Over the last few years a certain Skateboarding brand has been gaining attention in all the right places, Palace Skateboards has managed to build up what can only be described as a mystical aura; similar to the hype of which Supreme has generated over the years and in turn creating a hardcore, loyal following. And recently, the brand have further established their very credible credentials by collaborating with none other than, legendary sports and lifestyle brand, Adidas.

(Key pieces from their most recent collaboration with Adidas Originals.)

What started out as a group of skateboarders, led by skater Lev Tanj,  just printing a few t-shirts and gifting them to fellow Skateboarders to wear, has now turned into a global brand with collaborations with sportswear giant Adidas Originals and Reebok under their belt within the first few years of the brand starting out. With the likes of ASAP Rocky, Jay-Z and Drake all religiously wearing their printed tees and jackets, the brand has rocketted recently not just within the UK but globally.

(A$AP Rocky x Palace/Adidas collaboration shirt)

The hype around the brand now is similar to that of Supreme, with a craze surrounding anything they put out being snapped up by not only the hardcore skate followers but also by a more stylish mainstream Fashion follower. To compound this a trend we have started to see creep into the more higher end Fashion circuit is taking elements of skate wear and adapt it to their ends. In recent seasons, the catwalks of fashion capitals have started to move swiftly away from the typical skinny trouser silhouette and shapes such as wide legged trousers and workwear shapes begiving to re-appear.

Fashion houses such as Alexander McQueen, Kenzo and Acne Studios have been drawing inspiration from Streetwear for years. With McQueen opting for trousers with a wider leg and at a cropped length similar to that of a skateboarders trouser.

The highly desirable Acne Studios have additionally been inspired by Skate wear, incorporating Wide Legged trousers into their Autumn Winter collection. As well as Coach jackets which are staple in the skate culture. They’ve taken key elements of culture that is currently popular such as Skate wear, and workwear silhouettes and added a touch of class and high end aesthetic.

If someone said to you, “Hey let’s go to St Pancras, shopping?” It’s fair to say your reaction would be less than ecstatic. However, if someone said, “Hey, fancy going to Paris?” Your reaction would be slightly different. Well, this is exactly the situation I recently found myself in. Myself and the long suffering Mrs Mc are celebrating 10 years of togetherness, feel free to insert any number of, you get less for murder jokes here, I’ve a list as long as your arm. And me being the old romantic I am, booked us a little jaunt to Paris, the city of romance, yes La Ville Lumière, to sample the sites, the sounds, the joie de vivre of the French Capital.

Now here’s where the fun starts, no the reveal of this little surprise evoked the right emotional reaction, but when we are stood outside our Cab at St Pancras and I experience that heart sinking moment when I say, “Did you grab that bag on the stairs on your way out Darling?” And you get the answer you most certainly were not looking for, “Errr no I thought you had picked it up Sweetheart.” So how do we play this one out, do we;

1. Turn around and explain how were you expected to pick up a bag when you were already laden down with every other piece of luggage we posess, including a bag between your teeth. In rather raised tones, which would result in the ruining of the entire weekend and there being very little love in the city of Amour. Or
2. Do I take a very deep breathe swallow it up and say, “never mind, at least we have all your clothes my Darling. I’m sure I can pick up something along the way.”

We all know what followed next, yes, anything for an easy life, number 2 all the way. So it starts, my mind racing, thinking, Ohhh dear God, please let there be at least an M&S clothes store at St Pancras all I need is something like a black shirt and obviously the essentials needed for an outfit when your luggage is currently languishing at the top of your staircase several postcodes away.

So imagine my shock, delight, surprise when I’m confronted on entering the automatic doors of St Pancras International station. Encased in a Uber modern terminal originally designed by, William Barlow, St Pancras International originally opened in 1868 and for its time was seen as an engineering marvel – it was the largest enclosed space in the world and provided the grandest entrance into London.

However, nowadays, the engineering marvel is still very much present but the station itself has now become a destination in its own right, boasting more shops than any other railway station, its own fresh produce market, the longest Champagne Bar in Europe and a Gastro Pub. Of course we see the traditional names you may expect M&S, WHSmith and Boots, thank goodness, but these are joined by the likes of Whistles, Joules, Thomas Pink, Oliver Bonas, Dune and Gant to name but a few.

