ASOS Spring/Summer 2011

The Ivy League and preppy style saw itself worm its way back into the limelight and wardrobes of the high street to the avant-garde style conscious male in 2010 and doesn’t seem to be planning on going away again anytime soon.

For spring/summer 2011 the staple of any preppy look takes centre stage, the letterman jacket. A versatile piece of outerwear that has truly stood the test of time that can be adapted to any modern outfit.

For spring/summer 2011 Lavenham Jackets have produced a unique take on the Letterman jacket called the Hazel Jacket, a lighter quilted alternative take on a design classic.

Button through and contrast sleeves tick all the familiar boxes that make up the perfect letterman style jacket.

Lavenham have got their prep down to a tee.

About ASOS
Besides the ASOS line, ASOS carries over 800 brands!

Photos & text Copyright ASOS.

Kent Denim: Open for Business Online!

Kent Denim has just launched its new website, new gallery, and official Kent Denim online store. The Kent Denim Club, as it’s called, offers everyone in the United States the entire Kent Denim Collection. With free shipping on all orders, getting your new favorite pair of jeans couldn’t be easier.

“It is a very exciting venture for us at Kent Denim, now we can offer all the products that are featured on the runway and photo shoots without being confined to our retail locations.”

Check out the updated gallery on the web page, and of course check out the Kent Denim Club. More items will be added to the club as the new collection begins to be released.

One of our exciting new denim styles is our first vintage wash. Currently offered in our Japanese Kuroki Denim, it has the great details of a pair of jeans one would have had for years. More washes are in development for the upcoming spring summer collection.

Have a peek at the entire collection here.

Photos & text Copyright Kent Denim.

Saint Augustine Academy e-store

Sydney-based label Saint Augustine Academy, have launched their long-awaited online store.

The 7-year-old label wanted to implement a platform where their dedicated and devoted customer base could purchase their entire collection in a simple and easy transaction.

The online store was developed in conjunction with Adam Muniz and Ivan Prasad, Directors of Australian high-end online menswear retailer, For-Tomorrow.

Muniz and Prasad developed their own unique technology when creating For-Tomorrow; the system has been re-engineered closely in conjunction with Saint Augustine Academy and offers a specifically customised, up to the minute and detailed experience.

It’s not just Australian fans of Saint Augustine Academy that can reap the benefits—there is also a separate site dedicated to the Northern Hemisphere, with a different selection of product, and shipping available to the USA, Europe and Japan.

The label is excited to be able to service customers in Europe who, as of yet, have not had the outlet to purchase the collections. Citing that their service is responsive 24 hours a day 7 days a week, and an offering of purchases in various currencies, will also benefit customers outside of Australia.

Muniz says “I look forward to working with the Saint Augustine Academy team on the label’s first online store. After stocking the label on For-Tomorrow for the past 2 years, I know first-hand the far-reaching appeal the brand has, both locally and worldwide. Also, this intrinsic knowledge plays a big role in accurately portraying the garments online.

These new shopping sites will give the brand’s fast-growing female customer base a chance to purchase their designs as well, which we look forward to developing in the coming seasons”

This new online venture is another big step forward for Saint Augustine Academy; the label continues to enjoy success with their stand-alone Surry Hills boutique, and have recently confirmed a number of new international stockists via their New York-based sales agency Parlor Showroom.

See the collection here.

Photos & text Copyright Saint Augustine Academy.

The “Artisan Tailor 2.0”from Italy, Sewing Your 100% Made-in-Italy Tie

The Italian service concept My Personal Dresser, the first Italian “web 2.0 artisan tailor,” proposes online the manufacturing and customisation of ties made in Italy, also abroad.

My Personal Dresser is an innovative online service concept based in Italy and dealing with clothing for men and women: items are manufactured and customised according to a special approach taking care, not only of aesthetic aspects but also of real life needs.

Thanks to its main features—i.e. quality, comfort and time saving—My Personal Dresser uses the Internet as a channel to facilitate the combination of the frantic dynamism of modern society and luxury handmade clothing made in Italy.

As a service to one’s own personal style, the “customised” service of My Personal Dresser skilfully joins ad hoc handmade clothing needs with the equally important need for rapidity and comfort expressed by today’s lifestyle.

Fabrics, cuts, details, finishes, customisation, and a whole tailor’s workshop are transferred on demand to a PC, directly at the user’s address. Communication technology provides the opportunity, not only in Italy but also throughout Europe, to manufacture customised ties of The Heritage line by My Personal Dresser.

Fully handmade with saddle stitching, visible buttonhole, silk twill lining, dry feel wool + viscous acetate, each tie is a “unique” item.

My Personal Dresser. has a wide selection of top quality yarns, including the excellence of products made in Italy (silk, cashmere, wool). This hand-made product requires three-four weeks for production and delivery.

