CLOTHES MAKE THE MAN

I wouldn’t say Summer 2017 has exactly been a washout, just it certainly wasn’t a vintage Summer nor will it go down in the record books in any way as a corker. So if you want to prolong, or in some cases start, your Summer, I have the perfect Elixir for you, well fragrance. Genuinely, if you want the scent of the most perfect Summer’s day captured and bottled as a fragrance Acqua di Parma‘s new Colonia Pura is just for you, yes you.

Created as a modern interpretation of their classic, signature scent – the Colonia Pura expresses both the refined heritage of the brand and a fresh modern masculinity. Colonia Pura can claim a proud tradition of refinement and style. Just like the original Colonia of Acqua di Parma, the new Colonia Pura really does manage to captures the joy, cultivation and warmth of the unique Italian way of life. It is an exclusive, masculine scent made for men, with contemporary sophistication and elegance. Created with a youthful edge and a lighter approach to freshness, Colonia Pura is the perfect fragrance for a new generation to discover and delve into the luxury world of Acqua di Parma. With this new approach Colonia Pura is based on the wonders and richness of nature. Sky, sun and picturesque Italian landscapes are a core part of its heritage and source of strength. This is why Colonia Pura was created and packaged with sustainability in mind.

The scent of the new Colonia is warm and sunny with bright citrus hues, inviting natural surroundings and intriguing urban settings. Just like its name, Colonia Pura has a minimalistic aesthetic that focuses on the purity of joy and its modern interpretation.

Crisp and sunny bergamot, combined with juicy orange notes and delicate petit grain accents, brings new light and air into the classical citrus structure of Colonia. Next comes a seducing and alluring vital energy at the heart. The oral lusciousness of narcissus and jasmine absolutes blends with the spicy notes of coriander in an unexpected balance. The warm and sophisticated accents of patchouli and cedar wood encounter at the base the delicate, yet persistent white musk notes. The result is a luminous dynamism that celebrates life, inspires and opens up new vistas of expression.

This new way of thinking is continued as part of the accompanying Ad campaign where the brand has employed the skills, as an ambassador to head up the campaign in the form of British male Supermodel Will Chalker and in unison with the characteristics of this new fragrance he is joined in the campaign alongside his wife Chloe Chalker and their son Arthur Chalker.

Words by Charlie Britton

Here at Clothes Make The Man, we’re always on the look out for new brands. Unlike the Night’s Watch up on The Wall in Westeros, we keep our eyes peeled for exciting and interesting happenings in the world of menswear and once again, it hasn’t disappointed. Excellent Everyday Essentials is the game, Form & Thread is the name.

Form and Thread

It has recently come to our attention that quite a large percentage of frequent shoppers are unaware of costs when it comes to clothing. Brands that you find on your local high street often markup their products by 60 to 70% which might surprise you. After all, these brands are businesses that employ thousands of staff members, have assets to pay for and need to make a profit, but that’s where Form & Thread stand out from the crowd.

With a sole focus on menswear, F&T (Form & Thread) make excellent essentials at common sense prices. The brand thoroughly understands the intimacy we have with our essential garments and takes into account that we wear these everyday and therefore, shouldn’t carry a silly price tag. What’s more, it removes the frustration of badly made product and produces high quality garments that’ll last.

form and thread

From tees and shirts to sweatshirts and socks, F&T produce a full range of essentials for the modern man. Creators Rich Jean and Chris Bell started the brand by producing socks with the sole purpose of creating well made essentials without the high price tag and have done exactly that. The transparency that F&T has with its customers is simply refreshing. You’ll find a ‘Traditional Retail Price’ posted below the garments actual price, which very clearly indicates how F&T removes the unnecessary retail costs you often find with other retailers.

form and thread

We wanted to know a little more about Form & Thread so we sat down with creator, Rich Jean and went through some questions about the brand, it’s ideas and how it has grown to be a successful competitor in the menswear industry;

Q: When did Form & Thread start and what was the foundation for the brand?

