New & Lingwood's True Colours

Summer dressing needn’t be laborious. When the mercury rises and the sun beats down, there are far better things to do than stress about what to wear. Curating your outfit each morning should be a breeze - fun, even. Which is where New & Lingwood comes in. The iconic British menswear label, founded in Eton, England in 1865 by Elisabeth New and Samuel Lingwood, has released a spring/summer ‘19 collection that epitomises the joy of warm-weather dressing, fusing sartorial elegance with sheer comfort to culminate in clothes that you actually want to wear. The collection is inspired by the relaxed sophistication of classic holiday dressing - the timeless understatedness of Riviera style that we so long to achieve each summer, as we look to perpetual sources of inspiration such as The Talented Mr Ripley or To Catch a Thief. Yet despite an allusion to sun-drenched shores and glamorous summer soirées, New & Lingwood has stayed true to its English roots and traditional house style, doing what it does best: classic tailoring injected with just the right amount of eccentricity. Colour is, of course, integral to New & Lingwood’s defining spirit. As its Product and Marketing Director Simon Maloney has previously told us, “Our Eton heritage informs the colour range, inspired by their many team, society and club colours. We embrace Englishness in all its guises — from sober and discreet to bright and eclectic.” The label is known and loved for its vibrant designs and this season is no different: a rich palette of  burgundy, navy and cream features accents of mustard, powder blue and sage green. Distinctive checks, stripes and prints lend themselves to eye-catching hero pieces like the burgundy and blue striped Newton boating jacket, or the pale blue check Wraysbury jacket. Lightweight stretch-cotton Vaughn chinos in an array of colours simplify the task of combining separates, while an offering of formal trousers in classic tartan and more muted tones provide a sophisticated edge to summer attire. Shirting has been kept simple, crafted in lightweight linens and cottons for versatility and ease-of-wear during the summer months.   As is always the case with New & Lingwood, you can expect an impeccable standard of construction. Each piece from the collection has been cut using the finest of fabrics - whether plain-weave linen from Solbiati, an Italian mill famous for superior fabrics; ‘Heather Isle’ tartan from the Locharron mill in Scotland or luxurious fresco wool woven in Yorkshire. Comfort is key in the context of summer dressing, and this has been acknowledged through the breathability of the materials chosen and the freedom of movement they allow for. There's a softness to the clothes that encourages wear after wear, whether to formal events, within a business context or even in more casual settings. The beauty of this collection is that it is very much what one makes it: whilst the array of spectacular colour, patterns and textures may initially overwhelm, there's no pressure to dive head-first. Take what you want: mix, match, clash or - don't. It's a refreshing and fearless approach that embodies the freedom of summer dressing at its finest.