CLOTHES MAKE THE MAN

The extraordinary mens blog for the modern man
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Fade to Grey – Aveda Grey Blending

On a recent trip back up North to the Motherland, my ever caring, sharing, loving sisters made an observation to my appearance, in that way that only a family member can get away with, “aren’t you going grey !” Picture a monkey carefully preening a fellow colony member, that sort of thing.

In all honesty the thought hadn’t ever entered my head, yes the thought of losing my hair is a constant worry, but going grey hasn’t really worried me. My Mum is snowy white and always seems to have been from my memory. My Dad had a fine head of dark hair with scattered salt and pepper, only greying round the temples and sides. So greying hasn’t really been on my grooming radar, until now.

Now we know men have different needs and expectations when it comes to getting their hair coloured. We don’t want to spend a lot of time in hair salons and we have reservations about getting a hair colour service at all. The wonderful Aveda have introduced the 5-minute Natural Grey Blending. This is a professional service that quickly and discreetly blends away grey, with a natural finish, with low commitment results that lasts up to 4 weeks.

This formula is a 95% naturally derived and is infused with a plant oil blend including organic sunflower, castor and jojoba to help keep hair looking healthy and is designed to speedily blend away greys.

Now greying is one thing but thinning hair continues to be one of the biggest grooming concerns for men and the fear that products could potentially make hair appear even thinner, particularly when it comes from pastes and waxes. Aveda’s Men Pure-Formance Thickening Paste, uses the thickening agent Alma, to instantly expand each strand of hair. Alma helps to plump each strand from root to ends, to make the hair look and feel thicker.

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A Stella Collection – The Launch of Stella McCartney Menswear

Stella McCartney, is a name which needs no introduction, often referred to as Rock Royalty. Her Father Sir Paul is not only responsible for writing and producing some of the best known and loved songs of the last 50 years, but was a member of THE most iconic bands ever. Stella’s client list reads like an A-Z of A-listers since it’s launch in 2001. Since then she had developed a signature silhouette which re-mixes evening wear, sportswear-inspired clothes and sharp tailoring. Thus far this this has been restricted to womenswear, so far. For Spring 2017, McCartney debuts her first-ever Menswear Collection, aptly, the launch was held at the iconic Abbey Road Studios in London.

Strangely it’s taken her so long to launch this side to her clothing empire as while a student at Central Saint Martins Fashion college she studied under Savile Row stalwart Mr Edward Sexton. He himself shared a very musical based background having dressed many of the stars of his day and in fact his first store with fellow Tailoring Master Tommy Nutter was financed by another singing Scouse legend Cilla Black and her husband Bobby Willis.

For this collection, which of course was leather and fur free, she was inspired by leading British Subcultures and of course the style of her Father to produced a range that despite being seeped in retro nostalgia was contemporary in its approach and fusion of formal and streetwear.

“I’ve long desired to marry the Stella woman to a man and now the time just feels so right.” – Stella McCartney.

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HAIRSTYLES FOR SPRING 2017

“A new hairstyle is one of the easiest and cheapest ways for a man to kick-start his confidence,” says Tom Chapman, one of the most sought after barbers in Britain, owner of Tom Chapman Hair Design and co-founder of the Lions Barber Collective. With this in mind Clothes-Make-the-Man have teamed up with Tom and men’s grooming brand The Bluebeards Revenge to identify the top five men’s hair styles/trends for the coming Spring/Summer season and what you should ask your barber for and how to maintain the look at home.

Side-Parted Pompadour:

The pompadour is a classic barbershop cut that’s known for its versatility: it can add professionalism to your office antics, while also presenting a delightful suave to your evenings out.

Ask your barber for:

A tapered cut with plenty of length of top to create the classic pomp look.

How to style at home:

Apply The Bluebeards Revenge Matt Paste to wet hair as a pre-styling agent.
Blow-dry your hair and use The Bluebeards Revenge Quiff Roller to mould your new style into shape making sure to create a side-parting.
Finish by applying a small amount of The Bluebeards Revenge Pomade and comb through for the desired effect.
Scissor-Cut Contour:

With tapered cuts and fades being all the rage, a top-quality scissor-only cut will always stand out from the crowd, especially when it boasts this much texture.

Ask your barber to:

Put the clippers down and use scissors to create a textured look that’s longer on top and shorter on the back and sides.
At home:

Apply The Bluebeards Revenge Sea Salt Spray to wet hair as a pre-styling agent.
Blow-dry your hair and use The Bluebeards Revenge Quiff Roller to create volume and texture on top.
Finish by scrunching The Bluebeards Revenge Matt Paste into your hair for a look that will last all day.

Tapered Crop:

The tapered crop is a style that’s easy to maintain on a daily basis, yet has enough texture and personality to leave you feeling on top of the world.

Ask your barber for:

A tapered back and sides that blends into a choppy, textured top.

At home:

Apply The Bluebeards Revenge Sea Salt Spray to wet hair and rough dry with a towel to create a natural look with added texture.
Finish by evenly distributing The Bluebeards Revenge Matt Clay from the root up.
Disconnected Slick-Back with Burst Fade:

This cut sounds a little complicated, but in reality it’s a modern adaptation of the classic slick-back that provides a professional, classy style.

