Louis Vuitton x Fragment Design Collaboration Harrods Pop Up

by Keanu Adorable

Louis Vuitton will present an exclusive preview of their collaboration with Japanese creative Hiroshi Fujiwara’s acclaimed label Fragment Design, with a pop-up boutique located inside Harrod’s department store in London.

Centred around on a fictional band, Louis V and The Fragments the collaboration reflects their stage wardrobe and merchandise.“Hiroshi is an influencer in the trust sense of the work – he is a true icon of mine,” said Louis Vuitton’s Artistic Director Kim Jones. “With this collaboration, I wanted to do something quite unexpected, something perhaps more youthful than we usually do.” The two first met over twenty years ago and, with this collaboration, their shared passions for pop culture, graphic motifs, sportswear history and the icons of menswear design merge, uniting references from Paris to Tokyo.

The collection revolves around varsity items, and fresh bold embroideries and prints. An F for Fragment patch and motif decorate outerwear and knitwear. Accessories are playful; Boy Scout patches, rainbow metallic pins and varsity patches that draw on icons from the Louis Vuitton archive. Headwear encompasses a ranger hat and, in a nod to the eccentric styles of the 1980’s Paris-Tokyo beret. The pop-up at Harrods will offer a variety of items from the collection including leather goods, ready-to-wear, shoes and accessories, as well as exclusive items offered only in the pop-up.

 

The pop-up will be located on the lower ground floor in Harrod’s department store and unveiled to the public on April 27th for three weeks.

Take a look at the collection online at Louis Vuitton’s website uk.louisvuitton.com

 

Manmade to Perfection – Manmade by Sarah Gilfillan

imageMy clients often ask me for recommendations for their haircuts and grooming to complete their look once they’ve been on a Personal Shopping trip with me. So when Dan Gregory contacted me telling me about his new male grooming salon and aesthetics clinic – Manmade – I was interested to hear more, so I popped in to meet him for a chat.

Centrally located in Marylebone and newly opened, the salon is sleek and sophisticated……small enough to feel friendly but big enough to feel spacious. Dan was welcoming and down to earth and clearly passionate about the new business he’s set up with his other family members- Peter Gregory who’s the Clinical director and Sarah Gregory who’s the Commercial director.

Dan is at the forefront of the brand and having built up an impressive list of celebrity clientele through his work as a freelance, session stylist, he now wants to be able to offer traditional barbering services including haircuts, cut throat shaves & colouring to the discerning non-celebrity gentleman too.

Taking the grooming aspect one step further, is Dr Peter Gregory – head of the “Aesthetic Clinic”. Offering a discreet selection of anti-wrinkle injections, skin rejuvenation & perspiration reduction treatments, he’s dedicated to providing an ethical high quality service where the client feels truly valued and respected.

You can really see that these guys aim to go one step beyond, and even a haircut and finish has all the bells and whistles with a neck shave and a hot towel infused with essential oils included. It’s these little touches that make the point of difference to a salon and as Dan said “Men’s grooming really has evolved”. I couldn’t agree more and I can’t wait to introduce my clients to a little part of that evolution, that is Manmade.

Sarah Gilfillan is founder of Sartoria Lab Personal Styling and Shopping Consultancy for Men.

Far more civilised then some Rusholme Ruffians – Ruffians Grooming range

imageThe notion of there being an evident growth in the idea of the Modern Gentleman – who is at liberty to care about how he looks after himself, is certainly no big discovery. You would, literally have had to been sharing a cave with Nick Brody and Osama Bin Laden not to have noticed the re-birth and Big Bang in male grooming, particularly over the last five years. In simple terms, you no longer have to be a Geography teacher, wizard or member of ZZ Top to have a beard. I mean dear God even, Superheroes, news readers & members of the royal family are sporting extensive facial hair.

To match this masculine trend we’ve equally seen an explosion in more boutique, artisan grooming ranges for a more discerning customer. One in question is Ruffiansa brand whose first barber shop launched in Edinburgh in 2012, and it has won the Best Independent, Best Newcomer and Best Designed Salon at the British Hairdressing Business Awards. It also won Best New Salon at the prestigious Creative Head Awards. Ruffians pride themselves on their outstanding customer experience, innovative design and of course blooming decent haircut and shave, and in a move William Wallis, himself would be proud of,  is open now at 27 Maiden Lane in Covent Garden, London.

On top of this Scottish invasion, the brand are passionate about their grooming range and how they are made in small batches rather than mass-produced. They are formulated by Ruffians and based on the real feedback they get through their barber shops.  Founder of Ruffians, Andrew Cannon, started with a blank piece of paper and created a range geared specifically for men’s hair and skin type. They stay clear of all the nastiness like sulphates, colourants, parabens, animal testing and have a very natural and effective range.

