A favorite stop of ours while in town, A Continuous Lean has created a neat look at the new J.Crew Upper East Side Men’s Shop located on Madison Avenue at 79th street.
You Must Create‘s functional, wearable, and modern approach to fashion may not seem unique – yet in an industry always trying to create the latest trends, they distinguish themselves by focusing on wearable designs created for longevity. With the end of Summer fast approaching, nothing is more appropriate than a lightweight nylon jacket to cut the wind and keep you dry. Simple and functional, this multi-pocket nylon jacket also gives you that touch of understated sophisticated style so often found in Fraser Moss and Jimmy Collins’ work. Available in yellow, navy or brown here.
On paper, Visvim has done everything right as usual: 14 oz. dual ring-spun denim, 4 different slub lengths blended for varying texture, pure indigo dye from Japan’s finest denim mill in Okayama, custom Visvim buttons and rivets, elk leather patch on back and a hidden zip pouch in back pocket. On body, is a different story. Thinking that these would fit like all Japanese denim brands, that is to say, smaller, was a major oversight. And moving up a size didn’t help either. The cut is far from perfect for some, though it’s not far off to assume the fit is perfect for others. Issues with a ballooning thigh and wide leg opening leave this loyalist far from satisfied, though, if you’re more of the bottom heavy variety, you can count me jealous. Available here.
You may have already gotten a look at the full Fall/Winter 2010 collection from A.P.C. last month, but now that they are officially in shops, we’re finally starting to get up close with some of the pieces. Jean Touitou appears to have strayed a little further from the subtle military influence this season and instead favouring a style that’s arguably a little bit more British than French. Plaids, argyles, bow ties and corduroys round out the collection, though we’re particularly fond of the workwear inspired cotton flannel above. Available here.
To capture the clean and sophisticated look of their AW10 collection, J. Lindeberg had only to look in their own backyard and recruit one of Sweden’s most influential current photographers. Andreas Sjodin, the Swedish Fashion Photographer of the Year (2008), who’s previous work for brands like Vogue, Barneys, Rick Owens, YSL, J. Crew and H&M, epitomizes the overriding simplicity of the collection, showcasing the functionality and elegance put forth by the Scandinavian brand.
More after the jump.
With roots on London’s historic Jermyn Street at British clothier Turnbull & Asser, the Fayed and Goncalves brothers are bringing the bespoke philosophy to ready-to-wear for the next generation. The brothers decided to try their hand at catering to the offspring of the Turnbull regulars who appreciate old-world craftsmanship on slimmer, more modern cuts. Designed and manufactured in England with materials sourced from British and Italian textile mills, Bespoke combines classic Americana with British mod wit. In a few short seasons, Bespoke‘s take on velvet, herringbone tweed and cashmere for blazers, cardigans and trousers have been well received both at home and on this side of the pond. We managed to catch up with 3 of the 5 that make up Bespoken just as the Fall/Winter 2011 collection is set to drop.
LH: We’ll start with the formalities, who are you, what are your respective rolls and what did you guys do in your previous life?
Paulo Goncalves: I guess you can say we’re a bit of a mixed bag. There are two set of brothers – James, Sam and Liam who grew up in their family business of Turnbull & Asser in London. Carlos & myself grew up in NY working in finance and advertising, respectively. We collectively make it work, and being brothers and all, it keeps us honest despite the occasional headbutting (not in an Noel & Liam Gallagher sort of way). We’re all extremely passionate about this brand and what we do, so its definitely a collaborative effort.
LH: Growing up in and around Turnbull & Asser and given your backgrounds, it seems you could have gone in a variety of different routes and just as easily given up on clothing, so what about clothing makes it so appealing to you guys?
Sam Fayed: Honestly, it was something we could all relate to, born out of a frustration of our own. Being guys in our 20s & 30s, we felt that its been difficult to find a menswear label that marries fine tailoring & construction with more contemporary fits and styles. It was through working the sales floor at Turnbull where we were exposed to just how customers reacted & appreciate the quality and details, down to where it’s manufactured. We thought we would bring this to a younger audience, and along the way, round out our personal wardrobes.
