Slow → articles tagged with fashion

Dries van Noten Inspirations

We highly recommend the inspirational exhibition 'Dries Van Noten Inspirations' in the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris after visiting it last weekend. It is the very first exhibition devoted to the artist’s work and the broad field of inspirational sources for the designer of the Antwerp Six, making it an multidisciplinary feast for the senses. Dries Van Noten takes the spectator on an intimate journey into his artistic universe, revealing the singularity of his creative process which he illustrates with his various and numerous sources of inspiration. One receives an eye opening experience into the space within van Noten's mind or rather soul, bringing together the designer's men’s and women’s collections with iconic pieces from the museum’s fashion and textile collection. The show also includes photographs and videos, film clips, musical references, as well as artworks by renowned artists, from public and private collections, that have triggered the designer’s imagination throughout his life and career, making it one of the more extraordinary fashion exhibitions created till date. [ Continue reading ]

Ouur

Ouur is the latest beautiful endeavor by Nathan Williams, brand director and editor in chief of Kinfolk Magazine, and his team. Pronounced just like the word our, the brand is centered around a visual motif of underlines. These underlines represent an effort to collect like-minded elements into a single place. This translates into collections for men and women which are clearly in line with the Kinfolk aesthetic, primarily using textiles such as linen, cotton and wool. Created with a sharp attention to detail, classic silhouettes and a neutral color palette, each item has been made with an emphasis on comfort and utility. The goal Williams has set for the line is that pieces in the collection will be interchangeable, functional and wearable in all seasons, which clearly shows in the newly released lookbook for the Autumn/Winter 2014 collection. [ Continue reading ]

Linda Farrow Spring/Summer 2014

We love the amazing still life campaign featuring Linda Farrow's Spring/Summer 2014 icons, shot by the highly talented Belgian photographer Frederik Vercruysse in a collaboration with art direction studio Uber en Kosher. Vercruysse is most known for his minimalistic, but highly stylized photography and former collaborations with Filip Dujardin. For the seasonal pieces shot by Vercruysse, Linda Farrow draws inspiration from cosmetic pastels and a new-found love for the eclectic stylish Seventies, creating a diverse and adventurous exploration of fashion eyewear. The constant elements are the hyper-luxe materials including snakeskin and gold, superlative finish and fashion-forward shapes Linda Farrow has become renowned for. The campaign showcases the LFL306 model, crafted from yellow gold and ash snakeskin frame teamed with gold plated lens, and the LFL300, made out of rose gold and its amazing mocha snakeskin frame teamed with a rose gold lens. [ Continue reading ]

ic! berlin

Berlin-based ic! berlin produces beautiful and unique screwless sheet-metal glasses, which are crafted by hand in Germany's capital. With their signature clip-on hinge system all the glasses by ic! berlin feature a hinge, which holds together both frame and temple with a detachable clip totally free of screws. Therefore all glasses can be disassembled and reassembled individually. Next to the clip-on system ic! berlin has also found an extremely flexible steel for their frames, which added up with the hinge system turn the glasses into small unbreakable objects. A very convenient solution for a lot of people, with a lot of glasses being well-designed, but very fragile. For founder Ralph Anderl his glasses combine ideas and perfectionism: the glasses are elementary and naked, in the same way they are as much off the wall as they are suitable for everyday use. [ Continue reading ]

Rapha City Spring/Summer 2014

We really like the recently released City collection of Rapha, with its beautiful lookbook shot in Mediterranean Barcelona. This season is the premiere of a new Italian-milled fabric, more breathable and faster drying, for the Long and Short Sleeve Shirts, and the addition of the Randonnée Shorts, technical and lightweight for city riding in hot and humid conditions. Overall spoken; there are new garments, colors, and redesigns across the Women’s and Men's collections, and updates to luggage and accessories. Barcelona with its gothic splendor, beautiful beaches and Mediterranean vibes proved to be the perfect backdrop for the collection that goes way beyond just cycling wear. Some of the beautiful places the riders are caught for the lookbook are the beautiful neighborhoods El Raval, El Barri Gotic, L’Eixample and Gràcia, and at the former Olympic village; the Piscina Municipal de Montjuïc, Jardí Botànic and the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys. [ Continue reading ]

