Suited and booted, London chases global menswear crown

By Brenda Goh LONDON (Reuters) – Britain, birthplace of the three-piece suit and leather brogues, is stepping up efforts to establish London as the global capital of menswear with its designers chasing dominance in the fastest growing fashion sector by sales. Playing host to London Collections: Men, a three-day event that started on Monday, the British capital will see more than 130 brands such as Topman, Burberry and Alexander McQueen showcase their latest collections to fashion buyers and the media from more than 20 countries. "We have the heritage that none of the other cities have," model and fashion committee member David Gandy told Reuters. Market research firm Mintel estimates the men's fashion market grew by 2 percent to 10.4 billion pounds ($17.1 billion)in 2012, and the market is forecast to grow 16 percent between 2011 and 2016.