Albam AW10

We might not have reached mid August yet but my sweaty, aching limbs are longing to be protected by soft, texture rich fabrics as the hot, stagnant air is replaced with something a little more fresh and biting. During the press day madness back in April I encountered a dream rail of autumnal essentials at Cube. For AW10, Albam have gone back to their starting principle of creating the essential items within a man’s wardrobe, from the classic white t-shirt, through to the Italian made suit and an English crafted Pea Coat and from August to December, each month will see a capsule collection dropped into store. The first of which is imminent and to provoke a little excitement the guys posted the first batch of look book images over on their 'Behind the Scenes' blog.

Shawl collar knit. A perennial brand favourite

Knitwear is produced by a factory for which this AW10 collection will sadly be the last collection they make. The focus is on pieces inspired by the factory’s archive which counts the 1980’s America’s cup yacht team, the military and the Royal family as customers. Styles include the ‘Submariner’ roll neck and the shawl collar cardigan (a perennial favourite of Albam).

Each piece, when released, will be a numbered piece of one hundred produced.

Artisan waistcoat and chambray shirt.

The Albam signature of white details has been revisited to make them more integral to the garment itself. Highlights of this are seen in the linking of the knitwear in ecru yarn, only visible when the garment is opened up. This can also be seen in the taped seam garments creating an internal framework to the pieces.

Artisan pea coat.

Outerwear has become a focus of Albam since the release of the Fisherman’s Cagoule in 2007. Key pieces include the Workwear Jacket in a bonded cotton weave with polar fleece on the inside, which gives a more structured garment whilst being light and warm. Wax fabric also remains key with a workwear style that is crafted from wax cloth as a lightweight casual rain jacket and a Pea Coat, made from an oiled duck canvas from the USA.

Trail parka

The key pieces that embody the ‘Modern Crafted Clothing’ concept are the taped Ventile styles of the Alpine Jacket and Rain Mac. Designed and crafted in England these are waterproof garments, which combine Albam’s love of the outdoors with the forgotten expertise of one of the factories used.

Ventile mac and backpack.

This is just a handful of the styles that are coming through this winter at Albam. Throughout the ‘Essentials’ the styles remain cleanly designed with a focus on fabrication and construction. A number of the developments have arisen following discussions with customers about what they are wanting and where they themselves want to go with things. I love how the guys have remained true to their founding concept, slowly developing and growing their range all the while letting the right customers find them. I'm looking in stocking up on a few new season essentials.