Male-Mode

Button Up or No?

2009-07-20T22:03:00.006+01:00

Call me obsessive/barmy/downright crazed/just a tad...sad/what you will but I think this is an issue worth a post and a natter. I expect you'll agree that shirts constitute a staple section of any self-respecting man's wardrobe, and that said section is most probably comprised of the traditional oxford-collar long-sleeved shirt. But it's not the sleeves I'm deliberating over here, more the bloody collar.

Topman Lens (left to right): Dexter Wong, Carolyn Massey

Granted this all may seem a little vacuous and could well lead you to believe I've nothing more productive to do of a day but ponder an array of inane topics including the one at hand but do please hear me out, as I don't think I'm alone in this dilemma. Do you wear your collar buttoned-up entirely or just to the base of the neck (and I'm talking sans neck/bowtie here) ? The reason I ask is that it strikes me as being the 'done thing' amongst vaguely style-conscious men the world over. Ever since the indie-influence and the onset of world-domination instigated by Topman I've not a button left undone. Anyway, the question I really wanted to pose was not if you do it or not but rather do you think it suits you? As I've tried on numerous occasions only to find that, on enacting the compulsory (and fleeting...please don't think me tiresomly vain) pre-departure glance in the mirror, it all appears as though I volunteered to be the subject of the world's first head-shrinking experiment.

So, button-up to the max, as it were, or just, well, don't go there?

Image from Brandish

Something from the Circus for Your Arms Only.

2009-07-18T14:36:00.005+01:00

I'll not lie, this Summer's seen me receive more than the occasional accusation that I'm a good-for-nothing slacker. Yes, I'm without job and steady income but surely being (f)unemployed trumps the 9-5 grind, especially when it frees up time to lend a hand at your favourite concept boutique in the city. Circus, at which I spent a few days back in June shoddily trying a hand at trade, have just revamped their online store which now boasts sartorial splendour from April 77 to Poltock & Walsh. Oh, and the ever-enchanting, La Roux-like Sarah McCall playing clothes-horse to perfection to boot.

A new label that's just come on board the Circus van is the rather enigmatic (Google's not yielding much...) Made For You By Arms. A self-professed purveyor of clothes for hands-on people, the label is minimalist but not in that so stark and aloof manner. Rather, one envisages that post-putting-on there's a general feeling of wholesomeness and comfort. Casual staples form the framework of the AW09 collection: crew-neck sweats and tees, and button-ups with pin-pricks of colour, all in a palette that's totally laid-back while still being interesting enough to catch the eye.

Earlier today I answered a few questions from the Fashionoclast on menswear. Unlike the nature of womenswear, not much has changed in a matter of hours and my opinion remains the same - menswear is founded upon subtle flourishes which combine to define a man's style. Surely this is it in action.

Screencaps from MFYBA.com

Nab Hamilton at up to 60% off.

2009-07-18T08:38:00.004+01:00

Because I'm an avid fan. Because I've lauded his 80s-referencing, handsome neo-noir style on too many occasions to recall. Because he's winner of the CFDA Swarovski Award for Menswear for 2009. Because it's a thoroughly sick 60% off. New Yorkers, this is a case of do-or-die, for your sake don't miss out on the Tim Hamilton sample sale starting today (Sat 18th) and ending Monday 20th. Drop in between 11am and 6pm at 195 Chrystie St (second floor), and if feeling at all generous, one of those luxe trenches will do fine, thanks.

René Gurskov SS10: The Dane and Donatella.

2009-07-15T07:08:00.006+01:00

You know, it never ceases to amaze me the number of designers sans websites that bloggers unearth. Excepting my trawling through pages for something on Six Lee (I found the site, it was down and one made do with the Dazed coverage. Up now, though, and most definitely worth a look-see) I've never really found it all that difficult to enlighten myself regarding designers' professional backgrounds/inspirations for collections etc. thanks to a standard Googling and gander.

René Gurskov has bucked the trend. Despite several prominent online publications featuring his work, the AW08 collection in particular, there's no eponymous online destination to be found. The press release for his latest collection didn't exactly succeed in clarifying anything either. Not-so-perfect English and cryptic statements don't represent the worth of his work. Having scanned the release to find citations of inspiration: Donatella Versace, leopard print and the bling of a European prince, I reckoned it was to be a routine affair (quick scan, in the trash can) since it didn't sound, as one might say, to my personal taste.

