Menswear shows

What the men who make and follow fashion are wearing this summer - and a few tips for the future. Words and pictures: Tamsin Blanchard

aLUC DE BACKER (left) stage designer from Antwerp.

"I bought my shirt in Curacao, the trousers are from Switzerland and my shoes are English brogues. I can't remember how much they cost. I think with fashion you can do what you want, as long as you like it."

RUDOLPH VAN DEN EERENBEEMT, stage designer from Holland

"The T-shirt I'm wearing says `I Love 3D W&LT', but you can't see it. The shirt is second-hand, and the striped jeans I bought in Italy. The shoes are brogues, but I don't remember where I got them. I don't know what I will be wearing next year. But I like W&LT - that's Wild & Lethal Trash, by the way."

TITUS, Parisian fashion observer, and conceptual artist.

"I'm not doing fashion, but I like to watch it and understand its ways, from the outside only. I learn more from the street than from fashion. I normally wear this crown with my US navy medical jacket. it goes with my medical bag, which also goes with my How to Flirt book. The trousers are not so hip, just your basic comfy black, my shoes are by Vans. Next summer I will wear things that I find from navy surplus stores. I like the nautical look."

KARL PEASE, model

"My jumper is from New York's Yellow Pages, the trousers are old favourites, just your basic chino. I bought my original Levi's jacket years ago, and the underwear is from Katharine Hamnett. I like to travel light so I wear the same clothes every day when I'm working. If I was going to wear anything from the shows it would be a Cerruti outfit. it looks so classy. One thing I would never wear is little shorts, they have got to be the worst."

PETER HOWARTH, editor, British Esquire

"This brown single-breasted suit is by an Italian label called Chiara Boni Uomo (pounds 400), my T-shirt supports the Liverpool Dockers. The watch is by Cobra & Bellamy, (pounds 65 from Fenwicks), and the shoes are by Camper. I really liked parts of the Gucci show. it managed to do glam without being over the top. But, I've just got back from New York where I saw Helmut Lang's menswear show. I've always been a fan, maybe because I'm half Austrian, but he does minimalism without it being dull. There were lots of slim-cut suits, which I like, and a simple monochrome palette."

AARON FIRTH, buyer, The Library (men's designer shop in Knightsbridge)

"I'm wearing Clarks desert boots, a white shirt by Industria (pounds 110), and striped trousers from German designer Ralf Handschuch (pounds 195). I think he will be the next great German designer. There hasn't been a decent menswear designer for a while. This mac cost pounds 2.75 from somewhere near Victoria Bus Station. It's the most practical thing I've bought for ages. Next summer I'm putting my money on an Italian called Gianni Guaglianone. His clothes are completely different. His jackets are are slightly sloppy looking, distressed by steaming and then twisting, and the colours are brilliant."

FREDERIC MINVIELLE, senior fashion assistant, British Esquire

"The fitted zip-up nylon jacket is from Jigsaw Menswear (pounds 90), and the fitted nylon shirt was pounds 5 from a shop called Cenci in Covent Garden. The trousers are by Merc in Carnaby St and my loafers are by Hugo Boss (pounds 100). My sunglasses are by Ray-Ban and the little cross chain is from Mikey Jewellery at Hype DF. My favourite show was Jose Levy a Paris because it was so fresh. There was too much grey around, but Levy did shirts in lilac, turquoise and pink, and there were Forties-inspired wide-legged but straight-cut white trousers at many of the shows. I think these will take off next summer."