6 of the best Macs – By Elliott Parsons

Christmas and the parties season going into the New Year are now firmly behind us, some of us may be feeling a tad glum; and the weather isn’t exactly helping matters either. So let’s face the wetness and sobriety of Lent in Feburary with, what better way, than a new Mac! So let Clothes Make The Man help you kick Life into touch by looking good.

 

patrick grant

First on the list is from Patrick Grant’s excellent collaboration with Debenhams, Hammond & Co. With a classic look and strong check this will surely make you stand out on the tube.

aquascutum

Next on the list is Aquascutum. Famous for their heritage trenchcoats who better to trust to keep you warm and dry this year? The Broadgate Raincoat is fully lined and consists of a cotton mix and streamlined single breasted streamlined look. A worthy investment by any measure.

imageThe third inclusion is this sturdy and technically brilliant Mac from our friends at Joules. It’s a mid-range price point and a highly sensible option.

marks and spencers

Next on the list is the Classic Stormwear Mac from Marks & Spencer. A quick and easy way to look your best this coming spring.

jaeger

Penultimately we have, Jaeger. Smart, practical and versatile, this Mac will last you through the winter cold and the summer showers with a removable gilet for when it get’s warmer.

burberry

Finally, where better to finish up than with the kings of trench coats and macs; Burberry themselves. This cotton gabardine single breasted trench coat is classic British heritage style summed up.  Burberry will keep you dry, warm and sartorial this coming year.

4 Buyers and their Favorite brand for Spring 2016

I know you trust my advice and opinion, but I do think it’s healthy once and a while to seek the learned viewpoint from other experts in the world of Menwear. Today it’s the turn of some of the leading Menswear buyers in the field, covering websites, independent boutiques and department stores all at the forefront of dressing stylish men.

We set them the challenging task of selecting just one brand that they would recommend for this, ever promising, Spring 2016. Read on dear Reader.

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The brand I’m most excited about for Spring Summer is the much anticipated launch of The North Face Black Label. Drawing on the success of the elusive Japanese Purple Label it combines a streetwear aesthetic with TNF functionality creating some pure fire pieces. With a black brand sign off on the arm it separates the hype boys from the weekend dog walkers.

Obviously available at The Idle Man in February.” Thom Scherdel, TheIdle Man.

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Satisfy was born to celebrate the simplicity of running. A global collective run from a Paris-based studio, Satisfy produces clothes from performance fabrics that cross-over
into everyday life; versatile enough that you could run out for a coffee, take with you when traveling or run a marathon.” Darren Skey – Head Of Menswear, Harvey Nichols.

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image“For SS16 I am particularly excited about the worldwide re-launch of Perry Ellis as Perry Ellis America, which is exclusive to House of Fraser in the UK for SS16. The new brand direction aims to bring an American attitude to Europe, whilst infusing European style with American spirit. I really love this camo print jacket, as it’s perfect for layering on top of t-shirts for the Summer!”  Paul Hayes, Senior Menswear Buyer at House of Fraser

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This Spring Summer at Steranko is all about Vetra, the original French
work-wear brand. They’ve been making uniforms for the French Army
since 1939. Perfect for layering in Manchester’s inclement summers –
we’ve got it coming in for both men and women.” Pete Parry, Steranko.

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Paris Menswear Shows Highlights – Autumn/Winter 2016

Over the years Paris has built up an envious and undoubtably strong reputation for offering a showcase for brands that offer balance between commercial awareness and an edgy sensibility. It is able to house brands as diverse as the Gallic Powerhouses of Dior Homme, Louis Vuitton, Givenchy and Hermes. While at the same time attracting international big names such as Paul Smith, Thom Browne, Valentino and Issey Miyake. All the whilst nurturing talents including Ami, Umit Benan, Christophe Lemaire and Raf Simons. So to commence proceeding we begin with what has to be the leading trend of the Parisien shows, the altered imagery of proportion.

RAF SIMONS

RAF SIMONS

Y-Project and Rick Owens were key players of this look, playing with proportions and sizes. However, it was Raf Simons who did it best, but between Rick Owens and Thom Browne surely they must steal the crown for senting out the most random looking models. Owens sent his out with their faces painted white & black out eyes and if that wasn’t scary enough, Browne’s looked as though they were auctioning for a new Dr Who Monster with Bowler hats acting as masks. Nonetheless, getting back to the clothes on show Simons and, new kid on the block, Sacai played with the same proportions and materials but went down a more dishevelled Preppy tip.

DIOR HOMME

DIOR HOMME

The nature of the Fashion beast is its ever consumption of trends and as it gives birth to a new one we lay to rest another. This was well and truly evident as we wished an RIP to the skinny look, when that Bastian of all things svelte, Dior Homme ditched its skinny jeans for a far more biasly cut silhouette, surely now is the time for us to do the same ?

LOUIS VUITTON

LOUIS VUITTON

Meanwhile over at, Louis Vuitton, Kim Jones really does go from strength to strength with his reinvention of the classic French Luxury house. Paris has in recent months seen its fair share of hard times and this season Jones decided to write a love lesson to this City he had called home for the past five, yes it’s been five, years. Offering his unique take on Parisen culture both new and old.

CERRUTI

CERRUTI

Another grand name with an enviable heritage showing over the session was Cerruti where Jason Basmajian delivered his first collection as Chief Creative Officer, of the house, and what a genius stroke it was, in offering us everything a contemporary man should posess in his modern wardrobe from work to play.