Wrong. The SS10 lookbook proves exactly why this Dane is worthy of note (and his own site too...). Yes, his style icon is Boy George but no disco references are overt, the OTT glamour and decadence mentioned in the press release is manifest in a somewhat sober fusion of detail and tailoring.

Remember the aforementioned leopard print? Well, it's given an outing in a bulky cuffed sweat/tee, sculpted shorts (and also a panel on satiny-looking gym-shorts) and a neat bowtie, not, thankfully, in the form of a bodycon tank or thong as you might imagine. The real strength of the collection, though, is its mixing of tailored classics (pinstripe and gingham shirts) with sportswear staples (those football socks you may have seen club-hopping around some cities...).

Donatella would be proud.

Not Velvet, still a collective Goldmine: Martin Margiela's Waxed Pants.

2009-07-13T18:32:00.008+01:00

Few moments in film are as memorable as Ewan McGregor's visceral and drug-addled bounding around a stage in Velvet Goldmine. Clad in mercilessly tight leather pants Curt Wild (McGregor) delivers a performance of Wylde Ratttz's 'T.V. Eye' inspired by the v. feral Iggy Pop while rather enthusiastically fondling and baring himself, all in the name of garage-rock.

Now, I'm not saying I'll be going to such lengths to entertain but were I to do so, I can't possibly think of any other jeans that'd fit the bill better than these Margiela wax-coated pants. I mean, they ooze wreckless abandon and general uninhibitedness. Not quite so tight as Wild's in the film but despite fit/material differences we're in the same vein, here. The coral are also rather Brian Slade, don't you think?

Oh, and they "age and disintegrate" (oki-ni's words) over time to give a distinctly vintage air. Not unlike the somewhat weathered Iggy himself, then.

Note: If you're slightly perplexed as to where all these Velvet Goldmine references stemmed from, then know that Todd Haynes makes great films for rainy days. Next is Far From Heaven.

Images from oki-ni

Ist Brüno More Chic Than You Think?

2009-07-10T09:47:00.006+01:00

At the de la Prada show

I don't know about you but, while I was rather impressed by Sacha Baron Cohen's previous endeavour "Borat", it didn't quite measure up to the expectation I had constructed prior to seeing actually viewing it. Yes, it provided outrageous lampooning and subsequent hilarious results but ultimately exposing America's latent (or perhaps more often open...) bigotry has a very temporary effect, I found. Rather idiotically, I've succumbed to mass-media hype once again and am itching to finally witness the camp fierceness of Brüno. I mean, who else can work a velcro suit engulfed by disparate garments like he? Ágatha Ruíz de la Prada never looked so good.

But the point of this post was not to commend Baron Cohen's comic efforts but rather to kind of (and the link may be v. tenuous) draw a similarity between the unabashed fabulousness of Brüno's wardrobe and current men's fashion. Agreed it does sound entirely laughable when first heard but is it really all that unlikely? Often we're presented with some seriously 'out-there' costumery on the runway but just as often we seem to recognise zany designer looks as perfectly acceptable purely because they're presented in the hallowed halls of a show venue, and on the flawless limbs of a lightly-muscled model.

Indeed, the man behind the glittering Eurotrash/high-fashion juxtaposition that is Brüno's wardrobe has stated that he researched current collections (from the unsurprising inspiration: DSquared, Gucci, to designers of equal weight and renown that might not be immediately associated with the pseudo-Austrian fashion reporter: Romain Kremer, Martin Margiela and Raf Simons) as well as scoured eBay.

Take the below looks for example. Marni is surely apparent in the schoolboy ensemble. Granted the whole thing's a very literal interpretation I still think it's hard to deny the likeness here.

Marni SS07 (left) and SS08 (right)

As for his choice of underwear. As The Moment observed, it'll be tough to look at Galliano's work with the same degree of serious consideration after witnessing what might be Brüno's rendition of his SS10 speedos...

John Galliano SS10

So, before you go thinking "Mein looks are all that!", consider how it's acceptable, and indeed expected, that we deride Brüno's style when ze men's fashion is often not much different.

Watch out Thom Browne. Brüno does cropped too, if somewhat moreso.

Images from Men's Style, Telegraph.co.uk, TVguide and Hitfix

A Statement on Skinnies.

