CLOTHES MAKE THE MAN

anthonymcgrath405 / 03/10/2013

Back for Good ? Unfortunately not, only for a short time – The Farrell Pop up Shop

The National treasure, Sir Robbie of Williams, is no longer just a singer, ohhh no siree ! I’ll have you know the multi-platimun award winning crooner has ventured into the clothing industry, as I’m sure you all know as we interviewed his highly talented Design partner Ben Dickens last year. Farrell, as the brand is known, is named after Williams’ grandfather Jack Farrell and based on the principles of British honesty, style and integrity.

For Autumn the brand has taken the decision to showcase its collection within a pop up retail space and in turn creating a brand emporium. Thinking long and hard for the right location the brand opted for Earlham Street in London’s Covent Garden, chosen for its blend of unique village identity and charm, the 500 square feet space will house the entire AW13 FARRELL collection while the store itself reinterprets distinctly English tones through its beautifully curated fixtures and visual merchandising.

Key pieces from this season’s collection such as trenches, reefers and other military inspired designs will be on show, each style meticulously designed and contemporized through fit, while ensuring each item keeps all of the functionality and durability it was known for. In addition, sharp tailoring, crisp cotton shirts, chunky knitwear and a full range of accessories will also be available, catering for the more sartorially minded consumer.

Williams says of the project, “I’m really excited to be able to present the Farrell experience under one roof and have the opportunity to show exactly what we do and what we stand for. We’re here for a good time, not a long time”

anthonymcgrath405 / 01/10/2013

An Iconic Shirt designed by Icons – Ben Sherman X The Icons

Continuing the collaboration with Teenage Cancer Trust, Ben Sherman is pleased to announce The Icons – a shirt project that involves icons from the world of music and art from the last 5 decades. 5 different icons from the 1960’s to 2000 have designed a print to go on the iconic Ben Sherman button down shirt. Launching in September at Ben Sherman stores, the shirts are limited to 250 per design, hand numbered and priced at £125 with all net proceeds will go to Teenage Cancer Trust.

1960’s – Who else but legendary front man from The Who and Patron of Teenage Cancer Trust, Roger Daltry. His shirt design was inspired by the Union Jack, which is an iconic emblem featured on The Who’s most memorable album – The kids are Alright.

1970’s – Sir Peter Blake became one of the best known British pop artists of his time. His creation for the shirt uses the signature star symbol used throughout his work appliqued onto the chest pocket. His actual signature has also been embroidered onto the shirt, making it a collector’s item for any avid fans.

1980’s – Bernard Sumner is a legend, a musician, singer, songwriter, guitarist, keyboardist, producer, and former Nightclub owner (The Hacienda) his body of work has been seminal for decades. He is a founding member, lead vocalist and guitarist of New Order and he is also known for being a founding member of the bands Joy division and Bad Lieutenant. His design uses a black cotton button-down shirt with a ‘Veritas’ emblem on the front pocket, which means ‘Truth’ in Latin.

1990’s – An excellent choice to represent a decade of such unforgettable music, Mr Jarvis Cocker is an English musician and frontman for the band Pulp. Through his work with the band, Cocker became a figurehead of the Britpop movement of the mid-1990s. His shirt design is based on a classic pale-blue Oxford shirt and showcases his signature thick-rimmed spectacles embroidered on to the font pocket.

2000’s – Few British Artists’ work has gained such note as a Jake & Dinos Chapman, who work together as a collaborative sibling duo. They were nominated for the annual Turner Prize in 2003 and their work continues to maintain huge global interest. The shirt they have created is a white oxford with red smiley faces.

teenagecancertrust.org

anthonymcgrath405 / 30/09/2013

Acqua di Parma’s Collezione Barbiere

The history of Acqua di Parma is a great Italian story, like so many of them. It all started back in 1916 in a small essence laboratory at the old heart of Parma. Here, skilled master perfumers conceived an unusually fresh and modern fragrance – the first true Italian Cologne. Colonia Acqua di Parma, a new classic sure to achieve timeless success.

The composition of Colonia, still unchanged today, gained increasing recognition. In the 1930s it became the “fragrance” of the time. The Art Deco inspired bottle, with classic black bakelite cap, was designed in those years and promptly became a true style icon. In the 1950s Colonia achieved international success. Hollywood actors, summoned to Italy by the great masters of local cinematography, discovered its intimate and elegant notes in the historical tailor’s workshops, where custom-made suits were finished with a spray of the Acqua di Parma fragrance before delivery.

