The top tier male fashion consumer is all about selecting elements from a variety of influences and styles this season. If you haven’t heard, mixing designer labels with the top streetwear brands is what menswear is all about.

 

 

photo:stockholmstreetstyle.com

Retailers like Isa and Colette may have pioneered this movement years ago, but the aesthetic is now much more prevalent, with a whole new tier of retailers, including Odin, Commonwealth, and Blackbird catering to a consumer who seeks great quality, subtle tailoring elements and design details and authentic labels. Boutique owners must not only put together a unique roster of brands for their shops, they must also foster a sense of exploration and lifestyle by offering non-fashion items like home accents, music, books and gadgets all set in a well-designed environment.

Think about mixing European designer brands like APC, Comme des Garcons and Dior Homme with top tier streetwear brands like Modern Amusement, Billionaire Boys Club and Prps. Add to the mix young designer labels like Oliver Spencer, Nom de Guerre and b.Son—that straddle the line between designer and casual, to round out the offerings.  Vintage eyewear, and a selection of athleisure footwear from brands like Common Projects, Vans Vault, Converse and Tretorn are a must.

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Lacoste’s wunderkind creative designer Christophe Lemaire has opened a boutique in

Lemaire designed the shop to appeal to the senses of what he calls an “urban dandy,” and we felt that was a very apropos term this season, given the ever growing rise of the dandy aesthetic in our market.

 Upon entering the store, shoppers find themselves in a louche room with a funky gold ceiling and vintage wallpapered walls. A vintage Chesterfield sofa and lamp are also in this room. Another room is sparsely decorated with clothing racks and bamboo day beds and  features a decorative display of vintage speakers and textured wall tiles.

The shop was designed to house Lemaire’s eponymous sportswear label, which he plans to try to relaunch this season. Lemaire offers men a full range of sportswear that’s made in Japan, and will be available at below-designer level price points.

Paris' mens runway shows offered us tons of great avant garde ideas. Mixing formalwear with sportswear was a big theme, and a range of muses included Johnny Cash, Kurt Cobain and MC Hammer.

We've selected some of our favorite looks from our favorite designers. Check them out after the jump.

RAF SIMONS

KRIS VAN ASSCHE

 DRIES VAN NOTEN

COMME DES GARCONS

NUMBER (N)INE

(all photos: men.style.com)

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Some black music lovers prefer hipster styles and the rock scene, even if it makes it outsiders, finds the NY Times. Retail innovator (and special friend of Brand Pimps) Bahr Brown, owner of the new Harlem skate boutique Everything Must Go, is featured prominently in this Sunday Styles front page article. Read about Blipsters, or black hipsters, here.

Read We Are The Market's coverage of Everything Must Go here. 

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Flat, low tech unisex sneakers are definitely what’s up right now. The look great with skinny jeans, a slim fitting suit, or a cocoon mini-dress. But if you want an alternative to Vans and Converse, you have to search hard. We’ve recently found Kawasaki shoes and we think they are a perfect solution. The brand started in Denmark in 1972 as a performance badminton shoe. Now, with over 200 million pairs sold, several cool collaborations, and a wide range of patterns and styles, the brand is definitely a growing force. But it’s not available in the US. You have to travel to Europe or Scandinavia to score a pair. The good news? They retail for about $60.

 

 The brand is being revived after a 20 year hiatus. Still Danish owned, and still manufactured in Czechoslovakia, as they were in the 70s and 80s, the shoes still undergo a unique hot vulcanization process and are of natural products-- rubber, cotton and suede, which give them a light weight, all natural result.

 Here are some pics of current styles.

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Good eyewear brands are hard to find, and we are loving Oliver Goldsmith right now. Not just because of their funky styling, 80 year heritage and amazing made to order services. But also, the initials -- OG-- make this brand the real deal.

Click here to see the full range.