2009-07-08T09:48:00.005+01:00

Having received the almightiest of burns from a seemingly non-existent sun yesterday, the very thought of attempting to squeeze into garments leads me to shudder uncontrollably. Fortunately, my legs were spared from the reddening but still I cringe slightly when reading this topical article in WSJ by Ray A. Smith, in which he recounts an everyman's experience of the now ubiquitous skinny-jeans. After all, sunburn or no, this wardrobe-staple is often the good friend that just doesn't quite understand you (read: fit you).

Once the cornerstone of any rock-and-roll/punk wardrobe worth its salt, the peg-legs have become one of the signifiers of a modern male's style. But is the streamlined silhouette really worth it? Just like Doug Black, quoted in the aforementioned article, skinny-jeans can prove somewhat antagonistic, constantly preventing basic movements and an absolute bitch to throw-off and back on again while trying on other clothing. And despite any little innovations from season to season - slight adjustment of thigh-to-waist ratio, introduction of spandex for a sleeker, snugger fit etc. I invariably find that my thighs threaten to split seams while the last notch on the belt is called for in order for some kind of a decent fit to be achieved at the waist. I mean, I run sporadically for general wellness (full disclosure: v. sporadically) but I'm no casual athlete so I'm wondering what any of the fashionable fitness folk do to remedy this? Also, remember the resounding declarations from a few seasons ago that skinny-jeans were entirely dead? Notice they're really really not? Yeah, me too.

And isn't it bloody time we had a pair of even mildly interesting skinnies? An assortment of sweetshop reds, greens and yellows will not suffice, thank you Topman. Aren't there more imaginative details we could be sporting when dipping into skinny-jeans? Do please correct me if you know someone crafting something vaguely different...

Since I've not really got the genes for these jeans (ho ho!), I reckon I'll be sticking to straight-leg for the time being. You? I conclude with the sage advice of my mother, who once worriedly informed me, "You could become infertile, you know?".

Image from The Sart

Men's Fashion on Film - A 'Brave New World'.

2009-07-06T19:30:00.007+01:00

What with an increasing number of industry heavyweights choosing film as the medium to convey their menswear creations and innovations (see YSL and Alexander McQueen for SS10) it seems only natural that fashion editorial has moved in the same direction, with online menswear mag Buckstyle forging the path. The two fields have a deep and almost intrinsic affinity for each other, anyway. Both mediums are inherently visual and the environments surrounding the production and distribution of the product often overlap with actors of renown developing strong relationships with fashion houses of equal renown and the abundance of fashion-related plots featuring in contemporary cinema (speaking of...when's The September Issue arriving in UK/Ireland?).

Buckstyle's first foray into film has led to Brave New World, a high-octane short featuring AW09 styles from ready-to-wear majors Prada, YSL, Alexander McQueen and Raf Simons to the high-street's best: Topman, American Apparel, H&M and River Island. Not to get too film-scribe about the whole thing, but it must be said that the film's mise-en-scène beautifully illustrates the themes those involved wished to highlight: survival, security and protection, with male protagonist and model Alex Jermy appearing first in just a pair of jeans and then gradually equipping himself with extra layers of sartorial safety - an ashen poloneck and hoods galore.

Rotten Tomatoes this blog is not, but if it were I'm sure the aggregate would deem this first filmic editorial a good thing indeed.

Directed by James Yeomans, Styling and Creative Direction by Celia-Jane Ukwenya, Models Alex Jermy and Holly Dormon.

Mulling over the Mlutch.

2009-07-05T10:56:00.008+01:00

Prada SS10

Fortunately (and at long last), in this post-metrosexual era, it's entirely acceptable for men to lug around bags of equal extents of chic to their counterparts intended for the fairer sex. A recent development, though, perhaps due to the pioneering and flamboyant experimentation of the Boys with Birkins - Yu Masui, Jean Paul Paula and the infamous Bryan Boy, has been the - what I refer to as - the murse, perhaps more correctly deemed the 'mlutch' or the clutch for men.

Admittedly, this whole concept is a littled dated what with the term most likely having been coined a couple of seasons ago following numerous designers' embracing the idea of an elegant evening pochette for men. Still, it's taken me this time to mull over the mlutch and stumble off the fence. I've come to the conclusion that despite its inherent connotations of femininity the clutch is most definitely workable in the everyman's wardrobe provided it's of a certain masculine leaning.

