Jean-Pierre Braganza fuk@lfw a/w 06

What is it about Jean-Pierre Braganza? Amongst those of us who have seen his collections over the last few seasons, the designer reigns supreme as London Fashion Week's king of cool. His distinctive style - bold clothes teased and manipulated into interesting shapes, intelligent use of fabrics, trousers cut so beautifully you could cry, the incredible detail in the back as well as front of each outfit - all this and more we love about JP. Yet, he's building his label and his business mainly with commercial support from overseas buyers. There must be something UK and European buyers just aren't seeing. Or maybe they've just chosen not to look.

Those of us lucky enough to experience 'Subtyrannical' surely know. This is his strongest collection to date, where the menswear and the womenswear is woven seamlessly together. Signature skinny trousers which twist at the ankle, cinched backs, worn with oversized shirts and voluminous wool jackets, builds a signature silhouette.

The colour palette features army green (which is warm, unlike traditional khaki), grey, white, black and splashes of red including some blooming flower prints used across both menswear and the womenswear pieces. Black satin brocade features in trousers, jackets and suits.

The leatherwork is stunning - there's sensibility even in his ultra rock'n'roll pieces. His shapes seem to steal from everywhere so a simple and familiar item, like the classic dinner jacket - becomes an up-ended waistcoat, a dress and a floor-sweeping gothic coat ideal for a 21st century highwayman. Pleated dresses in soft jersey have looped, curved fronts and buckle, belt and harness details at the back. There's a touch of The Matrix meets Ancient Greece here (by way of Deptford). It's very filmic, but not fantastical. I just wish I could see it all again today.

www.jeanpierrebraganza.com

Words: Marian Buckley. Photos: David Jones.

Jean-Pierre Braganza is interviewed in Day 2 of our podcast series.