Based in Notting Hill, London, Oliver Goldsmith has been a family run business offering really cool shades since 1926. The brand is practically synonymous with mid 20th century celebrity and designer style. Grace Kelly, Olivia Newton John, Audrey Hepburn and Givenchy are all known for their OG specs. The London Times wrote in 1970, "The man behind the eyewear revolution in Oliver Goldsmith. He is to sunglasses what Vidal Sassoon is to hair and Mary Quant is to clothes." Groovy!

Today bands like Oasis and Franz Ferdinand have been spotted rocking their modern vintage OGs.

The company draws a high end clientele because it is one of the only companies that still makes its eyewear by hand. For a truly bespoke experience, clients can visit the company showroom in Notting Hill and design a custom pair, drawing from the company's decades' worth of archives.  You pick your style, lens color and material color, and then have the glasses custom fitted.

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 Denim blog Psychopedia picks 5 hot denim styles from Project.

Check out their selections here.

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Although there's no Target in Manhattan, the store is unveiling its latest designer collabo, with Proenza Schouler here in the Big Apple. From Feb 2-5 the collection will be for sale at Opening Ceremony, which will be re-decorated to reflect a Hawaiian 70's theme. 

Fashionistas should get in line early. As we've seen in the past at H&M, those in search of a great deal, a limited edition piece or some cheap designer gear don't sleep in the big city.  

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 London's House of Holland collection of T-shirts is the perfect balance of Frankie Goes To Hollywood, modern celebrity culture and fashion worship. With the "fashion groupie" collection of slogan tees that shout out our favorite runway designers like Christopher Bailey, Giles Deacon and Hedi Slimane in bold lettering and super brite color combos, the line is quickly garnering a cult following among the fashion set and the featured designers themselves have worn the tees to their own fashion shows.

We hear that designer Henry Holland plans to have a show this season during London Fashion Week, with a new collection celebrating our favorite models.

(photo:fashionsta.com)

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What was hot at Project? We have a few picks...

Project NY had a new location and a new vibe. But what were some of the hot sellers? 

The men's wear silhouette is definitely changing. Slimmer bottoms and longer tops are what's hot right now. Retro and military outerwear, chunky knits, cardigans, and clean jeans were some of the key items. Fleece is emerging as a key fabrication for more than just hoodies-- everything from outerwear to tuxedos are shown in the fabric.

We've seen more attention to details than ever before, with inspiration coming from formalwear, military gear and traditional tailoring.

90s rock band style (think Oasis) and 80's British rave culture (lots of bright neon colors) are also making an impact.  

Hot brands included Barking Irons, B.Son, Cockpit, Gilded Age, Corpus, Prps, Operations and Yoko Devereaux.

Some photos after the jump

BARKING IRONS

The Barking Irons booth was all abuzz this season thanks to its first full collection of modern interpretations of 19th century style.  A new women's capsule collection also made a splash.

Men.style.com featured the Casarella brothers- the creative forces behind the brand in a new video series called Obsessed this week. Check it out here.

Below are some key styles.

B.SON

We're sure this will be a breakout year for B.Son. Based in SF and specializing in directional, androgynous sportswear, B.Son is sold in top boutiques like Odin NYC. Check out these top sellers:

 COCKPIT

Drawing from an amazing archive or authentic American military, workwear and sportswear, Cockpit USA keeps giving us fashion forward outerwear and sportswear that reflects an American heritage, while still being relevant to today's contemporary guy.

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More than just a store, but definitely one of the coolest retail concepts to come out of the DC area, Commonwealth is a streetwear boutique at the forefront of a growing movement.

  
Owners Omar Quiambao and Larry Incognito hope the store will “create and fulfill the demand for the new and established street/fashion/athletic brands that influence and inspire. We carry lines that tap into the creative independent spirit,” they say. In addition to featuring highly coveted fashion lines, the store plays host to  exhibitions with recognized artists/designers and photographers and specialized products and events with select companies and magazines. There’s also an email newsletter that is sent out regularly to subscribers, with fashion updates, news about the store and more.
 