Do please note that I'm not in the habit of preaching what's wearable and what's not (especially considering I'm no bona fide authority on menswear), and that, for the most part, I strongly disapprove of fashion dictates but in this case I feel it necessary to just put it out there that mlutches are not going to work for everyone. Were I to try, I'd keep it black, streamlined (not in a sleek, feline and feminine way but a more masculine, straightforwardness of design way) and unadorned for maximum (yet subtle) impact.

Marni SS09

Salvatore Ferragamo SS10

Dolce & Gabbana SS10

Also, size does matter in this case. Not in the sense that the bigger your accessory-endowment the better, rather the neater and more compact the greater degree of edited, refined sophistication you'll achieve, and that's sort of what we're going for here, right?

Images from Men's Style

Born of the Street: Paris and Milan.

2009-07-02T20:26:00.009+01:00

Now don't get me wrong, I appreciate the biannual showcasing of menswear designers' work in Milan and Paris but aren't some of the best looks born on the street rather than the runway? Since I've previously highlighted some of The Sart's streetstyle snaps during previous fashion weeks I thought it unacceptable not to natter a bit on the cream of the SS10 crop of showgoers.

Yes he's slim of limb and handsome which helps immeasurably but pulling an all-over tone is no mean feat. I love the softness of this maroon and the subtly individual styling - the tucked-in tee.

Surely one of the season's most eye-catching endeavours. The lace is the perfect fit, not too fitted, and so signifies a distinctly masculine sensuality. Also, the juxtaposition of the harsh and steely with the bright gem that is his neckpiece is rather fetching.

Precisely how shorts should be worn. Cargo-sporters take note. Further, blue-and-black - despite its connotations of the consequences of violence - surely one of the most appealing colour combos?

Perhaps a result of Ms. Bubble's raving about the garment-cage? This alluring lattice-jacket is definitely the best menswear rendition.

More skin-baring, this time more Balmain-esque. I love that, despite the get-up's body-con fit the wearer doesn't render it as camp as might be expected.

Note: I - surprisingly enough - don't condone cigarettes as accessories. Just in case a tirade was coming my way.

Images from The Sartorialist and Jak and Jil

Olivier Borde SS09: Quiet Reinvention.

2009-06-30T17:31:00.008+01:00

With the slew of SS10 shows and presentations past us and numerous new aesthetic-leanings to digest (was it me or did there seem to be a mound more shows this seasons due to increased coverage? Thanks, incidentally, to WWD, Men's Style and Dazed) I thought some tangential blogging (read: not a SS10 show review) was in order.

So, I guess this is an address of reader sentiment of sorts (and also a collection review actually...what? I don't think I know anything else after all that amateur critiquing over the past while...). When I posted this interview with recent Antwerp-grad Six Lee Anonymous commented that his work was uncannily similar to that of a designer (heretofore unknown to me) - Olivier Borde. Yet another Anonymous retaliated by declaring that Lee's designs bore no significant similarity to Olivier Borde and I'd probably be inclined to agree. Damn though, he is a fine designer and if it weren't for this Comment-section disagreement I'd still most likely be in the dark. Thanks, then, to Anonymous!

Just like GFW the International Festival d'Hyeres is an event which invariably intrigues and excites me endlessly but also one which I frequently forget to investigate in-depth. It was at this, fashion's biannual fair of tremendous talent, that Olivier Borde showed his first collection, for AW08 (and lest ye forget, that year the panel included Riccardo Tisci and Haider Ackermann so this his being selected was no mean feat...)

Borde was lauded for his reinvention of menswear classicism and the SS09 collection is more than sufficient proof of his success. Casual staples like the denim jacket are adjusted, endowed with a certain sensuality achieved with the curving of a collar or pocket, standard sportswear pieces like the polo are noticeably altered with a geometric, pannelled print, and derby shoes are boldly bright yellow - I don't think I need say more.

Images from Olivier Borde

Givenchy SS10: Verging on Thriller.

2009-06-27T12:30:00.021+01:00

Since the news of MJ's death has spread everywhere, undoubtedly including Outer Mongolia at this stage (is there any real basis to this old phrase...?), I'll spare another reiteration of the details. That said, it's impossible to give somewhat of a review on Givenchy's SS10 without referring, at least in passing to the glittering, stud-sporting pop-icon.

Considering Jackson's fondness for Givenchy womenswear it was only natural that Riccardo Tisci be appointed the equivalent of head of costumery for MJ's comeback performances at the O2 in London. The first consultation was to take place today. Alas.

