We’ve been keeping pretty close tabs on Japanese-based nonnative for a minute now and while their endless supply of collaborations in footwear with the likes of New Balance and more recently, Tricker’s, have been no doubt successful, we’ve always been interested in their solo efforts. More than anything, it’s always about their choice of materials like with this new Voyager lace up boot in aged brown suede paneled upper with a thick heavy rubber sole and tongue in contrasting brown leather. Despite the Japanese roots, these boots are handmade in Italy from Italian cow leather which, we’re told, will last you forever if you look after them well. Available here.

The Levi’s x Tommy Guerrero capsule collection was released in late November although we hadn’t paid much attention to it until a recent conversation jogged our memory of who Tommy Guerrero was. Back in the 80′s, Guerrero ruled the streets of San Francisco on a skateboard. You may remember him as part of the Bones Brigade, Powell Peralta’s professional skateboarding team that dominated the 80′s street scene and later on, as the founder of REAL skateboards. Now as a musician, Tommy Guerrero has collaborated with Levi’s for this Guerrero parka featuring colorful Mexican-inspired detailing across the shoulders. Available here.

The rest of the Ranchero collection after the jump.

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With the holidays and family dinners quickly approaching, it may be a good idea to have some wool sweaters to diversify your arsenal. And while this one looks like your average run-of-the-mill type of offering, Tetsu Nishiyama’s designs for Wtaps are actually anything but. Long been killing it in the military/outdoor-inspired fashion game, Wtaps has equally been killing it in Ivey-league prep style as of late. We’re particularly fond of this latest sweater by Tet, perfect to wear over an oxford, which we know you already have, as a compliment to any winter outfit. With tonal sleeve cuffs to show some subtle detailing and minimal labeling on the back, this sweater is a must on your wish-list and a perfect addition to the Wtaps Nordic sweater. Now available here.

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While some are partial to the AM90 or AirMax 95′s, the Nike Pegasus ’89 has always been the one for me. Back in ’89 they were the first pair of Nike’s I ever copped and in the past few months I’ve made it a mission to track down every deadstock and reissue I could find. Alas, there’s one more must have. While fellow hype beasts have no doubt already got word of this Quickstrike release earlier this week, we still wanted to give it another platform. Afterall, this one happens to be an ode to one of our favorite cities in the world. Made to commemorate the fall of the Berlin Wall and the launch of the Pegasus, this Quickstrike release is packed full of detailing to celebrate the event including cement effect swoosh to represent the concrete of the Wall, contrast coloured ‘Berlin’ & ’1989′ lace jewels, and Berlin ’89 embroidered heel detail. Available here.

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Truth be told I couldn’t find all that much information on Kyle Ng’s new Farm Tactics label, aside from the fact that I know CRAFT in LA is a stockist as is Brooklyn Circus in SF. New information is being updated on the site every other day and so far, we’re into it. We’re particular fond of the bags that use re-purposed materials such as 1960′s Dutch military bags, 1940′s gas masks and Oil Filson Tin cloth and other military webbing. Naturally, given the scarcity of these materials, each piece will be extremely limited. On the clothing side of things, the Spring/Summer ’10 collection, dubbed “The Weekend”, features pieces inspired by Ng’s grandfather who was an industrial designer in the 50′s and 60′s, but with a self-described “neoclassical” twist. Other pieces include heavy weight cotton tank tops, pocket tees inspired by military issue garments from WWII. All simple, yet very refined. See the rest of the collection after the jump and keep it locked for more details.

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Further proof that backpacks haven’t all but gone way to the school children. Relative new comer to the accessories game COTEetCIEL is about bringing the right aesthetics to everyday accessories. From a functionality stand point, it works – A huge main compartment with easy access, strong shoulder straps and ergonomic fitting system, soft cotton inner-lining with easy access to the laptop compartment. From a pure design stand point the angular and clean cutting lines are really doing it for us in a way that reminds us of Raf Simons accessories. Available in two sizes, medium and large, here.

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As much as we appreciate particular aesthetics, design, and quality in the brands you normally find here, one area we rarely venture into is skincare products aside from the occasional visit to Honeyee. Part of the reason being most of us either stick to what we know and don’t experiment with other/newer brands, the other being we simply don’t have the time or want to spend the time researching, shopping, trying and deciding. The recent launch of Bread & Butter Skincare however, has  removed that entire process while killing it with their aesthetics in the form of their branding design and quality.

To break it down simply, you pay once and you’re done skincare product shopping for the year with two mail-order deliveries. The Winter Kit includes a 180 day supply in the form of 2 face cleansers, 2 face moisturizers, 1 body moisturizer and 1 lip balm. In the first week of June, you’ll automatically receive the Summer Kit which includes another 180 day supply in the form of 2 face cleaners, 2 face moisturizers with SPF 15 and a shave gel. Everything is carry-on approved.

