New York Fashion Week in 5 minutes

Have a look at this great video done by Liam Goslett of gaws and liamsawthis fame. He and a group of other menswear bloggers including Noah Emrich and Lawrence Schlossman descended upon the shows and managed to capture and create some really great content covering what happened on the streets and in the shows.

This is the entirety of my week. New York Fashion Week in 5 minutes. 3600 digital frames. Everything I saw from the street. There’s no shows, just the streets. This is all of it. Whipping by at 1/125th of a second, which is my usual shutter speed. This is how fast I saw things, and this is how fast you get to see it. 

It's so great. Hopefully, during my time in Long Beach I can save up and hitch a flight with my trusty camera and shoot street style at the next NYFW. Fingers crossed.

NYFW FW12 from lgoslett on Vimeo.

Grab your cards - Ann Demeulemeester

I have a serious hard spot for Belgian designer, Ann Demeulemeester. As part of the Antwerp 6 she is known for her radical and forward thinking designs. I'm not planning to go into to much detail about her but I'll let the item I'm gonna show you do the talking.

As part of the ongoing Grab Your Cards feature I present to you a pair of shockingly reduced Ann Demeulemeester cap toe oxfords at myhabit.com, Amazon's luxury sale site. The site offers free membership so it shouldn't be difficult to take advantage of this deal. Full leather construction sits on top of stacked heels, made in Italy with a not-too-round toe. These are a perfect compliment to any man's wardrobe and especially at this price, should not be passed up.

Check them out here

Annotated justification for spending £985

Now, I've been waxing the likes of Visvim for a while now, always in awe of their construction, the quality and overall out-of-this-worldliness of the brand. I'd always be sat in front of a screen or standing in a shop, mouth agape, staring aimlessly at a Visvim piece. For me, it formed the upper echelon of menswear that I'd never be able to touch unless by some miracle I won the lottery, saved up until I was 30 or some twice removed super turned out grandfather knew of me and left them to me in his will.

It wasn't until recently that I began taking note of the prices of their pieces. Colour me blown aback; my dreams of ever owning any Visvim had been dashed by numbers. It's no secret that when it comes to Japanese brands you're paying serious scrilla, but do you ever know for what?  I'm always looking for justification of why I spend the amount of money I do citing things like 'it's quality' or 'I need it' (my friend Chloe's brother, Tim, stated you never 'need' something especially clothes). Instead of using shallow reasoning I thought I'd annotate it and present it in the form you see above.

I won't be spending £985 on boots anytime soon but for anyone who is trying to find some reasoning as to why they'd want to drop at least 2 months rent (shared housing) on footwear - here's why. 

As you can see the Visvim 7 Hole '73-Folk is a classically styled boot with rugged construction. For your almost grand you're obviously going to want something that isn't going to fall apart the first few times you wear it, so to counteract this they sourced in English (British if you're privy) cow hide suede and hand sewed it, strengthening the main body. To add to this the Goodyear welt process was used to further reinforce the boot. There's a lot of techie stuff going on in the bottom of the boot including a Vibram outsole and a TPU heel stabiliser that'll help maintain the health of your feet (see, these boots have health benefits), in addition to this there's bamboo shank for shock absorption and a natural cork footbed insert. This is used to allow a memory imprint of your foot to add to the comfort, think memory foam mattresses but for your feet. There is also an EVA midsole. EVA stands for ethylene-vinyl acetate and is used in wakeskating shoes because it 'will not crack under stress and it is not affected by UV radiation', a perfect compliment for our very expensive Japanese boots. [x]

Stylistically, these boots have great nuanced detail that from afar don't seem like much but up close you'll properly appreciate. Aside from the cow hide suede construction Japanese canvas plays into the look of the boot in the form of panels. Instead of standard length laces Visvim has opted for a double length to allow you to wrap them around the upper part of the Folk's for style and security. Finally, to put the cherry on top they've put in a super cool Riri zip on the inside of each boot that gives access to a further panel when zipped down.

