CLOTHES MAKE THE MAN

The W7 Brand was created in 2002, the inspiration of two entrepreneurial young men from West London.

Their aim – that everyone should have access to an extensive range of high quality cosmetics at an affordable price – is now well on the way to becoming a reality. The brand’s tagline of “Who Will You Be Today?” opens up opportunity for the consumer to express themselves and use W7 products to be who they want to be. With a strong team behind the brand, W7 has grown year on year and now boasts a collection of over 500 products, none of which are tested on animals.

The hero products within the range include  the W7’s Mister Post Shave Lotion is a formula to soothe and refresh the skin after daily shave. The Mister Post Shave Lotion contains: Vitamin E – Offers significant antioxidant properties, including defence from pollution. Peony Root Extract – An antioxidant and an anti-inflammatory that works hard to brighten the complexion.

The W7 Mister Hair & Body Wash is a quick and easy 2-in-1 for the hair and body. Formulated to lock-in moisture; hair and skin will feel and stay fresh and soft throughout the day.

Lastly, The Mister Antiperspirant Deodorant Stick is a creamy and long-lasting Antiperspirant formula that battles against odours whilst leaving a fresh scent.The Mister Beard Oil contains:

Vitamin E – Antioxidant. Jojoba Oil – Antibacterial, antioxidant and deeply moisturising and Zinc Phenolsulfonate – Antimicrobial.

“A gentleman’s choice of timepiece says as much about him as does his Saville Row suit.” – Ian Fleming

Being gifted a great watch can be like a rite of passage for a person. A moment in time when people start to take them seriously – most of all, themselves.

It can also be the most significant gift you can give to someone.

Picking the right style for the right person is a tough job – the below should help you be as precise as possible for picking the perfect timepiece.

Read our guide on how to buy a luxury watch as a gift and find the perfect timepiece for that special someone.

The brands

Having a general understanding of the biggest watch brands will help you finalise your choice – picking the best is like asking someone on the street who the best football team is – you will always get a different opinion.

Rolex is the most well-known luxury watch brand. They soared in status during the late 1980s ‘yuppie’ culture, a fast-growing movement of young, affluent executives who wanted to show-off their rise in status.

Everyone loves a Rolex, but amongst those in the know, there are finer watches out there. Historic brands such as Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, and Cartier are respected by horologists all around the world for the brilliance of their design and technical features.

Success can sometimes spoil quality, so a lot of the lesser known names have retained a sense of identity over the years – if you are primarily after quality and not in the favour of public opinion, this will be your route.

The complicated part

Some watches have an incredible amount of features and settings. Using an annual calendar, winding the watch up or adjusting the chronograph takes knowledge of horology. So knowing the type of person should make you lean towards more or less complications on a watch.

Is the person a watch geek who loves using little features and available gadgetry? Or are they a minimalist who would prefer their watch to be a statement alone? It will be a waste of money to buy a timepiece with intricate features only for them not to be used and vice-versa, so take heed of a watch’s complications.

A watch style and different personalities

Every type of watch indicates something about the wearer. It is crucial that when you get this person their timepiece, you cannot mistake their personality for the type. Getting a sporty, outdoors type of stylish dress watch just won’t work. Not only will the watch not survive their lifestyle, but the relationship also may not recover from the misappropriation.

Types of watches range from field and racing to diving and pilot. Each one is built to accommodate a different wearer, so buying them the ‘correct’ type will not only show you understand them on a personal level but will also allow the watch to be used in its correct function.

Field

Originally created for soldiers in WWI, the field watch has developed into a timeless piece made for men of action. Today, it is the complete watch made for the modern man.

A field watch is simple in design with minimal complications and faff – it is sturdy, reliable and efficient – just like the person who wears them.

The style is iconic and the complications it has will suit anyone with a personality of style and adventure. The simplistic look, usability and durability make it a great choice for a first ‘serious’ watch.

If it works for fictional CIA agent Jack Ryan, it is probably going to be good enough for the rest of us.

Perfect for: rugged, sophisticated and active people

Chronograph

These highly accurate watches were a huge innovation for sports. Before the chronograph, runners could not measure their exact time during laps – it was impossible to be precise.

Since then, the chronograph watch has become pivotal to space travel, racing technology and the aviation industry. Equally as cool, Paul Newman wore a Rolex Daytona which would go on to be sold at auction for $17.75m.

The chronograph has the perfect balance between a cool, stylish, sleek appearance whilst having all the gadgetries and complications of a racing car dashboard.

This is why this watch is perfect for the cool yet fast-paced. Someone who is measured, on time and can look cool effortlessly.

Perfect for: The competitive & sporty type

Pilot

One of the most stylish types, these watches were at the forefront of the aviation world. The first real ‘computers’ onboard planes, these watches helped pilots navigate and gave them coordination.