Key products within the range include the Rough Matt Clay, this promises to thickens, texturizes and increases fullness of hair. Natural clays kaolin and illite add fine particles that help thicken the hair appearance and prevent build-up of excess oils. The Sandalwood Shave gel which uses Positive ionic molecules bind to the negatively charged hair shaft and lift it, allowing the razor to glide right to the base of stubble, reducing hair dragging or snagging and sandalwood oil lubricates the skin and is a natural antiseptic contains healing properties.  Lastly, the signature Ruffians fragrances, in hand-crafted hip-flask bottles and luxury whisky-style cases. Firstly, RUFFIANS ONE, which is a deep, classic masculine scent, suitable for everyday wear and formal occasions And RUFFIANS TWO, is a contemporary, fresh and sporty fragrance, perfect for a signature scent and promises a distinct night-time confidence.

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This is no Ye Olde Curiosity Shop – Anderson & Sheppherd Haberdashery

anda rowland_9.tifOK before I launch into today’s post, I have to stress, I am not about to moan, I promise you. But, in this line of business you are asked to attend alot of things. Things including meals at Posh Eateries, parties, even trips abroad for launches, I can hear your groans already, along with the violins, yeah yeah I deserve it. Anyway, the point I’m trying to make is, when you have been in this game as long as I have and when you have been asked to as much as I have, lets just say the novelty wore off a long time ago. So when I was asked to visit a new Haberdasery, of a Savile Row Tailor, I had certain preconceptions and it was only down to the friendship I have with the PR that I agreed.

anda rowland_4.tifNow, I, like I am sure a lot of you guys have certain presumptions when you hear the words Savile Row, Stuffy, Pricey, Oo Suits you sir, the list goes on. All I can say about the Anderson & Sheppherd Haberdashery(actually on Clifford St parallel with Savile Row) is, that I was proved wrong. YES I admit it, I was wrong and I’ll even go as far to say, I was wrong on pretty much all of my biases.

The store genuinely offers a carefully curated collection of trousers, shirts, knitwear, swimwear, ties, belts, hats, and other accessories for the thoughtfully stylish man, honest. The emporium is overseen by Audie Charles, the longtime right-hand woman of the legendary London tailor Doug Hayward. Who explained to me, “Doug lived above his shop, and, eventually, his flat sort of crept into the shop,”

She best summed up the thinking behind the concept as, “The haberdashery is meant to be like that: welcoming, like someone’s Mayfair home. The scarves and sweaters are not behind some glass front. We encourage people to pick them up and play with them, to get the full tactile experience.”

The attention to detail is sublime, no thought has been overlooked, from the warmest of welcomes once you walk in through the door, to the light and airy environment, some what against convention, to the equally warm exit you receive that ensures you want to return, even for just a nosey around.

anda rowland_11.tifVirtually everything in the haberdashery is exclusive to Anderson & Sheppard and has been sourced from the British Isles, whether fisherman’s sweaters from Ireland, knitwear from Scotland, or cabled shooting socks from Cornwall. And Clifford Street is proudly unseasonal, offering heavy woollens and light weight knits, all year-’round, so that no matter where you live or might be about to holiday, Anderson & Sheppard will have what you’re looking for—in stock, ready to go.

First-time Anderson & Sheppard visitors are made as welcome at Clifford Street establishment. The front sitting room, with its muted music and beautiful fireplace, offers refuge from the bustle of the outside world, while a corridor leads back to the airy, gloriously skylit room where most of the merchandise is displayed. Visitors are encouraged to linger, have a drink from the bar, and settle into the TV room at the back.

Plus, with handkerchiefs costing as little as £10 and neckties starting at £40, the haberdashery has something appealing for every man, Audie, who I now feel I’ve known all my life, wants it to be, “A familiar destination: a place you come to whenever you’re in town.”

 

 

One for the Men – House of Fraser Menswear events

AJ479_121012_HOF 14 027_F3_RGBMen are often the second thought, forgotten party when it comes to Fashion and Style often losing out to their higher spending, fashionista female partners and counterparts. Events specifically for the female customer are common place making them feel pampered and cared for as a shopper. Well no more I tell you, no more ! House of Fraser have been aware of the neglect we feel as a consumer body and as a result are offering Menwear events up and down the country, see below for dates. Each of the participating stores are offering tailor made events for us, yes us humble male customers to partake and participate in. Staring this weekend, yes as of TODAY ! at their Oxford Street Flagship store in London where amongst other things you can;

  • Win a year’s supply of underwear from Superdry
  • Your chance to win £1000 to spend on Tommy Hilfiger
  • Enter the Tombola to win £200 of Label Lab Clothes
  • Receive EXCLUSIVE Gifts with purchases from Fred Perry, Lyle & Scott, replay, Penguin and Tommy Hilfiger, Barbour, Ted Baker and many more !
  • Customise your jeans with Replay Denim Campus
  • One for the ladies, see WE don’t forget you, you can meet the Calvin Klein Hunks in trunks, moving on.
  • Plus Drinks and DJ will be on hand to make the experience even more pleasurable !!!!

The dates for further events include ;

Bristol 21 24 March

Dundrum (Dublin) 28 30th March

Westfield 4th 7th April

Reading 11-14th April

Birmingham 18-21 April

Manchester 2-5 May

Glasgow 9-12th May

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