BALMAIN

BALMAIN

Another trend we saw emerging was seen at Dries Van Noten and Balmain who offered us there take on a Mystical, magical, military. Dries opted for a little more Mod in his interpretation. Whereas Olivier Rousteing’s Balmain went for it in a tad, how can I put this, well, Adam Ant’s Prince Char-Ming.

LAMAIRE

LAMAIRE

From one extreme to the other, as it’s been said that brands the like of Hermes, APC, Christophe Lamaire and Ami merely produce clothes and not Fashion, as they aren’t swayed by the trends and foibles, of this world they exist. Almost as a statement of, well they don’t deserve to belong here during a Fashion Week. Well if this is the case, please carry on as when brands produces ‘clothes’ as simple and beautiful as these, you can keep your Fashion or Fadhion trends. Stand out has to be Lemaire, who displayed a highly wearable, sensible but unbelievably stylish collection.

GIVENCHY

GIVENCHY

The theme for Ricardo Tisci for the house of Givenchy this season was ‘Freedom’, so he tried to unchain some of the shackles of restriction that Fashion designers must feel in trying to fulfill their job spec and yet meet the ambitions of the Fashion house bigwigs. He mixed Formal with Casual and vice versa, mess with traditions and conformities.

KENZO

KENZO

Then we have Kenzo who had more than a wiff of the 90’s about it. Designers Carol Lim and Humberto Leon were inspired by a Blur Gig they attended back in 1995 in Toyko. But it felt a lot more in keeping of Manchester’s Student Mecca, Afflecks Palace than the intellectual pseudo-Mocknies of Blur. From the unique patterns of this collection, reminiscent of the ‘going out’ tops sold in Afflecks to the rave culture accessories on offer and of course the Madchester Flares the models sported. Maybe the Inspiral Carpets blend of indie psychedelic pop was more apt inspiration, maybe ?

PAUL SMITH

PAUL SMITH

Finally we have a designer who just refuses to be pigeon holed,  in Sir Paul Smith. As much as his customers cross the full spectrum from saint to sinner, his collections tend to fail to fall into the categories of trend, whatever they may be, this season was a heady eclectic mix of colour, dinosaur prints and every material from cashmere to lurex, which should be pointed out, did work very well as a coherent collection.

Just in the nick of of time – Gillette’s NEW FUSION PROSHIELD RAZOR

imageA recent study carried out by Gillette‘s own in house Research and Development department found we are doing our skin not only a disservice but damage in the way we are shaving. And why should we pay particularly any attention to this research ? Well, for over 110 years, Gillette has delivered precision technology and improved the lives of over 800 million men around the world while assisting them with products for their skin and grooming routines. It found most guys take on average 170 strokes every time they shave, now of them 170 strokes, up to 120 of them are re-strokes over the same area of the face. The problem being, after the initial strokes have wiped away most of the protective shave gel, which acts as a buffer between our skin and the cold metal of the blade.

Despite all of the advances in blade technology, many guys still experience some irritation, largely due to these re-strokes. Instead of expecting guys to change how they shave, Gillette decided it had to  make its best razor blades even better to shield guys from irritation. Their new Fusion ProShield razor with lubrication before and after the blades shields against irritation during every shave – no matter how many strokes he takes.

imageFellas have many grooming habits which ensure they are looking their best. But guys are often in auto-pilot mode doing these and other typical activities throughout the day, I means most of us are normally still fast asleep when we shave, the vast majority of the time. Some guy auto-pilot behaviours may include stroking their facial hair when thinking, sucking in their gut when seeing someone they are attracted to and taking a surprising number of strokes every time they shave. When it comes to shaving on auto-pilot, guys re-stroke over the same area, wiping away the shave gel. Shaving over the same spot without lubrication can cause skin irritation, redness and bumps that keep men from looking and feeling their best. That’s why the Gillette boffins dreamt up the Fusion ProShield, engineered to proactively shield against irritation, with new lubrication before the blades in addition to the Lubrastrip after the blades, while still delivering the closeness we desire and demand.

Such new features of this razor include, the thinnest, finest blade edges with less tug and pull on the skin, Blade Stability Bar maintains optimal blade spacing for exceptional comfort,  MicroComb to help guide stubble to the blades and two Lubrication Bar and stripe varieties in standard Yellow and a Blue chill with cooling technology.

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Content Produce Associate – The new in house range from Content

image2016 is upon us and many great things are promised for us in this year, great films, great TV, great Sporting Events and what’s more great style. The first example of this being Associate. Content – The independent menswear retailer, which currently boasts two standalone stores in London, along with the Edwin collaboration store on London’s, Exmouth Market. Stocks a well curated selection of contemporary menswear and lifestyle products. 2016 sees them launching an in-house capsule brand by the name of ‘Associate’.

imageFounder of both Associate and Content Store(s), Mark Batista has been a key player in the menswear industry. His agency Brand Progression being the main focus of his career with nearly a twenty year history; as well as co-founding leading menswear tradeshow Jacket Required along with Craig Ford.

Associate, works on the common sense principle of, if it’s not broken it doesn’t need mending and  consists of three staple colour oxford shirts, inspired by classic 1950’s style but renewed with Portugese fabric and fine detailing to integrate with the clean aesthetic of contemporary menswear. Future seasons will expand into a wider array of product to compliment the collection as it currently stands with simplicity, premium quality at an affordable price point. “We wanted to offer outstanding garments at an rrp (recommended retail price) that’s affordable. And the last, yet pretty much most important rule is that Associate had to be a brand/collection that we would all wear.” says Batista.

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