Greeted with this very welcome prospect, what else is one to do, plus with time to kill, drop Mrs Mc off at Fortnum & Mason, yes you did read that correctly, St Pancras boosts its own branch of said luxury retailer, for a relaxing Cuppa, while I de-stress with a spot of retail therapy. OK the course of action is to assemble the versatile essentials to get me through a weekend where all I have is the outfit I’m stood in, some underwear, a deodorant and an electric toothbrush. First stop, one of our favourite retailers Whistles. I mean this is a no brainer, I need directional, stylish, versatile menswear and as always I’m spoilt for choice. After  much deliberating I went for this great Navy sweatshirt design knit, smart enough to wear over a shirt if the weather takes a decidedly frosty turn or worn on its own with my trusty jeans.Then onto Dune, do you go for Brogues, can’t go wrong, Oxfords, the old faithfuls, a Monk Strap, can be worn with anything, ohhhh the Penny Loafer, they look equally great in a formal or casual setting.
Feeling the stress leave me, almost like an exorcism, I’m drawn to Thomas Pink, I need a formal shirt, of course where else would you go ? Covering the entire spectrum of shirting from Gingham to Stripes, from Paisley to Houndstooth, what do I go for ? With the help of the super skilled and knowledgeable staff the choice was simple.

One last stop, better collect the better half so we don’t miss our Eurostar and next stop Paris. International crisis averted. Stress levels back to manageable levels and divorce lawyers not needed, what was all the worry and fuss all about. Sorry, more Champagne you say ?

Autumn has come to a close, the clocks have gone back an hour and to quote everyone’s favourite house of Stark catchphrase “Winter is coming“. Yes cold winter days are fast approaching, and keeping warm is one of the top priorities, all the way from your the top of your head to the tips of your toes, it’s important to look like the part whilst trying to prevent yourself from getting frostbite. Footwear are essential, the best boots keeps our feet warm and cozy when the two bar heater is just not cooperating. Here are our top 10 Boots you should purchase for coming winter.

Hannibal Navy Vachetta – Mr. Hare

Black Calf Leather ‘Kelly’ Boots – Paul Smith

Leather Chelsea Boot – Cos

OSF31 Country Boot Black Leather – Oliver Spencer

Gideon Boot – Grenson

Dargo Rise Black Boots – Clarks

8130 Heritage Work 6” Moc Toe Boot – Red Wing

Alfred Wing Cap Boot – Kurt Geiger

Fiss Boots – Camper

Shackleton Crew Boot – Shackleton

COACH, was established in a Manhattan loft in 1941, by six artisans handcrafting a collection of leather goods using skills handed down from generation to generation. It soon established a reputation as a leading design house of modern luxury accessories and lifestyle collections with a rich heritage of pairing exceptional leathers and materials with innovative design. Customers the world over seek out the unique nature of Coach craftsmanship partnered with our American attitude and design.

In September 2013, Yorkshireman, Stuart Vevers (above) joined Coach as their Creative Director, to give this American institution an international perspective. Vevers’ journey started humbly enough when he moved to London at the age of 18 to study Fashion Design at the University of Westminster. Vevers established his career at Calvin Klein and then moved on to successful roles at Bottega Veneta, Givenchy and Louis Vuitton.
In 2004, Vevers returned to London to become Creative Director at Mulberry, where he was instrumental in the early stages of the house’s transformation into the recognised design house it it today. But it was in 2007, when he was appointed Creative Director of Loewe, the almost two-century-old Spanish leather house owned by the luxury powerhouse LVMH (Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton). Where Vevers radically transformed the traditional accessories brand, revitalizing all aspects of the business.

However, for Autumn 15 he based his Menswear collection for Coach on a sense of freedom inspired by a cinematic vision of the American landscape, with an individuality born of New York. Muses for the collection included The Beastie Boys, the Kennedy boys, Steve McQueen, Gus Van Sant.

To cement Coach’s international commitment they have recently a opened a 600 square meters flagship store on Paris’s Rue Saint-Honoré (below), which was designed in partnership between
William Sofield of Studio Sofield and Vevers himself fusing a distinctive NYC attitude with the brands evolution into Modern Luxury. At the opening he commented, “The relationship this city has to the concepts of ‘luxury’ and ‘heritage’ are unlike any other — which is why the opportunity to bring Coach’s take to Paris is so exciting for us. Our version — modern, American, forward-looking and ease with itself — is one that I think will feel both authentic and refreshingly new here.”

When you think of Duffle Coats a couple of things spring to mind Paddington Bear, maybe, or Alan Bennett, maybe even Arctic explorers, but one brand epitomises the archetypal British, good old Duffle, Gloverall. Founded in 1951, literally, from the words Glove & Overall, Gloverall has gained iconic status as a design classic with their coats still being Made in England.
Playing a key role in style and culture through the last 60 years Gloverall has become one of the most respected and loved British outerwear brands.

This season Gloverall underlines its celebrated sporting history and delves into its rich sports-led archive with the launch of the ’51 collection.

For Winter ’15, the launch collection makes a contemporary reevaluation of the monty duffle coat, updating the classic boiled wool style featuring appliqué racing-inspired motifs and pins. Additional outerwear pieces include a selection of all-weather raincoats, mid-length car coats, a wadded parka and the race-inspired Paddock jacket. The collection is completed with a range of casual utility shirts with faint echoes of the 1950’s alongside a handsome selection of aran and fair isle knits as well as a crew-neck cardigan emblazoned with the collection’s 1951 slogan.