Advent - Day Twenty Four

I have only recently fallen head over heels with the Visvim brand but the more I see the deeper my love gets...the Virgil boot and FBT Shaman in this brown kangaroo leather are the best yet. If I had any Christmas shopping to do either of these would be my footwear of choice...I would just have to go out and buy them first...Happy Christmas Eve to one and all.

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Advent - Day Seven

The eventful year of 2008 has certainly been a year of the collaboration (the highlights for me being Acne x Lanvin and Raf Simons x Fred Perry) and there is certainly time to squeeze a few more in before the year ends. I stumbled across my first three way on hypebeast yesterday and the below image permeated the thick cobwebs surrounding my brain and gave it a wake up slap.

New York-based contemporary brand Band of Outsiders, United Arrows’ Beauty & Youth and Japanese online magazine honeyee.com have worked together to create a bowtie and necktie. This certainly sounds like a lot of hands to create two relatively simple accessories but the resulting bow tie and in particular, how it has been styled in this shot (it reminds me of Christmas morning for some reason) is worthy of applause and I would be happy to receive this in my stocking!

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Dress as a thinker regardless of the merit of your ideas

Although University seems like a lifetime ago (and from what I remember of it, not a great deal of time was spent attending lectures or seminars) there are a few nuggets of information and strains of thought that I keep with me. The class which is most vivid in my mind today formed part of my Sociology teachings in my third year (I studied Law and Sociology art Warwick) and was titled Sociology of Knowledge, Science and Intellectuals. The role of the intellectual in the English speaking world is something of a chequered category (as opposed to continental Europe where the intellectual is treated with a great deal more respect) where there has always been a suggestion or implication than the intellectual is an ambient troublemaker and should mind his own business. Despite all this, an intellectual is surely something to aspire to and in the twenty first century it is something of an endangered species. As the ideas of intellectuals and academics might be few and far between in the modern age (are we really in a state of dumbing down?) we can atleast express a particular form of thought expression by dressing the part of someone who is a thinker. I recently wrote a letter to Hiroki of Visvim expressing my admiration for the craft of his brand and that I wanted to become a consumer. Another fantastic piece out of the Visvim Fall/Winter 2008 collection has been released for us all to salivate over.

The Academia Jacket 2L comes with a John Hanley tweed upper and a 2L Gore-Tex lining. Classic looks with up to date functionality - perfect.

The moral of my babbling above is that we can all dress as intellectuals and academics regardless of the the merit of thought and the extent of our knowlegde, all we need is the brain functioning enough to choose Visvim.

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A letter to Visvim

The image comes courtesy of Complex, who ran an interview with the mastermind behind Visvim.

Dear Mr. Hiroki

Please accept my apologies for missing your recent talk in London. I read over on thenonplace that you were in town for a day of talks at the V&A as part of the Fashion vs Sport exhibition and my heart sank. I'm so sorry that I missed it but I just didn't know it was on - the press of the whole exhibition has been extremely poor. It's a crying shame becuase all in all it has been an impressive exhibition - I just wish more people knew about it! If I had known I would have come armed with my moleskin and pen which would have enabled my frantic and excited notes, alas it was not meant to be...the time for us to meet will surely come one day.

I recall reading your aims as a fashion designer and entrepreneur which, excuse my paraphrasing, went something like... “I want to make good products, be honest with my customers and enjoy the process.” So simple, yet so many brands lose sight of it. Thankfully, your brand has always followed this mantra. There is a level honesty to your creations and I love them so. Your approach has always been to work through collaborations and to provide your voice to as many publications as request and therefore you have shared your vision whilst competing against larger companies that are much better established in the marketplace.

Despite my fondness for you and your brand I have yet to become a customer. For that again I apologise. People might wonder how I can be so positive about you and yet do not own a single piece of your line of quality goods. I guess I'm currently just a enthusiastic voyeur but this recent miss (the talk) has made me somewhat desperate to become a consumer of your brand. My first purchase will be a pair of Hockney's which were presented to me yet again on thisisnaive.

Please keep up the good work.

Your fan

Steve

NB - For some background information on the brand a great interview with Hiroki Nakamura is available on BeingHunted and can be read here.

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J. Lindeberg AW09: The documentary and a dream

J. Lindeberg invite you in to their world...

As I take a well deserved break from the trials and tribulations of packing I thought I'd share a recent bit of post with you. Given the current state of the postal system in the capital, receiving anything through the mail is a rare occurrence and anything received (even a tear inducing, sorry excuse for a bank statement) is something to be treasured. This particular piece of mail however, is something to marvel over and treasure...it currently has pride of place on my coffee table...

