GARMSVILLE

Lloyd Johnson: The Modern Outfitter

2012-01-26T14:08:00.002Z

Some names transcend generations and mean different things to different people. To me it was that cool, somewhat intimidating shop selling amazing Hawaiian and fifties shirts, pleated trousers in candy and pop colours, biker boots and leather jackets at the far end of the Kings Road - that open air catwalk of unscripted style. I’d walk its length - from Sloan Square Tube towards Worlds End - passing the Chelsea Barracks, the punks on the park bench, then looking into the antique market, R Soles, Woodhouse, Boy and Flip and American Classics as I made my journey down what was to me an unmatchable fashion parade. These mannequins would occupy the windows of the my final destination, Johnson's.

But going to this new exhibition featuring Lloyd Johnson's archive isn’t (just) a nostalgia trip, it’s a celebration of taste and a kind of creative resistance which provided an antidote to the various mainstream attitudes of the seventies, eighties and beyond.

An unsung hero of British style culture this is both timely and way over due. Few people can claim to connect the dots between Britain's dirty bikers (no offence Dave C.) and America's best dressed man, Fred Astaire, or between a young Siouxsie Sioux and Liza Minneli (of indeterminate age), or between the maverick Tom Waits and sharp dressed modernists like Phil (Stedy) Stedman and Harry the Pencil. From Billy Fury to The Clash, Lloyd Johnson has a story to tell and the pictures to prove it.

Curated by Mr Paul Gorman, it's no surprise that this is a complete and comprehensive show. Itself an exercise in style, Lloyd Johnson: The Modern Outfitter is relevant not just to folks wishing to stroll down memory lane, but to anyone with an interest in one of Britain's most important style visionaries.

http://www.paulgormanis.com/

Lloyd Johnson: The Modern Outfitter, Chelsea College of Art & Design, London SW1. Thro 'til March 3rd.

In A Silent Way/Part 8: Incase

2012-01-21T13:47:00.001Z

So we're at the airport - waiting in the lounge for the plane back to London. It's mid afternoon. Slow. Quiet. A small lobby with nothing to do. It's just a few feet away from the passport and hand luggage check, which is way less intense than the ones at Heathrow, but still requires you remove hats, coats, coins - and for some reason - your laptop from its bag.
Our plane is late. We chat, watch the clock and relax. Then we hear a huge bang! followed by this almost primal, guttural moan. We look back towards the luggage check just behind us - a young woman, hair pulled back, dressed neat and business-like is picking her laptop up from the concrete floor. A tense silence falls over the whole lobby as everyone registers the likely consequence of what has just happened.
Note to self: Those new Incase laptop covers you saw at Bread and Butter? Get one.

goincase.com
www.hideoutstore.com/

In A Silent Way/Part 6: Wood Wood Windsor coat

2012-01-20T13:37:00.000Z

Always loved Wood Wood, ever since I first saw their stuff in Goodhood all those years back. They're clever. And they're funny. And they have conversations with each other and their crew that we get to overhear via their designs.

Caught a glimpse of the forthcoming collection a couple of days ago. This is Laust wearing Wood Woods new Windsor coat.

It's based on the classic MA1 bomber jacket and uses the same classic olive green and orange colourway.

He asked me to keep quiet about it 'til they had their catwalk show on Wednesday. A top secret military style embargo; very apt I thought.

woodwood

In A Silent Way

2012-01-18T08:07:00.000Z

Not posted for a while. Some people have asked why. Why the silence. There's always a place for the occasional pause - like a prolonged intake of breath. The suspended moment usually elects itself, finds its own beginning and end - naturally.

Right now I'm trying to keep my head down in Berlin - attending Bread and Butter for a couple of days; travelling light and eating heavy.

First things first, lunch at Rosens - best burgers in town.

Rosenburger: Brunnenstr. 196, 10119, Berlin
U: Rosenthaler Platz

Garmsville Exclusive: Margaret Howell MHL opens in East London - tomorrow

2011-12-02T13:30:00.003Z

For those who know, Old Nichol Street is a secret street - a quiet shortcut between Shoreditch High Street and Brick Lane. It’s theone you walk down when you're looking to avoid all the cool kids on RedchurchStreet, with which it runs parallel.

As from tomorrow,however, those days are over.

While there's a mass ofhype and bill-poster size attention being stirred up around the opening of BoxPark this Saturday, a few really switched-on folks’ll be heading down a road less travelled, making their way to the first ever stand-alone MHL store in the UK andthe very first fashion shop on Old Nichol Street.

The MHL brand,concentrating on Howell’s more utility centred apparel and product, retains thesame understated qualities found within the main line. It’s already hugely popular inJapan. It’s been around for about six or seven years - growing gradually as arange each year. The forthcoming collection will see its UK offering andtherefore the shops inventory broaden even further.

This weekend will bewhat the brand prefers to call a softopening, hoping to keep the store relatively under wraps 'til the full launch which is planned for next year.

All things considered, the MHL store is unlikely to stay much of a secret for long. But remember, if anyone asks, you never heard it from me.

19 Old Nichol Street London E2

margarethowell.co.uk/

"Close Up and Private For CoSTUME NATIONAL" A Subjective Response

2011-11-28T13:32:00.000Z

CoSTUME NATIONAL and CoNSCIOUS clocked what a lot of people failed tonotice; that the work of Sergei Sviatchenko is first and above all that of an abstract artist,a collage artist, and a modern artist. Fashion, yeah, he loves, but it alsoprovides him with a context to explore and play with stuff way beyond fit,fabric and trend.

It has a lot to do with the relationship between memory and inspiration, I feel. It's about not allowing memory to collapse into nostalgia, but using it as a building block with which to relate to the present.

Visually, this notion lends itself easily to the (seemingly) abstract, allowing memories to impact on things that might otherwise be viewed objectively as separate or unrelated.Essentially, our most potent memories are the enemy of common sense.

They force us to perceive stuff in random ways, making us associate things on a personal level in ways that defyaccepted logic. It's this process, which seems to be played out in Sviatchenko's response to the current collection by CoSTUME NATIONAL.

As he says of the works theme and title: The Beetles News.

Beetles - it's not a mistake. I felt like a beetle - to come, to see and fly away. The Beatles Live in Milano 1965 was the strongest inspiration for the project.

The viewer is rewarded with new ways of seeingthe familiar by exploring images where the objects have become detached(literally and symbolically) from their common-sense definitions.

Very much like listening to a piece of jazz – thenarrative or rhythm is grounded but it’s punctuated and overridden by aspontaneity which makes the familiar fresh and other-worldly.

And like listening to jazz, the quality of the audience's attention here is anactive not passive one. The work demands that the viewer interact with it’sinternal drama in a non-linear way. In doing so the viewer can maketheir own connections, perhaps triggering their own memories on some subtle level.

Celebrating subjectivity, maybe the gift of Sergei Sviatchenko's work is to encourage us to experience other aspects of the real world on a similarly personal, non-prescriptivepremise.

costumenational.com/sergei s-editorial

closeupandprivate.com

Northern Soul: A Film

2011-11-22T12:34:00.000Z

Wild Bill explores redemption and the dark side of a city. Northern Soul is about people searching for - and finding - the light.

