Not far from the popular mix of boutiques, bakeries and restaurants that adorn St. Laurent street, twin brothers Dexter (left) and Byron Peart (right) – founders of WANT Les Essentiels de la Vie – are balancing their agency life and their own accessories label from Montreal’s Garment District. Over the past decade Montreal has been the launchpad and home to several fashion and accessories labels ranging from Rudsak to MO851 to Philipe Dubuc. WANT however, has achieved notoriety in a relatively shorter period of time with quality leather offerings and models carried by major player stockists such as Harvey Nichols, Opening Ceremony, Le Bon Marche and Holt Renfrew. Backed by years of senior-level experience at Sixty and Diesel, their own agency, and each other, Dexter and Byron Peart are delivering WANT Les Essentiels de la Vie from Montreal with love.

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Our regular readers don’t need reminding of our love for all things Billykirk.  Their Amish handmade leather accessories give you that perfect blend of classic and understated, with a healthy dose of modern silhouettes, and rugged durability.  Their waxed cotton carryalls are a particular favorite, which we’ve covered before, but we wanted to draw attention to their new navy colorway.  Personally, I’m always a fan of a navy and black combination.  It’s both extremely versatile and completely modern.  It’s amazing to think that not too long ago the combination was frowned upon in more staid circles (actually, it probably still is in the particularly crusty climes).  Thumb your nose at those peeps.  Available here.

Perhaps it’s the changing of the weather, but we’ve been on the lookout for great looking frames as of late. Previously unnoticed on our radar, for whatever reason, Danish designer Han Kjobenhavn has a brilliant collection of traditional-inspired timeless frames. Beautifully vintage lines and artistic direction make up the simple, yet elegant aesthetic of the collection. While each of 5 available styles offer something a little different, they are all classics. Our two personal favorites, if we had to choose, would have to be the masculine Grand Danois frame and the retro-looking Wolfgangs. Each frame is available in multiple colors with various lens options.

Thanks Christina!

New to the scene, Herschel Supply Co. Brand looks to simply deliver high-quality bags & backpacks. While the debut collection has all the classics, the overall impression is one of heritage looks, utilitarian design and modern functionalities. Unique bags like the Stadium backpack, features a patent pending hat case allowing you to carry up to 3 hats safe and secure. The Novel Duffle features a separate shoe compartment to keep your kicks away from your kits.

READ MORE for a look at the entire 2010 collection.

Best Made Co. was founded by designer and author Peter Buchanan-Smith, and outdoorsman and environmental entrepreneur Graeme Cameron to create the finest, most beautifully hand-crafted axes. Buchanan-Smith, a Grammy award winning designer and author who has created designs for Wilco, Philip Glass, Brian Eno, David Byrne, Paper Magazine, The New York Times, and Isaac Mizrahi among others. You may have already spotted their axes that double as works of art on the November/December issue of I.D. Magazine.

Best Made Co.’s first foray into apparel doesn’t stray far from their roots firmly planted in the great outdoors. A favorite among lumberjacks and hipsters alike, The Red Cap of Courage just may be our favorite hat of the season, made of 100% cashmere. Believe us when we say, everything has been considered, right down to the packaging. It comes delivered in a small, hand-made spruce and cedar crate, wrapped in a hand-stamped paper and secured with red cashmere string. Best of all, the small non-descript logo provides a subtle touch of color and is embroidered in a way that reminds us of the Cub Scout badges we worked hard to earn back in the day. We believe this article fulfills the requirement for our Computer Badge.

Available here.

Another day, another tote but whether you’re a believer in its practicality or not, it’s always good to stash one in the car or rucksack for impromptu shopping.  The word Eena is a Chinook term that means the beaver who builds the best lodge. For over 40 years Portlands own Beckel Canvas Products has taken this motto to heart, creating traditional canvas tents for the camping enthusiast. The same rugged good looks and timeless style defines these durable canvas bags that suit a variety of purposes. Each bag is locally crafted of 20 oz. canvas, with leather trim, sturdy zippers and stitched label. Old school cool Oregon-style, they will take you anywhere you want to go. Available here.

Together with Swiss watchmaker Jaegar-LeCoultre and after 18 months of arduous research and development, Aston Martin has released the AMVOX2 Rapide Transponder, the first mechanical watch developed with the ability to control access into a luxury sports car. Clearly, a step towards futuristic utopia.

