New & Lingwood’s SS21 collection is here to save spring dressing

Over the last year, ‘casual’ has become the loudest buzzword in style. Relaxed, comfortable clothing has taken over our wardrobes — with lockdown robbing us of our need for black tie and business attire. Three piece suits? Who needs them! Cufflinks? Not necessary! Fine silk ties? Snatched straight from our well-sanitised hands…

But the pandemic hasn’t heralded the end of style. Far from it. Rather, lockdown and loungewear have come together to form an unofficial partnership — and nowhere is this brave new menswear world more evident than at New & Lingwood.

The quintessentially British brand was launched by Elizabeth New and Samuel Lingwood back in 1865, and rose to fame as the official outfitter for Eton. Renowned for its exacting precision, exceptional quality and impeccable personal service, it moved swiftly from Berkshire to London’s Jermyn Street in 1921. Today, the brand continues to bring trim tailoring and bold style statements to the masses.

And New & Lingwood’s Spring/Summer 2021 collection is no exception. From nightwear to neckties (yes, really), the British brand’s SS21 range is a cacophony of colours, creativity and class…

It’s a cliché for a reason; but the customer really is always right. Thankfully, New & Lingwood has heard the collective cry for more relaxed styles, and the brand has acted accordingly. Across the SS21 collection, customers can expect cloth lighter than air, soft, gentle tailoring and a larger, more wider-ranging loungewear collection than ever before.

But don’t mistake a relaxed style with a drop in quality; the brand will continue to reign supreme in terms of elegance and suave sophistication. “In the wake of the challenges faced by all businesses in 2020, we took the time to reconsider the future of menswear and the needs of our customers, post-lockdown,” says CEO Freddie Briance. “Our focus going forward is to re-imagine expectations of relaxed style – in both tailoring and loungewear, elevating the standards of domestic elegance around the world.”

‘Domesticity’ and ‘elegance’ are two words not often paired. But, when it comes to the creations of New & Lingwood, both qualities are combined with aplomb; evoking a unique, distinguished style that’ll look as good as it feels to wear.

So what can we actually expect from the new collection? For starters, New & Lingwood have decided to counter all the travel bans with some international influences. This whole new collection is evocative escapism; putting transcendent travel at its centre and hoping to add some globe-trotting, jet-setting spirit to your wardrobe.

The brand has partnered with Ardmore Artists for this capsule — and the result is a striking, luxuriant feast for the senses. One print details the flora and fauna of Africa’s vivid, vibrant landscape, inspired by the artists’ visits to South Africa’s Kruger National Park. Or, if wearers want to travel even further around the globe, there are opulent, luxuriant prints evoking the delicate landscape of the Far East. Inspiration for patterns found on some of the new dressing gowns has been taken directly from antique Chinese vases; modernised to put a contemporary spin on ancient art.

New by name; new by nature. Innovation is imperative for any brand at the moment, and New & Lingwood is firmly focused on the future. The world is changing faster than we can keep up with — but, somehow, this traditional heritage brand is balancing the contemporary and the classic better than almost any other.

Tradition is at the core of every item in the SS21 collection. Take the deconstructed, unlined jackets, for example; cut from English-woven linens, they are imbued with the heritage of a stylish, storied past — whilst also offering a soft structure ideal for the unforgiving heatwaves of summer.

And what of the brand’s classic motifs? Loyalists will be happy to see the polka dot silks make a triumphant return; this time rendered in teal and navy. For those whose confidence knows no bounds, there’s also a turquoise peacock print — guaranteed to turn heads and ruffle feathers. The signature skull and crossbones motif even makes a reappearance; stepping back into the fold on a pair of velvet slippers.

An English summer can be a wonderful thing, as New & Lingwood are well aware. The brand’s loop-yarn terrycloth towelling shirts evoke a nostalgia for strolls down a sunny Salcombe pier; ice cream cone firmly in hand. The summer trousers in the SS21 collection are cut from English and Irish linens and come in soft hues of cream, white and yellow — calling to mind sparkling garden parties jangling with brimming trays of Pimms.

And New & Lingwood also has you covered for a somewhat less picturesque summer. If the rain clouds gather over our Great British holidays, silk cable knits and pure silk jackets (Italian crafted, no less) will see wearers kept in both warmth and elegance. And, for those looking to deny that looming rain altogether, the Bermuda shorts and evocatively patterned swim shorts would look right at home at Saint Tropez’s Le Club 55.

So, while it’s been a transformative year, New & Lingwood itself has transformed with the times. From the prompt creation of silk and cotton face masks to heeding the collective call for loungewear, the brand remains as relevant as ever.

“Late last year,” says Briance, “we introduced our online custom dressing gown service, the first step in the transition period for the brand. Our Spring/Summer collection is the second phase in us continuing to press ahead — introducing new services and products that align with our goal to create a destination for distinctive and luxurious British loungewear and relaxed tailoring.”

Looking to continue adding to your summer wardrobe? Have a read as Mr Marvis springs its new trousers to life…

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