Still at funding stage, the film's director Elaine Constantine looks to capture the sense of euphoria and belonging she experienced in Northern Soul clubs as a kid.

Set in the mid 70's it focuses on two clubbers who discover an underground dance scene called Northern Soul and in doing so test themselves and their friendship.

Part rites of passage, part social commentary, part historical re-enactment, all heart; this film promises to be an upful exploration of a much underrated moment in British youth culture.
Let's dance.

for more info: northernsoulthefilm.com
facebook.com/northernsoulthefilm

Wild Bill - Straight out of Stratford

2011-11-18T10:05:00.001Z

Director of Wild Bill, Dexter Fletcher is proper people. Bumped into him and Mr Mark Haddon a couple of months ago. Mark insisted Dexter show me a clip of the film on his phone.

This won't do it justice,he said. Maybe not, but itlooked incredible, anyhow. Wild Bill is about the non-hipster side of the East End, real frontier territory,

http://www.wildbillthefilm.com/

Smokin' Joe:RIP

2011-11-09T00:40:00.000Z

Joe Frazier.
January 12, 1944 - November 7, 2011.

the nod: brick lane

2011-11-06T11:50:00.000Z

James Brown: NKU

2011-11-03T12:36:00.000Z

On tour. Each night, before a gig Mr Brown will spend two hours with his private hairdresser - one among an entourage of 38 people - preparing his do.Then, from a travelling wardrobe including 75 suits and 45 pairs of shoes he will select his attire for that evenings performance.

If possible, he'll also take some time out to deal with the avalanche of mail he receives each week from fans all over the world.

James Brown circa 1965, Never Knowingly Underdressed.

Orange...!

2011-10-26T23:53:00.012+01:00

I'm guessing that what makes orange so attractive to designers and brands right 
now is not only that men are becoming less and less afraid of colour.

It might also have something to do with the fact that it's almost pointless trying to 
co-ordinate the colour orange with any other dominant hue.

This makes it easier to add to an already substantial winter wardrobe; it 
doesn't match with anything, so it can be worn with everything.

It works like an unexpected exclamation mark bringing an otherwise considered and well

balanced statement to a bold, if not a little incongruous end!

These great images are courtesy of Sergei from Close Up and Private. He shot 
them in collaboration with Gant Rugger for the Denmark store's official 
lookbook. The first image is previously unpublished..!

 facebook - gant rugger dk & close up and private collab

Nine Targets: Styles Will Vary

2011-10-19T19:54:00.000+01:00

With a handmade product comes the possibility for variation. This is one of the surprising qualities of the new collection of key fobs and wallets by British brand Nine Targets.

Each piece is the result of the craftsman’s singular response to the raw material.

A feel thing, a mood thing, it's these subtle differences - produced by using traditional techniques predating mass production and industrialization - which gives each product its uniqueness.

In that sense, altho’ Nine Targets is a new brand, its true linage is centuries old.

Go see: available at Present, 140 Shoreditch High Street London E1 6JE

Everyone's talking about: Justin Deakin

2011-10-18T20:47:00.000+01:00

Next time you walk down Hanbury Street, pop intoJustin Deakin's new store. You can't miss it: it's the one with scaffoldingoutside. There's still a few things need doing upstairs, but since we wereready to open, we figured we wouldn't let the scaffolding put us off, he explains. They opened on Saturday.

Right now Deakin and his wife are running the shop. We wanted to get a feel of the place, of the area and see how people responded to the shoes first-hand before we got any staff in.

The shop's interior is both opulent and understated: kindalike the shoes themselves, there's a lot going on but not in an obvious way. I've been consulting for shoe brands for years, he explains, spent alot of time working in Italy. About three years ago I decided I wanted to dosomething that was really about my vision, about why I got into making shoes inthe first place. So, I went back to Northampton and started designing my owncollection.

You can tell why Deakin is regarded as one of the countries top shoe designers. The shape of the last, the materials, the detailing; his work is both original and classic. I've been working with the same last-maker for twenty-fiveyears, he says, and all the shoes are made in England.

Even the silk trim featured on the boots and tasselled loafers is sourced in England. I drive up to a textiles specilaist I know; I prefer to buy the remnants rather than a whole roll of silk; it's up-cycling in a way, and it also means that each shoe becomes even more individual.

With a wealth of considered details like this, in contrast to many brands currently on the market, what's refreshing about Deakin's design is that it isn't all about the facade. And for the time being at least, it's a principle which also applies to the new shop.

Go see; Justin Deakin .. 22 Hanbury Street, London E1 6QR

That's Lester Bowie baby.

2011-10-11T23:00:00.023+01:00

Gotta love Lester; playful, challenging, always restless Lester. Ever see The Art Ensemble Of Chicago? A complete assault on the senses - all six of them. The musicians would come on stage and take you on a crazy journey thro' the past, the present and onto the future of music - Great Black Music, as they'd announce at the end of the show. So extreme; from the verge of collapse, the music would magically become something beautiful and mesmeric, and yet with the threat, (or promise, maybe) of anarchy never far away.

And there in the middle would be Lester, mad professor Bowie in his lab coat, two-pronged goatee beard and a mischievous smile on his face.

Here's the epic, classic piece from the film soundtrack Les Stances A Sophie, featuring Lester's wife Fontella Bass on vocal.

Lester Bowie was born on this day in 1941. He died in 1999. His music is still avant-garde.

Little Roy on Later with Jools Holland

2011-10-08T17:47:00.001+01:00

Spent some of the week working with Little Roy and his crew prepping for the Jools Holland Show. What's amazing is how it's steadily grown from those late nights in Prince Fatty's Brighton studio to yesterdays epic broadcast. At its core, this is a versions project. And yet it's become more than that; it's now a thing all its own.

Miles Kane - who also performed that night - seemed totally shocked when Roy's band broke into Lithium. Given that they probably know the original inside-out, it must have been a revelation to see Roy and co. step up and claim this incredibly familiar song in that way.

We can talk for days about the similarities between the original Grunge scene and the world of Reggae which Roy inhabits and has helped pioneer. Alternatively we can simply check out this band and witness those parallels played out in style.

battleforseattle.com

What's wrong with this picture?

2011-10-02T14:28:00.001+01:00

Maybe this is one for the trade descriptions board; here's a guy in a hi tech wheel chair, all lightweight, flexible and super-fast and we're meant to pretend that it's either invisible or, equally absurd, that those amazing stats were achievable without it.

State of the art technology helps all top athletes, be it while they compete or while they train and it's always been surrounded by various levels of controversy or fascination - think Jimmy Connors' steel tennis racket, Michael Phelps' swimsuit or Wayne Rooney's T90s.

Is it the Shoes? asked Spike Lee of Michael Jordan's Air sneakers and people all over the world, many of whom knew nothing about the NBA or the Chicago Bulls waited eagerly for the answer.

This ad denies our almost universal obsession with technology, our fascination for the relationship between ourselves and machines and the idea of infinite potential. Nul points, as the French would say.

Supreme London - a roadblock

2011-09-23T12:43:00.000+01:00

The launch party was epic; a who's who of the street wear world turning out to celebrate Supreme's new store.

But the real celebration started even before that with kids queuing over night outside the store eager to get a piece of Supreme London for themselves.

By yesterday morning the line had reached around the corner and across the street - these images show only part of the actual queue and were taken a block down from the store.

