British menswear reinvents itself with Beckham in the lead

British menswear brand Kent & Curwen is reinventing itself with a British soccer hero in the lead. Sun Yuanqing reports from Shanghai.

When it comes to men's style, there are few who are more convincing than David Beckham. Having modeled for Armani, designed for H&M and launched his own fragrance line, the former-footballer-turned-style icon is now carving out his own fashion territory with British menswear brand Kent & Curwen.

Beckham visited Shanghai earlier this week bringing the brand's latest collection to the city.

As a long-term partner of the brand, this time Beckham is not just the face of the brand, but also the brain behind it.

His ambition is to turn this 91-year-old heritage brand into a label that reaches different generations.

"We are a brand that has been around for many years, but we are evolving in so many different ways and styles … We want to be a brand that hits different ages," he says.

The brand showcased its 2017 autumn/winter collection, the first in collaboration with Beckham, which reinterpreted the classic cricket sweater and the rugby shirt.

The brand also launched a "Shanghai Club" capsule collection of blazers and polo shirts, which is available in an exclusive pop-up store at Lane Crawford Shanghai.

Daniel Kearns, creative director of Kent & Curwen who has worked with Louis Vuitton and Yves Saint Laurent, has teamed up with Beckham to reinvent the brand.

"We want to instill in each piece that sense of heritage, even as the washing and treating give it a contemporary edge. It is about using techniques to marry the heritage of the brand with a contemporary look," Kearns says.