A pilot watch usually consists of technical complications and stylish designs. The timepiece style is great for almost every occasion in looking fashionable, professional and being efficient.

This style suits the literal and figurative ‘high flyer’ and the extrovert who boasts a Maverick-style personality.

Perfect for: the fashionable extrovert

Dress

The king of elegance. This watch is more of a piece of jewellery than an accessory, something more modern that came during a time when style began to creep over function. This watch is usually simple, sleek and complementary. Perfect for someone who always dresses their best regardless of whether it is the boardroom or the pub.

Originally a dress watch donned a leather strap and was restricted to only the most formal occasions. As time has progressed, opulence allows a watch to qualify. If worn correctly, it can suit almost any setting.

Dress watches grew rapidly during the 80s and 90s. The yuppie culture of high-earning young executives keen to show their newfound wealth and class led to the mass increase in Rolex sales.

The Rolex brand was cemented in style – and ever since then, if you see someone boasting one of their dress watches you know they mean business.

A watch of refined taste that is difficult to pull off correctly. A must-have in any collection, it can essentially be worn in any situation. The key caveat is who is wearing it, not where or with what.

Perfect for: the classy executive

Diving

This watch came to the forefront in 1962 after Sean Connery’s James Bond in Dr. No wore a Rolex Submariner.

Ever since then, it has almost become a lifestyle symbol by those who wear it. It shows that its wearer is a person of adventure and style, of mystery and preparedness.

The retro feel, durable look and sophisticated style make it a perfect watch for the excitement in life. Whilst you aren’t going to be expected to dive with sharks in Nassau, you could be found wearing this travelling from city to beach and not look out of style in either.

Perfect for: the active adventurer

Racing

Drivers at the top level have always been renowned for their composure, precision and accuracy.

Born from the need for race drivers needing to measure distance over time, we saw this style become recognised more for the wearers than anything else.

Arguably one of the coolest styles and more versatile to wear, you can pick from your chunkier and dressier to the more stylish and squared away.

Of course, the coolest style can only be worn by the most debonair of people; enter Steve McQueen. He wore the 1969 TAG Heuer Monaco Calibre in the 1971 film Le Mans and immortalised the watch.

It became a style of watch that can only be worn by the most relaxed and assured among us.

Perfect for: the relaxed and cool headed individual 

“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.” (1 Corinthians 13:4-8)

愛; 熱愛; 愛戴 , Amor, حب, 爱人, Amour, Liebe, Amore, に忠誠心を感じている, Grà, Любовь, 사랑, Love. However, you wanna say it, the day of Lurve is nearly upon us. To mark this day and ensure we stay in our loved one’s good books we’ve created gift guide, that whoever or whatever your partner in LOVE is into should suit them.

Forget the dozen red roses or racy underwear, if you’re looking for something just a little different or individual head over to Etsy where a community of crafters and creative creators are in one online market place.

As we live in these uncertain times whisking the one you love off to romantic foreign climbs can be both problematic and prove to be a real let down if you are forced to cancel. So stay safe and stay closer to our beautiful home and take advantage of some of the brilliant getaways you can find on such websites as Groupon or Escapes.

The Palissy Weekend Bag by Carl Friedrik
A luxurious leather holdall with a firm structure to keep your belongings safe. Just the right size for a romantic weekend getaway away,  and is customisable too, making it an excellent personalised gift. 

Encased in the classic chassis we’ve come to know from its days as an amp maker, these Marshall headphones come with 6mm drivers, adjustable EQ settings via a dedicated app, IPX5 water resistance, Bluetooth 5.2, 20 hours wireless playtime with A.N.C, plus Transparency mode for whenever you need to let the world back in.

Make date night extra special with this luxurious champagne and charcuterie gift set. This jute bag is filled with goodies perfect for sharing. Enjoy a glass of Delacourt Brut champagne whilst savouring tasty nibbles including camembert en croute and a grazing box of charcuterie arranged in the shape of a red rose. Celebrate with two expertly pre-mixed cranberry and citrus cocktails; enjoy individually or combine to create the ultimate cosmopolitan to share. Finish things off with a sweet treat – choose from love heart macaroons or delicious truffles, of course from M&S 

Sweep someone off their feet and treat them to a super soft experience with the Be Mine Crew Sock 4-Pack Gift Box , featuring fun hearts and stripe patterns, made with a soft, breathable material that’s never too loose, or too tight. 

Not only that. but for every item purchased, Bombas donate an item to leading UK homelessness charity, St Mungos through their One Purchased = One Donated model – so you can spread the love to someone in need, aswell

5 Stages to Happiness Glasses from Kikkerlandeu.com – Enjoy your tipple with these fun drinking glasses. Comes in a set of two. Each glass has 5 stages: Sip, Ahhh, Smile, Chuckle & Bliss. Great to share with loved ones and friends Each glass holds 300 ml.