It's the same again today and who knows what the weekend will be like...

Supreme London: 2/3 Peter Street, London W1F 0AA

Salon daze with Touba

2011-09-19T23:05:00.000+01:00

Spent the afternoon at the Lazerides Gallery checking out the art...and the fashion.

Über hip distribution agency Touba have taken over a couple of floors with The Showroom Next Door. It features Andrew Bunney, Jacqueline Raburn, Casley-Hayford and Harris among others as well as the work of visual artist Antony Micallef.

Altho these designers are definitely leading-edge, like the artists they sit beside - including originals by Banksy and Space Invader - there's plenty of depth to go with the trend-setting detail.

Pieces that caught my eye include Bunney's jewellery, Casely-Hayford's multi-textile polo shirt and Giuliano Fujiwara's wafer-wedge shoes.

There's an ease about the whole experience, a sophisticated salon feel which makes a welcome change from most of today's fairs and trade presentations.

touba distribution

the nod; the strand

2011-09-18T22:19:00.000+01:00

Tinker, Tailor....

2011-09-17T12:21:00.000+01:00

Tonight's premier. Referring to the original TVseries, John Le Carre says Sir Alec Guinness was so talented, he couldact with his back.

Ditto Gary Oldman as Smiley. Underplayed, understated,emotionally bereft; its a portrayal not unlike the films' vision of London in fact. The drama captures the period perfectly - paranoia, sexism, duty. Itmaintains a high level of tension and suspense right to the twistedend.

The Russians, the Cold War, the Hot War, spying...I'd wondered aboutthe story's relevance to a contemporary audience, but somehow it still resonatesin this political landscape.

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is however about much more than espionage and politics; but if I told you what that was,I'd have to kill you.

At the films after party, Dr Mandi Martin was the first person to ask Le Carre for his autograph. You've started a trend now, said a friend of his. Yep, She's been starting trends all her life, I thought to myself.

RRL - What Future for Nostalgia?

2011-09-12T00:22:00.005+01:00

Ask anyone at the company and they'll tell you this was no ordinary brand extension, it was not even based on business sense; it was personal. Launched as a kind of pet project in 1993, financially it floundered for years until it was relaunched with Maritzio Donaldi at the helm.

Lauren's approach made RRL even more vintage than vintage - age old parachutes, flags, blankets, denim and more were used to make new product itself made to look authentically old.

Other items were recreations of styles selected from Laurens vision of America's rugged past.

Unlike the majority of vintage based labels, what seemed to inspire Lauren had less to do with an urge to replicate iconical pieces of clothing and more to do with a feeling, an emotion, a desire to recapture a romantic moment through clothes.

It was more nostalgic than nostalgia because it was the desire to create a palpable response to a non-existent past. While most vintage inspired brands want to impress us with fact, detail and archival accuracy, RRL 'til now, seduced us by a very singular fantasy.

What'll be interesting to see is if this compelling principle remains the case as it moves online.

ralphlauren.com/rrl

Some people dress 'cause they like to get dressed, but you just dress to get dressed...

2011-09-03T15:54:00.000+01:00

Robin & The 7 Hoods...just saw this on TV...

...forgot how brilliant it is..!

The Rat Pack and (more friends - including Peter Falk & Bing Crosby) at their very bestest...

& great garms too...

Introducing - Anthem

2011-09-01T13:53:00.000+01:00

How long you guys been open? asks a bemused customer. About three hours, replies Simon, sounding equally bemused. Located on the increasingly fashionable Calvert Avenue, Anthem is an extremely brand new independent menswear store.

It occupies a space once home to a betting office. Now, with its concrete floor and bare brick walls, it's been totally transformed.

Stakes however, remain high. The stock is a fresh combination of dead-certs and wild cards - a tasteful mix of high end brands - (Commes, Folk, Dries) and a number of virtually unknown brands, all creating a very grown-up but understated feel. As with the interior, there's a cool nautical theme running throughout.

No, we're not all about Made In England or anything like that..., says Simon, one half of the Anthem partnership. Back in the day, Simon set up the still thriving menswear section at Liberty's .... it's more about quality of design for us, he explains.

Craft is also an important part of what we're about, adds Jeremy, the other half of Anthem. His previous life was as a below-the-line marketing man, based just 'round the corner in the Tea Building - experience which should prove a real advantage when Anthem eventually goes online.

We really wanted to get the shop open first - Jeremy explains about the current lack of an online presence - although I've been told that there are some people who wont even think about going to a shop unless they've seen the website first, he says.

I guess those people are what you'd class as late runners, I say.

Open everyday: Anthem, 10-12 Calvert Avenue, London E2

Bill Cosby: NKU

2011-08-26T19:11:00.000+01:00

Now, the Converses didn’t happen until you hit maybe your teens, because Converses cost a lot.

But if you were running track and field, you weren’t anything unless you had adidas.

But they were so expensive that you didn’t get them unless you had it in writing that you were going to the Olympics.

...While I was doing I Spy, I began to wear the adidas.

My reason for wearing them with everything except a suit was the other stuff that Bob Culp and I did - so much walking all over the place.

But the uniform also comes from my background, I guess.

In the projects, you just wore sneakers - the ones without the brand names - with everything but your best suit.

Never Knowingly Underdressed:
Bill Cosby, interviewed in Playboy Magazine by Maury Z Levy, circa 1980-81.

Another Summer To Remember

2011-08-23T23:52:00.003+01:00

This first Summer Of Hate got me thinking about the first Summers of Love - when acid house and rave took hold of virtually everyone I knew...except me.

Almost all my mates were spending their hard earned cash on Es. I was spending my money on madras shorts and penny loafers. Predictable, I know.

One thing that I couldn't have predicted was when Weller gave me a cassette of some demos he'd been working on. He'd been going to places like Norman Jays' High On Hope and had caught the bug for house music, big time. Fortunately, it was house of the soulful, deep variety.

A little while later The Style Council debuted this new sound at the Royal Albert Hall. It was to be their last ever gig. I remember Marco Nelson, Gee Bello and of course Mick Talbot and Steve White were in the band. I thought it was amazing. All those pot-bellied Mods however, who seemed to attend all their gigs, calling for Jam songs, were horrified. Maybe they'd forgotten that the original Mod soundtrack was r'n'b, jazz and soul. It was the eeriest atmosphere when, in virtual silence, the shocked Mods shuffled out of the auditorium after the gig.

But they weren't the only people who were shocked. The bosses at Wellers' label refused to release the LP.
Maybe the powers that be assumed the spirit so evident during those first few summers would fade away just as quickly as it had arrived. How wrong could they be.

This video is of the Style Council, final line-up, performing one of the songs from the aborted LP Modernism, A New Decade. The performance was recorded in London for a music show broadcast in Japan. The songs were later released as part of a Style Council box set in the UK. A nine track LP was released in Japan some years later.

The Prince and The Politicians

2011-08-20T14:38:00.001+01:00

Given his position and background, you might expect Prince Charles to be as condemning and as self-righteous as our elected leaders, Cameron, Clegg, Johnson and Lammy. You might expect him to wring his wrists and demand an Official Enquiry in much the same way as Labours’ Ed Miliband.