See a few more shots here.

Photos & text Copyright My Personal Dresser, Courtersy Claudio Leoni.

NiAlma.com for Connoisseurs of Bespoke Luxury

With leading designers taking their sartorial cues from the unashamedly masculine lead characters of shows like Mad Men, it was inevitable that bespoke tailoring would once again become a major focus for the menswear market.

NiAlma.com, the brainchild of Adelaide born entrepreneur Stuart Andary, offers tailored-made shirts to men and women of all shapes and sizes through an innovative, user-friendly online shirt design system.

Established 4-years ago, NiAlma.com was the first web-based bespoke shirting service and, today, remains a market leader in the industry.

The ‘one-of-a-kind’ eight-step design system enables customers to create an entirely unique shirt within minutes.

With shirts starting from $99.00, NiAlma.com is offering shirts at a fraction of the cost of what traditional shop-fronted tailors charge, and they are conveniently delivered to people’s home or office within eight days.

Photos & text Copyright NiAlma.com, Courtesy Mother & Father PR.

Kent Denim—Hot out of the Oven! 1 Slice or 2?

I love creativity and new concepts stores! It’s great to see young men and women step out of the box, unless—well—it’s in a pizza box!

US designer, Noah Landis, has just innovated the online shopping experience for his label—Kent Denim.

Now when you order your new pair of Kent jeans, tee, and/or any amazing belt with a vintage buckle, your purchase will be delivered in—yes!—a pizza box.

Shipped from Frankie’s Place, the Kent collection is multi-thematic and lots of fun.

As expected, Frankie’s motto is “Everything is better in a pizza box!”

My favorite is the Margherita. Hm! Maybe Noah design one in honor of me?!

Photos Copyright Kent Denim.

Denim Therapy—A Health Clinic for your Jeans!

Rips and holes in the crotch…
Hems worn thin…
Broken stitches…
Ripped belt loops…
Damaged zippers…
Bleach-stained spots...

These are just some of the ills and ailments that much loved pair of jeans can come down with!

But now there is good news! At a reasonable price, you can have your favorite jeans nursed back to health at Denim Therapy.

Denim Therapy was established in 2006, in New York, for intensive denim care.

Got a sick pair of jeans? Call your local denim doctor!

Photo Copyright Denim Therapy.

Aertex—Since 1888

Today I was introduced to menswear label that dates back to 1888, which, according to Aertex, goes down in history for several memorable reasons:

Painter Van Gough infamously cut off his ear.

The first ever motion picture was filmed.

An innovative fashion brand was born.

In the 1800’s, there was a mill owner in Lancashire by the name of Lewis Haslam began experimenting with the theory of aeration as he trapped air in the warp and weft of fabric—hence, the Aertex company was born!

In World War II, the British Land Army was clad in Aertex uniforms, while the British 7th Armored Division wore Aertex bush shirts and jackets.

By the 1960’s, Aertex had established itself as a solid sports and school wear brand. Now with an online store, Aertex serves customers in 70 countries.

Watch the video and, then, see the collection here.

Spring/Summer 2010 Lookbook
(Collaboration with Manchester band, the Heartbreaks)

Photo & slideshow Copyright Aertex.

Happy 1 Year to LAB

To celebrate the one year anniversary, Australian label Local Art Base (LAB) has launched an online boutique currently available for Australian clients.

For overseas requests, contact the Team @ LAB, email: info@labgallerie.com, who shall do their best to fulfilled your order.

The photo to the left is a collage of all the showings that LAB has presented to date.

Over the past year; I have thoroughly enjoyed covering designer Chris Cheng at LAB; therefore, I want to wish you a heartfelt happy birthday.

Photo Copyright Local Art Base.

The Annex: the New Frontier in Aussie Menswear

A monochromatic color palette, an eye-catching graffiti back wall, a minimalist appearance...

Recently Mother and Father PR introduced me to a new frontier in the best of Australian menswear—a store called the Annex, which carries many of the brands that I feature on this site.

Located in the heart of Bond Beach in Sydney, the Annex is owned by Stephanie Reeve and Glen Vilo who offer a variety of styles but strictly for the fashion-forward male.

If you can’t get your Aussie fashion fix by going to Australia, click onto the Annex online store and shop for your favoring Australian brands, ranging from sunglasses to footwear.

But be careful to convert the prices into your local currency!

Photos Copyright the Annex.

Digging Deeper into West Africa—Yoruba

Yesterday I described the men’s attire of West Africa: the main gown or robe known as the Grand Boubou or Agbada, which is accompanied by Sokoto pants, a Dashiki shirt, and the Aso Oke or Kufi hat.