But Wacko Jacko's signature slick-showman aesthetic was still evident in Tisci's latest menswear endeavour. From the trademark black-and-white colour combination to the gilded-looking details it all seemed to salute the sartorial splendour of the departed entertainer.

Then there was the sporty/latino/Moroccan (what a hybrid...) dynamic to the entire affair (another typically Tisci flourish) not so much MJ but desirable none the less.

Images from Men's Style

Henrik Vibskov SS10: Tasselled Topsy-turviness.

2009-06-26T16:19:00.007+01:00

Employment, albeit for store credit not hard cash. Who'd have thought it? Yes, I've managed to wangle a few days work in Dublin's Circus Store, the delightful emporium featured here a while back, and seeing as it's sale season the v. generous Aisling, Damien and Fiona are offering 40% off deliciously zany Henrik Vibskov stock. Nice one re: the store credit, then.

So having spent hours gazing at Africa pants I was reminded of Vibskov's SS10 show which took place last night in Paris. It seems this financial meltdown has been on Vibskov's mind too, the collection was decidedly safe with no outstanding deviation from previous seasons. Considering the economic climate, though, it's surely a sound decision not to engage in a search for the next short-lived trend but rather to innovate within one's own aesthetic boundaries.

Vibskov did it brilliantly. More of the loopy prints and loose shapes but the collection, for me, was a much more wearable rendition of his previous work. Shorts galore, samurai-inspired outerwear and a healthy dose of polka-dots. Headwear was as outré as ever, just watch you don't poke eyes out.

PS. Those tasselled all-in-ones. Phwoar.

Images from A Shaded View

Marni SS10: A Mixed Reaction.

2009-06-24T09:25:00.007+01:00

Considering I'm a film student it probably would be most appropriate for the next 'shotgun' show review (I would write pithier analyses if time allowed...hélas) to examine Alexander McQueen's SS10 collection. But I've seen the film, it's nothing to write home about (simulated self-harming anyone? Honestly, the creative process couldn't be that difficult...) and the collection's only mildly more noteworthy so on to Marni, which seemed to consolidate its position as one of the Milanese menswear-heavyweights this season.

It was less geometric shape and spare palette, more audacious prints and warm hues. The signature schoolboy-prep was still apparent but this season's was a much more unruly sort in contrast to the ever-so-slightly dull swot of SS09.

Still, mine is a mixed reaction to a somewhat schizo collection. If Consuela was so keen on reintroducing the fun of fashion into Marni (her attempt was more than succesful...that all-over print shorts-suit) then why ever didn't she go the whole hog instead of including boring, brown basics with no shape? Must be the heat.

Images from Men's Style

Prada SS10: More than black and white.

2009-06-23T20:07:00.004+01:00

You know that feeling you get when you're reminded of your love for a particular someone/something (love that's not constant and immune to lapsing but is generally lasting) ? I reckon that's the feeling Miuccia inspired in me this season.

Prada has - in the past - brought about reactions both abhorrent and admiring from me, sometimes it's not sufficiently wearable, other times her conceptual impetus is pure BS and leads to frustration when one makes any attempt at comprehending and then, on a rare occasion, I find myself absolutely enamoured of her innovation. Since SS10 drew inspiration from black-and-white film (quotes from films of the ilk dressed the show's set) I was sold from the start. (Note, too, that Tim Blanks' divulging that the backstage drink was my alcoholic BFF - the Black Russian - was surely instrumental in my having such a positive response.)

Enough of filmic inspiration. It is, after all, the actual clothing that leaves the spectator with the (hopefully) indelible impression, not the highfaluting talking-up. And what an impression this selection of altered and undone suits made. Since a significant number of men spend quite a considerable amount of time in them, Miuccia addressed the issue in the only way she knows, her trademark deconstruction and idiosyncratic embellishment. So, no standard office-fare here then. Suits were perforated or sleeveless and traditional shirting made no appearance. In its place was an abundance of deep v-necked vests and cardigans, all in not-so-dull shades of grey.

And while skirts weren't centre-stage this season, ragged-hemmed short-shorts and all that mesh certainly went some way in furthering the proposition of Miuccia's new definition of masculinity - "sexier, more beautiful, more sensitive [...] vulnerable".

Images and quote from Men's Style

Neil Barrett SS10: Beige and Blackest-of-Black.

