A dose of Fantastic Man

London Fashion Week has landed but it looks like I have to catch a later flight. You might think I would be strutting my Mr. Hare's across town (did you see the mention in The Times? Wow!) but alas I am cooped up in the flat feeling more than a little sorry for myself. I am suffering from a combination of ick and eurgh so I have had to sit the weekend activty out. Thankfully I have a copy of Issue Ten of Fantastic Man within easy reach. The pages within are proving to be far better for me than the cocktail of tablets and Lemsip that I've consumed today.

Issue Ten of Fantastic Man and the accompanying supplement without labels.

The tenth issue of my favourite gentleman's style journal for autumn winter 2009 features Ewan McGregor in a Prada uniform as he is about to embark on a new wave of films. As always the issue is packed full of features and articles which contain the perfect balance of humour, wit, interest and the downright unusual. As for the cover star, I've always had a soft spot for the actor, it could either be put down to his soft Scottish accent or some of the roles he has played including Obi-Wan, Curt Wild and Renton but it is nice to see him styled by Olivier Rizzo in Prada's finest and a Comme des Garcons Plus kilt.

Ewan McGregor wearing a mohair sweater with a leather front and a cotton t shirt, both by Prada. Photographed by Alasdair Mclellan in London. Styled by Olivier Rizzo.

As always, the first chapter of the magazine which features the odds and sods is my favourite segment of the magazine. We find out the word of the season is Shebang which really is a wonderful world and I urge you to use it in a sentence today. There is an apple and pears themed word puzzle which kept me busy for all of fifteen minutes and interview with Gilbert and George on their predictions for 2019, we will all be wearing flesh colours apparently. The highlight is when Gert Jonkers steps up for the fashion test and experiments by wearing Calvin Klein for an entire month and fares pretty darn well.

We are offered glimpse inside the kaleidoscopic world of the European Editor of US Vogue, Hamish Bowles', wardrobe. What a dazzling glimpse. To say the man likes to have fun with colour and pattern is a gross understatement. Later in the issue Charlie Porter analyses men in colour in the most thought provoking pieces of writing I've read on men's style since...well, in fact ever. There will be much more on this in a later post (some time this week) and there will even be a challenge with a potential prize waiting awarded to the winner, but back to the issue at hand...

The fashion section is a non stop orgy of suits as the editorials capture suits for the city, executive suits, man suits and even light suits. The above looks are my two of my favourites from the strong spread as Daniel Riera and Jodei Barnes take us on a trip to the heart of the metropolis with two CEOs dressed up in Duckie Brown, Brooks Brothers, Dries Van Noten and Ralph Lauren. Oh to be a man of power!

Elsewhere in the issue we are treated with some of the finest examples of blazers on the market and shown that the modern blazer can stand on its own, set apart from the average suit jacket with a sense of pride and indivuality that is all its own. For me, a double breasted blazer like the Thom Browne one (below left) is top of my 'want/need' list.

Alongside these delights I was surprised to find issue zero of Fantastic Man's new sister title, the aptly (and yet slightly lamely) named The Gentlewoman. The new title will be released as a standalone for Spring Summer season in 2010 and is something Susie has been wishing and wanting for ages. Here we are shown a slice of the future as the pages preview what they bill as 'a new magazine for a new decade'. As for us gentleman, well..a dose of Fantastic Man certainly keeps the doctor away...I guess you could it is the whole shebang.