The act of shaving is a timeless grooming ritual to which generations of men have dedicated time and attention. Acqua di Parma’s Barbiere Collection presents a well-balanced synthesis of elegant design, refined textures and stylish packaging designed with the modern man in mind. This collection celebrates this ritual and will undoubtedly appeal to man around the globe.

Preparing the skin for shaving, moisturising, protects the skin against from ageing, as we should all know. Collezione Barbiere is a complete line of top quality shaving products which fulfil the needs of the informed man who takes pride in his appearance. In the collection are shaving products that prepare the skin for shaving, including the brand new shaving oil and the equally innovative revitalising Face Cream and revitalising eye Treatment, rich in hyaluronic acid for a rejuvinated, healthy skin.

The rich textures of the products give an immediate sensation of well-being and the high performance formulas contained largely from natural ingredients, make for a winning combination. Complete with a fresh neutral fragrance, these products will not overwhelm.

The compact, functional packaging is ideal for those on the move or travelling. The Barbiere Collection is all presented in the typically masculine colours of tobacco and prides itself on excellence in the art of shaving and personal care. It enhances the pleasure of an exclusive ritual.

anthonymcgrath405 / 26/09/2013

Who doesn’t love a Limited Edition Watch ? – The Bell & Ross BR 03-51 GMT TWG Watch by Leo Parker

Any stylish chap will definitely know the value of having a luxury watch on their wrist but when said watch is a limited edition, then the cache increases exponentially. For those dapper fellows who are after an aviation style luxury timepiece fit for a pilot, there is a newcomer to the market that will fit the bill expertly and, better still, it is a special edition and limited to just 50 pieces worldwide.

The timepiece in question is the breathtaking Bell & Ross BR 03-51 GMT TWG Limited Edition watch pictured above and it has been crafted in conjunction with the UK’s leading independent luxury watch retailer, The Watch Gallery. A truly exemplary construct, this fantastic timepiece is definitely the sort of watch that can be considered a game-changer and it boasts a brutish visual appeal that will appeal to those after a high-end timepiece that has a bit of substance and an uncompromising attitude. This first-rate watch boasts plenty of excellent features that will raise an eyebrow or two and just a few of these exceptional features include:

100m Water Resistance
Heavy Duty Canvas / Rubber Strap
Swiss Made Automatic Movement
Black PVD Coated Case
Signature The Watch Gallery Blue on Hands and Dial

As you can see, each of these spiffing limited edition Bell & Ross watches has their number (1-50) engraved on the caseback, so you will know exactly how exclusive your watch is. A really exceptional limited edition watch and one that will really score you style points aplenty.

anthonymcgrath405 / 25/09/2013

One of the all time great double acts – Mauritz for H&M

You would have to have been living under a highly unfashionable rock not to know the H & M of H&M, stands for Hennes & Mauritz, but how exactly did this retailing partnership come about ?

Well, back in 1968 H&M’s founder Erling Persson bought a central Stockholm store called Mauritz Widforss which stocked men’s outdoor clothing. It was next door to one of the first Hennes stores, which Persson wanted to expand in size. He called the new store Hennes & Mauritz – or as it’s known today, H&M. For a while the store still stocked the Mauritz clothes, meaning the outdoors look was part of H&M’s first ever men’s collections.

Jump forward a couple of years and H&M designer Petter Klusell saw the name Mauritz Widforss in a book he’d bought in an antiques shop a couple of years prior, putting two and two together. “It was a compilation of old Swedish hunting and fishing magazines, and among the adverts I saw one for Mauritz Widforss. I soon found out that it was the same Mauritz store that was the starting point for H&M’s menswear design.” Petter soon started tracking down old Mauritz Widforss catalogues, some might say slightly obsessed, in libraries and archives to get a feel for the garments as inspiration for this collection.

And so for Autumn 2013 H&M introduces the Mauritz Archive, a capsule collection for men which takes its inspiration from outdoor activities and a little-known part of H&M’s past. The collection features around twenty pieces, both clothing and accessories, many of which are created using specialist fabrics from heritage mills for extra authenticity and a number of which are right here in Blighty, like Abraham Moon & Sons and British Millerain.

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