Holding up J. Lindeberg's 'The Documentary and a dream' whilst wearing one of their trenches (picked up in Stockholm last year).

The nice folk at J. Lindeberg sent through a copy of their first biannual for me to savour. One of only four hundred copies made, I certainly count myself lucky! The generous large format book evolved from the labels desire to tell the complete story of what they do and why they do it. The story it waves is one that expands way beyond the realms of the standard look book and runway views we are all accustomed to seeing. There are one hundred and eighty two pages of beautiful pictures and illustrations, alongside insightful interviews. I wish more brands pushed themselves to offer more than the usual press materials which circulate after a collection. It is more akin to an issue of Acne Paper rather than your usual look book. Like the Acne Paper it is a publication which weaves together people, imagery, history, newness and takes great pleasure in information exchange and learning. It offers a glimpse in to the inner workings of the industry and the inspirations behind it all whilst, of course showcasing the AW09 offering...

Just one of the many inspiring editorials inside 'The Documentary and a dream'...Photographed by Katja Rahwles

This Scandinavian brand is well-known for the quality of its garments and for its unique philosophy and it is great to see it evolve in this manner. The J. Lindeberg team called in the help of a few close friends and sent them off with a single mission - to capture the inner spirit of J. Lindeberg and in particular, their Autumn Winter 2009 collection.

I can but dream of growing such a beard

Inspiration for the collection came from a combination of Serge Gainsbourg and Yves Klein. It’s about quintessential French masculinity and an approach to life where you don’t save your best necessarily for special occasions but rather, celebrate them every day. This mantra of everyday style is subtly repeated throughout the imagery and text of this book.

One of my favourite illustrations within a wonderful spread by Liselotte Watkins.

The book achieves it's aim to document a world which is more style than trend and one that breaks new ground in traditional areas. It offers a reinterpretation of fashion, sport and elegant functionality which is true to itself. I do hope that it will be deemed a success and be the first of many such bi annuals from the brand. The only downside of such a large format book is that I am going to need a large, reinforced coffee table. If you don't think your table can handle such a book do not despair, the whole thing is available to flick through online here. Now, please excuse me...I have to get back to the joys of packing...

Another example of the beautiful photography contained in this biannual.

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Style Salvage Speaks to... Albam

Founded in Nottingham in 2006 by James Shaw and Alastair Rae initially as an online mail order company with just seven designs in the catalogue, albam have gone from strength to strength and deservedly so. Last month saw the opening of their second store and we were invited to have a nosy around the impressive space. In addition to their wonderful Beak Street store the bloggers' favourite brand have now spread their offering out east to the historic Spitalfields Market. As it grows, albam continues to manufacture their products in Great Britain and where possible and, when it is not, they look as close to home as possible for alternatives. They now have good friends in Portugal, USA and Italy adding to the craftsmanship which is a fundamental facet of the label. We love how the duo aim to bring as much product back to Britain and how they have spent the last couple of years building a business which is enabling their British factories to grow and develop along with them. We spoke with James and Alastair to find out more about the the brand and their plans for the future...

Inside the new store at 111a Commercial Street

SS: How did it all start for you? What were your inspirations, your dreams and the driving catalyst behind albam?

Albam: We started in 2006, had an idea and left our jobs to see where we would get. There was a loose plan on what we wanted to do, having spent years talking, thinking and wondering if we could do it. It got to the point where we had to stop talking about it and just get out there and see where we could get with it all. Wanting to work for ourselves and work with people that are like us was a driving force.

SS: You are entering the third year of albam. For those readers who might have recently found you, you started out in a small office in Nottingham with seven styles in your first catalogue. How have the last few years been, is everything going to plan?
Albam: We have had a pretty steep learning curve and are always learning! When the first store opened, we were working all the time in there, if we weren’t there then we were at factories getting things made and then bringing them back to the store. There has been massive support from both the press and our customers and this has been amazing for us as we just started out with an idea and got on with it. Things are moving forward, the plan always changes but we just keep our heads down and get on with forging ahead.

albam. Made in England - We love these simple tote bags.

SS: What were the first and last item you remember designing for albam?
Albam: The T shirt was the first item we did so that will always stay in the memory. There was a lot of learning involved as we got into the manufacturing process pretty deep and got to meet all the people that we know now and still work with. Being so hands on, we remember pretty much all of them, the latest one that springs to mind is a new Field jacket for March 2010.