 

Commonwealth is located in Hampton Roads – a neighborhood that’s  home to sports stars; Allen Iverson, Alonzo Mourning, Michael Vick and musical talents; the Neptunes, the Clipse, Kenna, Famlay, Missy Elliott, and Timbaland as well as veteran skateboard pros like Andy Howell, Sergie Ventura, and Kyle Berard.  These celebs often show their support for the shop.
 

A second shop is opening in Washington DC this month. The opening party will feature top talent and friends of the store-- from the likes of Clipse and DJ A-Trak and will be featured by Boost Mobile so you know the local hipsters will be out in full force.


727 West 21^st Street, Norfolk, VA; 757-622-3372
1781 Florida Ave NW, Washington DC; 202.265.1830

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(PRODUCT) RED is an initiative created by singer Bono and Bobby Shriver to acquire funds through private sectors rather than corporate dollars to fund AIDS programs in Africa. This project aims at creating awareness amongst its consumers and the public through products developed for the campaign. Products which don the (PRODUCT) RED mark contribute a portion of the sales and profits generated to The Global Fund which finance AIDS programs in Africa.

Converse for this project, looked towards innovative and creative minds of our time such as artist, designers, musicians and filmmakers maintaining an element of progressiveness while preserving the culture at the same time. In a series of products due to be released each season, the first in a four part series is a shoe collaboration designed by Converse and Dave Ortiz. This limited edition shoe designed by Dave is fashioned with his own personal touches and influences. The shoe is electric blue leather upper which is cut several eyelets shorter than standard Chuck’s and is styled with African hieroglyphics which represent the ongoing fight against AIDS. The symbolic features of the shoe ad tremendous flavor than ordinary kicks on the rack, such as an Ankh which symbolizes life, an Egyptian Chnoubis representing protection, and heel symbol representing blood.

Dave pointed out that “blue is an uplifting color and if I did a red shoe, that was too obvious, but there is so much more detailing that you don’t see in the photos, like the inside of the shoe foot bed saying what would you give up for a cure so every time you put on the shoe it makes you think.” Of course what would shoe be without the DQM stamp of approval and Dave summing it up saying, “this isn’t some hype train, its real life that we are trying to heal.”   

 The DQM X Converse X (PRODUCT) RED shoe drops at Dave’s Quality Meat at March 1^st 2007.  

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NYC's Nom de Guerre is one of the most influential retailers in the country. Thanks to its accessible, yet secret subterranean location, and a highly selective array of brands, NDG is known for mixing street style with designer labels. The store's private label is one of the most exciting in the market, marked by simple sihouettes, basic colors and an emphasis on subtle style.

We know youre thinking about fall 2007, but the spring/summer 2007 collection from Nom de Guerre is worth checking out. We've posted a few pics after the jump. See the full lookbook here.

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Cockpit USA celebrated fall 2008 and the Grand Opening of the brand's flagship store last night with a cocktail party featuring a burlesque performance by the world famous Pontani sisters and drinks courtesy of Johnny Walker black label.

The party was attended by a range of industry bold face names.

 The Pontani Sisters

 Cockpit USA's Jeff & Jacky Clyman

Bradley from Complex

  Bill Hallman & friend

  BPMW's Chris with Saks Allison & Kate

Dao-Yi, Dennis & Max from Arrive, Miami

BPMW's Sue & David from Thrillist.com

Christopher, Tim & Fay from Sportswear

Brand Pimps

  Memsor & Josh from Vibe

  Anoma from Complex & Hawaii Mike

  T-Bone

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As the US trade show season kicks up a notch next week with Project NY and Blue shows in NYC taking place, Milan Fashion Week is just wrapping up. Below are some photos from our favorite shows.

 (photos: men.style.com)

Key trends include

Lots of GREY

Long, chunky sweaters

An emphasis on slim silhouettes and tailoring

Metallic and orange accents

Hi-tech fabrications

GUCCI

PRADA

D&G

DSQUARED

ALEXANDER MCQUEEN

BURBERRY PRORSUM

J. LINDEBERG

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We spoke to some of the market's key specialty store buyers to see what they plan to shop for this season. Key brands that emerged are Prps and 10 Deep. Buyers are looking for specialty wovens, amazing bottoms and lightweight outerwear, as well. To see more, keep reading.