These names are the common appellations from Yoruba—the largest ethnic group of West Africa, which numbers about 30 million individuals who live mostly in Nigeria but also in Benin, Ghana, and Togo.

The Yoruba are an ancient people that established the powerful Kingdom of Ife, which endured as an artistic center for many centuries.

The Yoruba language is actually tonal with 3 tones, and it possesses a wide assortment of sounds.

Interestingly, the Sokoto and Kufi garments derive their names from various cities in Nigeria. Moreover, Kufi means ‘crown’, whereas Aso Oke translates as ‘top cloth’ and comes in brown (the Sanyan), red (the Alaari), and blue (the Etu).

Of note, NBA basketball player Hakeem Olajuwon is of Yoruba origins, as is King Sunny Adé, who popularized Jùjú music of Nigeria, which is based on Yoruba percussion.

Now, Dupsie’s online store has made it possible to own your own West African attire! Have a look at the designs while you listen to some Yoruba rhythms.

Photo Courtesy & Copyright Dupsie’s.

The Rich World of African Menswear

After Asia, Africa is the globe’s largest continent with 1 billion inhabitants, 54 sovereign states, 2,000 languages, and hundreds of ethnic groups.

Considered the place of origin for the human race, Africa produced the earliest Homo sapiens circa 200,000 years ago—hence, the oldest inhabited territory on Earth.

Prior to colonization, Africa was home to nearly 10,000 different states, ranging from small family groups to major kingdoms.

By the late 19th century, however, most of Africa had been divided up by European colonial powers. For this reason, a number of African countries speak European languages.

Although post-colonial Africa has faced a multitude of challenges, there has been a resurgence of traditional African cultures, some of which strive for economic and scientific revitalization.

Despite the challenges, the richness of the African heritage is undeniable, as the magnificence of the multicultural treasures is replete throughout the entire continent, including in then menswear!

Take, for example, the Grand Boubou (from mbubb or gown) found in West Africa—also known as the Agbada by the Yoruba and Babariga by the Hausa.

The garment found its way to West Africa in the 8th century through Berber nomads of the Sahara called Tuareg, who refer to the garment as K'sa.

The Boubou is characterized by intricate embroideries and can include tie-up trousers called Sokoto, a shirt known as Dashiki, and an opulent gown.

Finally, no Boubou would be complete without the Aso Oke hat!

Recently, I found a very cool site where you can purchase your own Bubu attire—Dupsie’s!

Photos Courtesy & Copyright Dupsie’s.

Mr. Hare “Miss Your Air” at Oki Ni

I just received the following press release from Oki Ni:

For autumn/winter 2010, the “(I) Miss Your Air” collection has been inspired by airs and graces, Paris and men in heels.

“Paris has an air, and it is graceful. The cigarette smoke stain that a smoking ban can’t erase. The shitty clubs. The chic fights. The never appearing taxis. The snooty girls. The language. The Attitude.

Leading up to this collection, I was also obsessed by the idea of a man in heels. Prince, Bowie, Bootsy. The court of Louis XV. Wearing 2.5 inches of heel will change any man’s perspective, quite literally.

Mr. Hare’s “Parisian Man Heels” are named after Bazin, Truffaut, and Godard amongst others—French critics, directors and men of distinction whose work, not footwear, changed perspective through cinema and beyond.

Mr. Hare
Mr. Hare, the brand, was conceived at a roadside tapas bar in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, Andalucia, Spain on July 23rd 2008.

Mr Hare, the person, was conceived in the winter of 1969 in South London, by an English Woman and a Jamaican man. Mr. Hare, the baby, was born in July 1970.



Photo & slideshow Courtesy and Copyright Oki Ni.

My-Wardrobe.com: Online Shopping and Advice for Men

Since the initial launch in April 2006, My-Wardrobe.com has been a leading online fashion retailer in the UK, offering designer fashion to online shopperettes around the world! In January of this year, My-Wardrobe.com launched the menswear edition, which offers designer fashion to online shopperones!

Now, men, you can surf for the latest fashions by designer, article (i.e., shoes, clothing, accessories, and bags), or newest item. Your shopping cart will conveniently list your choices in three currencies, from which you may choose: pound, euro, or dollar.

For the fashion challenged, simply click on Style Feed for a blog-formatted briefing on everything you need to know about what to wear for the current season. You may even post comments and/or questions!

For ongoing advice, sign up for a weekly e-newsletter, in which menswear buyer, Lee Douros, will give you fashion tips and insider knowledge on how to dress stylishly throughout the season.

Trouble finding a gift for that special guy? Simply click on Gift Ideas and shop by product, price, or recipient, such as City Boy, Classic Gent, Family Man, or Likely Lad.

Happy shopping!

Photo Lee Douros Copyright My-Wardrobe.com.