John Deakin was what you might call an unreliable narrator. Frequently inebriated and by all accounts a bad drunk to boot, he was sacked by Vogue magazine on two separate occasions after company equipment went missing. Yet, despite being intermittently barred from many of Soho’s drinking dens, Deakin found himself at the centre of the London district’s burgeoning social scene. And, throughout the 1950s, the photographer documented the misadventures of a hedonistic clique that included the artists Francis Bacon, Lucian Freud, Frank Auerbach and Eduardo Paolozzi.

Deakin’s reportage from the cafés and cellar bars of postwar Soho serves as inspiration for the latest collection from MR PORTER’s in-house brand, Mr P. Here, this hazy milieu of bon vivant virtuosos comes into sharp focus, with pieces that draw from Bacon’s undone tailoring and rollnecks, and Freud’s slim suits and utilitarian workwear.

“There is an intimacy, and a slightly seductive, dishevelled elegance to Deakin’s images of 1950s Soho that we wanted to bring into the clothes,” says Emily Grieves, Design Manager at Mr P. “That comes through in relaxed tailoring, softer proportions. The palette and textures are deliberately understated, with tactile fabrics that add depth and warmth,” she says.

The spirit of Soho lives on, but times have changed. The paint-flecked pieces that these legendary artists wore have been updated and elevated. The Mr P. collection pulls out classic British sartorial signatures such as herringbone and Prince of Wales checks, but reborn in cashmere and wool. Like a successful urban renewal scheme in clothing form.

“The starting point is quite classic: beautifully made tailoring, substantial knitwear, traditional shirting and familiar menswear fabrics,” Grieves says. “But we’ve played with fabrication to make those pieces feel slightly unexpected and individual. The overall feeling is relaxed but luxurious with a sense of character rather than looking too considered.”

Other references include the French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre (regulars at The French House will probably tell you that Soho is, after all, London’s equivalent of the Rive Gauche). And there’s no doubt that the American fraternity of Beats, who were knocking about at a similar time, would get a kick out of this clobber, too. Which is to say that wherever – and whenever – you end up, Mr P. will get you there smartly.

The wider collection arrives later in the season, but the key pieces that are available right now are ready to slot into your wardrobe. Highlights include the button-down organic cotton Oxford shirt, one of the most enduring pieces of British menswear and a classic Mr P. staple. There’s a new thin-soled boat shoe made from full-grain leather with hand-sewn moccasin stitching; a fresh take on the traditional Derby shoe, made with fine Italian craftsmanship, a new colour and a lighter rubber sole, and a subtly luxurious zip-up jacket with a soft check pattern that echoes the smoky character of 1950s Soho.