Neil Barrett Spring 09 catwalk report

The theme for Neil Barrett's Spring Summer 09 collection referenced a sartorial gymnast. Gym-kit colours and athletic-inspired formalwear mixed with sharp tailoring, often unforgiving to anything but a lean physique - that of a gymnast. A navy striped blazer stood as a must-have piece in the collection, where deconstructed jackets, trousers - even eveningwear - depicted Barrett's trademark slim silhouette.

Barrett always favours a graphic colour scheme, where this season dashes of colour such as red could be seen on two-tone footwear and technical-coloured sportswear.

The designer told WGSN: "There were two elements of gymnastics that I wanted to translate into menswear, the sports sweats and the colours. I'm inspired by the technical qualities of jersey because it stretches and does not restrict movement, so by translating it into tailoring a suit can look slim and sharp yet still be relaxed and comfortable to wear. The palette references the bright colours used in gymnastic kit and I have injected them into the collection in subtle ways - like a contrast cuff or collar - because I want to introduce bolder shades in an acceptable way that my clients can easily relate to."