When the resurrected 1980s band Spandau Ballet go on tour this summer, they may have to lose a few pounds to fit into their trademark New Romantic kit. But if they are not comfortable, they will at least be on trend. For, while men’s wear has over recent seasons leaned towards the understated, the spring/summer collections dip a toe (and autumn/winter take a head-first dive) into the decade that gave credibility to camp excess and optimistic flash. The big decade with its big looks – and, for some, questionable taste – is back.

A 1980s-inspired outfit by Versace

This season sees the return of candy colour accents, city slicker trench coats and the 1980s loose-fit tailoring aesthetic from the likes of Ferragamo, Versace, Yohji Yamamoto and, of course, the decade’s style pioneer, Giorgio Armani. It also offers shocking pink jeans and panelled leather jackets from Gucci, stone-washed denim from Calvin Klein, pirate ankle boots from Roberto Cavalli and turquoise cardigans from Missoni. Yikes. And yet “It was an era that gave people trends that made them want to dress up, and in economic gloom people want that feeling again,” says Averyl Oates, buying director for Harvey Nichols. “It was the era of power dressing – and people need that sense of confidence now.”

Designer Antony Price, a pioneer of many of the original 1980s looks, has collaborated with Topman on a spring menswear collection: “The whole 1980s thing feels right for now, chiefly because it’s glamorous, just as the 1940s were, from which the 1980s trends took much of their inspiration,” says Price. “There is a touch of old Hollywood and, with a recession dictating that any money spent is spent well, it ticks a lot of boxes. But there are two sides to the 1980s: a trashy, neon look, which appeals to younger generations, and a more grown-up, opulent look, which requires poise to pull off. Either way, they require interpretation. The danger with revisiting 1980s trends is that they too easily fall into pastiche.”

Distinctive 1980s fashion references have been hard to avoid: New Romanticism, with its blend of futurism and 19th-century dandyism; late punk, all rips and neon; and the TV glamour of Miami Vice, with its designer pastels and shoulder pads. Throw in the appeal of unfulfilled nostalgia – the thirty-something fashion consumer who remembers the looks of the decade but was too young to have worn them then – and it’s hardly surprising the era is being revisited.

Yet, understanding why something is happening need not equate to embracing it. Stephen Ayres, Liberty’s men’s wear buyer, suggests adding a touch from the decade rather than adopting all its key trends: a classic blazer worn over a white T-shirt, with trousers rolled up and colourful socks, is a better way to look current than attempting fluorescents as an adult.

For those who experienced the 1980s the first time round – those now at the optimum point between spending power and active interest in fashion – the idea of going back to the future can be startling. “The 1980s are probably far too recent for a revival really to work, especially in men’s wear,” says Ivan Donovan, men’s buying director for the London fashion independent Browns. “The decade produced looks that were almost too brash and too strong – precisely because they were, in part, making a break with the past.” 

Stacey Smith, buyer for the independent Matches chain, agrees: “The 1980s were all about definitive looks, many of which were fun and youthful. Put together with the current gloom, it’s easy to see that the revival is especially exciting to younger consumers. But I think it’s set to divide older shoppers. Some will love its energy and glitz. For others, it’s just going to remind them of the horrors they wore the first time around.”

www.antonyprice.com
www.brownsfashion.com
www.harveynichols.com
www.liberty.co.uk
www.matchesfashion.com