guy’s stuff

milan menswear fashion week may have just passed by in incredibly quick succession (4 days!) but it still had a lot to say.

if it’s anything we’ve learnt, it’s that there are hard times ahead.

(left to right : prada fw 09, bottega fw 09, burberry prorsum fw 09)

like i predicted in my “2008 in review” entry, blacks, greys and neutrals ruled the runway – painting a picture of sombre dedication and silent manhood. most designers tried to play with silhouettes or shapes or little details (prada’s cohesive collection, if a little basic, played with studded details). everything was meant to be more practical. all-purpose coats, self-shine shoes, work-to-play shirts. etc. such conflict and purpose within each item. i particularly love the oversized prada bag (featured above) which functions as a work-briefcase, a day bag and a travel bag all at once.

it’s what we probably would call “Recession Chic”. lots of things were really really cute, just not particularly exciting or dramatic. nothing opulent.

highlights for me begin with Alexander Mcqueen’s amazing victorian inspired collection.

(alexander mcqueen fw 09)

people often forget that mcqueen is one of the best tailors and patternmakers of the 21st century. this collection allowed him to express his avant-garde vision whilst remaining relevant and not-costumey. obviously if you wear and style these pieces the way they went down the runway you’d look a little crazed, but his pieces are still so mysteriously masculine. strangely seductive collection i must say. wearablity is questionable but still. fierce.

(jil sander fw 09)

i also give raf simons props for his Jil Sander collection. i always love the structured pieces of jil sander, the construction and minimalism is so beautiful and xyse. this time raf was really in his element. the colour hues he played with were still muted but well matched, such that the drama was present but not overwhelming. still sobriety was the backdrop of the ever minimalist brand.

(john richmond fw 09)

the john richmond collection was also very cool. he pretty much stayed to black and brown, but there was a glam-rock practicality to his designs. the aesthetic was very urban-harsh but the effect was still that the clothes were soft and accessible at the same time. i die for the coats.

the collection that really rebelled within the Recession Chic mode was Iceberg. iceberg has been around for years and it’s always marched to it’s own beat. this time, they played around with colour, particularly the colour (other than black,grey and neutrals) that seems to rule 2009. blue. prints were cartoony but very well designed. such a fun sensibility despite the overtones of black and grey.

(iceberg fw 09)

i love the kidult-esque outfits and the wonderful knitwear. which isn’t surprising since iceberg started out as a knitwear company before going fullon into fashion.

all in all though, fall/winter 09 doesn’t strike me as particularly fun. there are definitely classic pieces in the collection, but i love myself a little drama in what i wear. not over the top, but still a presence. but i guess fashion and the world can’t possibly accommodate the frivolous requests of man anymore. we have to wear what we wear because we have to wear it now. the utilitarian movement.

and we better be happy doing it.

the designer that perhaps best summed up fall/winter for men was Thom Browne. the american designer’s first time in milan saw him doing a collection-installation.

40 models. identical suits (very sexy. signature grey shrunken thom browne suits with a camel-toned overcoat). walk in. remove coats. sit. type.

go.

these bags are so amazingly chic.

birthed out of the final collaboration between raf simon and eastpak, these bags marry raf’s avant-garde minimalism with eastpak’s durablity and technical sensiblity.

(Large Hobo Bag, Backpack)

first, there is something to be said about denim this season. it’s big EVERYWHERE. traditionally on pants, shirts and jackets. but even better on bags, shoes, accessories and the like. i am seriously feeling these two bags. the leather and zip detail are so distinct yet aesthetic. amazing.

(Kit Bag, Hobo Bag)

and then there are the other bags. while i really dont like sheer bags (the Kit bag is made out of a fine mesh), it’s still very very cute with the leather, zip and metal detail.

i die for the blue hobo bag though. it is so handsome yet stylish at the same time. fashion forward yet practical. shoulder bags are my favourite because they normally are the bags u can dumb a lot of shit in.

all the bags from this collection are particularly slouchy and shapeless. yet there is such intention behind the structure and the construction is phenomenal. can’t wait to get a piece.

besides. after 3 seasons, it’s about time to celebrate this (finally?) successful collaboration. i mean. some of the pieces from previous seasons were not cute.

great way to start off a week though.

(all images by Oki-Ni featuring that awful model)

i’m a strong believer in less is more for jewellery on men.

the best accessory is really a good watch.

some guys pull off earstuds (notice. STUDS. not rings.)

some guys pull off bracelets.

a special necklace with religious significance can be kinda cool as well. that or subtle dogtags.

my cousin is actually one of the most accessorized individuals i know. he has a tongue stud, many ear studs and a lip ring. and he carries them all of perfectly. a lot of it is about style and personality as well.

what do your accessories say about you?

unfortunately, a lot of guys try too hard. look at any one of the guys in the early seasons of The Hills (i have succumbed to watching). wayyy too gangsta. it becomes pretentious. it’s really obvious when you clearly don’t believe in what you wear.

but this entry isn’t really about the jewellery items i love. rather. just a particular item that has caught some minor attention in the fashion world.

the spongebob collection by Russell Simmons x Nickelodeon x Viacom is really interesting. back when russell simmons and kimora lee were still together, they made these blinged out hellokitty accessories for girls and women and that was relatively successful. i doubt the success of this spongebob line will be particularly mind-blowing, but still

i love spongebob. and there is some class to this collection. some.

but, as karl lagerfeld recently said, bling is dead. and he really is right.

i am conflicted.

it’s been a while since a dedicated shoe entry.