But somehow Charles and Camilla went off-script when they visited North East London last week and failed to appear outraged, brandishing broomsticks or thirsty to hunt down anyone (and their families) for taking part in the riots.

No, their approach was conciliatory. They listened. They shared and showed compassion - for those who lost their business and homes, for the police and for those now defined as thugs, gang members and looters. They even expressed empathy with todays' disaffected youth.

While the Conservatives want to brand a generation of people criminals and the Labour leader is willing to wait months to discover what many people in Tottenham and Hackney already know, it’s obvious that Charles not only has more style than all of them put together , but he also makes way more sense.

Last week the Conservatives announced a multimillion pound enterprise scheme to support and stimulate businesses in the affected areas. I'd say that's about as constructive as putting a plaster on a broken leg.- Charles, meanwhile, through his Princes Trust is giving 2.5 million pounds to support disaffected young people in some of those same areas. What Prince Charles sees as a symptomatic 'cry for help', the Government see as a call for a 'low tax, low regulation' stimulus strategy.

A history lesson

2011-08-11T21:40:00.011+01:00

There are a lot of dumb people around ruining things for everyone else - complete idiots who have no real awareness of the consequences which the rest of us suffer as a result of their actions.

The chairman of the Police Federation warned them last year. Bob Crowe warned them last year. Many of us knew way before then.

It’s been building up for some time and like a pressure cooker, inevitably things had to explode.

Unfortunately, the politicians, the idiots in question, still refuse to take any responsibility for their actions.

This guy is saying what anyone with common sense has been thinking for some time.

And for those who don't happen to know what takes place on an everyday basis for so many young people of every racial description in the UK, here's a quick glimpse.

To quote the Financial Times on May 19 last year:

The chairman of the Police Federation, which represents thousands of rank-and-file officers, warned on Wednesday of mass 1970s-style social disorder were Britain to suffer a similar crisis to the one that has hit Greece.

Pointing to the recent violence in Athens, Paul McKeever said he was worried that the UK could suffer race riots and industrial unrest over the next few years.“We could have that sort of distress on the streets again,” he told officers at the federation’s annual conference in Bournemouth....

“I have real fears we might go back to something like that … history tells us it happens again and again,” he said.

Today Prime Minister Cameron said, in his landmark House of Commons speech:The whole country has been shocked by the most appalling scenes of people looting, violence, vandalising and thieving.

Obviously history isn't one of his strong points.

For the record, I completely disagree with violence & civil disobedience of any kind. Recognising the roots of an action does not excuse that action. Standard.

Radical. Under. Statement.

2011-08-05T15:02:00.007+01:00

Underwear.

Ever wondered why so many men leave one of the most important and intimate elements of their wardrobe to family, friends and even total strangers? Me too. It's a baffler.

Sure, in some ways it's a minor detail, but it's one with potentially major implications. Simply put, it isn't something that can be left to chance or to anyone you'd prefer not to imagine you naked.

Women figured this out years ago; underwear should never be considered an afterthought. Maybe that's why Under, a new brand from a creative crew based in Amsterdam but originally from London seems so radical.

Under is about luxury, fit, detail and the kind of stuff we're often deprived of when it comes to the seasonal gift of pants.

Inspired by vintage Americana - from periods like the Gold Rush and the 50's - their collection of cottons (waffle and mercerised) and marl jersey answers all those modern demands - fit retention, durability, comfort and simplicity - with plenty of functional detailing sewn in.With no gimmicks, no gadgets and not a mankini in sight, if true denimheads made underwear they'd probably look something like Under.

Don't wait for Christmas; check 'em out: Folk / UK...Le Bon Marche / France...Spoiled / Holland...Cris / Amsterdam...Utrecht & Fresh Cotton / online.

NKU: Fred Astaire

2011-07-30T15:10:00.007+01:00

Fred Astaire, Never Knowingly Underdressed

The youthful bounce that characterizes his walking gait off and on the screen, masks an everlastingly tormented soul....He has been known to try on a suit as many as 50 times before making up his mind to accept it, and mornings he will tie and untie a dozen of his 150-odd cravats before settling on one for the day. He has killed dozens of publicity stills because of some near-invisible wrinkle in trousers or coat. He wears his toupee however only before the camera. L. Barnett / 1941

Acne. Paper. Weight

2011-07-26T22:17:00.008+01:00

Monique K went to Bread & Butter. She bought this back from Berlin.

It was much heavier than she'd anticipated. I figured I'd relieve her of the burden for a minute when we met the other afternoon.

This is f'sure the sort of mag that'll rekindle (pun intended) your faith in print.

A brilliantly considered publication where each page & each spread not only holds its own as a piece of design but has the substance to match.

The theme of this issue is Youth.

In the hands of almost any other magazine the you'd be right to expect loads of Terry Richardson-eque party pics and current versions of heroin chic...

But in the hands of the Acne Paper crew, the subject of youth is treated to a rich variation of photographic styles and inspiring text.

Altho' I recommend you experience this publication in paper-form (pun almost unavoidable), you can view the whole magazine online @ acnepaper.com.

Young Disciples - 20 years after

2011-07-14T00:05:00.017+01:00

Altho it was recorded late 1990, I remember it as a long hot summer, seeing Marco and Femi sitting at the mixing consul in Paul Weller's Solid Bond Studios.

I remember not hearing anything at all 'til it came out.

It was probably against station regulations to play anything that long, but the week of it's release Patrick Forge played the Freedom Suite one evening on Kiss FM. The whole thing; uninterrupted.

It was hard to imagine that these two kids, guys I'd go clubbing with, hang out with, do parties with, discuss clothes with had created something so stunningly beautiful. But there it was.

And here it is.

Still sounds radical, still sounds uncompromising, still sounds as inspiring as it did when it was released twenty years ago this year.

It was A&Red by Gilles Petereson, Norman Jay and Paul Martin. Images by Chris Clunn. Sleeve design by Swifty. Guest appearances from MC Mell'O, IG Culture, Masta Ace and Outlaw Posse. Keys - Mick Talbot. Co production, Demus, Steve White and Maxton G Beesley Jnr drums, brass from Maceo, Fred and Pee Wee.

Talk about A-team.

Rumour has it the US label bosses didn't understand it. Thought it wasn't finished. Maybe they couldn't get their heads around the reduced production style; maybe they didn't like the social consciousness of the lyrics; maybe they didn't understand the racial make-up of the band (was it R&B, Hip Hop or Pop?). No one could question Carleen Anderson's' amazing vocals, surely?

Whatever the reason, only sussed underground heads and some college radio stations got switched on to the LP in the States. People like Maxwell, D'Angelo, Erykah Badu, Mary J and The Fugees would later build on the foundations laid by the Young Disciples and change the shape of R&B, Hip Hop and Pop for ever.

Like Marvin's What's Going On, Stevie's Songs In The Key of Life and Otis Blue, it's one of those LP's no collection is complete without.

Femi Williams and Marco Nelson are still two of the coolest, creatively influential people I know.

the nod; brick lane

2011-07-10T15:28:00.000+01:00

Odd Future @ BAPE Pirate Store

2011-07-07T17:43:00.011+01:00

You can imagine the enormous queue and furore surrounding Odd Future's amazing one day pop up store at The Hideout today.

No such thing during their surprise detour down Brick Lane earlier this week, however.