It seems only too fitting that Dwell Magazine would create something aptly named an “Architect’s Shirt”. While we couldn’t track down any other previous collaborations involving Dwell, apart from a few sparse pieces of furniture, this one hits the mark in yarn-dyed Japanese organic cotton. Teaming together with Taylor Stitch, a small independent known for its hand cuts and assembly in San Francisco, it looks terrific when paired with a colorful bowtie. Available here.
As we’ve previously told you, we’re big fans of Apolis Activism and their commitment to sustainability, local sourcing, and artisanal techniques. The three Parton brothers have a commitment to ethical practice that is only matched equally by their commitment to classic American sportswear and workwear. This summer, they’ve teamed up with Katin to produce a line of swim trunks. Katin has been producing custom board shorts in Huntington Beach, California since 1959, with an impeccable attention to both durability and detail. The highlight of the collaboration between the two brands is definitely the limited edition indigo chambray short. It is cut from lightweight 5.5 oz. Spanish chambray and is fully lined for comfort and support. This is definitely anything but your average bathing suit. Available for pre-order direct here.
A video that tells the story of the collaboration is available after the jump.
Something fairly surprising to come from Mountain Research when you consider they’ve generally stuck to pieces that are gorgeously understated. That’s not to be confused with White Mountaineering, which is also out of Japan. Kobayashi Setsumasa’s clothing line, previously known as General Research, has been putting out some of our favorite outerwear pieces for the past few seasons as seen with this A.M jacket. Unlike your other favorite outdoor Japanese labels, this one is actually available outside of Japan here.
Like all major sporting events, the 2010 FIFA World Cup is a media circus. Between egos, injuries and trophy wives, the scoreline isn’t the only thing grabbing the headlines. Also detracting our attention from the beautiful game: the uniforms. Internationally, soccer is both a lucrative and competitive industry, with the likes of Nike, Adidas and Puma vying for the monopoly. To put things in perspective, almost 30% of Nike’s total revenue in 2009 came out of Europe, Africa and the Middle East, where soccer culture is as big as baseball in the US. In 2008, Nike purchased Umbro, arguably the O.G. of soccer apparel; their sales have since increased over 200% to $174 million annually.
Unlike the NFL or NBA, where the entire league sticks to one shirt sponsor, FIFA is fair game. From Japan to Slovenia to Honduras, each soccer ‘kit’ is a who’s who of all the prominent sporting brands. Where some brands don’t believe in reinventing the wheel, like Adidas for Argentina, others are content to reinvent the wheel as they see it fit, like Nike for the USA. There are varying degrees of success – we’ve seen our share of stinkers – but here are a few that we feel deserve a shout out after the jump.
Danish brand Humor is back with some new wares for summer, and one item that caught our eye is their Doyle shirt. We’re always looking for a new twist that sets a classic design on its ear, and the ‘bullneck’ collar on the Doyle is a prime example. The high buttoned collar is lined with gray jersey and can be worn buttoned-up for a dramatic look or unfastened for a looser style. As far as the fundamentals go: it’s constructed from a subdued red, white, and blue plaid cotton. We’re not big fans of the visible logo on the back, but, at least, it is on the back tail and not the front, where it would be overpowering. Available here.
Adding a humorous tone to the sometimes stuffy British fashion scene has been the number one goal of Will Kemp and Rufus Exton since 2005, the year the lads founded Second Son. But don’t let the stiff upper-lipped nuances of the British sense of humor fool you, this brand is as serious as they come. For the release of their latest collection for Spring/Summer, their unique sartorial vision shines through in their take on the classic Oxford. We almost detect a slight Japanese influence in the contrasting tonal paneling on the cuff placket, breast pocket, shoulder yoke and hem. Coming in classic light blue, with some trademark Second Son purple detailing throughout, this Oxford is smart and playful. Available here soon.
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