So there you have it. A full feature to justify buying mouth-numbingly expensive boots. If you buy these and someone asks you why, show them this and it should shut them up.

Syle Icon: Tommy Ton

I've written about Tommy Ton a bit here and here's a great piece Park & Bond done about him and his personal style. For me he's really big influence and a source of inspiration in terms of style and what he's doing. I like the fact that he carries over his "unerring eye for color and the details" for his street style photography over to how he puts himself together. I mean check this dude out.

I look up to him for the fact that his style shots are unlike most others, there's more colour, more detail and textures. Like most street style photographers he prefers a his subjects not to pose and often you'll see them in movement, which I love because, though it sounds corny I feel as though he's capturing what has long been a notion of the industry that it's constantly moving. 'Always somewhere to be', 'no time to talk' if you will. I'd love if what I was doing now brought me into the same space as this man because it would be great to talk to him. Below you can read an excerpt from the interview which can be found in full here.

How would you describe your own style? The best word to describe my style is “schizophrenic.” It’s all really dependent on my mood, and I do like to jump between a preppy minimal look or something more layered and rugged. 

Whose style inspires you most?  (Bonus points for not saying Steve McQueen, Paul Newman or Connery-era 007.) I'm actually really obsessed with [YSL designer] Stefano Pilati. If there is anyone I wish I could photograph more, it would be Stefano. He has such a refined sense of elegance. He wears the oversized cocoon-shape coat better than anyone else, and it's never too much with him when it comes to color, print or embellishment. 

Blue Eyed Girl...Carol Wiseman

It's finally LFW. In a midst the jungle of heels I had the opportunity to talk with one talented individual, Carol Wiseman.

Carol, a designer, part of the House Of Blueeyes family and jewellery designer in her own right, is contemporary, dedicated and a visionary having crafted some of the most beautiful jewellery I have seen. She is on the up, having been recognised by the likes of stylist Jane Howe and having pieces worn by the iconic performer and musician Lady Gaga. 

House Of Blueeyes started in 2008 by artist and fashion stylist Johnny Blueeyes, who, having shown four times at London Fashion Week pioneered change by holding the first fashion show at a festival, 2009's Latitude Festival. Unconventional is the word to sum up the brand with a philosophy at its centre that put into an sum equates to - 'heaven on earth'.  The brand itself is on a break, whilst the individual designers take advantage of their creative capacity. I hope when they are back they continue to challenge the sometimes uniformity of fashion and bring back individuality, so you and I can reconstruct, deconstruct do what ever the heck we want with our identity. 

GIA: Where did you go to study?

Carol: I went to Glasgow Art School and did silversmithing and jewellery there, and then I took a year out and went to Central St Martins and did my MA in Fashion there. 

GIA: What kind of advice would you give to those going on to higher education to study within the fashion industry?

Carol: I would say you definitely need to work hard, and be really aware. I mean get a good knowledge of the fashion industry, whether it be of fashion designers, stylists, photographers, really research a lot of stuff. Anything that inspires you , it's good to carry a notebook around with you wherever you are so you can make notes on anything that you see. Stick it in, take pictures, do what you can. You have to be prepared to work like 15 hours a day, even more sometimes and you've got to be prepared to work in your own time not just your institutions hours. 

GIA: We know that you have been apart of the House Of Blueeyes family for a while, are you still working with them?

Carol: Yes I am. At the moment though the creative director Johnny Blueeyes is away touring/ Styling Lana Del Rey, which means he's taking a break which means it's being put on hold for the next couple of seasons. But we're all still doing our own projects and still working together, as for a collaborative effort I think probably next season we'll all get together and do a show and bring back the energy of The House Of Blueeyes.

GIA: How has your experience been working for Johnny Blueeyes and The House Of Blueeyes?