Boneville

Very soon iconic label Boneville, which was launched in 1981 by legendary designer Massimo Osti, will officially return to the world of fashion. Originally, in the early 80's, Osti decided to create Boneville following the launch of his first brand C.P. Company which later became Stone Island, in order to find an outlet with a different angle for the extensive research on garments and techniques he had done. From its 1981 launch to its final days in 1993, Boneville set a benchmark in the men’s fashion arena, pushing boundaries both aesthetically and technically, having had a significant part in the formation of the legacy which Massimo Osti has today. In 2012 avid Osti fan John Sharp bought the Boneville brand, an acquisition carried out with the intention to reintroduce the brand for the public and tastefully further the Osti legacy. In the years to follow Sharp began to build a team, he felt capable of reviving an Osti classic. A team which is now lead by Creative Director Adi Wollaston, bringing with him over 25 years of experience in the fashion industry, which should be enough to carry the burden of following in the footsteps of the late great designer. [ Continue reading ]

Pharmacie

Last week a new subscription service named Pharmacie came under our attention. The idea is rather simple: when subscribed one receives one pair of outstanding socks, once a month. All socks are constructed in a Northern Italian factory, run by a father, his son and his grandson. A family business in its purest form, meaning that all socks leaving the factory are honest and beautiful products, made with care. Despite significant shifts in the way the production industry operates, the factory remains sternly traditional. The finest yarns, hand linked toes and twelve quality checks on every pair making sure that your feet are in good hands. The very first release was a wonderful start with socks made out of 90% Egyptian wool, with a touch of Nylon for additional strength. Socks built for the tail end of the European winter, and although in the Netherlands spring seems to be very early this year, a great start for Pharmacie. [ Continue reading ]

The Fashionable Selby

We have been a fan of the work of Todd Selby from the moment he stepped into the limelight. His latest work 'Fashionable Selby' is his third collaboration with publisher Abrams books, in which the photographer moves his gaze onto the world of fashion. The book features profiles of today’s most interesting designers, stylists, models, shoemakers and other fascinating figures. The subjects are wonderfully curated; with some very familiar faces and others totally unexpected. Chapters on individual artists bring readers into the utmost inner circle of the artists, and include Selby’s signature photographs and watercolors of not only the artists and their environments, but also the things that inspire them, the materials they use, their creative process, the people who work alongside them, and the final pieces. From the showroom of the incredible Dries van Noten, the studios of Central St. Martins in London to 'techno fashion designer' Iris van Herpen's studio: Selby continues his wonderful documentation of highly inspiring people and their environments in his signature bright aesthetic. [ Continue reading ]

Converse x Hancock

It is always inspiring when great parties find each other and collaborate to create beautiful products, and this is one of those outstanding combinations. We've been a fan of Hancock since the moment we found out about them, and seeing them team up with Converse creating a classic Jack Purcell mid-top sneaker in their signature vulcanized rubber is amazing. The rubberized upper brings the label’s pioneering, handmade outerwear techniques to footwear, creating a modern sneaker that’s clean and durable, encapsulating a rich heritage of craftsmanship. The Converse Jack Purcell x Hancock sneaker is released in three fresh, seasonal colors: our favorite indigo, summer yellow and mastic gray. All featuring a soft lining with a unique phytology print of the Siphona Elastica plant, which is used to manufacture rubber. The elegant Hancock Vulcanised Articles logo is stitched on the heel tab of each sneaker, and seams are bonded with the same precision that is the hallmark of Hancock's outerwear. [ Continue reading ]

Last Season

The Dutch artists Lernert & Sander continue their string of fascinatingly beautiful projects with their concept named 'Last Season'. Amsterdam-based Lernert Engelberts and Sander Plug created a concept in honor of the arrival of the new seasonal collections at high-end Maastricht-based boutique Kiki Niesten, which yearly creates a concept in honor of the TEFAF Maastricht art fair. 'Last Season' revolves around the reduction of last season's knitted garments by Céline, Chloé, Jil sander and Prada to balls of yarn: "symbols of hope and aspiration." From the 14th until the 23th of March of this year, the results of the proces will be showcased in the window display of Kiki Niesten. Every year during the renowned art fair TEFAF, the prestigious boutique in the heart of Maastricht takes pride in participating artistically to the TEFAF experience, with this year resulting in the great collaboration with Lernert & Sander. [ Continue reading ]