The guys at BAPE UK have been Odd Future fans from time....

...so it's probably safe to say that at some point their impromptu visit to the Pirate Pop-Up Store must have resembled the inauguration of a mutual appreciation society.

There they are apres retail fest, already sporting some of their fresh BAPE purchases.

Looking at all those bags loaded with BBC, Ice Cream and of course BAPE product, their historic visit seems more reminiscent of a raid than a quite shopping spree.

Then again, why else would you go to a Pirate Store if not for an all out rampage?

Go see; ends soon.

BAPE® PIRATE STORE

OLD TRUMAN BREWERY

25 HANBURY ST

LONDON E1 6QR

www.bape.com

www.bbcicecream.com

Monitaly - A new tradition

2011-07-03T21:50:00.007+01:00

Menswear fashion week, Capsule, Paris. There's my man from the Monitaly crew. Each season these guys turn up in Paris or Vegas or some such place and quietly but unquestionably show the majority of other brands how it should be done.

Thing is, they love Americana: it's obvious. But they're not tied to it like so many other heritage-inspired companies. Theirs is a non-exclusive love affair with Americana. They flirt with other looks, get involved with other styles - shamelessly, fearlessly, brilliantly.

This is one of their recent dangerous liaison; traditional African wax fabric mixed with soft shouldered suiting and bow tie. Two styles combined to create something radical and new; that's the Monitaly tradition, right there.

monitaly

On The Road...On the screen

2011-06-29T14:58:00.014+01:00

It gave shape to the Beat Generation and provided the credo for the Hippie Movement. Yet i

t’s hard to believe that they were only in their mid-twenties when they went on the epic adventure that would eventually provide the material for the bookOn The Road.

Perhaps having grown up through the Depression and having witnessed a World War, everyone seemed an age beyond their years back then.

As a result the cast in the film adaptation of the book - which includes Kristen Stewart from the teen smash Twilight - have a ready-made youth appeal even though the novel is now over 60 years old.

This is perhaps ideal since On The Road is still regarded by many as something everyone should read before they reach twenty – at least once.

Francis Ford Coppola again finds himself as one of America’s most active cultural gate-keepers; he's been trying to get this film made for years. He landed the screen rights back in 1979.

This will be the first time On The Road has been turned into a movie. It's only the second time an actual Kerouac novel has been given the Hollywood treatment. The first, starring a young George Peppard back in 1960 was based on the amazing novella The Subterraneans.

As befit the times it was little more than a teensploitation flick – wild’n’wanton girls!!!! drug taking hoodlums!!!!…etc. It does feature a cameo from Gerry Mulligan who also provides some amazing music.

Directed by Walter Salles (The Motorcycle Diaries) this time 'round Kerouac’s work has been given a completely different quality of attention. The novel is a significant part of the countries cultural heritage (and identity); its adaptation has been approached with sensitivity and an awareness that capturing its essence on film is like taking charge of a national treasure.

Of course the movie will never have the same impact as the book - which honoured marginalised cultures like Bebop, Buddhism and the hobo in a way that remains fixed in America’s consciousness to this day.

Maybe the best Coppola and his young cast can hope is that it’ll become a film everyone should see at least once before they reach twenty; and perhaps that’s enough.

On the Road: out soon.

Close Up and Continental: Hamburg, London...Paris

2011-06-25T06:32:00.018+01:00

Eventful week - thus far.

Went to the Close Up and Private Show, Hamburg.

What a spread. The curators proved to have a good eye by putting on the first ever CU+P gallery exhibition and by choice of venue - expansive, unassuming with a maze of wall-space around which to navigate. Sergei was in fine form, as were Juergen Alker (of Alkr) and Francis (of Greensleeves To A Ground). Both, like me, came to share in the enthusiasm.

(Among other things) Sergei wore a beautiful navy blue blazer and a silk/ cotton/ linen off-white button-down Ralphla shirt. Crisp. Francis wore a blue check madras Ralphla tie and a pair of brilliantly beat up All Stars. Over these sneakers we bonded immediately. Juergen rocked a red and blue hi-tech, subtle spec anorak by Staples. Very tasteful.

There's me in a pair of wing-tips in conversation with Francis, as captured immaculately by Sergei himself.

Next day, back in London. Dinner with friends; Sam Bully, Sharp Chris, Kev Rowland, Jimmy Mellor, Ian and Ian from Hunky Dory, Dr Martin and myself.

What a spread. It was the idea of the Hunky Dory crew. It was a great idea. As with Francis, the core of the relationships began with a common interest in clothes. Just as the night before, it felt like the start of something significant - altho I'm not as yet sure what that might be.

There's Dr Martin in a white / blue strip Oxford button-down Ralphla sitting next to Jimmy in a Brooks Bros white / blue Oxford button-down shirt. Captured, rather clumsily by me.

Next stop, Paris for the Paul Smith Show. The adventure continues...

closeupandprivate.com

greensleeves to a ground

alkr.com

hunkydoryvintage.

A note about Hamburg: really amazing place; met some incredibly hospitable people there - special thanks to Dennis Tietz and Julia for the totally spontaneous guided tour!

Elliot Gould: NKU

2011-06-20T11:20:00.016+01:00

The way he looks is part of the Gould effect.It is not so much that he seems so ordinary as that he seems so little like a star.

His clothes, whether custom-made suits or crumpled fatigues, never quite fit; his hair could use a trim; and he can raise a heavy beard (as he is now doing) in a matter of days.

Time Magazine, Sept 1970

In his latter years, Gould and legendary Hollywood comedian Groucho Marx became friends. Gould remembers:

Once "when I was in my long-hair-and-overalls period, I changed a lightbulb over Groucho's bed. He said, 'That's the best acting I've ever seen you do.'

Elliott Gould: Never Knowingly Underdressed

Ralph Lauren @ Wimbledon

2011-06-14T14:49:00.001+01:00

It's that time again...

What I'd say about Close Up And Private

2011-06-03T09:01:00.035+01:00

Wrote a feature for Grafik Magazine a while ago; pivotal moments in fashion photography and menswear.

At certain points unrelated elements collide, having a major impact on how we dress and how we view ourselves as men. Bailey's portraits of the Krays; Bryan Ferry dressed GI style, for example.

If I wrote a piece on what's happening now, I'd kick off with CLOSE UP AND PRIVATE - a completely radical take on menswear photography.

It's not just the hard crops, the brilliant styling, the lack of credits or concern for branding, or the playfulness. It's all of the above done seamlessly, employing a language all it's own.

There's an economy here that owes more to abstraction in art than to contemporary photography.

It's as if Denmark's Sergei Sviatchenko took Man Ray as a role model, deconstructed the history of street photography and then applied the modernist principle less is more to his work.

It blurs the lines between documentary, portraiture, surrealism and fashion; and that's what I'd say. I'd also explain how this new aesthetic has inspired other photographers, brands, websites, e-shops and bloggers.

They all fall short of the mark, demonstrating that, like the clothes explored in the images, CUAP's apparent simplicity is amazingly deceptive.

I'd tell the reader that last year Sviatchenko, better known in fine art circles, was voted Best Dressed Man in Denmark and that this year he's been selected as one of the top collage artists in the world.

