Menswear: Fabiani is the last word in suits

If you stroll down the corridors of power on casual Friday, you'll find a healthy smattering of Fabiani shirts, shoes and accessories.

The brand has become synonymous with the aspirant classes, a clarion call summoning the nouveau fashionable to join the ranks of the well dressed.

At Fashion Week in Johannesburg, Fabiani fulfilled this mandate with aplomb.

Holding pride of place at the final show on Saturday, Fabiani's winter collection saw the well-styled masses squeezed into the marquee to view it.

What followed, after the obligatory dramatic darkening of the room, was a series of looks seemingly inspired by James Bond's wardrobe.

The show was led by a convoy of men in deliciously fitted suits.

With each model the outfits devolved into something a touch less formal, until the look landed on Mr Bond's party outfit - a tight-fitting pair of grey jeans accompanied by a black leather jacket, white shirt, tie, black sneakers and a hat.

Colour-wise, the procession ranged from grey to dark blue to black, presumably because Fabiani's customers do not believe in rainbows.

The result was that at times the show looked like a black and white film about a group of very stylish men.