Words by Isaac Perry

Rakim Myers better known to millions around the world as A$AP Rocky was born and bred in Harlem, New York before being catapulted onto the scene in 2013 with his debut album Live, Love. A$AP which debuted at number one on the billboard top 100, following this up with his hit number one, yet again, with At. Long. Last. A$AP’s taking the rap world by storm, forming one member of the hip hop group known as the A$AP mob, where he adopted his music world moniker.

More recently he’s become common place on front rows of leading Fashion Houses around the world during Fashion Weeks. He been the face of Ad campaigns for some of the leading luxury fashion brands, with his looks communicating to the younger generations of today symbolising freedom and creativity in whatever he so wishes to wear. Through a combination of casual staples and high end fashion pieces, he’s become one of the most recognisable faces, splattered across both magazine covers and social media all over the globe for both his music achievements and fashion choices.

A$AP Rocky is becoming one of the most versatile gentleman within the industry showcasing a blend of styles from streetwear to designer wear and spreading his talents far and wide. However, is he just following the trends of the moment but wearing more expensive alternatives? A matter of opinion I would say, whatever it may be, we over at Clothes Make the Man are in oar of his current styling.

Recently announced is the partnership between himself and Under Armour, which has currently fallen short of many other sports brand and in a hope to rejuvenate the brands lifestyle clothing, they’ve turned to A$AP Rocky. Having previously collaborated with brands including Guess and Adidas, A$AP Rocky has created some wonderful pieces most notably the GUE$$ tee’s which can be found reselling for more than double the original retail value.

Mr Myers has previously said, “I used to put a lot of thought into what I was wearing and then when all my favourite brands were being brought and worn by the biggest posers and celebrities with horrible taste,” soon followed by “that’s why I’m wearing old Raf Simons jeans, beat up Alexander wang boots, and a distressed VLONE T-shirt. I’m just over it.”

So are some brands being ruined by the ‘posers’ in which he’s talking about?

This week is British Sandwich Week so to celebrate this great British obsession we asked Head Chef Gary Durrant at top Hotel The Arch London to share his top tips on how to create the perfect sandwich.

Taking the same sandwiches for lunch each day can become dull. So if your cheese and pickle sandwiches are starting to go stale then these tips are guaranteed to help you improve your lunchtime routine.

Gary Durrant is the sandwich aficionado behind The Arch London’s signature Club Sandwich, as well as the sensational sandwiches on the Royal Afternoon Tea. These are both served with the Gary’s unique homemade crisps seasoned with salt, sage and peppercorn.

1) Add some flavour
You can make your sandwich really stand out with just one extra ingredient. Try adding fresh herbs, a sliced hard-boiled egg or make your own quick pickles – cucumber, vinegar, oil, brown sugar, salt and pepper.

2) Choose your bread wisely
The bread is the most important part of the whole sandwich. If you want to add very moist fillings then it is best to go for dry and dense bread or try flour tortillas. These will keep the ingredients fresh and moisture just right.

3) Add some moisture
For the right amount of moisture add your spread to both sides of the bread, this will also help lock in the flavour. Spread to every edge of the slice of bread to create a seal for the fillings. Use butter, mayo, mustard, cream cheese or experiment with pesto, jam, chutney or salsa.

4) Avoid a soggy sandwich
If you are adding lettuce to your sandwich, first dry it with kitchen roll to prevent the bread from getting soggy. Also place the lettuce at the top of the sandwich so that it remains crispy. Do not put wet ingredients directly on the bread, layer them with dry items. For a basic sandwich example, add your fillings in this order – lettuce, tomato, meat (or alterative filling) then cheese.

5) Time for seasoning
Salt, pepper and spices can change a whole sandwich, so experiment! Add a pinch of salt to your vegetables before adding them to the sandwich for that extra flavour. Adding too much dressing to the salad in your sandwich can also make it soggy so season it lightly.

WORDS BY MIA RILEY

London is classed as one of the Fashion Capitals of the world. One of the best things for me about living in this capital city is the stores (although I would argue my bank account begs to differ). Having such an esteemed title means that London has some of the best stores in the world, so whether you live in London or planning a visit here are the stores you should checking out, maybe warn your bank manager, to  reinforce your overdraft beforehand.

Dover Street Market

Created by Rei Kawakubo founder of fashion brand Comme Des Garcons. DSM has an air of effortlessness too it, it’s understated, urban and trendy. From giant perfume pillars to old shacks the visual displays are incredible. It’s the best department store if you are into design, they have countless installations and a lot impeccable designers and collaborations. From designers like Craig Green to Phoebe English, the store is a borderline exhibition.

Blitz London

Located in the heart of Brick Lane in an old furniture factor. Blitz opened up in 2011 and since the birth of this vintage shop it has gone from strength to strength. I can assure you if you visit Blitz you’ll never want to go to any other vintage store. Friendly staff and almost anything you could want and imagine, you could easily argue that this is more of a vintage department store.

Machine – A

Machine – A prides itself on selling “ interesting and current collections from a blend of standout emerging and established brands.” With a central London space in Soho, it is visited by the people in the fashion know and you can find brands like Christopher Raeburn situated in the store. If you like the quirky urban brands and designers than this concept boutique is for you.

LN-CC

Visually this store is one of the coolest on the list. The design and layout looks other worldly and if that wasn’t cool enough, the brands and designers that are stocked will possibly blow your mind. However, being this cool does have it’s drawbacks as sadly LN-CC is an exclusive boutique in which you must book an appointment for. It’s definitely worth your while and if you get an invite to one of their exclusive events you are one of the very lucky few.