I'd explain, how the popularity of Ivy League clothing has helped propel this gallery way beyond the art world and has become the regular go-to site for many men on a what-to-wear mission each morning.

I'd say to the editors at the mag, that while CUAP might not be everyone's cup of tea, I think it's certainly important enough to deserve the front cover.

I'd also suggest that the feature on CUAP have as many great pictures as possible; like this one.

CUAP have a debut gallery show this month featuring photography by Sergei Sviatchenko and CUAP paintings by Sergey Nielsen. Starts 17th June @ Kaufmannshaus, Bleichenbrücke 10, Hamburg.

closeupandprivate.com

www.sviatchenko.dk

McNairy's Union Specials

2011-05-28T14:28:00.011+01:00

Bumped into Mark McNairy the other day outside the Hideout.

Mark and Lia were on a whistle-stop visit to London and were checking out the store and saying hello to the guys there.

It's a hard habit to break, but clocking Marks footwear is almost always the first thing I do whenever we meet.

On this occasion he was wearing a pair of country brogues, commando soled, mottled leather in brown with a yellow flash at the back.

They're Union Specials he said, with quiet but discernible pride.

Turns out he made them with Chris from Union and Luke Meier exclusively for the store in LA - part of a collection with three colourways.

One of the things I love about McNairy's work is that he often bridges the gap between streetwear and traditional menswear faultlessly.

And that ain't easy.

BTW: the head-shot of Mark was taken by my fellow traveller for the day, Andrew Bunney, and lifted from his Honeyee blog.

I was too busy taking pictures of McNairy's shoes to photograph the man himself.

Superficial? Me? Damn right I am.

http://blog.honeyee.com/andrew/

http://store.unionlosangeles.com

Miles Davis Ivy style 3/3 NKU

2011-05-26T17:18:00.014+01:00

Never Knowingly Underdressed.

When Miles adopted the clothes considered the reserve of the Ivy League elite, he wasn’t just embracing a compelling style, he was challenging the status-quo – one which that particular mode of dress seemed to represent.

It was an act of stylistic subversion, a contrafact, a sophisticated cultural hi-jack.

He was also returning to many of the stylistc references he'd grown up wearing as a young man, prior to his move to New York in his late teens.

By contrast to what he'd witnessed in Europe, in some parts of America this was still the era of Jim Crow...

...Segregation and the Klu Klux Klan....

By putting on those weejuns, that button-down, that seersucker jacket, that blazer and those khakis, he was elegantly undermining the establishments illusion of superiority.

He'd walked into an exclusive club uninvited and used those clothes to send out a message while laughing in the face the endemic prejudice of the time. Many other jazz musicians were to follow him.

I never have forgotten one time in Europe this nice old man told me how in World War II, the Europeans didn't know what to make of Negro troops. They had their picture of this country from our magazines and movies, and with a very few exceptions like Pops Armstrong and Joe Louis and Jesse Owens, they didn't know about any Negroes except servants and laborers.

Born on May 26, 1926, had he lived Miles Davis (pictured far left) would have been 85 years old today.

So What.

Miles Davis & Ivy style 2/3

2011-05-24T15:52:00.002+01:00

Originally bought this album in my early twenties. It had a brown sleeve. French sleeve-notes. £1.99. Bargain bin. Had no clue what it sounded like; needed to buy something, hear something new. It was all I could afford.

Had hoped there would be something danceable, a track I could give to my DJ - I was starting a jazz night. There wasn’t. But it was beautiful. A pared-down Kind Of Blue; soulful and minimal.

It became a kind of guilty pleasure.; Miles sounding unlike anything he’d ever done before or after. Miles playing with French musicians. Miles on a bargain-bin LP.

I was on the phone to jazz DJ legend Paul Murphy, one day. In the background I could hear this piece of music.

You have that Miles album, too. I said. Turns out this rare LP had cult status among jazz heads. Nominated for a Grammy in 1960.

This footage is indeed the real deal. Early December 1957, Miles, in Paris, recording the soundtrack to Ascenseur Pour L'Echafaud. Invited by director Louis Malle, he assembled four unrehearsed musicians to improvise over themes he'd prepared for the score. They played in front of a screen while Malle projected the relevant scenes.

I met French filmmaker Louis Malle through Juliette Greco. He told me he had always loved my music and that he wanted me to write the musical score for his new film, Ascenseur pour l’echafaud. I agreed to do it and it was a great learning experience, because I had never written a music score for a film before. I would look at the rushes of the film and get musical ideas to write down. Since it was about a murder and was supposed to be a suspense movie, I used this old, gloomy, dark building where I had the musicians play. I thought it would give the music atmosphere, and it did. Miles Davis to Quincy Troupe.

Miles Davis & Ivy style: 1/3

2011-05-22T16:14:00.010+01:00

There’s Miles – a foreign man, in a foreign town being welcomed as if it were some kind of homecoming. He loved Paris. On his first trip in '49, aged 22, he hung out with Picasso and Sartre. Plenty of ex-pats told him to stay – James Baldwin, Chester Himes, Kenny Clarke – but, despite several visits, he always needed to return to New York – his wife, family, music, car. Unfinished business.

I got my music, I got Frances and my Ferrari -- and our friends, I got everything a man could want -- if it just wasn't for this prejudice crap. It ain't that I'm mad at white people, I just see what I see and I know what's happening. I am going to speak my mind about anything that drags me about this Jim Crow scene. Miles Davis 1962.

Little Roy vs Nirvana!

2011-05-18T18:42:00.005+01:00

Brand new sound clash: hot off the press and even hotter on the dancefloor. Limited edition 7inch comes out July.

Here Today: Pet Sounds released 45 years ago!

2011-05-16T18:58:00.014+01:00

Surf's Up at John Simons

2011-05-15T11:25:00.009+01:00

Current issue of Free & Easy has an extensive feature on what we call the popover shirt. Initially these button-downs were introduced by Gant back in the 60's and became an Ivy style standard soon after.

In Inventory Magazine last year I wrote a tribute to Reyn Spooner and their classic reverse print Aloha popover.

The company actually used a Gant shirt pattern - with the blessing of brothers Arthur and Elliot Gant - to create their version. It became a signature style for the brand, both locally and on the mainland.

Last year Stussy Deluxe did a collab with Reyn Spooner but somehow neglected to include a button-down popover in the otherwise brilliant capsule collection.

Ahead of the curve as ever, John Simons introduces his own-label popover shirt this summer - Ivy style versions and Aloha versions. Surf's up Chiltern Street way.

John Simons

The Big Society shows in London part 2

2011-05-15T00:26:00.002+01:00

The Big Society shows in London

2011-05-07T11:58:00.005+01:00

From a city built on a modernist dream - images of the Big Society writ large in the streets and within the buildings of a remote municipality in Germany's former eastern block.

The Big Society: DDR Kunst Aus Schwedt was initiated by Dimitri from the seminal Berlin club Tresor. As I explain in the shows catalogue, it took on a momentum all its own when gallerist Ernesto Leal and several others - including the people of Schwedt itself - got involved.

The show, incidentally, coincides with the 85th anniversary of the General Strike, which involved a bitter battle between miners, supported by the Trade Union Congress, and Britain's mine owners.

The rich industrialists were supported by the Government of the day. The TUC called out 3 million of it's members. That's 20% of the country's adult population. At least 4,000 workers were arrested. The strike began on May 3rd and was called off on May 11th. The workers lost.