SS: Craft and local manufacture are obviously very important to you. Collaboration with local craftsmen and heritage is an integral facet of your brand identity. What have been your favourite collaborations to date? Who would you love to work with in the future?
Albam: Quoddy has been a great partner to work with, as has Grenson in Northampton. Such amazing factories and so much skill goes into these shoes. In the future we are talking to people but all are early days at the moment.

A rail in the new store.

SS: You work with some extremely small and remote factories here in the UK and beyond. Is it difficult to find them and how has your relationships grown over the years
Albam:In the UK they tend not to like signs outside the factories so even with the address finding them is pretty difficult. Word of mouth has introduced us to the factories that we work with. The business that is remaining is tight knit so everyone is interlinked. With regards to relationships we are there most weeks, although the new store has taken some time in looking after it. Our factories are part of the Albam team so everyone is really important to what we do.

SS: How do you see the Albam brand developing over the next couple of years?
Albam: We want to create a brand that stays true to our founding idea, obviously this will develop and grow in terms of range and the people that find out about us. Opening a couple more stores would be great, it would give a real platform for the brand but keep it tight and a discovery/best kept secret for our customers.

albam's perennial favourite, the fair isle hat.

SS: What are you favourite pieces currently available from Albam?
Albam: The blazer we have just released in store is great, and our new Regular jeans are currently being worn a fair amount! We have so much work coming through that it changes all the time!

SS: Finally, would you be able to share a few address book recommendation to our readers (hairdressers, tailors, cafes..anything you like really) which we will duly add to our Map.
Albam: When we are at Beak St, Fernandez & Wells or Monmouth are on the trail for a coffee. At Spitalfields it tends to be Nude or A Gold (for great great sandwiches). Alexander Boyd just off Brushfield Street is a great place for their new tailoring and shirting. Rochelle Canteen for a spot of lunch but closer to the store then St John or The Luxe for a breakfast and then The Albion on Redchurch St. They are mainly food places!

albam. Modern Crafted Clothing. These will help get you through chillier times...

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Happy Birthday Fine and Dandy!

We might have differing opinions when it comes to men's style at times but both of us here at Style Salvage are united in our love and admiration for an eye catching dandy- a point hammered home when we spent about 20 minutes not-very-subtly staring at one such chap in the pub on sunday. It was inevitable then that we would fall for the accessory charms of online store Fine and Dandy. Back in June we caught up with proprietor, Matt Fox, for a transatlantic natter. Like us, Matt has an appreciation for the well dressed gentlemen of yesteryear and is inspired by their unabashed use of accessories, so this is what he stocks in his marvelous online store. Fine and Dandy is a shop which provides all the finishing details to truly be fine and dandy. One year on since launching the online store, Matt Fox and his dapper team decided to mark their anniversary by releasing a look book showcasing their 2009 offering. After congratulating the fine and dandy chaps we just had to share it with you...

Black Derby Hat, Burgundy Striped Houndstooth Bow Tie, Silver And Paisley Pocket Square

We are fortunate enough to receive quite a few look books in our inbox each week but very few leave us in a state of mirrored head nodding. This one left us marveling over the dapper accessories and the humorous photography shot by Patrick Roxas. Yesterday, Valet declared that the 'preppy-but-playful images pair nicely with the shop's new pieces' and we couldn't agree more. Dressing each morning should be fun and accessories like these provide the required pomp and colour.

Grey Diamond Hat, Purple Melange Silk Tie, Purple Handkerchief (part of set), Silver Fleur-De-Lis Cufflinks, Brushed Stainless Steel Pocket Watch

We love the fact that head wear is involved in every single look. As EJ mentioned in her campaign for hats, 'just look at the street scenes in almost any film made the 50s or earlier to see how commonly the hat used to be worn and how much better it makes almost everyone look.' Where would a dandy be without his felt ivy cap, black derby hat or grey diamond hat? The styling showcased here is inspirational for anyone looking to add a few new touches to their wardrobe this season. From the grey Herringbone Newsboy cap to a small gold key tie bar (our favourite) to an array of handkerchiefs the look book displays an array of finishing touches for the dapper amongst us.

Grey Herringbone Newsboy Cap, Grey With Red And Silver Bow Tie, Beige Handkerchief (part of set), Wood Pen, Leather Portfolio

"It’s actually really fun to spend a little bit of time every morning putting your clothes on, picking a tie, picking a handkerchief, choosing a shirt from your wardrobe, picking a jacket and a pair of trousers and putting it all together and feeling great in your wardrobe. It’s really a lovely thing to do each day." Ever the dandy, Patrick Grant, from a recent interview with SwipeLife.