2009-06-22T07:41:00.003+01:00

I don't think we've ever seen such a season so heavily reliant on beige and related shades of beige. How and ever, it is Milan and outré innovation wasn't at the top of my checklist. Rather, I've enjoyed what's to be seen so far for its inherent wearability. Unsurprisingly, then, the highlight of the past couple of days was, for me, Neil Barrett.

For a designer so enamoured of the slick rock aesthetic - think his almost liquid-looking black leathers and fondness for the skinny leg - SS10 marked a departure from the usual. The collection conformed in the sense that Barrett always seems to draw inspiration from an imagined hybrid of styles like 'Amish Punk' and last season's 'Abstract Eccentric' and SS10 was undoubtedly the product of the fusion of two disparate elements, termed 'Artisan Bonding'.

Structural trenches with double-lapels in various shades from desert beige to sandstone or in three shades, geometrically juxtaposed. As Tim Blanks has noted in his reviews the 'exotic' is certainly close to many a designer's heart this season and Barrett's no exception having created garments in a vaguely Indian wallpaper print.

But the Barrett fixation with black re-emerged and rightly so. I mean, does anyone do it better?

Images from Men's Style

Hogeschool Antwerpen-Grad Six Lee on Supermenswear.

2009-06-21T08:15:00.004+01:00

Following the superb Artesis Hogeschool Antwerpen showing I mentioned I hadn't quite finished my full appreciation of innovative designer Six Lee and I do my darndest to keep promises. Thus, please find below a discussion on film, Hedi Slimane and other bringers of happiness for your perusal. Nothing on goats, though, unfortunately.

1. How did you get into designing menswear/What is your design experience?

I remember when I was in the first year in school, we had to design a skirt, dress and jacket, and some other project which allowed us to choose to design menswear or womenswear, I got really stuck with womenswear. So I just continued to design menswear until now. The thing is I really can't handle womenswear well.

2. How do you define your design aesthetic?

Um... I would say cute, playful, innocent but sophisticated at the same time. My aim is really to go for elegant haha! I don't know why every time when I make something, the first reaction from people is "Oh it looks cute, it's sweet!" and I was thinking "Oops, this time I'm going for elegant?!".

3. What inspired your latest collection which fused musical instruments with garments?

My collection is inspired by two movies. The first is called A Man Who Was Superman. The movie tells the story of a man who accidentally received a bullet in the head when he was young, but didn't die because of it. This made him think he was a superman with super powers, who of course wouldn’t get killed by a bullet. Living in a world of his own, he still saw it as his mission to save or help other people even if, because of the bullet, he lost his super powers. So to me he's someone with a good heart. In the end however, he dies in an accident while saving other people.

The second movie is called The Legend of 1900. The protagonist in this movie is a man who was born in a boat and never left it in his entire life. He found that the most interesting thing in the boat is the piano. He learnt that by himself, in that time, the boat was for the people who want to go to America to start their new life. He played the piano not only in the high society room, but also for lower class people. He carried a good heart and used music to bring the people a new hope for new life and a new beginning.

My collection started from this point - I created a group of boys who have their own world and their own imagination. They were crazy, lonely but carried good hearts and helped the other people, brought peace and joy to the stranger. They enjoyed being alone, but at the same time they're not isolated. The way to bring joy and peace to the other people is through making music.
I believe sounds, musical instruments, supermen, interaction and transformation are the main elements of my collection and I used all these elements to inspire my collection. I put classical musical instuments with the classical jacket. According to 'superman theory' I created the nerdy feeling for the boys when they wear the jacket - they can make some sounds with the jacket. The jackets are simple classic, made of wool and classical men's suiting fabrics.

4. Do you have a favourite menswear designer? If yes, who?

Personally, I'm still attached to Hedi Slimane.

5. What's next for Six Lee? Any projects in the near future?

I am trying to find a job, for sure, but still don't know exactly where I'm heading. And at the same time, I just want to take some time to relax a bit and enjoy life.

Surface2Air Accessories: Armed to the Teeth.

2009-06-19T12:26:00.004+01:00

It seems there's no escaping my newfound fondness for jewellry, not that I'm complaining and certainly don't have reason to considering the recently-launched first phase of Surface2Air Accessories. Yes, you heard right, the multidisciplinary collective born back in NY's Union Square in 1996 has now added accessories to its ever-expanding list of fields which includes design, graphics, fashion, photography and film.

