CLOTHES MAKE THE MAN

You know the scenario, we’ve all experienced it, your having a day, week, month from hell in work, you look out of the window, it’s grey, probably pouring down and you think to yourself, “Why am I doing this ? I could be lying on a sun kissed beach far away from all this”

Well the very same happened to two pals from London, one heavily involved in import and export for many high street brands, the other from a Fashion buying background, who were looking for an escape from the predictable working life. They decided to jet off to Rio to get away from it. On their arrival things quickly got messy-drinking Caipirinhas by the gallon, dancing on the tables, shots of Cachaça with the locals followed until the bar ran dry, we’ve all been their, actually, I wish I was their now.

They soon discovered that, this year’s Olympic City, Rio, was a hotbed, literally, full of fun, colour, freedom and, other recreational past times, use your imagination. It was alive, from dawn til dusk, full of 24 hour party people. It was then in amongst the free spirited vibe they knew, Rio loved them & they loved Rio.

As the morning sun came rising up over the favelas, they strolled along Ipanema Beach and decided that it was time for a brand to exist that captured the fun and attitude of what they have just experienced.

They would take the sites, sounds and flavours from Rio back to the UK to create a lifestyle brand reflective of their experiences and travels. Both guys loved Brazil for many reasons but they wanted to create a brand that had the happy, free-spirited vibe that brought the colourful life of Rio into clothing. Most importantly though they wanted to adopt the independent spirit of the people they had met who lived passionately, freely and confidently beyond the rules of society and Independent leaders was born.

Ermenegildo Zegna are one of the most renowned luxury menswear brands to hail from Italy, and have managed to achieve a most sort after status of being the embodiment of a fusion between tradition and luxury. Founded in 1910 in Trivero, near the Italian Alps, a young Zegna dreamt of creating an ethically renowned textile company using only the finest of materials. Today the company is still run by the fourth generation of Zegnas, with the brand being available in over 100 counties globally and was pioneeringly the first luxury brand to have the vision to venture into the Chinese market back in 1991.

As the latest installment of the Essenze Collection, they have created three handcrafted, signature scents inspired by amber, incense and musk striking the perfect balance of sensuality, strength and masculinity. All three fragrances are distinctively paired with exclusively grown Zegna Italian Bergamot from Calabria, Italy – the common thread that unites all of the scents of the Essenze Collection. But each fragrance uses a complex and sophisticated composition of ingredients to return to the art of rich, deep, and long-lasting scents, which supplies the essence of the gold collection.

Amber Gold is the first addition that highlights stunning variations of the universally timeless Bulgarian Rose, in a richer and darker interpretation, with a perfect sensual union of undulating Amber. Exceptional notes come together through a special artisan extraction. With mid notes of Lavender Seillan Essence, the dry down is balanced with a duet of precious Ambranum and Benzoin Siam woven with Sandalwood, Patchouli and Vetiver for texture.

Incense Gold is the second addition that expands upon the intoxicating incense note with a multifaceted freshness of an aromatic complex of citrus notes, creating personality that envelops your presence. Perfect for layering, Italian Cypress and Italian Lemon blaze forth as top notes, while White Flowers, Jasmine Sambac Absolute and Lotus Flower enrapture as mid notes. The smoky Incense signature note weaves its way through rich Leather and Saffron, enhanced by the richness of Cypriol and Sandalwood to create an utterly captivating dry down.

Musk Gold is the third ultra-sophisticated addition inspired by the sensuality and mystery of Musk. It opens with vibrant accents of Black Pepper and Coriander, heightened by wild brushstrokes of Saffron. The heart is a modern fusion of textured Moroccan Cedarwood, warm Carrot Seed Heart LMR and magnetic Myrrh, reinforcing the fragrance’s deep and mysterious aura. Underneath, the hypnotic and sensual power of Musk is unveiled as it cascades over a powerful finish of dark Patchouli, rugged Leather and opulent Oud.

It’s fair to say the Italian Leisure wear brand, Parajumpers, isn’t for the faint hearted. Even the inspiration for Massimo Rossetti’s brand is extreme to say the least. It’s inspired by the men of the 210th Rescue Squadron, a crack team of highly experienced individuals who are trained for extreme rescues and recoveries in the wildest, most remote and hostile corners of the World. Whether it be rock-climbers stuck atop a treacherous mountain peak, ships adrift at sea, or submariners sunk at unimaginable depths, these men are called to intervene.

