Dazed Digital has an interview with Anonio Marras, creative director of Kenzo: “this season’s menswear collection has taken 19th century explorer Pierre de Brazza as the starting point. De Brazza is credited with being the man that discovered the Congo through one of his many self funded expeditions, and a gentleman that played by his own rules. Seeing out his quest for new lands and a further understanding of the world on his own terms, ‘Pierre de Brazza was someone that travelled in a very humane way and was very much respectful of the local people.  He was an idealist and for this reason he was the perfect Kenzo man, a cosmopolitan dandy’ says Antonio.” Read the full interview here. Pics from the collection after the jump.

H&M is really going boho edgy this season with an amazing collection of menswear that includes lots of flowy, drapey fabrics, colorful swirls, short sleeved sweaters, skirts for dudes…

Fashionisto has posted the SS10 look book featuring the up and coming model Tyler Riggs. We’ve got a few pics after the jump.

Today’s WWD confirms reports that Pharrell and Moncler will be teaming up ms for on a few amazing items in an all black collection. The line includes a “pacifist” version of the bulletproof jacket, with Velcro-ed side slits, reversible matte/shiny down vests and elongated puffers. Mirroring Williams’ environmental activism, the jackets are fashioned using textiles from Bionic, a three-year-old company he controls. Bionic spins yarns and fabrics from recycled plastic bottles. The noteworthy printed linings meld art and nature with evocative images of lush forests, shot at dusk by Japanese artist Keita Sugiura. Prices and distribution details are still being finalized. (WWD)

Viridi Anne is a Japanese lifestyle brand launched in 2001, with some great menswear, as well as plenty of side projects, including art shows, furniture and candles, footwear, and more. Visit the site for some amazing pics and more info. We’ve got pics from SS10 after the jump.

It’s been a crazy year economically, and people are thinking before they buy nowadays. While more purposeful shopping is the trend, so is the idea of giving back. The boys at Company of We are helping to do a little good in the world as we enter the frenzied holiday shopping season by paying it forward. From now til the end of November they will take 20% of your entire order and donate it to a charity of your choice. This year the guys are working with the NoH8 Campaign, Unicef, and Kiva, because “these organizations are constant crusaders for true democratic luxury.” Just use the following codes when you shop.
for The NoH8 Campaign use code: NOH8 
for Unicef use code: UNICEF 
for Kiva use code KIVA

With Company of We, it's better to give, when you receive.

Our friends at the Manchester based boutique Oi Polloi have been hard at work on a new magazine called RIG OUT that's coming out soon. They are describing the endeavor as “a guide to style in life.”

The Malcolm gave us a sneek peek. We have some pics after the jump.

Calling all downtown hipsters on a budget.. Oak, Bblessing and Sevennewyork are teaming up to give us the ultimate in sample sale goodness.

Warehouse sample sale from 70% to 90% off

 private sale (password required): friday november 20^th 5-9pm

open to the public saturday november 21^st 12-8pm

and sunday november 22^nd 12-8pm

at Nouveau pr

 150 spring street #3 between w broadway and wooster

CASH ONLY

Zero + Maria Cornejo didn’t show four men’s looks on the runway in September for nothing. The designer label will launch a men’s capsule collection for spring exclusively at its boutiques and Project No. 8 in New York, followed by a full collection for fall that will be wholesaled. “People kept asking for it,” said Maria Cornejo. “I have two male designers, a son who’s very fashionable and a husband. I love men’s clothes and I love androgyny.” Her signature pieces, translated for men, are the basis of the line, which includes a “concave” rain jacket, a double-layered shirt in textured cotton, a seamless shirt in jersey and black tailored pants cut on the bias. “In men’s we can embrace shapes that we’ve done before, like the boy jacket, the boy shirt. Our classics. It will still have my way of cutting things, but in men’s fabrics,” Cornejo said.  There will be collared cotton shirts, oversize cotton knits, cotton fleece blazers, washed polyester drop pants and drawstring shorts in spring wool. (WWD)

Sweden’s Fifth Avenue Shoe Repair has introduced the Only at Shoerepair collection, which will be sold exclusively in FASR’s own stores. The first assortment is a range of small leather goods—think tiny string wallets, leather card cases, a leather key holder, and a circular wallet. The accessories are handmade in Italian calfskin, with a design based on basic geometrical shapes. More pics after the jump. Go shopping here .

Edsor is a century-old renowned tie manufacturer based in Kreutzerg, Berlin. Now in its fifth generation, the company continues to make hand made silk ties based on tradition, quality and craftsmanship. For the first time ever Edsor is opening its fabric archive at Wood Wood store in Berlin. Select your favorite vintage silk fabric from 1974 – 1998  from over 100 rolls, and order a tie scarf or bowtie. Saturday to Saturday delivery // November 20th to January 2nd. 