The AW09 collection is the steely brainchild of Daniel Jackson, co-founder of Surface2Air and creative director of Bblessing. Composed of pendants and rings, the collection explores the tension between safety and danger in the contemporary environment which is literally rendered through the numerous items of weaponry (danger perhaps?) hung upon the slim chains (safety, I reckon). I 'fessed up regarding a secret longing for an earring yesterday but I did fail to mention a certain fascination with the dog-tag, and many of these pieces seem more edgy (er...quite literally), updated versions of the original - it appears another lifelong accoessry-related ambition could be fulfilled, albeit in a much less tacky fashion.

Coveting 'Dinner Setting', 'Fox Trap' and gun-metal ring, myself.

Fox Trap

Dinner Setting

Gun-metal Ring

Check the suitably striking site for browsing/purchasing and stockists, oh, and a rather dashing picture of the Hoff.

Gilded/Lacquered/Textured.

2009-06-18T20:15:00.005+01:00

It really does pain me to an intolerable extent to admit it but in the interest of full-disclosure I must reveal I once yearned to have an earring à la every skanger circa 2000. Since this unforgivably deviant desire I've not given jewellry a thought at all really regarding my own style. I've always felt it was both overly expensive, and never quite suited to my countenance, preferring to accessorise with neck- and bowties or boldly-coloured footwear.

Not so now, though. The sista (a LSAD grad herself) has recently taken to crafting a selection of random accoutrements consisting chiefly of headpieces and brooches and yours truly became the recipient of this dandy piece below.

I'll admit its floral shape is of a certain feminine-leaning but the brash gold and the lacquered-black conical stud provide some balance and a slightly edgier feel. Also, it must be said I'm a bit of a geometric-pattern-whore and anything remotely zig-zag will invariably enrapture me.

All Hail Hamilton.

2009-06-17T22:28:00.007+01:00

Having been nominated a grand total of three times for the Swarovski Award for Menswear it was only just (considering his extensive and best-yet work this year) that Tim Hamilton finally secured his clutch on the award at the CFDAs last night.

Thus, a designer profile of sorts seems fitting. Or rather, a fan-boy appreciation of his aesthetic that's drawn together the disparate, oscillated considerably (but always with ace results) and undoubtedly revoutionised menswear over the course of a few fleeting seasons in fashion.

Hamilton was born in Iowa (perhap fellow Iowa-native Halston set the trend for success) to a Lebanese-mother and an American-English father, and with such a background of diversity it's easily understandable that his design sensibility is just as varied. Interestingly his father worked in construction which is what, perhaps, chiefly informed his AW07 collection, a fusion of rugged workwear with preppy detailing: robust lace-up boots and shoes in rich, dark brown or black, industrial grey knits and an assortment of rumpled pants in muted shades, all offset (or is it complimented?) by Oxford button-ups and a covetable array of neck- and bow-ties.

Aw 07

As part of his career Hamilton held stints at both J. Crew and Ralph Lauren, the bourgeois prep of the latter emerging in his SS08 collection - a veritable playground for a crayon-colours-obsessed white-collar kid. The collection embodied Hamilton's shifting from workwear seriousness to the edgy joie de vivre he's become synonymous with: bright and positively bursting royal-blue and cartoon-ketchup red incorporated into looks quite straight-laced, yet still with potential for playfulness.

SS 08

And he's not been slacking in recent years. 2009 saw Hamilton make his most extensive progression so far with the production of two stellar collections of menswear and his womenswear debut for AW09. With his SS09 embodiment of quirky minimalism Hamilton single-handedly rekindled my love for metallics and shirt bib-detailing (not to mention the quiff), oh and the cropped longjohns of AW09 - you so would.

SS09

AW 09

Here's to many more years of Tim.

Images from Men's Style

Givenchy's LBS.

2009-06-14T23:14:00.000+01:00

I may have had an epiphany. Since the Irish warm spells suitable for shorts-wearing are never quite that, well, warm, I reckon adopting Riccardo Tisci's interpretation for shorts (LBS - leather black shorts) for SS09 (his first foray into menswear with Givenchy) - leather (worn over leggings? - optional) shorts - is one's safest bet. Cool enough, what with their loose fit, to fend off overheating and warm enough in their leatheriness to prevent the onset of pneumonia!

However, any opportunity to emulate the style (which is certainly my only option) seems potentially catastrophic. Try a pair just a hair-width tighter/shorter and one ventures towards the land of Lederhosen, which aren't so much repugnant for their S&M connotations, more for their inherent tacky kitsch. You have been warned.