In many ways this amazing exhibition, like the 1926 General Strike are examples of a collectivist ideology which today exists in name only. Go see.

redgallerylondon.com,

3 Rivington Street

London EC2

Harry The Pencil shows in London

2011-05-05T23:29:00.014+01:00

A joint show; David (Harry the Pencil) Harrison and Malcolm Brown. Professionally both are hugely respected architectural draftsman. Masters in their field, the show demonstrates their ability to draw and paint for pleasure; no brief, no restrictions. The result is very, very elegant.

Malcolm's work features both natural landscapes and urban scenes; lots of movement, contrast and an amazing sense of fluidity throughout.

Harry the Pencil's work centres mainly on portraits. Three tiers high, the top tier features drawings of iconic men - Obama, Booby Moore for example.

The two lower lines feature portraits of Harry's friends and members of his family - his son Max (one of the best dressed men I've ever met), his father, Lloyd Johnson (Johnsons), Gary Wright (Wright & Teague), me - among others.

Overall, Harry's treatment of light is in many ways reminiscence of the Dutch Masters but it's the individual personalities that seem to dictate the style and feel of each portrait.

Ultimately what you see is a human landscape - an ordered display of meaningful male relationships. Like Lawrence's and Shaniqwa’s exhibitions, perceptions of men are again at the heart of Harry's brilliant installation. Go see. Go see all three if you can.

Drawing Together, now through to May 12

Studio 54 Architecture, 54 Rivington Street, EC2A, 020 7729 7818

I would go out tonight, but I haven't got a stitch to wear: Shaniqwa Jarvis shows in London

2011-05-05T09:04:00.006+01:00

This Charming Man is a visual conversation about intimacy, clothing and image.

Brooklyn born Shaniqwa Jarvis selected the subjects not because they were famous or had big personalities but because they had something else going on which made them noticeable - call it an innate sense of self, call it style. She found this quality intriguing even if many of the subjects weren't fully conscious of it themselves.

She photographed each of them in their own home. They wore fav items of clothing. About five different looks each. With each new look came mood changes and identity shifts. Throughout, Shaniqwa sensitively observes how clothing and context amplify and at times betray the image her subjects are hoping to create. Like I say in the shows catalogue, it's cool, compelling stuff.

Both Frankly, Mr Shankly and Shaniqwa's first solo exhibition look to classic Smith's songs for their titles. In some ways This Charming Man is a perfect flipside to Lawrence Watson's images. Go see. Go see both if you can.

Lawrence Watson shows in LA

2011-05-02T23:13:00.008+01:00

If I were in LA this week I'd be planning to go see the new Lawrence Watson exhibition.

One of the reasons Lawrence has managed to keep on top of his game is that no matter how big or famous he gets, he never looses sight of the fact that his job, his art is to capture someone else's moment, not his.

Don't get me wrong, the stories behind some of these images are crazy. Ask him about his first ever assignment, courtesy of then NME editor of Neil Spencer and accompanied by then NME writer Paul Bradshaw; or ask him about his first ever album cover - Confessions Of A Pop Group - featuring images personally chosen by Weller, for example. But ultimately what makes his work so great is his love of music and his overriding interest in other peoples stories.

knibb design showroom

1522 abbot kinney blvd

venice ca 90291

maverik-showroom

Everyone's talking about...Utile

2011-04-30T21:50:00.011+01:00

New UK based menswear brand Utile prove that basics don’t have to be basic after all.

Three styles feature in their debut collection. Jackets and shirts, high on finish and loaded with versatility.

Wear them over or under, fitted or oversized; there’s no such thing as a wrong answer as Utile seem happy to let the wearer come to those conclusions...maybe that's why so many people are finding their understated design aesthetic so exciting.

Check out this debut collection on their website. There's also a series of short film interviews - the first of which features yours truly explaining how I came to a few basic conclusions of my own.

utileclothing.com

Odd Future @ Village Underground

2011-04-29T20:33:00.006+01:00

There's Odd Future on stage at the Village Underground a few hours ago.

Started with Tyler wearing his trademark balaclava and then a mask of Her Majesty the Queen (of course). Ended unpredictably and rather unfortunately with Tyler asking for his 'Preme Posse cap - a gift from his boy Earl - to be returned.

In between was one of those memorable hype gigs - a moment in time like PE at The Brixton Academy and N.E.R.D at the Astoria.

Be interesting to see what happens when GOBLIN drops in a couple of weeks (which should not be confused with this clip, BTW).

check out oddfuture.com for part two...

inventory issue 04

2011-04-27T10:34:00.008+01:00

What Inventory Magazine has is a kind of seriousness which is often lacking in most men's style publications - the notion that there's something truthful and honest in the making of men's clothes and that should be reflected in the making of the magazine.

This issue is no exception. The cover(s) story features a piece about my mate Mark McNairy and fellow designer Daiki Suzuki. This summer sees Daiki's last collection for Woolrich Wollen Mills. The feature discusses the brand and looks at the handover process as Mark takes over future design duties.

It also features a piece by me on the myths and misdemeanors surrounding the Harrington jacket with some valued insight from none other than John Simons.

inventorymagazine.com

sunspel take the sports route

2011-04-22T19:24:00.007+01:00

The transition from underwear to outerwear is best facilitated by sport - something the guys at Sunspel have figured out in their ongoing bid to reposition the label as a modern menswear brand.

This film's a perfect vehicle for the brand - after all they did introduce the boxer short to the UK in 1947.

Starring Repton boy turned Premier model Ryan Pickard it features the club and some of its more photogenic members.

Repton's an amazing place, the real deal. Some of its roughness and old East London-ness is missing here, replaced by soft focus headshots and cutaways - stuff usually reserved for the likes of L'Uomo Vogue. Understandably.

What is perfectly replicated however is the age-old tradition of going to Pellicci's after training.

sunspel.com

NKU: Ol' Blue Eyes

2011-04-17T23:22:00.010+01:00

I crave variety, and I'm delighted when a lady has the imagination to come up with something different. I've never known a woman who could select neckties I really like. I think any gal who could do that, who could pick out a dozen ties I would really like, would pass the supreme test.

Frank Sinatra, Never Knowingly Underdressed

british remains, the royal wedding & the big tie-in

2011-04-13T10:56:00.003+01:00

A hyper-spectacle, The Royal Wedding is about is relevant to the quality of our lives as the colour of Lady Gaga's lipstick. And yet there it is: headline news.

This product by upcoming brand British Remains engages with the spectacle and turns it on it's head: literally - asking us to recognise that this pseudo-event is only as real and serious as we allow it to be.

The three pieces - two t-shirts and a handkerchief - are also a commentary on the tradition of The Big Tie-in.

This wedding isn't just a grand money-making scheme - an enema for the country's bunged up economy. Royal wedding memorabilia allows us to feel involved, demonstrate our enthusiasm for the lovely couple and show our support of all things British.

It's also our way of investing in the flimsy notion that despite the harsh realities of the times, dreams really can come true.

