The unabashed phys-ed enthusiasts at West Coast sportswear label UNDFTD (read: Undefeated) redefine locker room couture in their Spring/Summer 2010 lookbook. To catch these Varsity designs before they’ve left the ballpark, we’d suggest you break into a full sprint.
This season’s show piece, the Old English Crew Fleece, riffs on a schoolboy ideal with raglan shoulders and frontal pockets in the University of Michigan’s time worn maze-and-blue. Layered over an untucked long sleeve oxford, and topped with the label’s Five Strike Ball cap, the clothes mimic the arrogant insouciance of a Country Day snob .
New Calvin Klein underwear ad. “What to see my d*ck?” Yes, please! According to WWD:
The campaign features a quartet of models: American actor Kellan Lutz, who plays vampire Emmett Cullen in the “Twilight” series; American actor Mehcad Brooks of HBO’s “True Blood” and ABC’s “The Deep End;” Spanish tennis star Fernando Verdasco; and Japanese soccer star Hidetoshi Nakata, one of the most famous Asian footballers.
Now, compare and contrast CK’s new ads to the Vivienne Westwood ads we showed you two weeks ago and the classic Marky Mark for Calvin Klein ads from the 1990’s.
FATHER’S DAY | Don’t call Nigel Cabourn’s collections vintage — he prefers the term archival. The “Burma” collection for Spring/Summer 2010 is influenced by his “infamous” military archives, but also inspired by select pieces from his father’s military service in Burma from 1942 and 1945. Cabourn latest pays tribute to this father taking visual cues from the photographs his father, J.E.W. Cabourn, took with his box brownie camera and the clothing that he and his companions wore. [via Oki-ni]
What’s the all purpose black shoe? You know what we mean. The shoe you can both dress up and dress down. Black sneakers and shoes should be versatile, a mix of casual and dressy, so you can pair them with anything — jeans, a suit, track pants. Whatever.
Right off the bat, from the latest Oki-ni style suggestions we notice two things. For spring, say good bye to jeans or pants of any kind and embrace the “trowser” and the “long john” (as outerwear). Another staple: the blazer. But this isn’t your grandpa’s jacket. These blazers are shorter, flashier, and hella expensive.
1:Acne Goa Seersucker Trouser ($256.21) and Maison Martin Margiela Separated Blazer ($1706.50). 2:Folk Stripe Long Johns ($169.20) and Alexander McQueen (RIP) Diamond Jaquard Single Breasted Jacket ($1915.99). 3:Damir Doma ‘Kyoho’ Knittted Trousers ($804.10) and Kolor Wool Mix Jacket ($926.57).
Alexis Mabille’s recent foray into menswear has been praised by editors and bloggers alike for attention to detail and design. So, it certainly didn’t go unnoticed this year when the couturier sent a flock of young men down his Paris runway wearing little more than a pair of skivvies and suspenders. Not that we were complaining, certainly. It turns out that the underwear are among the easier items to find an online retailer for, since his menswear has yet to be picked up by any U.S. stockists. StudioHomme produced the tempting video above to advertise their collection of his wares. Couture underwear… just what you needed, right?
Perhaps it’s a bit early to be thinking of Spring, but this video lookbook for the new menswear line Ado Les Scents, by designer Hyun Yeu, certainly puts me in the mood. Regarding the mission statement of the brand, Hyun writes:
The label vision manifests itself in elegant, high-quality menswear with innovative shapes and fabrics. ‘ADO LES SCENTS’ aims for a young-minded crowd. These men are not afraid to stand out and show their vulnerable side.
Hyun has also collaborated with video artist Joost Vandebrug on a piece entitled “Rain” which is also part of the Ado Les Scents marketing, but with a decidedly darker mood.
While most retail stores are beginning to taunt customers with their anticipated spring collections, I can’t help but feel slightly jaded by the cruel joke that winter has only just begun – and all the pastel hues in the world cannot shake me out these doldrums. I’ve affectionately dubbed the months between January through March as “suicidal tendencies. Every effort gets focused on cute wool sweaters and dapper looking pea coats, making honorable attempts to stylize a red and wind burned face. Is it fair that only outerwear should receive all the attention? What about what’s underneath it all? Enter the tried and true yet highly underrated Long John.
MADE 4 WALKING | Allow us to impart a bit of wisdom. When you are introduced to someone or when you introduce yourself to others — no matter the situation, social rank, or city — people look at two things. First, they look at your face — memorizing your features, looking for eye contact. Second, they look at your shoes — everything in between blurs together to create a solid package — an assumption of who you are. Trust us. That’s why before we die, we’re determined to own a pair of Helm handmade boots — more specifically we’re smitten with the hestnut brown, hand-dressed calf skin of “The Ray Ray.” Helm boots are made by artisans in Istanbul. Don’t believe us? See the pictures below. Forget about mass produced big-name brands, Helm favors old world craftsmanship and vintage-inspired lines that outclass seasonal trends. That means every boot is an original, just like you. $460 | STAG
Check out these 7 looks from Commonwealth Utilities for F/W 2010 designed by Anthony Keegan. I know, I know. We’re only now emerging from F/W 2009, but why not dream about the future? Hopefully by Fall 2010 the recession will be over, and we’ll be able to finally slam down a few big bucks on a beautifully cut, two-button, peaked lapel, gray wool suit like this one. Model: Gavin Grymes. Photographer: Deborah Park. Styling: Anthony Keegan.