Looking at the men walking the streets outside it seems a large number have men lost sight of how much fun it is to be well dressed. This look book clearly prescribes to the belief that dressing each morning should be anything but a chore or a bore. It is time to have a little fun each morning and this look book provides the required facets. This past year the chaps at Fine and Dandy have shown the way.

Brown Flecked Newsboy Cap, Grey Melange Silk Tie,Dress Stewart Wool Scarf, Gold Key Tie Bar

As we are separated by an ocean we weren't able to present the FineandDandy team with a cake complete with a single lit candle. So, we caught up with Matt Fox for another transatlantic chat and to wish the store a very happy birthday....

SS: The look book celebrates one year of Fine and Dandy. Congratulations on reaching this landmark. How has the last year been?
Matt Fox: Amazing. The response has been wonderful and we feel confident that we've set a great foundation for our brand.

SS: What has been your most fine and dandy moment?
Matt Fox: Shooting the look book was a major fine and dandy highlight. We really felt that everything we've been working on came together in that shoot and we're so pleased with how our new photos represent the Fine And Dandy look.

SS: Talk us through some of your inspirations for the look book..
Matt Fox: We wanted to have a diverse mix of formal and less formal looks. And we wanted to show how a little dandy style can be infused in most any outfit.

SS: What are your favourite pieces for AW09?
Matt Fox: Some favorites: our Brown Fleck Newsboy Cap, our Buffalo Nickel Cufflinks, and our new collection of handkerchiefs.

SS: What can we expect from you in the coming year and beyond?
Matt Fox: The big news for our European fans is that we've begun making plans to ship to Europe in the new year.

Black Crushable Felt Ivy Cap, Purple Paisley Bow Tie, Blue Multi-colored Pocket Square

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Happy (colourful) Feet

Happy Socks are a recently formed Swedish label currently attempting to conquer the world of fashion socks. We are told that they were created on a rainy Sunday afternoon (most of my best plans are hatched during this scene) and the label is determined to give the world a mood boost with a blast of colour. "We design the kind of socks we want to wear ourselves, simple as that”, says Creative Director Viktor Tell. There can be little doubt that colour has an affect on our moods but unfortunately we often over look our feet. I must admit that before I fell in love with the colours on offer at Uniqlo I only ever wore socks in monochrome shades...at a push navy but now I just love my colourful socks. However you like to dress your feet Happy Socks is well worth a visit. We hope that they don't just stop at conquering the world of fashion socks but go forth and the conquer the world. The time for a colourful sock revolution is now.

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Boots for the rugged man

The Abington Hiker Boots.

With the winter season lurking around the next corner my mind frequently turns to boots. So the launch of Timberland's latest Abington collection is quite timely. I was fortunate enough to make it to the London launch at their Spitalfields store so could inspect the new designs up close. Last night saw me take my first steps inside a Timberland store and I liked what I found but the Abington collection was certainly one of the highlights.

The collection is aptly named because the brand was originally called The Abington Shoe Company way back when. It is made up of clean, modern classics inspired by the fields and factories of old. The collection, now in its third season, is inspired by traditional boots from a time when the land was rugged, the people were rugged, and the essentials they depended upon had to be as well. Now, I'm hardly the most rugged man out there and my daily activities don't require something quite as rugged as these but I can but dream. Even a Southern Fairy like me holds some romantic notions of exploring the great outdoors in boots like these. I have to confess that as I strolled around the store with the smell of leather filling my nostrils, I did feel that bit 'manlier.'

The Work Chukka - Clean, simple and lightweight design.

SS10 see the launch of three new silhouettes; the Work chukka, Foreman Boot and the Rugged Handsewn shoe. In each, premium materials including leathers from the Horween leather Company of America and the Charles F. Stead & Co Ltd of England, are crafted for warmer weather and the rigours of wear over time. As much as I liked the work chukka with it's clean, simple and lightweight design the real star of the offering is the Hiker...

The Hiker.

The Hiker is a classic hiking boot silhouette with hinged lace holes, a thick sole and high ankle support using the finest Horween leather and Vibram soles. Despite falling short in the required amount of typical 'manliness' needed to pull of these boots I can certainly get on board with their construction and finish. The collection is hand crafted from premium leathers and rich materials that reflect Timberland’s history of quality and craftsmanship.

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Why does it always rain on me?