To quote the company:

I'm wondering if there isn't a place in the brain, located somewhere near our fight and flight responses called distraction. Maybe neurologists figured this out years ago, but we've been too distracted to notice.

britishremains.co.uk

Exclusive: Story Deli is Back

2011-04-12T07:50:00.009+01:00

For now the sign says the coffee & the cake box, but that'll change as soon as they get the pizza oven in, up and running.

The guys from Story Deli have re-emerged and relocated a few hundred yards away from their original site, from which they disappeared suddenly and unannounced a few weeks ago.

This new space is smaller and certainly has less passing trade, but no one's complaining.

Since 2004 the Deli was a popular fixture on Drays Walk, just off Brick Lane. Even when the main street began to morph into a mini version of Camden Market, people still travelled miles to sample the Deli's unique pizza and equally inspiring interior.

The Deli was in truth just a natural extension if their shop, which in turn was just an natural extension of their style and interests.

If you imagine a modernist approach to Provence lifestyle, informed by issues of sustainability and fashion, then you might get a vague picture of their original store, selling vintage and recycled product including clothing, jewellery and boxes.

The boxes, which double as storage and seating became something of a signature in both spaces.

In the beginning the Deli started selling a wide range of food, but it quickly become obvious that the organic pizza - using imported flour from a region in Italy and bottled water as part of it's recipe - was the thing people demanded most.

While many stores and galleries came and went and the areas' popularity increased beyond recognition, the Deli was a seemingly stable part of the diversity of the off-street, loaded with character and individuality.

Then, suddenly, not long ago, the unimaginable happened. The Deli disappeared as if over night.

Now they're back in a space just a stones' throw from Shoreditch House, Les Trois Garcons and Redchurch Street.

With easy access from Shoreditch High Street Station, it's likely that they'll be repeating the success they had on Drays Walk in no time at all - once the oven arrives, of course.

StoryBox / PizzaCafe / The Scooter Shop / 66 Scalter St. E1 6HR / info@storydeli.com

pokit...the cowboys are coming!

2011-04-07T15:25:00.004+01:00

This is what we know: Pokit are kings of the tailored suit, fiends for the structured silhouette and precious about shape and form.

What we didn't know, 'til now, is that they're putting that keen eye for detail into a brand new denim range...called 7ft Cowboy.

Here's Bayo giving a breakdown on a sample from the new range. Hold on to your hat!

Stay tuned for more news of its imminent arrival.

www.pokit.co.uk

fixed magazine 07 - a knock out issue

2011-04-06T15:40:00.008+01:00

Just met Andy Fixed Gear for coffee. First proper glimpse of Fixed Mag issue 07. It features the Red Bull Mini Drome competition which took place in January, hosted by artist and FGL original Conrad Johnson. An incredible event.

The cover of the mag shows an aerial shot of the track, very reminiscent of the classic Muhammad Ali / Cleveland Williams TKO image from 1966 - intentionally. Just how Andy and Jonathan managed to get that amazing shot is a story in itself.

fixed-magazine.com

Team GBs Olympic Uniform

2011-04-03T15:11:00.003+01:00

I would have liked to see The Duffer of St George supply the official opening ceremony uniforms for the London Games. Not Next.

The brand providing the clothing for the 2012 Olympics should have symbolic and sartorial clout behind their selection.

Stella McCartney is designing Team GB's sports kit. She’s a high profile designer committed to ecologically informed fashion. She's also a Beatles' daughter.

Bob Marley's eldest daughter Cedella is designing the Jamaican teams' gear with Puma. RalphLa are doing the honours for the US Team. Canada have one of their oldest companies, Hudson's Bay, at their service.

Why Duffer? Their clothing has helped shape youth style in this city for almost thirty years, influencing brands the world over. They helped set the template for the rest to follow.

Theirs is an authentic street style swagger - inspired by vintage American sportswear, worn with a UK edge.

But it's not about heritage, culture or even sport. It's about money. Next are paying £10 million for the privilege of dressing Team GB, the ground crew and supporting staff. 5,000 people in all.

Despite the questionable fit, that's an offer the 2012 Olympics Committee couldn't turn their backs on. Unfortunately.

thedufferofstgeorge.com

Smiley Culture RIP

2011-03-16T15:54:00.012Z

My friend Paul Bradshaw wrote a piece in today's' Guardian about Smiley Culture, who died under suspicious circumstances yesterday.

Not included in the Guardian piece - according to Paul Bradshaw, Dennis Bovell's actual feelings about Smiley's death are as follows:

My good friend, Linton Kwesi Johnson has a poem that addresses this situation. It’s called ‘License To Kill’. Too many people have died in police custody. We need a serious enquiry into this. We need to see independent forensic evidence.

guardian.smiley-culture

NKU: Tommie Smith, Peter Norman & John Carlos

2011-03-15T06:43:00.010Z

I wore a black right-hand glove and Carlos wore the left-hand glove of the same pair....My raised hand stood for the power in black America. Carlos's raised left hand stood for the unity of black America. Together they formed an arch of unity and power. The black scarf around my neck stood for black pride. The black sock with no shoes stood for black poverty in racist America. The totality of our effort was the regaining of black dignity. Tommie Smith. 200m gold. Mexico '68.

I believe in civil rights, every man is born equal and should be treated that way.

Peter Norman wearing an Olympic Project for Human Rights badge.

200m silver. Mexico '68.

The beads were for those individuals that were lynched or killed that no-one said a prayer for, that were hung and tarred. It was for those thrown off the side of the boats in the middle passage. We were trying to wake the country up and wake the world up too. John Carlos. 200m bronze. Mexico '68.

London Olympic Games: 500 days to go.

APC on Redchurch Street..!

2011-03-13T14:26:00.024Z

...But for how long?

Is it a pop up shop? That's the question everyone asks.

It's little to do with the fact that virtually no one knew of the shops' arrival until it opened yesterday...

It has even less to do with that fact that Jean Touitou's usual minimalist approach means the interior works brilliantly with the previously existing shell.

More, it has to do with the fact that Redchurch Street has become Pop-Up Central over the past few years with amazing stores arriving....and then disappearing just as we grow to consider them a permanent fixture.

But no, thankfully for this season and for all the foreseeables, APC is here to stay.

http://www.apc.fr/

The roots of The Thomas Crown Affair

2011-03-09T18:06:00.005Z

This is part two of the film which inspired the multi-screen sequences in the original Thomas Crown Affair.

The 18 minute, dialogue-free short debuted in April 1967 as part of the Expo 67, celebrating Canada's Centenary.

The film was projected onto a huge screen - around twenty meters wide and ten meters high.

It's director, Christopher Chapman won an Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Subject in 1968.

He was the first Canadian to win an Oscar outside the National Film Board.

According to Chapman, Steve McQueen attended one of the first private screenings of A Place To Stand;

He was one of the few people in Hollywood who seemed to understand it in its real sense, not just as a gimmick. He wanted to film Le Mans in multi-dynamic image, and I told Steve that he was going about it the wrong way.

It was much too big a film, with too many writers; it wouldn't work that way. We would end up destroying what both he and I felt. He was very disappointed, but he agreed. I liked him very much as a person.

Norman Jewison wanted me to work with him when I was down in Hollywood...but I wasn't able to.

I saw Jewison's The Thomas Crown Affair about 10 years later, and I was quite interested with the way multi-dynamic image had been used. It showed signs of working in the way it could be used more effectively.

www.csc.ca/