_J.L-A.L_: Protecting the Anthropocene

In this nondescript landscape of alien whereabouts, blanketed by a hardened shell of basaltic lava, unfamiliar beaches and jarred rockfaces offer a fresh exploratory challenge. Granted, against the backdrop of this ashen dystopia, only such stylised armours could face survival in this unknown land. Shorn of frivolousness, enter _J.L-A.L_: the London based label who has been reimagining traditional menswear codes since its inception in 2020. Headed by Jean-Luc Ambridge Lavelle, the faceless, balaclava clad figure of anonymity, _J.L-A.L_’s cult status has careened through the technical grapevine in just a mere few years; its reputation now, at the crux of today’s sartorial meridians. Born from the immediacy of design’s digitisation, his is a new vision for menswear, one manifesting in engineered apparel and accessories – sculpted, charged suits of survival – splinter sharp, pragmatism imbued, intentionally cut. Keeper of the craft, defenders of the line; Lavelle renders his dissidents warrior like. With a precision only the artisanal eye could detect, post-apocalyptic protective skins come ready to clothe the dawn of the Anthropocene. For the latest season, akin to all prior, a penchant for experimentation vanquishes vapidity. Reasoned by way of centring artisanship, the additions of a practical trouser, relaxed shirting or panelled outerwear dresses the liminal space between primeval referencing and futuristic sensibilities. Further cutting against the grain of conventional tailoring, _J.L-A.L_ leans on form as a conceptual bridge. Their AW23 offering, then, continues this streak of harnessing a vocabulary of striking dimensional strength. The mathematics of geometrical nets and skeletal pattern making meet to add angular depth; webbed rear panelling, articulation darting and inverse pocketing graces transitional layers. At the crux of this all, the brand now, quite literally, is moving the needle in assemblage and material science. So too noting Mother Nature’s ability to weave her own protective webs, earthly potency steers _J.L-A.L_’s material and assembly solutions. Eschewing from trend, erring on the side of timelessness, the placement of a curved zip fastening looks to bodies of water; triple membraned biobased Dyneema meets scale-like breathable mesh vents. In tandem, slates and mauves come interfaced with heavyweight cottons or water wicking polyamide, fabricating carapaces to clothe this journey of unforgiving dune navigation. By mutating tradition through the lens of digitally led design, innovation comes part and parcel to a label where technology is heralded with keynote importance. Finely attuned to the nomad’s uniform, here, find adventure laced outfitting of the highest calibre. Creative: Oliver Birch Copywriting: Meg Parrott Photography: Lewis Taylor Photography Assistant: Chelsea Mulcahy Styling and Production: Olivia Joan Brown and Amy Bajenski