Norwegian Rain. Image from Selectism

"Growing up in Bergen, Norway means a life in rain. You can hate it or love it. No matter how you approach it, one thing is certain; it will rain tomorrow, or the day after."
Alexander Helle in an inteview with Dazed Digital.

We all grumble about the wet weather but rarely do anything about it aside from getting all wet and bothered. Travis wrote a catchy song about it in the 90s but what use is that when your soaked through in 2009? Alexander Helle and his team decided to take action. Rather than moan or write a song, they decided to create something useful. From the rainiest city in Europe, Bergen, Norwegian Rain is something of a labour of love to protect oneself from the elements. It is little surprise that this project has received a fair bit of online attention, initially on Selectism and Esquire and most recently an interview piece with Dazed Digital because the debut collection is really something to covet.

Double breasted rain coat mixed grey.

Growing up in this small, creative city in the western part of Norway sparked and shaped the 28 year old founder's decision to finally become dry and comfortable no matter what the weather. A thriving collaboration between acknowledged local designers and soaked citizens of Bergen has evolved, drop by drop. The debut collection, inspired by Japanese simplicity and Scandinavian functionalism is truly something. Selectism reliably informs us that the chaps from Bergen have worked with a high end Japanese textile maker, to ensure that the jackets remain eco-friendly by using waterproof and breathable materials made from recycled fibers. The limited edition collection, three hundred and fifty pieces (in all and all numbered), is a subtle mix of traditional men’s tailoring and the technology found in extreme rain protection.

Double breasted raincoat blue herringbone.

The Raincho is the real highlight of the debut offering. It would certainly provide a quirky and sculptural contrast to my everyday uniform but this coat offers so much more than floaty light aesthetics. Everything is considered. The two inner bike handles makes it an interesting alternative to urban bicyclers whilst the wonderfully named storm flap is made with cashmere lining for ultimate comfort on those cold and windy days. It really is time to throw away those broken umbrellas and look forward to the impending wet weather...

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Daniel Jenkins on British Mens Fashion

We asked Daniel Jenkins if he would like to write a guest post for the blog and were surprised after he agreed without hesitation. He went away back to his store in Monmouth and wrote the post in secret (he didn't even give us any clues on the subject matter) and here it is. A recurrent theme on the blog in recent months has been the discussion on the rise of menswear but despite this rise there are still so much room for improvement. As a store owner Daniel Jenkins has a clear vision on menswear and the designers he wants to sell. As a passionate, intelligent chap he has insightful thoughts on the current state of men's fashion in Britian so here they are!

Posts from the last week or so have forced me to rethink what I was going to write about, particularly the Lulu Kennedy interview. Her comments regarding men’s fashion fascinated me. As someone who believes in British menswear to such an extent that my shop is only stocking British menswear labels from ss09 I have a slightly vested interest in what happens with regards to MAN and menswear during British fashion week. During fashion week this time around there was much talk of New York, Milan and Paris trying to expand their timetable. In order to facilitate such a change London Fashion Week would have to be truncated. Maurice Chittenden in The Times wrote that menswear was likely to be the main casualty, something that, if I was of a sensitive disposition, I might find deeply upsetting. However, it could be argued that British menswear, despite a lack of mainstream coverage, is currently stronger than womenswear. In spite of this when was the last time you read an intelligent and thought provoking piece on menswear in any of the mainstream newspapers? Unless it is about how to look as if you’ve surrendered your manhood. Some of the looks that are proposed as ideal for the chap about town would make you look as if you’ve fallen out of an advert for Next and been dressed by your partner – I remove Charlie Porter from this blame, who is perhaps the best men’s fashion journalist we have in the UK. Time and time again I have the same line fed to me that women buy clothes for their husbands, boyfriends and sons. I’m struggling to see the evidence for this. It’s certainly not the case in my store or online. In fact I did a quick straw poll amongst my girlfriend and her friends the other night. They agreed with me that they would rather cut their arms off than go shopping for the ‘other half’. Is this the case with you as well?

As I stated before, menswear is fairly healthy in the UK. Some of the UK’s best stores are purely menswear affairs... something that would have been unthinkable a decade ago. The British male has certainly become more savvy and demanding. Is it any surprise then that we lead the world in online retailers? Last week saw the launch of FarFetch, another British concept. In fact I sat down and thought about purely womenswear stores which offered the level and breadth of talent that some of the best men's stores do. I’m not talking about replicating Vogue and Elle but rather those that offered well made clothes sourced from small labels from around the world. Answers on a postcard please.

British Talent: Satyenkumar, Lou Dalton and Stanfeild.