Carol: Oh it's been really fantastic. In fact I think I would say Johnny Blueeyes is a really inspirational stylist. Obviously he's involved in music and fashion, but it's just he's all about having fun and experimenting and making people feel good. Thats the most exciting parts. It's all about people that just enjoying dressing up and putting on pieces that may be really conceptual or way out there but they can do it and enjoy it. 

GIA: Was it your biggest moment, Lady GaGa wearing your designs. 

Carol: Yes it was! I wasn't expecting it to be honest. I knew that she had borrowed some jewellery and liked it, but had no clue if she was going to wear it. She had taken it for a photo shoot or a video , but they didn't use it, but she took it with her to the MTV VMA's because she really wanted to wear it. It was a really nice surprise coming into work the next day and a friend telling me she had seen Lady GaGa wearing my mask. I was very proud, yeah.

GIA: Has that moment boosted your career in any way?

Carol: I think, umm I don't know if it has boosted my career but it has definitely enhanced my portfolio and awareness of me as a designer. I've had a lot of online interest and a lot of bloggers interested.

GIA: And you have a website coming as well ?

Carol: Yes I do, Yeah. It's in the process, so hopefully that'll be, well yeah. I'm launching a collection in September for SS13. That'll be the launch of my own collection. 

'It was a really nice surprise coming into work the next day and a friend telling me she had seen LADY GAGA wearing my mask' - Carol Wiseman 

GIA: Spring and summer are on there way, what are your favourite SS12 trends whether it be clothing  or jewellery?

Carol: I'm really into the whole fact that jewellery and accessories are getting much bolder and bigger. Also it's interesting seeing jewellery elements applied to unusual parts of the body. It's not just a necklace, it's not just a bracelet. I like the fact that fashion and jewellery are having more of a cross over now. Thats one of the biggest trends i'm enjoying. 

GIA: Whats your favourite place to put jewellery? As I recall you had an eyebrow jewel which was pretty epic!

Carol: I do really like working on the face. I think that spans from me being really interested in scarification and people that decorate their skin in a different way. Obviously the face is a centre point, but I really enjoy the shoulders. I think though my next challenge is the legs, as I haven't really thought about that so much. I did however do one of my MA final collection pieces as a leg piece, but i would love to explore that more so! 

GIA: Who is the best stylist you have worked for ? Or project you have been put on commission for?

Carol: I once made a dress out of a chandelier which was a really fascinating project for the stylist Jane Howe. 

GIA: Yeah I've heard of her she is really amazing.

Carol: Yeah she really is, I really enjoyed working with her. The project was really intriguing for me as a designer, so that was great. I also really like working with the stylist Hector Castro who, I really enjoy his way of working and I find him quite inspirational. 

GIA: Would you say you work off of spontaneity or more reflectively? Or are you more so a person that just see's that, or takes something else and decides to incorporate it? 

Carol: I dont think I could say I work in a certain way. Because I think sometimes i'll see something and i'll be inspired and i'll make something and other times it's about setting myself a project and working through it. I wouldn't want to restrict myself to a category uniquely , I just think everything you think or create. I mean you are always creating in your head anyway and I think whatever works for you in that certain point of time or within that project, just go with it  with whatever feels right and whatever is good for you. 

x

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GFSmith on Oliver Spencer

Watch this video Unionmade dug up by British based paper and print materials company GFSmith who did a short piece on Oliver Spencer. The film provides interesting insight into Oliver and the brand’s design processes, their attention to detail, and overarching vision. It's coincidental that I find this video today as earlier this afternoon I visited the Soho store. There's something otherworldly about going into an independent store, you smell the leather, everything is arranged meticulously and methodically and when you feel the fabrics and look at the individual pieces you get a real sense of how much work went into it.