So far, we’ve been enjoying the Winter Kit immensely and without getting into the specifics of what makes the product quality (you can check the site for an ingredients break down), we can tell you they borderline on odorless and fresh smelling, are non-greasy and shine-free. We’re also particularly fond of the package design matching perfectly with the simple, no-nonsense brand name.

Bread & Butter Skincare is currently the in-house product line for The Gladstone and sold at The Drake, both in Toronto. You can order your kits here.

Clark’s Wallabee has been a leading style in moccasin boots since 1964.  It’s seen many up’s and down’s over time, and has been a fashion touch point in cultural movements ranging from Mod and Brit Rock to Hip-Hop.  At this point, it’s a staple in almost everyone’s closet.  Acclaimed womenswear and men’s shoe designer Rachel Comey has been re-imagining classic styles across the board and now she has dropped her twist on the Wallabee Low.  The basic elements are all there with a premium grain leather upper in cinnamon and a standard rubber sole in stark white.  Comey is currently making a living off the subtle detail and, in this case, it’s a bright green bottom to the sole.  It’s a small touch that goes a long way.  It immediately lets you know you are on to something different, yet still with a classic.  Available here.

We’ve covered Filson quite a bit in the past.  They’ve been making and selling quality, rugged utility wares since the late 1800′s, always based out of Seattle, Washington.  An essential utility item to any man is the dopp kit.  Filson drop their own version here: the travel kit, which combines crisp style with the exacting standards they are known for.  The main components to the travel kit are paraffin-treated (read: waxed) cotton canvas, brown leather detailing along the zipper, and a leather loop handle for easy transport.  The outside features two open pockets, while the inside is nylon-lined and has two additional pockets for compartmentalizing.  These are made to last.  Otter Green and Dark Tan make up the color options.  Available here.

Surface To Air has either conceived or been a part of some of the most creative projects you’ve no doubt come across in the past few years. In the late 90’s Surface To Air consisted of a group of friends in Paris who wanted to work on projects they liked and since then, the team has grown into a multidisciplinary company spanning across creative domains such as fashion, graphics, photography, design, music, and films. They are part creative agency, part clothing label and part studio. Past projects have included but are not limited to music videos for Justice and Chromeo, art directing the Blason shoot for Pharrell’s line of jewelery for Louis Vuitton, commercials for Diesel, Sony and Louis Vuitton and more recently, launching UNIQLO in France and a capsule collection with Kings of Leon. And we’re just getting to the clothing side of things.

Since 2004 and before the clothing collaborations with the likes of Justice and Chromeo, S2A has been widely recognized for their modern interpretations of classic and technical garments along with a separate line of S2A accessories. Breathable, fully waterproof outerwear pieces with taped seams; superfine Merino cardigans with leather patches; calf leather bags; fine leather ankle boots; porcelain dipped and dirty gold jewelery are among some of best pieces going at the moment. Being long times fans of the line and creative exports, we felt it was only appropriate to start from the beginning and chat for a few minutes with S2A founder Jérémie Rozan in between shoots, creative directing, and putting the final touches on his latest music video for Chromeo – Night By Night.

My name is Jérémie Georges Louis Joseph Rozan, my role at Surface To Air is founder and Creative director.

Before Surface To Air I had a life.

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As a brand, Helmut Lang is always all about the subtle details, and most often, those details are in the form of cut or tailoring.  This hoodie is the perfect example.  On the surface, it might look simple enough, but a closer look reveals some eccentricities.    The most obvious details are the overlapping of the hood in front and the single drawstring.  However, the most functional details are the asymmetrical hem from front to back and the longer, slim sleeves.  It’s made from nylon and alpaca, making it soft and pliable.  I just picked this up from the Barneys New York on Madison Ave., and it seems to be on sale in most spots for the holidays.  Available here.

Everybody has a favorite model of Converse just like everybody has a favorite model of Nike and Van’s. So whether you’re an All-Star or a Jack Purcell loyalist, you’ll appreciate Converse Japan’s all-new collection of reinterpreted classics from the Dress Code 1/2 collection. According to HB, “While the use of their most well-known silhouettes won’t change, the anatomy of the shoes will undergo a few modifcations to reflect a “dressier” approach. The use of more streamline and cleaner profiles as well as traditional touches such as brogue punching are seen in the collection’s first two models which feature the Jack Purcell S MDLN and Jack Purcell S Plain.”  These first two will drop this month, with more information on the rest of the collection dropping on January 15th, 2010.