Tiger of Sweden Spring 2025 Menswear
Thereās a cool clarity to Bryan Conwayās new collection for Tiger of Sweden that is absolutely refreshing. Whereas in the past it has felt like the designer was hesitating at the edge of the diving board, for spring 2025 he dove unhesitatingly into things while also bringing the work closer to home. Consider an irresistible wrinkled suit in a cotton fabric that has some metal in it to retain its well-worn feeling. It is based on the first tailleur Conway made when studying in London. Back then, the designer said, heād ājust got over my Hedi Slimaine for Dior phase and I got out of those skinny jeans I used to wear.ā The remit then, as now, is for ease with sophistication. The combination of wool-silk pajama-like pants with a drawstring and a slightly leaner jacket (a general trend this season) feels just right. And the jacketās exaggeratedly wide lapel is suggestive of both the transitional period Conway had in mind (the ā60s segueing into the ā70s) and that of a boy becoming a man.
Itās better to call David Hockney the motivating spirit rather than inspiration of this collection because Conway was thinking as much about the way the artist āapproaches artā as the man himself. Yes, aspects of the stylish painterās wardrobe make their way into this offering, but the point was not to be too literal. In fact, we get closer to the designer through Hockney than ever before.ā I think he probably means a lot of things to a lot of people,ā said the designer, who is a Brit, like the artist. āItās really telling a bit of my story kind of through him.ā It turns out Conway himself was the missing piece of the puzzle in last seasonās Tiger of Sweden collection, which felt true to the brand identity and heritage but impersonal.
Springās lineup is freer and more confident, with clothes that are straightforward and desirable. A terrific liquid column with a twisted T-strap is made of a cold-washed silk that gives it a bit of a watery pool effect in the subtlest of nods to Hockney. Conway prefers deep cuffs this season, shorts for men and culottes for women. The formality of tailoring is softened by pairing a suit with a striped knit shirt. A dress might be worn with a boat shoe, a casual outfit with a tasseled loafer. The uncomplicated confidence of this collection suggests a sunlit existence, like the one depicted in Hockneyās paintings, and perhaps in the opening pages of F. Scott Fitzgeraldās greatest work. A smashing double-breasted white suit has all the sleek sophistication of Jay Gatsby, as portrayed by Robert Redford. These are clothes for living the dream.