Arrive, Miami; Buyer Dennis Jiu
What’s selling now?
1. 10 Deep’s Diamond Cutter Chameleon jacket and Worshipper’s Weakness tees
2. Triko sold out in like a week – EVERYTHING
3. Margiela leather bomber jacket
4. Prps denim
What are must see brands/must have items you will be looking for at Project?
Unique and fresh looks that are not overdone.
Looking for basic items with a non-military twist.
Getting away from super identifiable brand pieces that you can only wear a couple of times. Hoping for some more creativity and thoughtfulness in clothing versus one specific trend (i.e. overall print hoody).

Next, Cleveland; Buyer Robert Rosenthal
What’s selling now?
1. 10 Deep hoodies and tees
2. G-Star outerwear
3. BBC tees and fleece
4. Prps denim
5. Cheap Monday denim
What are must see brands/must have items you will be looking for at Project?
I am looking for fall outerwear and new brands that straddle the streetwear and contemporary worlds and for the item that will replace printed fleece. I am also looking forward to seeing direction of Prps.

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Feminitiy, romanticism and sentimentality encompass the world of New York based designer, Mayle.  A former fashion model, Mayle has been creating flattering, sexy, vintage inspired looks for women since 1998 (originally under the name Phare).   No wonder its a fashionista's favorite with an A list following (including Cameron Diaz, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Natalie Portman) who are regularly photographed in her designs.  

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The designers call themselves “the punk band of the footwear industry”, and JB Classics is a fiercely independent footwear label, launched 5 years ago in San Francisco. Design driven and independent to the core, partners Mdot and JB handle every facet of the operations, from design, to sourcing to production and even running the Web site.

Check out their latest collection here.

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What's with the tuxedo and tie look?

More pics of men from the Golden Globes after the jump.

The look seemed to be all the rage as everyone from Justin Timberlake to Rupert Murdoch sported elegant designer tuxes from Gucci and Dolce & Gabbana with ties rather than bow ties.

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It don't matter if you're black or white-- as long as you were wearing one or the other.

Extreme glamour made a comeback at the Golden Globes today. Extravagant gowns, and gorgeous jewels made major fashion statements. Color was scarce on the red carpet-- black and white dominated the scene for both men and women.

Tons of photos after the jump!

White and shimmering silver made a grand fashion statement that was fresh and clean

Black served as an elegant color for intricate tailoring and lots of drama!

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Where is your cotton grown? The NYT details the back story of how some cotton is grown in  Africa.

Read the full story here.

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Gilded Age is named for the late 19th century era in America when many Americans, like the Carnegies got richer and richer, while many more citizens toiled at the poverty level. The industrial age was in full swing and New England emerged as a leader in textile manufacturing, making denim for factory workers, and developing innovative indigo dyeing techniques.

Today, Gilded Age the denim brand, designed by Stefan Miljanich, takes inspiration from the craftsmanship of this era. Every product is carefully handcrafted utilizing old machinery and methods of construction, which gives them a unique age-old look and natural feel as well as imperfect and weathered appearance.

The designers still use some of the oldest machinery that is still used in industrial production as well as some of the oldest natural dyes known to man. Volcanic mud dye, parchment, natural charcoal, tea, logwood, Japanese Alder and natural indigo are some of the dyes used at Gilded Age.  Narrow- loom Japanese denim features unique selvage treatments, as well as hand abrasion and finishing. With all this attention to authentic detail, the denim is not inexpensive. An average retail price hovers around $500 a pair.
 

Gilded Age sweaters are hand knitted with some of the finest Mongolian cashmere yarns and are known for their compact, tight knitting and softness. The process of hand knitting is time consuming, slower and more labor intensive then all machine knitting methods used today. It takes a lot of highly skilled hands to do this artisanal work. Tees, non denim pants, woven shirts and outerwear round out the collection and a women's line is in the works.
 

 

 

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Still Life Hats- handcrafted in NYC.

