Written by Menswear Style in Interviews on the 20th May 2015

It’s been a nonstop travel month,” says JOSEPH’s Head of Menswear Mark Thomas, “I’m speaking to you from the car right now, driving up the Western coast of Ireland.” After a whirlwind three-day trip to Italy to put the finishing touches on the Spring/Summer 2016 collection – factories, fabrics and last fittings – it was back home to Paris to turn around and fly to Copenhagen.

“It was my first time in the Danish capital and I couldn’t get enough. The food is delicious and the people are young and amazingly friendly. Everyone seems to have kids, and they travel by bike, with their kids in little trailers behind them.”

What was the highpoint of the trip? 

“The highlight was a visit to the Louisiana Museum, about 30 minutes outside Copenhagen’s centre. You travel to this idyllic countryside house on a lake. Inside was an amazing Richard Mosse exhibition of African landscapes shot through an infrared camera.” The Irish photographer’s ‘Enclave’ presents a journey through Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo’s humanitarian disaster, blurring the lines between photojournalism and fine art. “Child soldiers appear against a bright pink background, it’s haunting and incredible.”

JOSEPH city break looks // Four ways

The JOSEPH SS15 menswear collection takes inspiration from the book ‘Brooklyn Gangs’ by Bruce Davidson, which follows a close-knit gang of boys in the summer of 1959. There’s a real freedom and youthful spirit to the images, providing a natural link to the JOSEPH house codes. Glove leather t-shirts are combined with knitted shorts; Rayon silk Harringtons – the classic 50’s American sports jacket – styled with voluminous double-pleat pants; kimono-sleeved shirts layered over the new classic white tee; and knits layered upon knits. The colour palette combines ecru knitwear, navy cottons and silks, along with military gabardines, glove leathers and coral rayon inspired by bomber jacket linings. All over prints have been developed derived from elements of Davidson’s images giving the collection added spirit.

The JOSEPH Spring/Summer 2015 Menswear collection is available in stores and online here at Joseph-Fashion.com

We sit down and spend 5 Minutes with Mark Thomas, Head of Menswear at JOSEPH to find out where we gained inspiration for the brands SS16 collection.