The engineering on this timepiece is stunning: a miniature transmitter system integrated within the watch, serving to lock and unlock either the Aston Martin Rapide or the Aston Martin DBS, while maintaining the functions of a pushpiece-free chronograph. When approaching the car, the driver simply has to touch the OPEN position on the watch glass, between 8 and 9 o’clock, to activate the door-opening system, or press CLOSE positioned between 3 and 4 o’clock to lock. Simultaneously pressing both activates the“find me” function: the headlamps light up for several seconds, without unlocking the car, so as to enable the owner to find the car at a glance. Technological advancements aside, this watch is an absolute beauty. The two-tone casing is entirely made of satin-brushed 18-carat pink gold and brushed grade 5 titanium, which contrasts brilliantly with the black face and leather strap. It is masculine yet elegant, and perfectly captures the awe-inspiring feeling of driving an Aston-Martin. To sum up in three words: we want one. The AMVOX2 Rapide Transponder is issued exclusively for Aston Martin owners.

Take a closer look at Aston Martin’s new Rapide Luxury Sports Car after the jump.

Consistently releasing smart, well-designed products, Incase introduces its Spring 2010 Courier Collection. Pairing conventional functionalies with a refined industrial design aesthetic, the collection offers the perfect solution for the needs of the urban cyclist. All available in a stunning Dove Grey/Orange colorway, the Messenger backpack and bag, Vertical Hip pack and iPhone pouch are all constructed of custom weather resistant 1680D nylon, for light, yet rugged travel. Each has its own features which you’ll appreciate, like the side access faux-fur lined notebook compartment and multiple pockets for optimum organization on the Messenger Backpack. Available now here.

Winner of Design Philadelphia, a design competition put on by The Cadence Watch Company, Josh Chadwick’s Digital-Analog timepiece concept combines the design elements of an analog watch with the aesthetics of a digital display. Currently pursuing a masters degree in industrial design at Philadelphia’s University of the Arts, Chadwick effectively repurposes the characteristics of a classical timepiece in a nontraditional, elegant and modern package. The face of the watch has a modern digital display while still functioning like a traditional analog watch; the informational display in the center of the watch provides additional information (date, day of the week, AM/PM), while the outer rings represent the minute and hour hands. Similar to other nontraditional approaches to time-telling (like Nooka), the Digital Analog watch by Josh Chadwick is a sleek modern alternative for those looking for unique design aesthetic. Available for pre-order here.

Bread & Butter’s fantastic line of skincare products really got us thinking of the importance of “beauty” products. Whether it’s skincare, haircare or anything in-between, taking care of your outer-shell is becoming something increasingly important among men. Long gone are the negative attitudes towards grooming, men are now free to indulge their inner Patrick Bateman; moisturizing, cleansing and exfoliating without fear of reprisal. For the jet set however, another proverbial stick in the spokes of the daily routine has arisen, that of the rules that regulate carry-on luggage. For the urban traveler unwilling to make sacrifices for the sake of checking in their bags, Kate Duff & Alexei Mintz offer the perfect one-stop shop solution through their new site 3floz.com. Already carrying a vast area of high-end items for both men & women, including exclusives from Phyto Haircare, Baxter of California, and Blow, their brand list for the launch is already pretty impressive. This is definitely one of the most interesting new sites we’ve seen in a while, it is worth checking out and adding it to your list of favorites.

From a durability standpoint, you could do a lot worse than choosing a weekend-sized duffle made from raw denim. Brooklyn Circus, one of our favorite stops in San Francisco and creators of one of the better art directed lookbooks, also happen to make some fine accessories. That’s not to say their cardigans aren’t also worth a look. For those among us who can’t pull off the denim jacket look, although, it has been seen a lot around town buried underneath a few other layers, perhaps a denim bag is more (ahem) your bag. Available here.

A collaborative project between Saskia and Stefan Diez, the “Papier” series is an experiment in revising the classical typology. Both designers started with the basic requirements of a travel bag – durability, protection and light weight – and sought for an appropriate material other than the traditional choices of leather and reinforced textiles. The “Papier” bags are made of Tyvek®, a synthetic paper that is extremely lightweight – 135g for the bigger and 115g for the smaller bag – but at the same time exceptionally robust, both water- and tear-proof. Best of all, the material is completely recyclable. Apart from that, one will appreciate the high-end finishes applied to such seemingly banal material as paper. Silkscreen printing techniques gives it a particularly attractive look. Available here.