Archive for August 2009

Magic

Sunday, 30 August 2009 Comments Off


The irony may be lost on most folk here. A style and fashion exhibition - the biggest in the world - held in Las Vegas, aka Lost Wages - a shameless playground where clothes are like inhibitions, easily shed.
But hey, the hotels are cheap and the sun's up, so who's complaining?
The show starts tomorrow. Many of the exhibitors are running 'round setting up. Others, I suspect, are sitting by a pool somewhere getting in the mood for the intense few days ahead. While other still are yet to arrive in town.
The guys in the motorised buggies seem to be having the most fun driving through the huge exhibition centre at great speed. Designer Neil Christopher is too busy setting up his stand to even notice.
This is meant to be the easy part, he says about setting up the display for stellar brand ARN, but this is the third time I've taken it all down.

Mad Men is Back: Drinks All Round

Friday, 21 August 2009 Comments Off


There's me last week, heading for the sofa, all eager to see the first episode of Mad Men Series Three.
There's Dr Mandi Martin, suitably attired for an evening of splendid televisual entertainment.
There's the Sterling Cooper team, featured in an episode of said series inspecting the qualities  of Smirnoff Vodka. 

Perhaps they're wondering how to market this refreshing beverage to the American public.  

Maybe they should consider product placement on a cool prime-time TV show. 

All images courtesy of AMC.

Exclusive News: Present Opens Tomorrow

Thursday, 20 August 2009 Comments Off

It's the project everyone's been talking about for months. It's been labelled the Dover Street Market of the East and the new way for menswear.
It's had more best-wishers and people just passing by in the past week - closed, than some shops get in a month - open. It has brands most people have previously only heard about.
It's run by two of the most knowledgeable and tasteful arbiters of men's attire this side of Beau Brummel. It's called Present and it opens tomorrow. A disorderly queue is imminent.

NERD bites POKIT

Tuesday, 18 August 2009 Comments Off


Bayo from Pokit


Pharrell Williams
(the NERD in question)

Someone  needs to be told: the blatant biting of next mans style is still - and always will be - an offence in these parts, cowboy.




NKU: Gaz Mayall

Monday, 17 August 2009 Comments Off


Never Knowingly Underdressed...Gaz Mayall - Madstock 17th July 2009.

Nike Blazer: a seamless interpretation @ 1948

Friday, 14 August 2009 Comments Off


It's great the think that in an age of customisation,  infinite colourways,  limitless fabric possibilities and of course IDs, Nike Sportswear can come up with something as simple and pure and reduced as this. 
In truth it's not even a throw-back to the original Blazer. That shoe - already understated in it's design - had way more detail than this new premium de-mix. 

What Nike seem to have done is gone back to the original sketches and attacked them with a pencil eraser - taking away any line, stitch or seam which modern technology allows them to do without.
This new interpretation of the classic Blazer is available from tomorrow at the Nike 1948 space. It's so minimal and so reductionist it doesn't even have a colour - the label on the box describes it as sail. Smooth in every sense of the word.

Nike 1948, 
Bateman's Row
Shoreditch.

The Duffer Of St George: A New Chapter

Tuesday, 11 August 2009 Comments Off

A new collection by The Duffer Of Saint George is being introduced this week. 

Thankfully co-founder and  creative director, Marco Cairns with the design help of Dan Doyle have stayed true to the brands original style ethic; it's still about well-made, upful menswear - clothes inspired by a deep understanding of London youth culture and a passion for classic Americana.  
These amazing stadium jackets are part of this first drop. 

With a number of deliveries to follow, the first includes some cool printed tees, shirts and sweats and the kind of attention to detail we've come to expect from a brand which helped establish street style as we know it. 

While this UK collection is their first as part of the JD Sports family and marks the start of a new chapter for the brand, the way forward can perhaps be seen via Japan, where The Duffer continue to evolve and grow as a fully fledged lifestyle experience.  

Check out these hybrid boat shoes as an example of what we, for the time being anyhow, are missing. 
Jackets available at JD Sports and Scott. Shoes available at Duffer Of St George, Japan.

Also check out this great interview with Marco Duffer by Glenn Kitson:

Bosch and The Blue Collar Watch

Sunday, 9 August 2009 Comments Off

You wont see it in any menswear mags; there's no trace of the thing on style blogs or fashion websites. Other than eBay and random hardware sites, this widely available timepiece is almost invisible in the virtual world.
It's driven by a Japanese as opposed to a Swiss movement. A Citizen owned company, Miyota are all about mid-to-low range timepieces like this one. 
Design-wise it's glass and steel Brutalism. It's like a Rolex Sub on steroids. It's made by Bosch - the power-tool people whose rep for making clocks for cookers and microwaves isn't really going to cut it in Luxury Watch Monthly. The price-point doesn't help either; you can get one on the net for less than £20. 
Made specifically by a brand who know a thing or two about the needs of the blue collar worker, it's been designed like the worktools that bare the same name. It's tough and anything but fragile. Turn the bezel; it sounds like a drill. 
Produced to mark the 80th Anniversary of Bosch last year, many might mistake if for a cheap marketing gimmick. But in fact it's a considered peice of modern design, constructed and priced with the most testing of daily conditions in mind. In short, if you're into workwear  - real, tough, classically inspired workwear - then this is a great accessory to have. 

NKU: Gene Kelly

Monday, 3 August 2009 Comments Off

Never Knowingly Underdressed...Gene Kelly - An American In Paris.

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