i’ve always believed in retail therapy but lately all i feel like doing is buy shoes. i don’t know what it is.

but a budget for 09 has kept me from buying these amazing lanvin dress shoes. simply amazing.

but. oh well.

so today we’re doing lace-up sneakers. woots.

speaking of lanvin, i’ve previewed these Lanvin x Acne shoes before, but now they’re actually for sale and they are more amazing than i thought they could be. so so chic.

the leather detail is not super original, honestly everyone is dong it. from raf to pierre. but hey. the denim the denim the denim. it’s one thing to use denim in a shoe (pierre did it in a very recent season), but to use such fine denim such as Acne’s. magic.

also very cute are these Lacoste “Rene” shoes. named after the famed tennis player and founder of lacoste, these shoes come in blue, pink and yellow. but i die for these blue ones. even though neon is kinda last season, these babies are understated enough to be worn for a while to come.

another great collaboration are these Converse x Thom Browne shoes. i. love. these. i really really really really really really really really really really do. they are SOOO amazing. the print, the colours, the stitching. it’s an amazing clothe tennis shoe that Converse commissioned for their anniversary. ONLY 50 PAIRS. but at € 1183.11 w/o tax….. yeah. seriously.

on a related note, kanye west recently previewed a shoe he is due to debut in june as part of his Louis line for Louis Vuitton.

i have to say. not impressed.

a lot of people are giving him props because it’s a nice decent shoe. and it really is. it’s a boat shoe/sneaker hybrid with subtle detail and luxurious material. but it’s really not that amazing. like everything kanye does, it’s overhyped, overthought and ultimately disappointing (honestly. his concert?! his album?!).

i love the dude and his style is super fly, but he honestly needs to realize that great style doesn’t make a great designer. i’m not feeling the vision nor the design. at all.

then again, it’s not a clear photo and we haven’t seen a whole line. never judge a man by a single action but by the sum of his parts. so. we’ll see.

tshirts are such a male commodity because they are comfortable, practical, easy and pretty much convenient.

that said, there’s no need for “comfortable” or “convenient” to mean sloppy.

a great tee should be perfectly fitted and have a relevant design with a little bit of edge about them.

on this incredibly lazy/drained monday morning, i’ve sat here at work surfing 3 of my favourite online stores Matches, Oki-ni, and Oak NYC, and have come up with a list of pretty exciting and interesting tees.

Balenciaga Black Print Tee

This really simple but cute black tee from Balenciaga looks like what i’d call an ideal Night Shirt, or rather, a shirt you’d wear to club. made up of 100% cotton, the grey angular print is super interesting but subtle at the same time.

Yves Saint Laurent Glasses Tee

If you’re a true Yves Saint Laurent fan then you’ll love this one. while i don’t worship the brand the way i do others, Yves Saint Laurent the man is one of my fashion icons. his classic yet individual style is distinct yet respectable and super classy. this tee takes inspiration from his signature spectacles and because of its light blue base, it can probably be worn with just about any type of denim, from black to the many shades of blue to white.

Maison Martin Margiela Front Tee

This iconic Margiela tee made quite a splash in December, and rightfully so. It’s one of the better done BRAND shirts, which like a Band shirt, does nothing but promote the brand it represents. However, this shirt is well designed and the “M” graphic is both relevant and chic. whilst i’m not feeling the V-line very much, i understand why it had to go in that direction and still would really like this shirt (but probably only if i saw it on someone else). (except this model, who i really don’t like and just makes all these wonderful shirts look bad) (which is really a testament to how a great shirt can be lost on someone who clearly doesn’t believe in what he is wearing)

Passarella Death Squad American Flag Shirt

i LOVE passarella. they make the BEST tees. for real. they are a Parisian brand using 100% japanese cotton, and honestly i don’t know what that means other than that the shirts are super soft yet not sheer at all (which is a quality i always look for). but best of all, passarella shirts are always SUPERBLY fitted if you get them in the right size. this shirt looks kinda sloppy on this model but i think it’s because he’s 1) an awful model, 2) not asian. the thing is this shirt was meant to be worn by small skinny asian/french men. it really looks AMAZING in person, i have a couple of shirts and a really good friend of mine has several as well. we just can’t get enough. this shirt is taken from their new flag series using British, Japanese and American flags and their signature graphic underlay, this time using tastefully erotic models. a friend and i both wanted this particular shirt but in the end i settled on the japan one and let him have this shirt in white.

Oak Welcome to the Jungle Tee

There is really not much to be said about this shirt because it’s pretty self explanatory. simple graphic. 100% organic cotton. great cut. boom. i love it though. it’s very cute.

online shopping is really a very dangerous thing, so it’s good to have trusted brands in your arsenal so you don’t end up buying a shirt you regret. also buy from sites you trust not only because of fund transfers, but also because you want your shirts to come as soon as possible. Matches is awesome because it always has the latest stuff, Oki-ni has some really underground labels and Oak just has some really fresh and chic items. happy shopping!

happy new year

i hope everyone had a good one

tonight has been soberingly weird and even though i had such a blast celebrating the new year, it hasn’t all been that great.

when i came across these Eco Cabins from Todd Saunders,  an overwhelming sense of need came over me.

tucked away in the incredibly scenic Norwegian “kingdom” of Hardanger, this particular eco cabin just kept drawing me in.

i’m not gonna lie, i don’t know much about the facilities of this place, but it really does look like the perfect get-away/hide-away.

to think. and to reflect. and to perhaps figure out the things which we weren’t able to in 2008.

it’s really a private summer home so. boo.

but right now. i could really do with it.

really.