[The video was made private recently so if you're able to watch go do it]

Grab your cards - Opening Ceremony sale

Big fan of Opening Ceremony over here. Founded in Hong Kong in 2002 by Humberto Leon and Carol Lim, they represent wholeheartedly, at least for me, what a label should be like nowadays - collaborative, different and fun. I think bygone are the days that everyone needs to conform to push forward and get ahead because where will you get if you're offering products that are basically the same as someone else. OC embraces an alternative culture and as such are able to present something very quirky and unlike anything you've seen or likely to see. They host events, they interact with their fans which I think is very important when you remember that social media is a mainstay in our society and as such being on a level with the people who keep you up there is paramount in maintaining and continuing success.

They have celebrity fans that range from Chloe Sevigne to Alexa Chung and they collaborate with every brand imaginable including Gitman Bros., Rodarte, Pendleton and Reyn Spooner. I love the whole concept of the brand and hope that I'm able to visit the store in NYC in the near future.

Speaking of the store they currently have a titanic sale on and after a thorough look through I've picked my favourite pieces that could help cripple my wallet. Take a look.

Gerlan Jeans Appalachian Anorak, $ 370.00 148.00. The print on this coat is insane, it kind of drums up the image of the Burberry Prorsum storm jacket at Park & Bond

Monitaly Riders Coat, $ 805.00 242.00

Warriors of Radness mod cargo pant, $ 185.00 56.00. I love these, and that's saying something because I'm not a fan of the recent trend of elasticated cuffs but here I can make an exception.

Opening Ceremony wool cargo pant, $ 345.00 104.00. I love these because they put a new twist on the cargo ant by using a pattern rather than one colour.

Pendleton Meets Opening Ceremony cargo pant, $ 370.00 111.00.

Assembly New York longrise pants, $ 240.00 72.00. Made in the USA, classic khaki pants with button and zip fly with unfinished seams.

Great floral 90/10 wool and cashmere workshirt from Opening Ceremony, $ 195.00 59.00

All Gitman Brothers x Opening Ceremony
1.  Brodie hunter BD long sleeve shirt, $ 165.00 99.00
2. Tan cheetah basic shorts, $ 150.00 45.00
3.  Japan/America basic long sleeve shirt, $ 165.00 99.00

Mark McNairy New Amsterdam San Salvador Burro Boot in a. tan, b. navy, c. grey, d. chocolate
$ 125.00 88.00

I hope you like what I've chosen, I do (just bought the San Salvador boots in tan). Check my other GYC features and grab yourself a bargain.

Jacket Required rundown

From L-R: Mark Batista, Craig Ford, Andrew Parfitt [via]

Check out this rundown Selectism and Highsnobiety did for Jacket Required. Also have a look back at the post I did about the menswear tradeshow last year.


Jacket Revisited from Selectism on Vimeo

After the massive success of the show last year the organisers had to seek out brighter and larger pasteurs, so this year they took over Victoria House a regular venue used during London Fashion Week to host the show. In addition to this the number of brands that showed this year increased from around 38 to almost 100. Edifice, a Japanese brand stocked at Liberty, showed for the first time in Europe over the weekend alongside a host of other old and new names which included: Filson, Hentsch Man, Libertine-Libertine, One Nine Zero Six and Vanishing Elephant.

I am really excited to see how Jacket Required evolves because right now they're harnessing the energy from the buzzing menswear scene in the UK and really turning it into something special. I hope to provide you with my own take should I ever get to attend.

Great finds - A Heritage Archive

I've been watching ASOS Marketplace since it was launched in 2010. One of the first stores that caught my eye was Volklore, who I'm currently drafting a post for, and loved their unique aesthetic and the fact that everything was made by them. Now, after a recent trip back to Marketplace I've discovered this little gem, A Heritage Archive.

They're definitely up on the explosion of people buying vintage pieces for the fact that you can get great quality, one of a kind garms for a fraction of their original price. After taking a look around I've spotted a few key pieces that 1. I was very surprised to see and 2. you should definitely buy because you probably won't find them anywhere else.