Images from Men's Style

Gok Wan and Specsavers: How to Look Specs on Legs.

2009-06-14T10:15:00.005+01:00

And so it transpires that Specsavers may offer you the opportunity to finally the uncover of the secret of how to look good naked. Yes, as part of the Spectacle Wearer of the Year Competition UK style-guru and flamboyant proponent of spectacle-wearing Gok Wan will assess the specs appeal of a number of finalists who could win a contract with Assets and a sojourn in Thailand and may possible answer some of your enquiries...

Should you have any burning questions you've always yearned to put to Gok himself, then either leave them in a comment on this post or email to cillian[at]male-mode.com by June 30th!

Addendum: To those of you interested in entering the competition itself, ensure you check out Gok's rather swell tips here.

Image from Virgin Media

Julia Kim: Xylem So Fine.

2009-06-13T08:50:00.007+01:00

Graduate Fashion Week is something I invariably aim to cover on the blog but never actually get 'round to giving deserved attention to since something else of more (supposedly...) importance (exams...) seems to crop up. Thus, you'll find comments and coverage on/of the formidable talents of Ravensbourne, RCA, Nottingham Trent and countless other universities (not to forget Ireland's own NCAD and LSAD) is more than sparse here, and if you're at all interested, get thee to Steve for writings on matters assorted including fringing and skeleton pique bibs.

Fortunately, however, some time can be snatched to admire the creations of the grads of - arguably - the world's most prestigious school, Artesis Hogeschool Antwerpen whose innovation will be showcased at this year's show which concludes today. Most promising for me were Düsseldorferin Julia Kim and Hong Kong-native Six Lee.

Kim's collection entitled Ligneous is a study in structure and texture - nothing's made wood ever look as good. From a belted-trench with 'wooden' jagged lapels to a thin belt akin to a slender branch coiled around another of those outerwear garments, but this time in a soft plaster grey. I could go on but no number of words could do her technical mastery justice, just do yourself a favour and check here for more. Check back for more on Lee a little later.

Dazed have interviewed three of the grads.

Images from Julia Kim

Kashoura's 'Sunday Best'.

2009-06-12T18:49:00.008+01:00

I'm a sucker for collections inspired by literature and British-Jordanian LCF-grad Omar Kashoura's AW09 offering is no exception. What's more, you can be sure I'll be particularly interested when a collection makes reference to a novel that's been adapted for film as is the case with Kashoura's array of high-society separates enriched with perfectly modern detailing, entitled 'Sunday Best'. Adopting the exquisite style of Edwardian England as sported by the characters of E.M. Forster's 'Howard's End', Kashoura's aesthetic is referential, yet still undeniably his own and in now way derivative.

Although it pains me to admit it, I do quite fancy the idea of imbuing oneself with a certain touch of regalness through dress and Kashoura's collection is a suitable method since many of the traditionally tailored pieces feature Kashoura's own hand-stitched coat-of-arms. Elegant, rather.

But it's not just the splendid Britishness of the tailored suits (Kashoura's ability to craft which was honed at Preen and Unconditional) and abundance of royal purple that renders the whole affair so enticing but also Kashoura's meticulous attention to detail, and futuristic detail at that. From plastic-panelling on dusty pink jackets to a similarly glistening raincoat in a deep-midnight-blue/black the material isn't limited to the conventional cotton and herringbone.

Admittedly it's a tad early but there's no doubt all will hail Omar for AW09. View the entire collection here.

Addendum: The grandiose bags of pale lavender leather and custard canvas with lamb's fur trim are by supremely talented RCA graduate Jarah Stoop - good enough to eat.

Velour SS09: Pow(d)er shades.

2009-06-08T10:11:00.005+01:00

Am all kinds of finished with exams and yet the weather detests me to such an extent that it would hide away the sunshine after what had been an inordinately bright and beautiful few days. And sweat-inducingly hot too, note to self - refrain from donning the featherlight Ungaro shirt during such desert temps. It may be powder blue and akin to a second skin but absorption is not its prime feature.

Still, that stint spent swathed in powder blue set me hankering after a collection making quality use of the colour, Velour's SS09 array of summery sportswear/sharply-tailored Swedish goodness. Vests, chic short-but-not-too-short shorts, geometric lightweight cardis and another blazer to add to the wishlist. Much cotton, much colour. Bring on the sun, please.