Not all is peachy though. Of the men’s fashion weeks Paris has traditionally been where the most business is done. Almost all the British labels we deal with do large amounts of business when in Paris or perhaps in Copenhagen. As a store based in deepest darkest Wales – only 200 years from London - I could quite easily do all of my buying without ever setting foot in London... the creative capital of the world? This isn’t because of a paucity of talent. Some of the best and brightest men's talent, those that will last the course, are British. We have labels as diverse as Lou Dalton, Stansfield and Passarella Death Squad – a modern phenomenon if there ever was one - all of which are stocked in the best stores in America, Japan, Europe yet have small presence in this country. Why is this? I found the last MAN show interesting. I usually go to fashion shows alone so I enjoyed watching it with Steve and being able to pick his brain about the collections.

Ms Kennedy is right, there was a good balance – although wool in July is never going to be a winner - but three labels and Topman design does not a fashion week make. The idea of a men’s fashion week in London is something I don’t believe I’ll see in my lifetime. The menswear could presently be fitted into one day. What a fine day it would be, but, it’s not enough! The New Gen programme has worked well for womenswear and poses interesting questions about menswear. Far too many labels are allowed to gather a head of steam then left to crash. I understand the 'why should we help people?’ argument. No-one helps retailers etc but if we aren’t careful we will lose our brightest and best talent. Rachel Sanderson in the International Herald Tribune writes about the shift away from British manufacture, stating that labels have decided that being able to put 'made in Britain' no longer has the cache it used to and that the problems in the global economy force them to construct their garments elsewhere. This is something I often chat with customers about. Most are quite informed about where something comes from and we’ve found as a business that those labels that are made in the UK tend to do quite well for us. Satyenkumar is quite a good example. We’ve had a number of repeat customers who have commented on the fact that everything is British and made in the UK. The use of British fabric again is important.

If you missed the Tailoring show - go watch it on iplayer now!

This week the BBC’s British Style Genius series dealt with Tailoring. Within the show there was a brief segment that dealt with Burton. The creative director was at pains to mention several times that they were using British fabric for their ‘Heritage’ range. Unfortunately this is something that is unlikely to end up in Monmouth’s branch of Burton. They however do fabulous business in Mister Men t-shirts...

In France the FFC was set up not only to deal with the organisation for Paris Fashion week but also to protect the interests of French fashion. We have the BFC in this country that aims to do this. It’s created an interesting dialogue with the media regarding the size zero debate. Yet we hear very little from them about British menswear. I’ve certainly never spoken to anyone connected with the organisation. Of course there are organisations such as the CFE (Centre for Fashion Enterprise) which offer government backed help. but this only goes so far.

Jonathan Saunders in an interview with Style.com stated that he and the other stars of his generation quickly realised that you needed to work on collaborations and for other companies in order to further your own business. MAN does a wonderful job of bringing the industry together and celebrating menswear through the show and party, but there is only so much they can do. Once fashion week is over we seem to be left to our own devices. Constantly I hear that British Fashion is a multi billion dollar industry... given that according to Robert Peston of the BBC the world should end sometime next Tuesday shouldn’t we do something to make sure that we safeguard it?

In more trying and testing economic times the maxim was always that people dressed better, stopped buying disposable fashion and moved towards items which would last and wear well. This has always been our maxim. Trying to offer something a little different to the customer. Limiting the chance that they will see 5 men wearing the same outfit while out and about. This is what the British male who is interested in fashion strives for. Limited edition releases and hard to find products will always do well. Sir Paul Smith (my hero) summed it up quite nicely last night when dealt with the topic of other nations being better dressed than us Brits. He said “the Italians are extraordinarily well dressed. Yet there is very little individuality in the way they dress... In Britain we have our own character and we dress to fit our character.” British fashion is incredibly important. We created most of the prevailing trends of the last 200 years. Constantly we are at the forefront pushing new ideas without losing that sense of British identity in our cut and drape. Raf Simons – the nearest we currently have to a genius in men's fashion - is constantly influenced by British fashion and our youth culture. Wouldn’t it be a shame to lose that sense of craft in order to push fast celebrity fashion?

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Vans venture in neo plasticism

Back in April we posted about the Mondrian inspired Dunks and TheSundayBest proclaimed his love of the Dutch master of abstract art and even admitted visiting the MOMA just to stare at the great man's signature (this post is dedicated to you Thom). A visit to thecoolhunter has in my eyes unearthed a shoe taking the Mondrian even further...