Rapha Spring/Summer 2014

The Cévennes, a range of mountains that are part of the Massif Central, in the South of France was this year the backdrop for the beautiful lookbook of Rapha's Spring/Summer 2014 collection. Rapha traveled to the Cévennes for the first time already in 2004. Not surprisingly so, as the area is forever connected to cycling as it is also the setting of Tim Krabbé’s 1978 cult road racing novel 'The Rider'. At that time, in 2004, two riders and a photographer shot the first ever Rapha products along the route of the book’s ‘Tour de Mont Aigoual’, a mythical race upon which the narrative is set. In this remote part of France the terrain is beautifully rough. Desolate gorges, empty roads, steep climbs, wild scenery and windswept plateaus. 'The Rider' is one of the finest books written on the sport of cycling, rooting very close to the fundament Rapha was founded on. This year the brand returned to the almost mystical area, this time with nine riders and the same excellent photographer, Ben Ingham, to shoot the latest seasonal collection and celebrate 10 years of Rapha. [ Continue reading ]

EPONYMOVS by HVRMINN

During the last New York fashion week EPONYMOVS by HVRMINN, the brand of Keving Wang and tailor Minn Hur who's best known for his bespoke work, had its debut live presentation revealing sixteen Ready-to-Wear tailored looks. The collection is the third collection of the EPONYMOVS line, but the first two were presented online solely. The balanced collection consisted of strong individual looks with the beautiful navy double-breasted blazer paired with white trousers as one of our favorites. Hur's work stands for classic formality opened up to a focused approach to traditional menswear, combined with subtle western influences. From blazers chicly belted at the waist to structured overcoats and three-piece suits, the EPONYMOVS by HVRMINN collection delivers class and sophistication with the familiar 1920's Jazz aesthetic also to be found in the bespoke work by HVRMINN, but now available off the rack. [ Continue reading ]

Stevenson Overall Co.

Tokyo-based Stevenson Overall Co. is the product of the collaboration between Zip Stevenson and Atsusuke Tagaya. The brand originally existed in Portland, USA in 1920's-30's and was relaunched by Zip and Atsusuke in 2005. The collections of Stevenson Overall Co. derive directly from Stevenson's and Tagaya's shared deep interest in vintage denim and leather goods. One of the founding goals was to redevelop the process of creating jeans with a “flat felled seam”, which arises from sewing methods used before the 1920's. For Stevenson and Tagaya the unconventional sewing method is key, as they value the original taste from the hand made goods that has been consistent from the time of the original brand establishment. The different styles in the collections are created with inspirations from vintage clothes, fabrics and art and the pursuit of designs and details that were lost but not forgotten. Stevenson and Tagaya create suitable clothes for this modern time: “nostalgic but new, modern and universal." [ Continue reading ]

Norwegian Rain Autumn/Winter 2014

In its Autumn/Winter 2014 collection Norwegian Rain introduces two extraordinary new coats. The beautiful Moscow and Rive Gauche coat are the first products with which Norwegian Rain expands its waterproof philosophy unto the field of extreme winter coats. The brief for the coats was: "How to make a jacket that will keep you warm and comfortable no matter how biting cold it is, and in a stylistic way", which was executed in the signature style designer T-Michael rightfully has made a name for itself with. Key element to succeed in the creation was finding a new partner who would be able to produce the premium thermal garments needed for the coats, matching the highest quality of the elegant waterproof garments from Japan used for the other coats of Norwegian Rain. [ Continue reading ]

Erik Schedin x Comme des Garçons

To celebrate the ten-year existence of his iconic sneaker, Erik Schedin teamed up with Comme des Garçons Shirt for an excellent Spring 2014 collaboration. The beautiful minimalistic sneaker was designed by the Swede ten years ago for his final degree at the Beckmans College of Design. At that time the clean and minimalist aesthetic really stood out; very few sneakers would not show any logos or labels and/or would have a monochrome style, like the all white leather with a perforated lining Schedin's sneaker was made of. For the collaboration with the Japanese fashion label three different editions of the white sneaker were created: each sporting a different black painted shape, reminding somewhat of the sneakers Helmut Lang used to produce. Next to the release of the special editions, Schedin also restocked his classic all white sneakers, which are now produced in Italy. [ Continue reading ]

The Suits

The Suits is an Antwerp-based label founded by fashion-entrepreneur Roger Elsten, intending to be a representative of a new generation of tailoring. Mick Jagger wearing his iconic white tuxedo was the key inspiration for the foundation of the label in 2012 and clearly points at the aesthetic Elsten created at the beginning of the Suits. The first collections were strictly suits referring to the rock and roll stages of europe. However in a few seasons the label has developed to a broader field of products with rock and roll still as the binding factor. Elsten sees his suits a great fit for men who are keen to wear a suit, not because they have to, but because they can. These men wear suits during the day, but also in the evening. [ Continue reading ]