A Heritage Archive's stock reflects a simple aesthetic, focused on quality, and includes items from Pendleton, Sierra Designs and Belstaff.

I'm really excited to see where this boutique goes because they're stocking some of the best stuff on the site. Check out the pictures below and see the store here.

Belstaff Derwent jacket

Sierra Designs Body Warmer

Albam art

I thought these watercolours that I got on a flyer from the Albam store this weekend were pretty cool and Mason & Taylor is a pretty chill place too.

YMC Spring/Summer 2012

Titans YMC are gearing up to release their Spring/Summer 2012 collection and have taken to the archives for inspiration. Re-creating the carefree and gaiety of days gone by they are looking to both simplify and liven up a man's wardrobe though colour and pattern.

The fabrics they've chosen are light and will keep you cool during the more balmy days this coming Spring/Summer, these include - silk, light cotton and canvas. The colour pallet is kept quite simple ranging from deep reds and blues to khakis and cool greys. The collection also re-imagines some staple pieces such as the Striped Boating Blazer and the Camo Short. 

I really like the references that underpin some of the looks such as the Lake District and Home Counties to the Cote D’Azur of the Jean Paul Belmondo movies of the late 1960’s, and the Italian Paninari of the early Eighties - the Milanese and Torinese scooter boys and girls who inspired everyone from football casuals to the Pet Shop Boys. All of this is done with YMC's meticulous eye for detail and adherence to a more timeless aesthetic rather than a faddish point of view.

I'm really excited to see when the collection hits stores in a few weeks. Check out the lookbook below.

[images courtesy of YMC, big thanks to Richie]

Junya Watanabe MAN Flower Print x Chambray

I have a fetish for florals plain and simple. The print is so versatile and can be applied in many different pieces - footwear, trousers, pocket squares etc etc. I love it so so much when designers combine the print with different materials and even other prints to create unique pieces. One such piece is this shirt from Japanese label Junya Watanabe which brings together 100% cotton chambray construction with navy floral print. It features a striped shoulder yolk and navy rear arms.

Another hit from mixed-material masters - Junya Watanabe.

Nick Wooster x Alfred Sargent

Park & Bond have just posted an image of an upcoming collaboration between style icon and consultant, Nick Wooster and British shoemakers, Alfred Sargent. Take a look below at the camo print beauties.

Daniel Radcliffe in Attitude

Daniel Radcliffe is definitely a stylish individual all his own, he's someone I admire for being able to pull off certain looks despite his height (he's shorter than I am).

In the most recent issue of Attitude magazine he's styled casually in a multitude of pieces including the A.P.C. sweatshirt I so want.

London Collections: Men aims to give British menswear a platform

Sourced from GQ

At a special event hosted by the British Fashion Council in Paris, GQ Editor Dylan Jones launched London Collections: Men, a menswear-specific fashion week for London in June. Here is his speech and stay tuned to GQ.com for more information as we get it...

"I have to say that this is probably the worst-kept secret in the fashion industry. From June onwards, menswear is going to have its own fashion week in London. This means that, from this season, London will host three days of men's fashion shows.

Menswear has never been so important in this country and the extraordinary appetite for menswear can be seen at all levels, from the High Street to Bond Street. The men's day during London Fashion Week has grown and grown to such an extent that it is now too squeezed to remain one day. This week will be called London Collections: Men.

From June 2012, London will kick start the menswear calendar with a menswear showcase embedded in a cross-cultural programme bringing together the very best of British style.Savile Row, Bond Street, Mount Street, street fashion, tailoring - and everything in between. The dates are June 15-17, with a special launch event on the evening of Thursday 14 June.

The question is: why now? As I say, men's day during London Fashion Week has outgrown itself. What started as an opportunity to showcase emerging talent ignited a strong desire for British designers and brands to have an event that reinforces the talent, the breadth of design and the heritage of this important British industry.

