CLOTHES MAKE THE MAN

Words by Isaac Perry

So much has recently been going on that it’s been hard to summarise what some of our favourites have been. So now we feel like it’s the right time to share some interesting news with you all! Allsaints have recently moved into the wrist wear business offering a

diverse collection of 20-piece range, which combines style, precision, performance, and attitude. From clothes to bags to fragrances and now watches, AllSaints offers a uniform without uniformity

Allsaints was founded in 1994 by Stuart Trevor and Kait Bolongaro, they began through the wholesale game selling to exclusive stores such as Harvey Nichols & Harrods but soon realised that they had their own identity and a brand which could go much further.

Allsaints aesthetic is totally rock n roll and this vibe gets people hooked onto the brand. They are known for their beautiful leather jackets as well as having the perfect layering pieces each winter. Though this year they have offered something different releasing a range of watches called The Untitled and Subtitled Collection.

This new avenue led Allsaints to the underground culture exploring subcultures using each watch to explore Urban landscapes around the world.

Private White VC, as a brand, is incredibly proud of, not only, their British roots but the city they call home and where all of their beautiful pieces are produced. To celebrate this heraldic relationship and showcase some of their collection, amongst other Great British brands including Globetrotter, Bamford Watch Department, and Johnson’s of Elgin, Private White VC  have produced a short film created by Visionarism .  It was shot on location across central Manchester, along the canals of Ancoats, in Albert Square in view of the iconic Town Hall build in 1868, from within the Private White V.C. factory where all the brands garments are lovingly handmade.

Private White V.C. CEO James Eden, tell of;

“What’s the last thing that you truly cared about?  Looking back, I think about the city and our industry and how much it has changed, yet I find myself right back to where it all started… and that’s with the people. 

They’re the thinkers, the dreamers but most of they are the doers that work tirelessly to master every inch, angle and possibility regardless of the time and effort required to realise the vision; just at should be; authentic, traditional, progressive.

Yet still some will say it’s the slow way round but for us it’s the right way round. It’s all we’ve ever known. 

We’re the last remaining clothing factory in the world’s first industrial city. Over 100 years old embedded into the fabric of this great city. This is dedication. This is us”. A celebration of the best of British design. 

It’s all good and well, me spouting on about how great this is or how wonderful that is, but sometimes you need to hear from the proverbial horse’s mouth. So as Autumn is pretty much upon us, no point in denying its onset any longer, we seek the counsel of three of the leading menswear buying experts around.

In the second of this season’s “Ask the experts” we sort the answer to the age old dilemma of “What brand are you most excited about for Autumn 2019?”

“We’ve been really excited about bringing-on Reese Cooper, one of the latest brands to launch on MR PORTER. After meeting Reese and seeing the FW19 collection back in January, I instantly wanted to introduce the brand to MR PORTER’s global audience. It’s quite rare to find a new designer with a collection that appeals to a broad age range; I can see younger guys wearing his tee’s to a slightly older customer wearing his high-quality plaid shirts or outwear pieces. The brand is also uninfluenced by trends or by what other dominant brands are doing.”

George Archer, Buyer, MRPORTER.com

“ Bellerose we (and our customers) are loving this brand at the moment. Based in Antwerp they have a real knack of producing timeless pieces which are also pretty on trend too. Chore Jackets & soft corduroy over shirts are particular highlights this season.”

Pete Parry, Founder and Owner – Steranko

“It would have to be Noon Goons – the LA-based streetwear brand, which draws on movements including surf, skate, punk and hip-hop culture. The A/W collection includes easy-to-wear slogan sweatshirts, window-pane check shirts and a statement tiger-print jacquard cardigan – perfect for revamping cold-weather wardrobes.”

Damien Paul’s (Head of Menswear, MATCHESFASHION.COM)

Chilly winter mornings as we prepare for the clocks to go back, will cause the average Brit to spend an extra 24hours in bed over the colder months.

Now, we’ve all heard of Harry’s and how they’ve revolutionised the way we approach shaving and how we buy our shaving accoutrements. Plus the sterling work they have done in highlighting mental health, in particularly the desire state of male mental health provision. But, that’s not all Harry’s are all about, they are now an all encompassing, all purpose, answering all the grooming needs of all men with a brand spanking new grooming range.

So, you can forget sluggish mornings and the snooze button, Harry’s NEW FIG SHOWER GEL which will give you a glimpse of fresh summer air on a beach in Santorini – the perfect refreshing, wake up call to motivate you to start your day.

