Today the luxury tweed designer Eloise Grey launches her first ever menswear range, The Somerset Maugham Collection. Lucky for us, Eloise has given our lovely Sustain Your Style readers an exclusive first look at Eloise Grey's Menswear photo shoot, and shares her thoughts and inspiration behind her label's latest tailored collection.

Two seasons ago at London Fashion Week, we excitedly put forward the idea to Eloise Grey that she venture into menswear. Tweed, afterall, is beautifully unisex, and Grey certainly knows how to achieve an incredibly polished look with her tailoring. At the time Eloise said with a chuckle "You're not the only one who's said that! I've also discovered a lot of men buying for their partners are also in love with our Tweed". And so the idea took hold, because faster than you can say organic tweed, Eloise Grey has unveiled her first ever Menswear collection, and we predict to the delight for all discerning gents.

Eloise Grey's menswear is a far cry from the boring old Tweed jacket; the Somerset Maugham Collection is just the ticket for the modern man. Just take a look at the handsome chap sporting Eloise Grey's Menswear Jacket, offset with a striking blue striped silk scarf by Wallace + Sewell. Gently fitted with minimum fuss, this single breasted Tweed jacket with two patch pockets is oh so dapper.

Eloise shares "I wanted to break away from the traditional Tweed jacket, so its fitted and nicely casual, and looks perfect over a pair of jeans. It's stylish and warm without being stuffy." 

And to emphasise this modern look, Eloise Grey's Menswear Jacket looks fetching to say the least when paired up with a pair of premium organic jeans by Trousers London (see below). It's a great look with wide appeal, so Eloise Grey has surely got a winner on her hands. But what inspired this new direction?

Somerset Maughan by SutherlandOnce Eloise Grey had made her mind up to pull out all the stops to create a luxury menswear collection, inspiration came quickly. "I fell for the writer Somerset Maugham last year, in particular when in the throes of reading my favourite, Of Human Bondage. But it was really a picture by Sutherland (see right) that captivated me and worked its way through into my garment design." Eloise adds "I love the relaxed, yet confident pose, and the way the wrinkles and folds in the cloth work together. I wanted to capture this look in my menswear collection; there's something really louche about Maugham's pose which I really like." 

Eloise Grey's successful first take on menswear is no doubt aided by her Savile Row-trained tailor. The tailor uses a Gucci cut, which takes a fitted approach, and while Eloise is tempted to take an uber-fitted approach in her upcoming collection, all her pieces do have a semi-fit, perfect for a more up-to-date man. Despite the luxury nature of Tweed and its rather formal history, Eloise has opted for a more casual look and feel. She tells us "Our pieces are meant to be thrown on over any outfit in a casual manner. We've avoided a formal cut to appeal to a younger, more modern man."

Despite this relaxed theme, Eloise couldn't resist designing a smart long coat, just like she does for her ladies collection. Eloise recently blogged "It's a low-buttoned double-breasted three-quarter length coat. Double breasted is so much funkier if you ask me, without being pretentious. The shorter length I think gives it a more modern and younger appeal."

Her sharply tailored long coat is available in Certified Organic Dark Herringbone tweed or in Ethical Silver Diamond Twill. At £1,100 it isn't cheap, but nor should it be. First class tailoring with exquisite materials demands an investment, and like all of Eloise Grey's clothing, your tweed wardrobe is for keeps. Eloise pips in "I design with a lifetime of wear in mind, so it is definitely a good investment."

Also debuting for the first time is Eloise Grey's rather gorgeous Tweed Gilet - we love it! Eloise is particularly excited by the Gilet as she tells us "I think it's really cool. You can throw it on over a sweater and keep warm at let's say your local farmer's market. I really designed it with my husband in mind who's not really a tweed wearer, as I would like to see a lot of men who don't traditionally wear Tweed wear my gilet."

Our overall verdict? We applaud Eloise Grey's first capsule collection for men. Traditional or not, Eloise Grey has pulled off an ethical menswear collection that holds the potential to attract stylish men across a wide range of ages... particularly her gilet!

Visit Eloise Grey today to view her Somerset Maugham collection online.