And the reason we're doing it this season is because this year, London is the gateway to the world thanks to the Queen's Jubilee, the Olympics and all the activity in London between. This year, all eyes are on London and we want all eyes to be on our industry too.

What will be taking place? Fashion shows, sales exhibitions, installations and a whole calendar of events that will enable guests to experience British menswear from many different perspectives and encourage sales of some of the most innovative designers in menswear today.

The central hub of London Collections will be the Hospital Club, the private member's club in Covent Garden with broadcast and live streaming facilities as well as space for films, presentations and showrooms.

Which designers will participate? Those designers who already participate in men's day atLondon Fashion Week, Fashion East designers, NewGen Men designers (if you want a taste of this emerging talent then make sure that you visit London showrooms in the Marais), but remember these designers are just the tip of the iceberg, to whet your appetite for the wealth of talent you can see in London. You will experience the best of Savile Row from Richard James to E Tautz, and iconic British brands including Dunhill, Aquascutum and Margaret Howell.

However we are also in discussion with other brands. We have only just started these conversations and will update you on men's day at London Fashion Week.

I am also creating a special committee. A few of the people on the committee are David Furnish, Elizabeth Saltzman, Tim Blanks, the Mayor's office, Marigay McKee, David Walker-Smith, Jeremy Langmead, Gordon Richardson and Jo Levin to name only a few. More names will be added in the coming weeks. If you see a tall, bald man sidle up to you looking shifty, it will be me, asking you to be on the committee.

We have a lot of work to do, but I'd like to thank you in advance for all your help. We can only make this initiative work if we have the support of the industry and the press. Media support for men's fashion week will be crucial, and I'm asking you to kindly support us. Well, not just us, but the menswear industry as a whole.

I'd also like thank all the designers for their support and all media and retailers for their support of British fashion. Thank you to Topman who have believed in a British menswear programme for some time and supported men's day at LFW.

I'd also like to say a big thank you to Mr Porter, who have come on board as a sponsor for this initiative. Mr Porter is a fantastically important initiative itself, and it's great that we are able to work together.

I am also hosting an international GQ conference on Monday 18 June, to ensure that all the editors, including China, Brazil, France, Italy and every other territory, are represented in London.

Finally, I'd like to beg your indulgence, and ask you all to support what we all hope will be a great new initiative for British fashion."

London Collections: Men runs from June 15-17.

Mark McNairy at Berlin Fashion Week

Mark McNairy revealed a further look at his Fall Winter collection. Take a look at some choice pieces below. I am obsessing over his prints and I'm particularly living for the pants.

I'm loving the brogue boots with the floral print. Images via

Gilt MANual teaches you how to wear a suit

Gilt MANual Minute: How to Suit Up in Style from Gilt MAN on Vimeo.

Some great tips from Tyler Thoreson and Josh Peskowitz

Gitman Bros. Vintage Spring/Summer 2012 Collection

Remember when I showed you guys that awesome shirt Tres Bein Shop got a look at during Pitti? Well he we have a fuller range of shirting from the heritage American brand. 

This is what End Clothing had to say 

Spring Summer 2012 sees Gitman utilise the archives for a variety of cottons from across their collections, notably premium Japanese cotton as used in the Boat Print Shirt , Polka Dot Shirt and the Stripe Shirt. All have striking patterns which suit the slim silhouette of the shirt and work well as both a layer piece and a stand-alone shirt. If these subtle patterns aren’t enough, Gitman have produced two camouflage based pieces for the more ‘outlandish’ shirt wearer. Utilising a heavy cotton twill, the Zebra Camo Shirt is robust enough to be worn as an overshirt, while the Camouflage Shirt adds a new dimension to the classic slimmer block retaining the familiar tailored look.

Take a look

Madras Check in a Red, White and Blue

Boat Print Shirt

Classic Oxford Shirt available in Blue, Red, White and Grey

Zebra Camo Shirt

Stripe Shirt

Camouflage Shirt

[images via endclothing]