Its latest venture is a little tamer, in the shape of a sunglasses range. Launched at the prestigious PITTI UOMO exhibition, where the great and the good of the Fashion industry preview their latest ranges. The sunglasses, all made in Italy, to the highest specifications are five contemporary “free spirited” designs. As with everything the brand produces they hold an appreciation for classical and timeless design values, not trends and fads, these are investment pieces that will see you through years of Summers, if looked after.

The titles of each of the designs is, of course, suitably iconic and adventurous SPITFIRE, LIBERATOR, AVENGER, WILDCUT and THUNDERBOLT, well you could hardly expect Foxglove or 2716/383, from a brand like Parajumpers. Plus they are constructed of a high quality metal and acetate combined frames with at least polarised base 2 lenses with anti-reflection.

I don’t think it arrogant or big headed to claim that Britain has the best High Street Retailers on the face of this planet, I hope It doesn’t sound flippant or making light of the situation, as I know we’ve lost a couple of big names in the last few years, but overall we have an enviable High Street portfolio. Don’t get me wrong, I’m no Judith Charmers, but I have travelled a fair bit and if I had to select a runner up to our crown, no it wouldn’t be the US, nor France or even the home of Designer retailing Italy. It would be none other than Espana, home to Zara, Mango, Bershka, Massimo Dutti and Camper.

The latest Spanish export to set its sights on enticing us with their Mediterranean wares is Scalpers. The brand was founded in 2007 by a group of friends in Seville and was inspired by a tribe of Native American Indians who cut off scalps in order to reclaim their freedom, nice, I wonder if Ted Baker, has a similar story behind their heritage ? This is also how the logo transpired; the signature skull and bones that is so widely recognised within the brand.

The stylish brand has built a reputation since its founding for supplying timeless durability and contemporary design, conceived with the idea of liberating men from a traditional and homogenous sense of style. Scalpers presents a refreshing take on the modern gentleman and his wardrobe essentials. Offering a wide range of accessible menswear suitable for work and play including jackets and trousers, casual and smart shirts and everyday T-shirts. Footwear and accessories include sunglasses, trainers, cufflinks and ties.

With Scalpers’ spirit of rebellion at the core, the label’s added quirks allowing it to stand out from the crowd. Together with this, Scalpers also prides itself on its design and details, working with Master Tailor, Borja Martin, who is recognised as one of the best in Spain for his expertise, on their formalwear offering.

The New all purpose Gillette Styler is essentially a 3-in-1 precision grooming tool for men who style their facial hair, thank you very much and goodbye. Ohhh OK so it Combines Braun engineering and Gillette Fusion technology, it trims evenly, shaves closely and edges accurately – allowing men the ability to craft any look without having to compromise and own their look with added confidence.

In all honesty there is a lot more to this gadget, the Styler is waterproof and shower safe, letting you trim while you shower. The All Purpose Styler lets you easily master any style with one precision tool using any Gillette Fusion cartridge. But that’s not where it stops, the styler has a Blade Stabilizer, to maintain optimal blade spacing for comfort, while allowing the blades to adjust to the contours of a man’s face. It carries a Lubrastrip infused with mineral oil and lubricating polymers, enabling the razor to move smoothly over skin even on repeat strokes.

It packs a real punch when it comes to trimming with 4 Levels of Trimming, with three exchangeable combs (2mm, 4mm, 6mm) for consistent length and contour adaptability. Plus, a Precision Trimmer, designed to create crisp, defined lines and finishing touches. The Stylish Base and Holder, conveniently stores all three Braun combs, the Fusion ProGlide attachment and the Braun trimmer – neatly and securely and the Battery-Powered Design for easy use anytime and anywhere with no cords or charging time, is ideal for throwing into your washbag in time for your holibobs.

COMPETITION TIME

Now if that has whet your appetite, how would you like to win your very own Gillette 3 in 1 precision grooming styler courtesy of yours truly at Clothes-Make-the-Man and those wonderful people over at Gillette. All you have to do is follow us over on Instagram. YES IT’S THAT SIMPLE !

Please note the competition runs from 6am on Tuesday 19^th July until Midnight (BST) on Friday 19^th August and is only open to residents of the mainland UK, Sorry.