Streetwear has been a popular fashion trend for around forty years now. It has also changed a lot in the last decade or so. Streetwear used to be affordable, baggy clothing with graphics printed on it. Now, it seems to have mixed with several high-end fashion brands that have added a bit of luxury to streetwear.

Despite all of the collaborations, there seems to be a massive increase in streetwear brands each year. There are so many streetwear brands out there to choose from that it has altered the traditional style that we were once used to. Here are some of the newer streetwear brands that we have discovered in recent years and what to expect from them.

Bound

Bound was founded back in 2018, with the intent to mix contemporary menswear with streetwear. It is reasonably priced compared to the common streetwear brands that we know and see on the streets today.

Affordable streetwear is something that has been missing for several years now. However, when people see “affordable” they assume that it is designed with cheap materials. However, Bound is the complete opposite of that. They take pride in using premium materials for their contemporary streetwear and their custom cut & sew that makes every item feel original.

Mr Saturday

Founded slightly later than Bound, it is a much more expensive clothing brand. Their style is also a mixture of contemporary fashion and streetwear. Mr Saturday’s style of clothing is the typical oversized style that streetwear is used. Mr Saturday specialises in both men and women wear for their brand. Furthermore, their style is inspired by bomber and tench jackets from world war two. Including hoodies that have chainstitch embroidery.

Tier

QTier clothing was founded back in 2014 by Nigeria Easley, EsaĪe Jean Simon and Victor James. It is a New York-based streetwear brand that again, is on the more expensive side. Additionally, it is a brand that goes for the standard design of streetwear that we know. Think of the 1980s and 1990s streetwear fashion, especially Stussy. It has graphic tees, hoodies, and many other items that are inspired by that era of streetwear. At the moment, they have a great selection of jackets which are similar to those that off-white design, although they are much more affordable.  

Profound Co.

Going back to the more affordable type of streetwear, Profound Co is another American based streetwear brand. On their website, they admit to “not overthinking their designs and bouncing off moods and feelings”. Collections will quickly be made and designed within two weeks, without questioning their idea and making the design better than their last collection. It is slowly becoming one of the fastest-growing brands for contemporary streetwear, which seems to be the modern twist for this fashion trend.

82K Degrees

Back to the UK streetwear fashion brands, 82K Degrees is a unisex fashion brand that may be expensive to some people, but affordable compared to other streetwear brands. It was founded in 2019 by London based artist and entrepreneur Kojo Hammond. Moreover, it is much cheaper than Tier and Mr Saturday. However, it is expensive compared to Bound.

82K Degrees is not like most new streetwear fashion brands of today where they combine contemporary and streetwear fashion into one. It is solely just streetwear fashion, inspired by the 90s and 00s. With the typical graphic tees that are over the top with their art.

Thames MMXX

Thames MMXX is a brand that has a fantastic story behind it. Blondey McCoy’s brand was originally partnered with London-based streetwear brand, Palace. Ever since Blondey’s departure with Palace, he has collaborated with Adidas on several occasions. Sharing his designs with their Superstar style trainer. However, his brand is much different to those that are on this list. They have a more vintage style with their streetwear which seems to be a common trend in the United Kingdom.

It is safe to say that streetwear is thriving at the moment. Furthermore, there are hundreds if not thousands of brands that are adopting this streetwear style. It is safe to say that streetwear has become much more expensive in recent years, especially over the last decade. However, it has seemed to keep the same style in graphic clothing. Nonetheless, some brands like to combine contemporary with streetwear. That seems to be the common trend for streetwear in the United Kingdom.

Streetwear in the UK overall is slightly different to the rest of the world. For a couple of decades now, tracksuits is the common style with streetwear for men. Moreover, college t-shirts and hoodies, which are commonly worn in the US, are becoming a popular style in the UK.

International premium brand FALKE have teamed up with Mindset-led Fitness Brand; ROWBOTS, co-founded by professional footballer Gareth Bale, to create an AW21 mens and womenswear capsule collection of sportswear,

ROWBOTS, Gareth Bale and FALKE have joined forces to redefine the sports industry with a unique collaboration, bringing two powerful brands together to inspire the fitness community to move better, feel better and perform better. FALKE’s long-term research in knitting technology and biomechanics has led to create the perfect apparel for the ultimate sports performance.

The FALKE X ROWBOTS #SwitchOn collection features Socks, T-Shirts, Shorts, Pullovers, Sports Bras and Tights, all in smart black and grey colourways and branded with FALKE X ROWBOTS logos. A collection of technical clothing created for all workouts, designed with the body in mind to move with you as you perform. Made with performance fabrics that offer the highest level of comfort by effective moisture management and temperature regulation.

“Performance-oriented products for even more workout fun, that’s what the collection by ROWBOTS, Gareth Bale and FALKE promises” says Andre Brockert, Business Unit Director FALKE Ergonomic Sport System.