Vans have released a Modular Authentic series which come in three different colourways (from a nice and simple black, grey and white colorway to a more vibrant red, yellow, blue, black and white colorway).

I have some time on my hands over the next week or so as Susie is away in San Francisco so I will research Mondrian further and will dedicate an outfit to one of the greatest of all modern artists. I will leave you with a quote from his essay on Neo Plasticism which has made me think about the options within my own wardrobe...

'As a pure representation of the human mind, art will express itself in an aesthetically purified, that is to say, abstract form…The new plastic idea cannot therefore, take the form of a natural or concrete representation …this new plastic idea will ignore the particulars of appearance, that is to say, natural form and colour. On the contrary it should find its expression in the abstraction of form and colour, that is to say, in the straight line and the clearly defined primary colour'.

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ASOS Untitled

Tomorrow (16th October...where has this year gone) sees ASOS launch their "Untitled"collection which is a selection of limited edition products. The purpose of the collection is to take advantage of men's collecting obessions by curating a selection of vinyl, trainers, sunglasses and new designers. As mentioned by Susie on DazedDigital it really is testament to the rise of menswear when a store like ASOS dedicates something of this scale to men.

Brandish recently posted the above image which made me salivate and wince simultaneously...it is of the jewell in the collection: the exclusive pair of Adidas' 35th Anniversary Superstar trainers which were selected by trainer rarity store Crooked Tongues (I love these shoes but the price of £4000 is enough to make anyone wince).

The above capsule collection should be more affordable. Hywel Davies, author of 100 New Designers and Modern Menswear asked a number of menswear designers to contribute to the project and the result is an interesting capsule collection. Swedish Patrik Soderstam designed five limited edition graphic tees which are bold and humorous but not really for me. One of my favourite designers, Carola Euler submitted a beautiful grey pleat front sweatshirt, Jean Pierre Braganza added leather panel detailing to a pair of low crotch slim fit wool trousers, Deryck Walker continues his interpretations of the classic white shirt and a wool scarf by Frank Leder completes this capsule wardrobe. The designers had this to say about their designs in ASOS' Insider. No doubt that all of the good pieces will sell out faster than you click the F5 button, so if you are an obsessive collector who needs all things rare then take this as a warning.

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Delving in to Antwerp with Delvaux

I saw so much during my weekend jaunt to Antwerp and apologise for not being able to blog about my experiences as fast as I wanted to but it was a hectic few days with limited blogging time (I know...excuses, excuses). Though the city might be be small in size, there is just so much to see in this beautiful city. As I am back in London now, it makes more sense to start at the end of my travels and work my way back, discussing the real highlights of a trip which was packed full of them. First up...a real suprise for me!

One of the last places we visited was the city's fashion museum, MoMu. Susie was desperate to see the Delvaux exhibition but I have to confess that I was less than keen. I thought the exhibition would be a showcase of luxurious handbags and little else but I'm so pleased we went because I was enthralled by the stylistic evolution of the house's output whilst seeing the often unseen side of the business, the skills of the designers and the artisans that represent the core of the company's values. A year older than the Belgian nation itself, Delvaux can claim to be the most Belgian of all luxury houses. The exhibition follows Delvaux from the maunfacture of travel goods for the local nobility in the nineteenth century, through the rise of the modern handbag in the twentieth century, to the company's vision of a new kind of elegance under its artistic director Veronique Branquinho. The creative process behind each bag has changed very little in the last sixty years, all products are still made by hand, the conpany is still in th family hands and Delvaux's output remains small but exclusive.

The travelling by train space...

Each mode of transport brought its own requirements for the baggage manufacture. founded in an era of when travel was largely horse drawn the company has survived through the revolutions and wars, and adapted to the requirements of ocean liners and railways, to bicycles, cars and jets. It is how the luxury house adapted its offering to the changing world around it which interested most whilst walking through the well curated exhibition space. Train travel assisted the rise of the modern business traveller, for whom Delvaux produced not just attache cases and document wallets, but overnight bags, equipment cases and even bespoke display trunks for travelling salesman.

The Newspaper Bag. Bruno Pieters for Delvaux, AW09-09.

I recently read about Monocle’s latest collaborative effort involves Belgian luxury brand Delvaux. Known for their leather goods, the Newspaper Bag features a woven Toile de Cuir exterior and a Basane Leather liner. The bag is sized appropriately for A4-sized documents and a laptop and I want one!

