Time to man-up?

Do we believe that “Men buy clothing not Fashion”?  The book “Fashion brands from Armani to Zara” declares that men do not pay much attention to the catwalk or mensweek, but are more inspired by male celebrities and sports figures in choosing their style.  

I for one don’t fully agree with this but may be biased by all the male fashion students I work with.  I agree that most males look at more public icons rather than the latest images from the catwalks, but believe that the growing popularity of men’s fashion week and a stronger media emphasis on men’s fashion means men have an increasing interest in catwalks and other male fashion events.

On the other hand the increasing popularity of using famous sports figures for campaigns may be a driving factor in this change.  The appeal of David Beckham or the appearance of Tom Daley must be having a significant effect to justify the costs involved – Tom Daley is sponsored by Adidas to the tune of £750,000.  David Beckham no doubt commands an even greater fee.    

So who should men turn to for style inspiration?  I think that any inspiration that leads to our men dressing well is more than welcome!