We've just discovered Still Life hats, and, since a great hat is hard to find, we wanted to tell you all about the brand. Handcrafted in NYC for men and women, key styles include fedoras, equestrian styles, and retro panama hats. The styling and style names, like H. Hunter, Mingus, Brasko and Cosby are inspired by well known Manhattan personalities.

The recently opened Still Life flagship Store is located at 77 Orchard Street, and reflects the spirit of New York City from the cast of characters that are regulars to the artwork hosted on its walls. Currently, Still Life has a historic collection of work by photographer Chi Modu who is set to release his first book through Still Life Publishing in winter ’07. Among the rows of headwear, a shopper can also find fur-lined and 24-karat gold accented hoodies from Joey Curls and a new line of custom tailored men’s clothing and bags by Frenel Moris.

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Denim Design Lab has been helping denim heads customize their own jeans for years. Now the brand has released a new line of jeans, and a limited edition book all about-- you guessed it-- denim. Sponsored by Cone.

Denim Design Lab has made its name by creating and selling denim finishing kits. Now the brand is launching its first denim collection. Calling the collection "modern vintage," Denim Design Lab draws from vintage details, manufacturing techniques and fabrics. A raw vintage inspired selvage jean will retail for $100.  The collection also offers three washed styles, all in the same silhouette, including a hand finished style, which will retail for $250 and is made from high end Cone Black Seed Pima cotton. The collection is Made in the USA using Cone denim.

Denim Design Lab is also releasing a limited edition coffee table book covering the history of denim, and an overview of washing and finishing techniques. A detailed How To section helps budding designers customize their denim and achieve a wide range of effects. Each hardcovered book is covered in denim and hand finished by Cone Denim artisans. In addition, each book is hand numbered, with the result that no two books are identical.

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It’s still early to be able to sort out all the trends, designers and concepts that were unveiled at Pitti over the weekend, but one thing’s for sure—menswear is hotter than ever!

Initial trend reports for fall 2007 from Pitti Uomo include:
 A muted palette of grays, browns and deep blues with pop of berry brights,
Chunky knits will be a key item
Outerwear made from knitwear is strong
Tailoring elements, and a feeling of casual elegance was pervasive throughout the show.

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Located on Melrose Avenue near the Pacific Design Center, this den of delight offers men a wide range of clothes, jewelry, baby items, stationery, books, gifts, grooming and table top items. What else can one ask for? Oh right, gadgets galore.

No matter how open minded, well groomed and well rounded the new millennium man has become, he still wants one-stop shopping. No meandering men will be found on Sunset or 5th Avenue!And especially in LA, with all the traffic, who wants to deal with bumper cars to hit five shops?

Answered prayers come in the form of a store called Alpha.

The brain child of two of L.A.'s biggest movers and shakers, Darren Gold and Christos Garkinos, the space has attracted world wide acclaim for its well edited stock.

In order to achieve their vision of a space that is both masculine and inviting, they have brought on recent KWID (Kelly Werstler Interior Design) graduate Sargent Pillsbury, who made his solo debut on the project. The design of the store includes vintage furniture, wood wallpapering, a faux fireplace, and a lounge area to achieve this rugged stylishness.

Alpha showcases many diverse and difficult-to-find brands such as Lambertson Truex, John Richmond, A.P.C., Paul Smith, John Bartlett, Tateossian, Adidas Y-3, Aussiebum, Nike White Label, and local designers Band of Outsiders, Cristi Conaway, and Gregory Parkinson, whose men’s offerings will be carried exclusively at Alpha.

Baxter Grooming products, wooden block clocks, floating champagne flutes and even a book called 'Penis Pokey', keep shoppers on their toes and educated in what is right in the world market.

Think of Alpha as the Colette of the West, sans snobbery!

ALPHA; 8625 Melrose AVenue, Los Angeles, CA; 310-855-0775

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Visual communications company Staple Design is celebrating its 10th anniversary with a whole range of co-branded gear. A new book of photos, shot by Japanese photographer Yonehara is out now.