>> The title is a drink that I'm now quenching after in my post-flight hazy state. I had a few bloody mary's on the flight but suddenly the introduction of tequila makes for something that I wouldn't mind knocking back and that's thanks to agi&sam whose S/S 12 collection was inspired by this curious shot concoction from Mexico. Well actually the title is just a playful starting point but it's the cultural journey through Central America that bears fruit for Agape Mdmuller and Sam Cotton's heavily print-based collection. Style Salvage dissects the influences in greater detail and there's not much point in paraphrasing it all but suffice to say, the resulting prints and colour combinations aren't indicative of your usual sartorial trip through Mexico and Central America. Not a sombrero in sight in fact - just a neat hat collaboration with Justin Smith Esquire.
agi&sam is part of a burgeoning group of young menswear designers in London where my eyes will pop out at the lookbook and I greedily wonder whether their size smalls or extra smalls will be alright on me. Steve likes to loudly growl "Keep your paws off the menswear! You have enough choice already!!" He may be right but that doesn't stop me from having a cheeky look at what are potentially interesting menswear pieces that can crossover into womenswear. Fortunately agi&sam recognise this and have sized their pieces accordingly so that for S/S 12, they can offer womenswear too. There are some instances of womens-specific designs but by and large, it's just an easy job of adjusting the fit for women, making the pieces unisex in design but not in sizing. Likewise their printed shoes will also run the gamut of both mens and womens sizing, which means if a rainbow technicolour checked parka or a pixelated Mexican embroidery jacket and shirt is a little overwhelming, then a touch of agi&sam's vibrant prints on the feet might suffice.
Here's another agi&sam tidbit where sex/sizing doesn't matter. My Sunday afternoons of watching Fresh Prince of Bel-Air repeats will now be incomplete if I don't have a t-shirt on with Will Smith and his heightened hair do. The potato smileys are just here because they're ...well... potato smileys.