Wood Wood, Rochstrasse 4, Berlin Mitte 

Retail may be sluggish, but the economy hasn’t prevented us from indulging in some cool stuff this year. After the jump, a roundup of what some of our friends have purchased recently.

Wool and The Gang, the irreverently fashionable knitting brand, opens up their first-ever street-side location in NYC's SoHo. Peddling their clever ready-to-knit kits, as well as skeins of Peruvian threads, the yarn-obsessed group spreads their love of all things knitted in a stylishly welcoming studio.  With the motto, "Instead of simply wearing it, make it as well," they encourage new and experienced knitters to join in on some DIY enjoyment. Kitted out with colorful balls of yarn and already-made premium wool products, the simple interior—complete with signs and stools by Kenyan Lewis (who also had a hand in interiors at the Smile, Santa Maria Novella and several other of NY's loveliest establishments), white Light Years lamps and an accessible gathering table—makes for a community spirit and an alluring atmosphere. (Coolhunting)

Ever since men.style.com went away last month, Details & GQ have been crafting their online personalities with fresh content, as well as some features that mirror in-book stories. Details.com offers us a quick run through of some of the best shops on the LES. Dear, First Among Equals, 8b, Assembly and Still Life are all profiled. Check it out here.

Right now on the streets of Tokyo, preppy looks, led by crisp woven shirts are what’s hot, reports StreetPeeper. We’ve got more pics after the jump. To see fashion credits, click here.

In today’s NYT Style pages, David Colman breaks down the menswear trend of the neo Victorians. He writes about how hipsters are adopting the look of the late 19^th century with tons of tweed, breeches, Henley undershirts, 3 piece suits and lots of mustaches hitting the streets and the L train. We knew that already, but it’s a fun read and some great tintype photos, taken by David Sokosh on Governors Island bring the story to life. We’ve got some pics after the jump. Visit NYT for photo credits and more...

Directional Paris retailer l’Eclaireur has opened a spectacular new store in the city’s Marais area. Crafted by Belgian artist/designer Arne Quinze, the store interior is in fact an adventurous and eclectic installation that fuses artistic d.i.y. with hi-tech. A whopping two tons of planks and 147 animated video screens have been incorporated in the store’s organic-style interior. Additionally, exotic artifacts from across the planet have been juxtaposed with the fashion merchandise. (Superfuture)

L’Eclaireur, 40 rue de Sévigné, Paris

Fast fashion brands such as Hennes & Mauritz and Forever 21 are squeezing out formerly ubiquitous luxury players in Japan's retail landscape, according to the Wall Street Journal. Privately-owned Forever 21 for example, which entered the market in April with a shop in Harajuku, is aiming to open two to three more stores in Japan over the next nine to 12 months, said Larry Meyer, the company's chief financial officer. "It's an expensive store and we will continue to invest," Meyer said. "The combination of sophistication of the consumer, the quality of the retail environment and overall size of the market makes it our most promising market." Meanwhile, Sweden's H&M is set to unveil its first full "concept" store in Japan on Saturday in Shinjuku, which will feature men's, women's and children's clothes as well as the new Jimmy Choo collaboration shoe line. The Swedish retailer, which entered Japan in September 2008, currently has five shops in Japan…(Stylesight)

Purple magazine’s blog Purple Diary is one we check daily. Editor/photographer/creative director Olivier Zahm posts pics daily of his travels, parties, and gives us an inside glimpse into his glamorous fashionisto world. Beginning December 1 through January 2, a selection of Zahm’s photos will be on display at NYC’s Half Gallery. Be sure to stop in.

Half Gallery, 200 Forsyth Street, New York

British menswear label/store b Store teams up with London’s Dover Street Market on a special collaboration for the Winter season, entitled “10 for DSM.” The lineup looks to feature 11 different best-seller pieces, reworked in new fabrics, each made exclusively for Dover Street Market as as well The Corner within Isetan Tokyo. Only 10 items of each style will be made available to each store, including four shirts, trousers, a blazer, jackets and footwear, all following a classic design aesthetic synonymous with b Store’s in-house fashion label. A release is expected for December 2009. (Hypebeast)

We’ve been dabbling in the women’s market lately as we work on the launch of (capsule) women’s show, and fiftytwo showroom is one of the most respected showrooms in the market. Launched in 2004, Ana Lerario has assembled some of the most coveted women's designers including Coven, Camilla Norrback, Kaylee Tankus, Lerario Beatriz, Hunter Dixon, Raasta, Found Denim, Cover Clothing, Rosa Cha, Jo De Mer, SIYU, Kiel Mead, Rue, Flutter by Jill Golden, E.M, Wu York, and Apsaras. When she’s not working Ana (aka Mrs Robert Geller) enjoys antiquing and travelling, and the duo are planning a trip to Bavaria later this year. We caught up with Ana recently. Read all about it after the jump.

fiftytwo Showroom, 52 Walker Street, 5th floor, New York 10013