Monocle x Delvaux Newspaper Bag, available from Monocle

Besides leather-clad maps and holders for the driver's licence and Michelin guides, Delvaux provided the 1950s tourist motorist with gentleman's bags. This bags were capable of holding everything required for that perfect Kodak moment, with of course compartments for camera, pipe, postcards and even a handheld cine camera.

The cruise luggage of my dreams.

For those travelling in grand style on the ocean liners leaving Antwerp, luggage had to be capacious and extremely resistant both to impact and to damp. Delvaux certainly offered beautiful luggage which protected the cruise-wear finery of those first class travellers aboard. This selection of cases inspired the inner traveller in me, oh to travel the seas for months on end...oh, I can but dream.

Celebrating the great Surrealist, Magritte.

In Belgium, surrealism is not part of some wild, exotic dream scape but rather it infuses the everyday. This selection of bags celebrated Belgium's most famous and my favourite surrealist, Rene Magritte's 100rd Birthday and were released in 1998.

Leather working tools belonging to Bernard Gombert.

Delvaux bags are produced by a team of forty five craftsman in the atelier in Brussels and a further sixty working from a dedicated atelier in France. Each bag is immensely complex and such craft goes in to each one. One of the exhibition spaces evokes the atmosphere of the atelier and the leather store room at the Arsenal and focuses on the production of the Brilliant. The leather working tools in the exhibition belong to Bernard Gombert, head of Delvaux's technical department and I spent a good ten minutes staring at them, imagining how each instrument is used to create one of the famous bags. The exhibition was a great way to spend the final hour of my time in Antwerp. The exhibition runs until 21st February 2010 and is well worth the visit even if you aren't the worlds biggest handbag enthusiast like me!

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Folk's SS 09 Colection

Folk's ss 09 Colection

Folk's collections are typically understated but with an attention to design and detail that makes the individual stand out. I am really liking the preview of Folk’s S/S 09 line with its great styling and use of illustrations which help to capture the carefree and classic looks typical of the brand. Like far too many good menswear labels Cathal McAteer's understated, classic and very wearable clothes used to be solely for Japan. Thankfully, there is now a shop on Lamb's Conduit Street (as featured on Monocle) which is located nice and close to my office...I will just have to spend my time and money in there during my lunchtime.


I've also recently come across the folkclothing blog which is also great and well worth a read.

I'm not sure about these pictures (a little corny for my tastes) but I do like a look of the gear (particularly the red and blue cardigan/jacket thing in the bottom right). Folk is definitely one of those brands that I look out for.

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The only thing I Kudu

The Kudu Brongue Boot in tan. Its charms are difficult to resist.

I mentioned last week how following months of shopping abstinence the purchase of Mr. Hare's Stingray Orwells had opened up the floodgates of consumerism... well, my shopping binge has continued today. After interviewing Lodger's vary own Nathan Brown my imagination was caught by his description of his September shoe of the month, the Kudu Brogued Boot. When the Clifford Street store released the first images of the boot I fell head over heels, they were the boots I had dreamed of wearing this winter but until then did not know they actually existed. Despite lusting over them, I looked at my battered debit card and decided against it but the moment I walked by the shop window and met their flirtatious gaze my resolve completely dissipated and I just had to have them.

The September 2009 boot is made from an antique leather. As the designer mentioned on Lodger's blog, the wonderfully unique leather in this boot was made in a tannery that closed down more than 20 years ago and was found whilst foraging in the back of a shed in Northampton. The operations of this Eastern European tannery were picked up by another tannery that also ceased operations around in the last 10 years. The leather was popular in English shoe making in the 1960's and 1970's, but hasn't been used in a very long time.

A closer look.

Kudu provides a surprisingly light leather that is also remarkably strong and durable. Each hide is unique as it is characterised by the multitude of scratches and scars which reflect the Kudu’s life in the bush. The boot is an eight eyelet brogued style, and has a skeleton lining of the same Kudu leather as the upper, and a full lining in a plush purple velvet from Scabal. It's offered in two colours, a warm grey version that looks like an old work boot, and a distinctive tan version.. After a great deal of umm-ing and ahh-ing I plumped for the grey version simply because it will look like an antique pair of work boots from the very first wear and should just get better and better with age.

I just can't wait to have these in my footwear arsenal...

Lodger can only make around twenty five pairs because there is only that much leather available. There is only one parcel of this leather remaining, and the two tanneries that know how to produce it have ceased operation, this really is a Shoe of the Month that cannot be repeated. Once this leather is gone, it is gone forever and my resolve did not last too long!

The boot sits proudly next to suggested and approved clothing by Albam.

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