Raf Simons / Sterling Ruby

Last night at Fashion Week in Paris, heavyweight Raf Simons, succeeded thoroughly in surprising us and the rest of the world in a way reminding of his early days at the end of the last century. Both the overall aesthetic and the impact of the event, in which Simons collaborated on a label tag-base with American artist Sterling Ruby make the collection destined to be the most talked about of the season. The collection is part Raf Simons' signature immaculate tailored lines and part Sterling Ruby’s infatuation with aberrant psychologies. Presented in a form directly referring to the Punk/DIY patchwork Simons rose to fame with at the end of last century. Coats are collaged with pieces of fabric that seemed in an upward rush, about to fly off their foundation. Items are paint-spattered, bleach-splashed, a shark's ravening maw can be seen, as a grasping hand with shiningly painted nails; "icons of consumption" according to Ruby. From the tailoring to these graphics; the show makes one realize how far ahead he continues to be, and more importantly how much influence Simons has had, and very likely will have, on menswear. [ Continue reading ]

Laurel Wreath Blank Canvas Tartan Collection

For many centuries tartan used to distinguish the different Scottish clans, especially in times of war. Nowadays it is a pattern that can be used in fashion in a very elegant way. Fred Perry used the classic cross-hatched pattern as the main theme for the last Laurel Wreath Blank Canvas Tartan collection. A collection including all the stylish layers one needs to conquer any other plaids on the street. The selection consists of familiar items: like the polo, a v-neck sweater, a classic donkey jacket with yoke shoulder details, and the always reliable fishtail parka. [ Continue reading ]

RAAFH

RAAFH, which refers to the word raven in Dutch, is an Amsterdam-based fashion label that started out as a family company founded by two brothers and a sister. Within two years the team has evolved into a small group of friends and family, working together towards the collections. Although it's a group with different backgrounds when it comes to studies or work-experience, they all share a love for beauty that lasts in one way or the other. From music to good food and drinks, to that favorite sweater or a sharply cut suit. RAAFH believes when a piece is made with specific care, it complement the person wearing it. [ Continue reading ]

Olaf Hussein

Olaf Hussein is an Amsterdam-based denim label with one clear goal: to produce top quality denim that will remain true to its classic styles while simultaneously incorporating new and modern silhouettes. Subtle luxury and understated items set the tone for the brand. Clean and simple are key elements; design, quality and fit are closely connected. With this clear concept in mind, the aim is to present a collection with a classic aesthetic, but still with a modern attitude. [ Continue reading ]

Bonhomie

Next week a new European fashion label called Bonhomie will have its official launch. Based in Helsinki, Finland, Bonhomie offers premium shirts and other basics of European manufacture, which are solely sold online direct to the costumers, allowing the price to be half of the usual retail price of products with a similar quality. The debut selection of essentials Bonhomie presents are: a pristine white point collar dress shirt, an indigo button down denim oxford shirt and a basic white undershirt. [ Continue reading ]

Barbour x Norton & Sons

The collaboration between outdoor wear brand Barbour and Savile Row tailors, Norton & Sons is one of the highest standards. For the first time these two institutions have come together to create a beautiful menswear collection for Autumn/Winter 2013. Both brands pride themselves on their British heritage and have continued in this vein by choosing high quality cloth sourced from the UK. The emphasis in this new collection is on longevity. Both Norton & Sons, with their focus on artisanal tailoring and Barbour, famous for its well-made durable clothing, are keen to stress that their new collection is built to last. The main goal with this new collection was to produce a range of items which would be as good as they are now, if not better, in fifty years' time. [ Continue reading ]

Stone Island Archivio ‘982-‘012

Last year in May iconic fashion label Stone Island released this interesting and aesthetically appealing overview of its own history called Stone Island Archivio '982-'012 in association with publisher Silvana Editoriale and art directed by Simon Foxton and Nick Griffiths. In the book the story of the Italian label, founded by Massimo Osti, that reinvented sportswear is told in more than 300 iconographic color images of garments from the Stone Island archives. Making it an interesting examination into the immense archive of the label that includes 20.000 garments and which contains most of the immense wealth of knowledge and experience on which the brand is founded. [ Continue reading ]

Hancock

We love the beautiful outerwear by British brand Hancock that was founded in 2011. Hancock translates a wonderful authentic story into a brand of the highest standards, available for current generations. Inspired by the innovations of Brit Thomas Hancock, the brand offers a stunning aesthetic and quality. The marvelous garments are created out of the finest quality of natural rubber from the Siphonia Elastica tree, combined with impressive and luxurious detailing out of materials such as cashmere, mohair and silk. [ Continue reading ]