OK, OK it’s the last day of Christmas, no more Festive puns, I promise, until next December. Before I start on today’s post I have to point out the reason this press release and it’s accompanying images stood out to me. All to often I find myself having to go away for a night, whether that be a Press trip, meeting, work related or plain old pleasure. I don’t want to be lugging around bags, you know a bag with your laptop etc, an overnight bag and then on many occasions a suit carrier, as folding a suit and placing it, no matter how carefully, in  a holdall just doesn’t work. Let me tell you dragged through a hedge backward isn’t a good look when you are trying to impress and at least try and convince someone your half way professional.

Well, I’m not on my own in experiencing this problemo and rather then sit there complaining and fuming at luggage manufacturers, this man has got up and done something about it.

Paul Magi takes an architectural approach to his new accessory brand. Defined by a masculine aesthetic, the design style expresses the structural details of a product. The impetus to create a bag-based brand was defined by the needs of a contemporary well-travelled man, not unlike yours truly. The starting point for the ‘Overnighter’ was a list of essential items for a one night stay, with a constraint to conform to airline carry-on size restrictions.

Paul Magi, himself an architect, presents a brand that focuses on the use of sustainable and responsibly produced materials and components. The ‘Overnighter’ uses water-resistant cotton canvas and vegetable tanned leathers to create a considered bag that features the Paul Mag logo embossed in an understated script and comes in the masculine and understated tones of Black and Cognac.

When considering form, Paul’s desire was to present an extrinsically symmetrical shape, which could maintain the bag’s structure when unpacked. Signature reinforced leather bracing straps provide the ‘Overnighter’ with sufficient rigidity in its horizontal position, to pack clothes and buckle them into position with ease, so therefore, no more excuses for tardy appearances when dressing to impress. The three compartments allow for clothing, laptop and personal items to be stored separately yet accessed easily. Stitching around the middle section showcases the technical padding for laptop protection.

The distance between the handles of the Overnighter (175mm) is also considered detail, determined by the size of a man’s hand. This allows easy access to the front zipped pocket, deep enough to accommodate a jet-setters passport, airline tickets, and any other small items. Finally, the padded shoulder strap sums up the whole design philosophy; effortless style with the comfort of the user in mind. Ahhhhhh what more could you want ?

Hackett is a brand who never do things by halves no matter what they do and just to prove the point for this season they’ve gone a little collab crazy and decided to work with a couple of equally repeated and admired brands. Firstly, the stars must have been in alignment when these three great British brands came together to produce this collection of brogue shoes and boots. Using the finest Fox Brothers fabric with Joseph Cheaney’s time-honoured shoemaking expertise, these six superb  styles are made from burnished British leather, in brown and black, and signature Fox Brothers wool cloths in Prince of Wales check and herringbone designs.
Limited to 150 pairs each and individually numbered, the collection incorporates the Cheaney and Hackett logos inside the footwear. Made in England since 1886, Joseph Cheaney & Sons is based in the heartland of British shoe manufacturing, Northamptonshire. Whereas, Fox Brothers has been producing woollen and worsted cloths in Wellington, Somerset, for nearly 250 years. Officially credited as the original creators of flannel, they have developed a close relationship with Hackett.

Next up we have a partnership with one of Britain’s most respected accessory makers, Bill Amberg. Since establishing his company in 1985, Bill Amberg has been producing design-lead bags and accessories, made in England, using only the finest quality materials.

This unique collaboration showcases two classic styles: a backpack and a briefcase. These stylish and practical men’s bags are made from a vegetable tanned leather tumbled to give a full grain finish. The most natural and environmentally friendly way to tan leather, during the process large quantities of oils are absorbed by the leather, which means the leather retains its flexibility ensuring it develops character and a natural patina over time. Another benefit from this tanning process is when the leather is scratched, you can rub it and like a skin it will heal as the oils return to the surface. The bags’ trims are made from a vegetable tanned, robust shoulder leather from Belgium known for its hardwearing qualities. All other hardware details are Italian or British and made from cast brass, which will look better with age.

The Hackett x Bill Amberg backpack comes in two colour combinations: black leather with red felt and brown leather with navy felt. The British-made felt is from, Industry leading mill, Abraham Moon’s Heritage Collection. The red felt is called ‘British red coat’ and is named after the famous scarlet uniforms of the British army.

The briefcase comes in two colour combinations: black leather with red canvas interior and brown leather with navy canvas interior. Both bags feature a perforated Hackett logo punched into the leather and an umbrella carrier to reference the iconic crossed umbrellas of Hackett’s logo.

Another Scandinavian “heritage brand” has landed, this time in the form of Liberty’s top seller: Our Legacy. The current insatiable influx of Scandinavian designers shows no sign of abating and Our Legacy have just thrown open appropriately light wood doors in a typically minimal shop on Silver Place, an alley at the top of Beak street in Soho.

Founded in 2005 Our legacy became known for its parred down, dare I say it, typically scandinavian ascetic and a use of innovative fabrics, this year it debuted its use of ‘Grey Paper’ fabric a remarkably waterproof cloth (water literally runs straight off it like a ducks back, demonstrated on its website) from Japan it has used across a small range of utilitarian outerwear and bags. Over the past couple of years and possibly due to its positively mammoth 300 piece A/W collection encompassing jeans, footwear and coating it has also looked to seriously enter the suit market. Offering a several shapes in its new Soho premises the suiting is worthy of note for its casual lean: a jogging esque trouser accompanies many of its soft shouldered suits made from various cottons and including a light, crushed wool reminiscent of 90s Comme de Garcon and coming in at under £500 for the lot. Also in the collection is a more traditional patch pocket slightly more constructed grey flannel number, part of its push to dominate the 24 hour wardrobe.

Overall, and despite the clean lines and white walls, Our Legacy does not feel overwhelmingly new, probably because it has been something of mainstay in department stores for the last several seasons, however with its new opening, hugely diverse collections, very wearable ascetic and fairly reasonable price point it is certainly here to stay and might just have what it takes to take Acne on as King.