Ask your barber for:

A grade two on the back and sides that fades away to the nape; leave plenty of length on top so that it can be slicked-back to the crown.

At home:

Apply The Bluebeards Revenge Sea Salt Spray to wet hair as a pre-styling agent.
Blow-dry the hair straight back towards the crown of the head using The Bluebeards Revenge Quiff Roller.
Finish by running your fingers through your hair with The Bluebeards Revenge Matt Paste for added hold.
Caesar Crop with Surgical Line:

The Caesar crop is a classic cut that’s been modelled by many celebrities throughout the years. This adaptation incorporates a surgical line for a more millennial finish.

Ask your barber for:

A drop-fade on the back and sides with a scissor-cut top and a fringe.

At home:

Apply The Bluebeards Revenge Matt Paste to wet hair and blow-dry it forward towards the fringe using The Bluebeards Revenge Military Brush.
Rub a small amount of The Bluebeards Revenge Matt Clay between your palms and fingers and scrunch into the tips of the fringe.

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Let it get your G.O.A.T – G.O.A.T SNEAKER Exhibition

If your in London or planning a trip to the Capital anytime between 26th January and 5th February, blank out two or three hours in your diary and head to North London, we promise you won’t regret it. ‘G.O.A.T. (Greatest Of All Time )Sneakers’ is a new exhibition launching in London.

Curated by leading international sneaker expert, Neal Heard, the renowned author of the first and most iconic book on Sneaker culture, ‘Trainers’. The exhibition will be both a history and an homage – revealing the secret stories behind the creation of the most iconic sneakers ever made; providing a fascinating narrative of the integral role they played within key sporting & cultural movements throughout the 20th & 21st century; and even offering a glimpse into the psychological hinterland of the cult of sneaker obsession.

Featuring a 3,000-year timeline, G.O.A.T Sneakers identifies the earliest known iterations of the shoe before chronicling its evolution across the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries – along the way charting the many infamous controversies & scandals (such as the debate around who first invented vulcanised rubber; the origin of the term ‘sneaker’; the trainer-versus- sneaker question) as well as the extraordinary stories surrounding the creation of the most iconic brands and designs over the years and how they were variously appropriated by successive generations of cultural tribes around the world.

The centrepiece of the exhibition will be an entire wall devoted to the twenty-five greatest sneakers of all time, as voted for by an international online poll of the general from a longlist created by an international panel of over 25 industry experts.

Exploring the obsessive devotion inspired by sneakers, the exhibition will also offer a look ‘Inside The Mind of a Sneakerhead’ in the form of a hidden installation featuring the highlights of the renowned collections of two sneaker obsessives, Brooksy and Kish Kash. Offering a must see not just for sneaker pimps and trainer aficionados, but also the curious and style conscious and best of all its FREE.

G.O.A.T. Sneakers – in association with Lyst, Jan 26th – Feb 5th
The Archivist’s Gallery, 2-10 Hertford Road, London N1 5ET

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Louis Vuitton and Supreme: A Collaboration From The Streets to The Runway

by Keanu Adorable

Rumours of a collaboration between French label Louis Vuitton and New York brand Supreme have been circling the internet for the past weeks which have sent various sects of social media into a frenzy, and now these rumours have been confirmed when models donned out pieces and accessories during at the LV Autumn/Winter 2017 show this Paris Fashion Week.

Under the creative direction of British Designer Kim Jones – who took the helm of Louis Vuitton’s men’s division in 2011 – and with the cooperation of New York-based cult skatewear brand, Supreme and founder James Jebbia, Louis Vuitton presented a lineup of Autumnal looks that incorporated Supreme’s bold red and white box logo branding. “You can’t have the conversation of New York men’s wear without Supreme right now, because it’s such a massive global phenomenon,” said Jones in a pre-show interview with WWD.

The two labels have had an interesting history with Louis Vuitton filing a lawsuit against Supreme in 2000 after they created a mock skate deck wrapped in LV’s traditional insignia. Seventeen years later, how times have changed, and given the history of these brands and the cultural relevance of both of their logos, this could be noted as the most hyped-upt collaboration of the century so far. In fact, Jones has some personal history with the brand. “I used to work when I was at college unpacking boxes of Supreme at a company in London that distributed it when it was just starting out, so it’s something I’ve known all along in my life.” 

A homage to New York’s history as a thriving hotspot of creativity, the collection is smart-but-cool vibes, with loose cuts, relaxed garments and luxe fabrics. Look past the barrage of box logos and you’ll find easy-fit tailoring, some nods to workwear and some really sick silk pieces decorated with Art Deco motifs.

Unlike prior Supreme collaborations, this one will not be available at Supreme’s brick-and-mortar stores or online. The collection will be sold exclusively through Louis Vuitton stores later this year. Jones said the line designed with Supreme would go on sale at select Vuitton stores on July 17, but would probably also as pop-up stores are likely to be opened “in areas where both of them are popular,” according to Jones. Check out highlights from the Paris show below & start saving for July.

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view the runway and collection at: louisvuitton.com