Harry’s are bringing the enjoyment back into your morning, starting your day right with an energising and rich formula, of fruits and spices, which bloom as the foam amps up, provides a blast of fig, blood orange and cardamom, that make each shower feel (or at least smell) like a holiday to the Aegean Islands.

Plus, a 2 IN 1 SHAMPOO & CONDITIONER Provides a balanced clean with everyday hydration. This unique formula cleans deep but doesn’t strip your hair of natural oils. It lathers richly and is formulated with 0% sulphates, parabens, and dyes.

Then we have a hair styling product for whatever way your hair is feeling on any given day. This taming cream both enhances natural texture and moisturises. By acting as a mild conditioner for curly, coarse, or thick hair, it helps keep unruly hair smooth and in check. Bonus: It’s so lightweight you’ll forget it’s even there.
Or TEXTURIZING PUTTY spruces up your natural look with immediate control and lasting definition. This supple putty adds a healthy dose of texture to help keep your hair tidy yet full of volume. Its flexibility lets you easily shape and reshape throughout the day and lastly the SCULPTING GEL. This locks in bold, sharp styles without flaking or fading throughout the day. But unlike potentially harsh hair gels, this alcohol-free formulation doesn’t dry or damage hair in the process.

Words by Cameron McLauchlan

This week we’ve gone for a real early 2000’s inspired outfit based mainly off my recent addiction to Friends and general love for baggier clobber. Lets get into it…..

1. Stone-Island Wool Cable-Knit (Cream) 

This super high quality sweater is available exclusively at Mr.Porter.

Stone-Island is a brand with a rich history, coveted for its innovation in producing unique often hi-tech fabrics and prints. Their iconic orange Heat-Reactive sweatshirt was a testament to such innovation. The Jumper constructed out of a heat-reactive yarn is currently sat on re-sale platform Grailed for over $2000. I will include a link to the jumper below as it is proper piece to marvel at. Stone Islands constant drive to use and create unique fabrics can be traced back to the brands founder. Massimo Osti.

Before Stone-Island there was CP Company, Osti’s first baby which surfaced slap bang in the middle of the 70’s. Stone Island was setup several years later in 82’ with the purpose to develop dying and fabric treatment techniques. Two perfection which you can find in almost every product today bar their basic sweats and T-shirts.

Whilst the Italian brand was popular domestically in the years after its birth, its noticeable take flight moment happened during the 90’s when it became a symbol of ‘casual culture’. When English football fans travelled across to Italy and brought back droves of Stone Island, CP Company and other brands like Ellesse and Moschino sparking an instantaneous demand for the brand over the channel.

Stone-Island as of today is run by Carlo Revetti who has actually been involved with the company since 1983 when his company GTF bought a 50% stake in the brand, later buying the lot. He and Osti worked together for over a decade before parting ways in 1994.

To take a look at the Heat Reactive jumper click the image below;

2. Polar Skate Co Denim pants (Green)

Polar Skate Co, is yet another example of a skate brand which has been welcomed by consumers worldwide. Whilst it’s much younger than the likes of Supreme, Palace and Stussy you can see a similar path of success for the brand ahead.

Malmö. Sweden. 2011—is where the brand began. Founded by Pontus Alv who many consider one of the OG’s in helping build the skate scene in Sweden. Alv created Polar Skate Co to pay reverence to skate culture instead of using it to push the items like commodity. Its an ethos which clearly translates well to a wider audience hence the brands global success.

The skate world is a tight-knit community like many other sub-cultures, evident in Polar Skate Co with many of its skate team having a direct impact on the design of its product.

Polar Skate Co is another brand with Re-affirms that Skate culture has just as much of an influence on street/pop culture as hip-hop or any other sport you can think of.

To Shop the pants ;

3. Converse x A$AP NAST Jack Purcell (Green) 

This particular converse is the third link-up between US rapper and creative A$AP Nast. He first collaborated with Converse back in 2017 producing 1 iteration  of the Chuck Taylor and One-Star inspired by mid-century furniture.

As we’ve touched upon the history of converse in our very first episode of #SFTW which you can still find on this very blog, we’ll have a little delve into the Jack Purcell model itself.

Jack Purcell born in Canada in 1904, was known for making one of the first iconic sneakers in history as-well as being a world champion badminton player. He created his signature shoe with B.F. Goodrich Company in the early 1930’s to provide additional support whilst playing the game he loved.

Converse much later purchased the ‘Jack Purcell’ trademark rights in the 1970’s and has used the trademark to create an another successful line as chief support to the One-Star and Chuck-Taylor. The Jack Purcell Converse can be distinguished by the overlapping rubber on the toe-box.

To shops this collab hit the image below, also available in a rusty brown;