience in senior design positions at Nathan Jenden, House of Holland and Griffin Laundry. In 2010 he set up his fashion label and brand called “t.lipop”.

Menswear being a first for the forum, the anticipated partnership will showcase t. lipop’s signature design.  Lipop strives to provide a seamless blend of progressive cutting techniques, luxurious fabrics and technology that brings minimalism to the fore with a considered yet veiled complexity.

The collection, inspired by function form, draws from masculine influences. The designer clashes elements of tailoring and sportswear to create functional details, using decadent wool and leather to create a new direction for River Island Menswear and includes statement accessories such as the black calfskin rucksack and mirrored rounded frames draw on an authentic military aesthetic.

River Island, who has previously collaborated with popular artists like songstress Rihanna and designer Georgia Hardinge, is celebrating the launch by creating a short film with t.lipop.

The film will be screened in June as part of the British Fashion Councils’ Fash/On Film initiative.  Sponsored by River Island, the initiative aims to develop relationships between fashion designers and film-makers, and aims to recognise the on-going development of fashion film as an important medium in the industry.

Lucy Pennington

An image of the anticipated collection has not been released to the public, however, if you’re keen to catch the launch visit the British Fashion Council’s website. For more information on the River Island Design forum visit their website.