I started Form & Thread late in 2015, mainly through a frustration of having to wait until sale to buy my favourite brands. So many contemporary menswear labels are expensive at full-price, and that’s what we set-out to try and change. To offer an accessible alternative. We started small, with socks as these were a comparatively low-cost product to make. Fortunately we picked up some positive early press, and people seemed to be into the product, so we spent the next year working on the next batch of products.

Q: What inspired the ‘common sense’ approach to pricing?

It came from the way my friends, peers and I shopped for clothes. Many of us enjoyed premium, contemporary brands but even with reasonable levels of disposable income would wait for sale to shop them. This prompted conversations about making these products accessible year-round and not just during sale.Having worked in the industry for some time, I had an idea of how much these things cost to make, so I went from there. That underpins what we stand for as a brand.

Q: What inspired the first collection of products?

Simplicity really. We use the finest fabrics and materials but don’t over design. We focus on season-less, wardrobe essentials – products that don’t go in-and-out of fashion, and that are relevant year-round. Products that can form the basis of any guy’s wardrobe.

form and thread

Q: What are the biggest challenges you’ve tackled with F&T?

As an online business, reaching enough people to make it work is key, and takes some time. That’s probably been the biggest challenge to date.

Q: How has Instagram had an impact of the brand?

Instagram has been an incredibly powerful tool for us. As a start-up with most people unaware of the brand, we’ve been able to build a group of early adopter types who might not have known who we were otherwise.

As we haven’t got a shop to offer a tactile experience, where we can communicate the brand, the quality of materials and design has to be reflected in the images and media we relay online. For example, we’ll often share images of minimalist and clean design on Instagram, that reflects the mood of minimalism throughout our product.

Q: Brand image and aesthetic are becoming increasingly more important, especially with how they are represented online. What has helped create the image for Form & Thread?

The aim from the beginning was to develop a brand that’s clean, considered and accessible. Having these key pillars in mind has really helped guide us in creating a consistent brand in both the imagery we use and our tone of voice online.

Q: What’s next for F&T?

Continue to build the essential wardrobe. We’re working on leg-wear and outerwear currently, with the plan to launch these next year. We’re mindful of not rushing this though. We want to perfect each garment type before we move on to the next.

If you’re looking for some new essential pieces to add to your wardrobe that’ll last, we encourage you to check out the range at Form & Thread. The garments are well produced, sensibly priced and look great, so there’s no excuse as to why you wouldn’t pick up a couple essential pieces that can be worn through the seasons.

Shop the full range at
Form & Thread

British fashion brand Jaeger is back for AW17 with a range that effortlessly celebrates classic English style. the brand’s Autumn Winter collection encompasses sharp and clean structures and natural forms to reflect the London landscape.

The menswear range launches in August with ‘Earthed’ – autumnal hues and organic shapes give a relaxed and easy to wear feel to the transitional collection. Soft knits in ochre and merlot create warmth, while the forest green flannel shirt injects a heritage feel. Inspiration is drawn from aerial photography as shown in the textured stripes, which add depth and contrast to the earthy collection.

Here are some of our favourite pieces from the collection that would make a fine addition to anyone’s wardrobe for the upcoming season. From basic and casual to more higher-end, this collection has it covered.

Jaeger Bonded Geometric Mac

Jaeger Merino Roll Neck

Jaeger Check Flannel Shirt

‘Distortion’ launches for September, focusing on Italian inspired tailoring. Sharp cuts and architectural qualities translate into menswear as clean lines and distorted grid checks explore new approaches to tailoring. Coats are key as light camel shades are worn with the structured suits to make a statement.

Pieces are available in-store and at www.jaeger.co.uk

In our final post in this series we look at the importance of using a post shave Moisturiser, long gone are the days where we would use alcohol heavy after shaves, which, particularly on sensitive skin had a result of looking like you had just returned from two weeks in the sun, using no sun protection and was equally painful as Kevin McAllister can testify.

Basically, what you need to bear in mind when shaving is you are, fundamental, pulling a very thin, ultra sharp piece of metal across sections of your face. So to say, you need to be both mindful and careful, is like saying don’t put that knife into the toaster, from experience.

