“A product that guys could wear not just to swim in, but to lounge in, walk in, run in, etc.” This is Onia, the newest most functional yet stylish guys swim shorts to hit our market. After working for Steven Alan for four years on the production side of the business, Carl Cunow took his valuable experience and knowledge and developed swim shorts that could be worn wherever and whenever to do whatever. “I went out on my own and decided to start Onia because I could never find a pair of swim shorts that I liked, ones that looked like a regular pair of shorts,” Cunow said. Made with a special Cotton/Nylon blend imported from Japan and Korea, these shorts are not too long or short, don’t bunch up in uncomfortable places and dry quickly after a nice swim. Designed for comfort, they stay as far away from the multi-colored floral prints as possible. It is no wonder that Onia is already a bit hit. Don’t be the last one standing in garish, loud swim shorts. Check out more of Onia showing at (capsule) Las Vegas and right here after the jump. (Santho Goonewardene)
We recently began working with Portable, the New York based digital media company, to help us launch our very first e-commerce venture, (capsule) Travel Mart with their platform Portable Shops. Portable Shops made building an online store super easy and affordable. Anyone with a desire to open an online shop can build their own e-commerce experience and completely customize the look and feel to suit their brand.Each store comes with pre-designed functionality such as look-book profiles, press galleries, stockist lists and online store items that take into account the uniqueness of fashion online. More advanced stores allow designers to sell their entire collection through Facebook, check and update stock through their mobile phone and run targeted sales and discount campaigns. A range of free templates are also available for emerging designers who can’t afford the initial costs of hiring a web designer but need to engage with their online audience. Check it out here, and start selling something!
Just before they debuted their SS11 collection at (capsule) Paris, we caught up with Canadian menswear darlings the Burkman Bros., who informed us that their latest wares were inspired by time spent in a Sri Lankan fishing village, resulting in a collection which they (awesomely) described as having a “Revenge of the Nerds: NERDS IN PARADISE” sensibility. Now, we get a sneak peek at some images from their SS11 lookbook. Although the model here looks anything but nerdy decked out in the casual layering and comfortable fabric for which the brothers have become known, the influence of their time abroad is reflected in the bold colors and prints throughout. From the looks of these images, it seems like the Burkman Bros.’ title as the label with the Most Sought-After Shorts may very well continue into next summer with the textured, printed and lived-in offering on display here. More looks, plus some snapshots from the Burkman’s inspiration board, after the jump. (Steve Dool)
Lightning Bolt has been around for a few decades as one of the most prominent surf wear brands. Founded by Jerry Lopez and Jack Shipley in a time when surfing was progressing from long boards to short boards, Lightning Bolt continues to make quality and unique surf-inspired menswear. From long sleeve tees to simple and durable board shorts, the Spring ’11 collection is inspired by their own designs of the past. Thanks to Jonathan Paskowitz and BG Porter for showing us this awesome collection. (Sid Benitez)
Launched in 1993, Post Overalls has been on the menswear scene for almost 20 years and keeps it coming with their next collection. For Spring ’11 they’ve been inspired by vintage work clothes and the use of new patterns. Focusing heavily on shorts, we saw some interesting prints from these guys. We asked Takeshi Ohfuchi what he saw as an emerging trend and he simply replied “the return of American Classics.” (Sid Benitez)
Launched in 2008, the Abington Collection by Timberland is inspired by the true outdoors men and their regular activity. We spoke to Andy Friedman at Timberland, and he was kind enough to show us a few of Abington’s new shoes and give us an idea of what he sees as an emerging trend for next Spring. The seven eyelet Mock Boot – offered in two different suede versions and one leather version – is at the the forefront of the new collection. All three styles use a Vibram sole for maximum comfort and durability. Timberland also returned to the classic moccasin they’ve been known for in the past. We asked Andy what he saw as an emerging trend for footwear and he pointed out the hand sewn stitching that we saw all over the shelves this season at (capsule). (Sid Benitez)
Headed by the popular Japanese designer Hiraki (Ironheart), Triple Works is a denim-centric “town wear” brand according to Ayumi Suzuki, the brand’s Product Division Planner and International Sales Representative. Using three different types of dye known as permanent, natural and future, Triple Works has fading down to a science. The natural indigo allows controlling of the fade because it leaves the core of the denim as its natural white color. They also produce a permanent dyed jean that will not fade, and a future dye that is the slowest to fade over time. All of the denim used is raw selvedge of the highest quality. (Sid Benitez)
Los Angeles-based Freshjive has been around for 21 years and is not looking to stop putting out great collections anytime soon. Founded in 1989 in an “era when streetwear was born,” Freshjive has taken the “anti-brand” approach to their latest works according to Mark Wiesmayr, the company’s Creative Director and President. This is also an indication of the direction that they see a “brand driven” industry heading in. Spring ’11 sees no labels on any pieces. Stand out pieces for next Spring include block striped shorts, denim shorts, jeans, double breasted jackets and striped lightweight tees. (Sid Benitez)
Opening up as a retail space named Norse Store in Copenhagen, Denmark in 2004, Norse Projects became a clothing brand just 4 years after and has been doing great ever since. When we spoke with Mikkel Gronnebaek of Norse Projects, he was adamant that Norse Projects is not just a trendy fashion brand and it shows in their collection. Staying true to their Scandinavian roots, Norse incorporates functionality and quality into clothing that can be worn during bad weather. Collaborating with Elka, an old Danish rain wear company in operation since 1958, Norse Projects created a rain coat that has a more fashionable fit than that of a traditional one. We were also delighted to see shorts with a Scandinavian military inspiration and long sleeved button up work shirts that are made of a Japanese cotton/linen blend. (Sid Benitez)
Staple is a full blown communications and design agency who have collaborated with many brands as well as consistently offering their own collection of highly regarded menswear. Widely known for having one of the biggest collaborations with Nike for their “Pigeon” Dunk Lo, Staple also owns The Reed Space, a retail space in the Lower East Side and Reed Pages, a quarterly publication. For Spring ’11 Staple offers a wide range of pieces from plain white and black tee’s and fitted hats, to patterned short sleeve button down shirts and inside out camouflage print long sleeve button up’s. Upon sitting with Nico Reyes we also got a chance to look at Staples new “Tech Jacket” that is 100% made in Japan and uses the finest quality materials to protect us from the natural elements. (Sid Benitez)
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