Shofolk (the sibling brand of London based Folk) displays the company’s uncanny ability to combine new shapes with natural leathers in their most recent collection of stylish footwear. According to their website, “Production is limited to keep the quality levels high with a nice by product that their owners are unlikely to bump into someone wearing the same pair.” [Emphasis ours] Don’t you hate when that happens? Made in a small factory in North Portugal, the shoes featured here (playfully dubbed, Harry ankle boots) are made from Italian suede with rubber soles. These shoes are a great addition to your Spring wardrobe. $ 216| Odin NY, Okini, and other boutiques.
French label A.P.C. released their accessories for S/S 2010 and we cannot get enough. These particular items aren’t yet on their website. We checked. But you’ll find very similar items on display. The Sailor Hat (below the fold), for example, was designed in a slightly different shade of Navy with a much less exciting cording detail. Or the duffel bag (above). Last season it came in a darker, more wintery denim. For Spring, it has been re-emagined in a slightly softer color and fabric. This leads us to a kind of conclusion about A.P.C. Europeans — the French in particular — have a distinct approach to retail attire. The mantra is similiar to this: “Buy fewer items from season to season, but make sure those items are of exquisite quality.” In turn, you’ll develop a more formidable sense of stlye (one less reliant on flimsy trends), and you won’t have to shop as often. In today’s economy, who can argue? [via Por Homme]
CROSS BREED | Pay close attention to retailers over the past few months and you’ll find a new item creeping up in the arsenal of essential men’s attire: the cardigan blazer hybrid. From Ralph Lauren, to John Varvatos to Oliver Spencer in 2010 the cardigan blazer hybrid is slightly, but stylishly rejiggering the men’s silhouettes. These Blazer/Cardigans eschew traditional suiting weaves (flannel, tweed, worsted) and move into the realm of jersey cottons, fleeces, or merinos. Here are a few examples. Also of note: Back in 2007, “Project Runway” designer Kit “Pistol” Scarbo made a double-vented navy fleece blazer for Tiki Barber. Can it be true? Has “Project Runway” actually inspired this trend of cardigan blazer hybrids?
All Wales Welcome | Our inner dandy was tickled to find on Revel in New York—a fantastic site highlighting the quirky characters in New York from a foot fetish model, to a pigeon lady, to a pot guru and more—an interview with Miles Rohan, President of The Corduroy Appreciation Club, who considers the cloth of the king to be ”more like armor than like fabric.” The social club not only provides events where appreciators can connect, its website is a great resource for wale watchers—we found horizontal corduroy reseller Cordarounds there—and features members’ tributes to their favorite fabric, such as this excerpted poem by Andrew Rosentock:
khaki, you rub me wrong
your bagginess appears silly.
denim, you hang too much
i am no 90’s rap star
but corduroy
corduroy
oh corduroy, i not a care of your extra material
The group’s grand meetings are held only on dates which closely resemble corduroy (11|11 and 1|11), so mark your calendar for Thursday, January 11th. Two pieces of corduroy are required, and don’t even think of wearing velvet, for which the club’s disdain is especially strong as noted in the FAQ section of the CAC website:
Velvet, or “The Fog,” or “poor mans Corduroy” is a great deceiver. From a distance it looks like Corduroy, but then disappoints when up close. We’re not fond. But it is looks good on Leprechauns.
Brodarte — Rodarte for Boys — hit retailer Opening Ceremony earlier this week. The unusual choice of name aside, it seems paradoxical to introduce a small menswear line at this price point when most consumers are tightening purse strings and locking down the wallet. At $2,760 a pop, these gossamer pieces don’t come cheap, but compared to the label’s womenswear pieces the boys are getting a steal. Or are they?
How are you going to ring in 2010? With so many party options it’s easy for a young gentleman to fall back on the tried and true tuxedo. While it remains a classic there is no need for all the formalities. Try taking key elements of the suit and dressing them down by incorporating them into your own personal style.
Earlier this year, our friends over at Fine & Dandy Shop unveiled their debut lookbook. And we approve. The lovely items featured here include this Black Snap Brim Hat ($39) in crushable water repellent wool felt; or this 100% silk Yellow And Blue Striped Bow Tie ($39) — though we hear it’s already out of stock; and this 100% silk Black Spiral Silk Scarf ($35). High style for less than $50? We may have just found our boyfriend’s Christmas gift, right here. Photographer: Patrick Roxas.
Galoshes | No need to go around with wet feet. And canvas shoes are strictly for summer wear. Trust. Most rain boots are boring, but try this pair of Converse All Star Rain Boots from UrbanOutfitters. $80. [via Uncrate]
Although Winter doesn’t official begin until a week from now, it sure feels cold outside. And for those of us who haven’t planned our winter attire in advance, here’s one suggested must-own winter item: the long john.
