CLOTHES MAKE THE MAN

COACH, was established in a Manhattan loft in 1941, by six artisans handcrafting a collection of leather goods using skills handed down from generation to generation. It soon established a reputation as a leading design house of modern luxury accessories and lifestyle collections with a rich heritage of pairing exceptional leathers and materials with innovative design. Customers the world over seek out the unique nature of Coach craftsmanship partnered with our American attitude and design.

In September 2013, Yorkshireman, Stuart Vevers (above) joined Coach as their Creative Director, to give this American institution an international perspective. Vevers’ journey started humbly enough when he moved to London at the age of 18 to study Fashion Design at the University of Westminster. Vevers established his career at Calvin Klein and then moved on to successful roles at Bottega Veneta, Givenchy and Louis Vuitton.
In 2004, Vevers returned to London to become Creative Director at Mulberry, where he was instrumental in the early stages of the house’s transformation into the recognised design house it it today. But it was in 2007, when he was appointed Creative Director of Loewe, the almost two-century-old Spanish leather house owned by the luxury powerhouse LVMH (Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton). Where Vevers radically transformed the traditional accessories brand, revitalizing all aspects of the business.

However, for Autumn 15 he based his Menswear collection for Coach on a sense of freedom inspired by a cinematic vision of the American landscape, with an individuality born of New York. Muses for the collection included The Beastie Boys, the Kennedy boys, Steve McQueen, Gus Van Sant.

To cement Coach’s international commitment they have recently a opened a 600 square meters flagship store on Paris’s Rue Saint-Honoré (below), which was designed in partnership between
William Sofield of Studio Sofield and Vevers himself fusing a distinctive NYC attitude with the brands evolution into Modern Luxury. At the opening he commented, “The relationship this city has to the concepts of ‘luxury’ and ‘heritage’ are unlike any other — which is why the opportunity to bring Coach’s take to Paris is so exciting for us. Our version — modern, American, forward-looking and ease with itself — is one that I think will feel both authentic and refreshingly new here.”

When you think of Duffle Coats a couple of things spring to mind Paddington Bear, maybe, or Alan Bennett, maybe even Arctic explorers, but one brand epitomises the archetypal British, good old Duffle, Gloverall. Founded in 1951, literally, from the words Glove & Overall, Gloverall has gained iconic status as a design classic with their coats still being Made in England.
Playing a key role in style and culture through the last 60 years Gloverall has become one of the most respected and loved British outerwear brands.

This season Gloverall underlines its celebrated sporting history and delves into its rich sports-led archive with the launch of the ’51 collection.

For Winter ’15, the launch collection makes a contemporary reevaluation of the monty duffle coat, updating the classic boiled wool style featuring appliqué racing-inspired motifs and pins. Additional outerwear pieces include a selection of all-weather raincoats, mid-length car coats, a wadded parka and the race-inspired Paddock jacket. The collection is completed with a range of casual utility shirts with faint echoes of the 1950’s alongside a handsome selection of aran and fair isle knits as well as a crew-neck cardigan emblazoned with the collection’s 1951 slogan.

Who doesn’t know shoe Genuis Oliver Sweeney, a cobbler who shoes inspire lust and aspiration and who is all about taking the traditional and making it modern. Founded in Britain in 1989, they’ve been making shoes great for over 25 years. Taking inspiration from around the world and filtering it through a very British lens, the brand is known for sourcing the highest quality materials to craft shoes, clothing and accessories that reflect a customers’ individuality, flair and success.

I have to say I have great memories of the man himself and on more than one occasion during the late 90’s sharing a drink or six in the Mecca of 90’s twatness that was the Met Bar.

Fast forward to present day and the brand is celebrating its Silver Anniversary! From outfitting the 2003 England Rugby World Cup champion team Sweeney shoes have always been able to make a statement. They’ll be celebrating this milestone year in many different ways and with many different projects as the year progresses, but to kick things off they have started proceedings with the Silver Collection of four Limited Edition shoes.

The brand have developed a special leather treatment together with their dedicated team of Italian artisans based in their factory in the Marche. Using luxury metallic silver leather as a base, they apply a fine black composite skin over the top that can then be brushed off to reveal the silver underneath. Plus they’ve also introduced the Firewriter sole etching service exclusively on the 25th Anniversary Deliceto. Using a heated iron and an intricate template, these shoes can be finished with a bespoke design that’s limited only by your imagination. Then The shoes are finished with a hand-stitched ‘XXV’ on the heel counters, black leather inners with silver foil lettering, and strictly Limited to a numbered Edition of 250 pairs of each style.

To celebrate this anniversary in style, they’ve used this Anniversary leather on 4 different styles;

• Falerone, a contemporary hi-top with a laser-etched crosshatching panel on the flank
• Osimo, a classic low-top that features minimal detailing and a swooped stitching line
• Cova, a slip-on trainer style that’s inspired by vintage skate shoes
• Deliceto, a formal shoe that uses a striking last with a fin-like ridge along the toe