Moisturising after your shave is essential, obviously, this reduces the threat of razor burn, stubble rash and the possibility of in growing hairs. So these little lovelies have been tried and tested by yours truly.

Clinique is a clear authority in skin care and leading dermatological brand and was the first prestige cosmetic company to recognise the different skin care needs of men and provide them with a custom-fit approach.

Their Post-Shave Soother relieves shaving irritation, leaving behind nothing more than a soothing, cool, tingly feeling and improved skin texture. Contains aloe to soothe razor burn, relieve dryness, the appearance of redness and helps skin repair minor nicks and cuts. I have to say this is my essential grooming product.

Clarins After Shave Soother is a calming, comforting, oil-free post-shave balm with skin repairing and moisturising properties and a light, fresh, clean fragrance. Acts as a great choice for normal to sensitive skin prone to shaving-related redness and irritation.
It contains Alpine Sea Holly and Centella Asiatica plant extracts intensively soothe and repair. A patented complex of Bison Grass, Chinese Ginger and Purslane plant extracts energise and soothe. Clarins e3p protects skin from the irritant effects of environmental pollution.

Bulldog Skincare For Men’s Sensitive Range is fragrance-free and has been designed to minimise irritation and calm sensitive skin.
Key Ingredients include Baobab oil pressed from the seeds of the baobab fruit, has high emollience and is known for its skin soothing properties.

Grown and harvested in the UK, oat oil has high levels of omega-6 and 9 essential fatty acids.

Canadian Willow Herb- A unique plant from the Northern Canadian prairies, which has developed strong phytochemical properties to survive the harsh climate. It’s been reputed to help soothe the skin and reduce redness.

Their Sensitive Aftershave Balm is exactly what sensitive skin needs after shaving. In fact, in tests, 100% of the testers felt it left their skin feeling moisturised after 2 weeks of use.

For 200 years Atkinsons have been producing great grooming products which are scented with bracingly aromatic 24 Old Bond Street English Cologne and packed with the most potent botanical ingredients. one such item being their Pre & After-Shave Balm is your skin’s best multi-purpose protection from the razor’s edge. Pre-shave, this fast-absorbing cream gel conditions the skin and subdues whiskers, preparing the way for the blade to skate over cheek and jowl. Post-shave, it moisturizes, soothes, repairs and refreshes for a long-lasting sensation of relief and revitalization. Skin is left feeling comfortable, supple and smelling its nicest.

British grooming brand The Bluebeards Revenge has developed a shaving range that contains the miracle ingredient Decelerine – which is scientifically proven to actually slow down the growth of hair as well as reduce the density of hair growth. Tests have shown that Decelerine can reduce the growth of hair by up to 40%.

The Post Shave Balm is specially formulated with witch hazel and aloe vera to nourish the skin after shaving and we are assured its designed to moisturise, soothe and invigorate freshly shaved skin without stinging.

Liz Earle for Men After-Shaving Moisturiser. A Light and easily absorbed, this daily moisturiser is perfect for all skin types, leaving it smooth and soft. Suitable for everyday use, after showering, shaving or whenever skin needs a moisture boost.
Naturally active ingredients include self-heal extract, to help soothe small nicks and calm razor burn, borage oil and natural source vitamin E to help moisturise.

Words by Keanu Adorable

Even though most of us are basking in the sunlight this summer, the autumn leaves and winter breeze is just around the corner, and it’s time of that year again to start layering up to battle the ruthless weather – which is a perfect excuse to go treat yourself to acquire new garments. Why not upgrade your current wardrobe with a brand new sweater? but not just any sweater, tennis sweaters.

Here at Clothes Make The Man, we love it when preppy menswear classics get a modern twist with its silhouette. These items lose its blandness, and sometimes outdated roots which give the wearer an updated yet smart look, thanks to their face-framing and shoulder-broadening diagonal collar stripes. These bold V-neck knits look just as good over jeans and a tee as they do when layered with your favourite suit or slim chinos. Even if you don’t play tennis, you can still feel like Roger Federer no matter how bad your backhand is. Here are our top 6 picks for you to check out.