CLOTHES MAKE THE MAN

The extraordinary mens blog for the modern man
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Take a Walk on the Wild Side with Christopher Shannon for Dune Shoes

Christopher Shannon A/W14 Collection

Christopher Shannon A/W14 Collection

After two great designer collaborations with Joanne Stoker and Kat Maconie for their Ladies range, it’s now the fellas’ turn and who better for Dune to turn to, then the rising star of British Contemporary Menswear, Christopher Shannon.

After showing a blinding collection for Autumn 2014 in January Christopher is firmly establishing himself as a name you really should look out for and in their infinite wisdom, Dune Shoes haven’t wasted any time and have had the foresight to work with Mr Shannon now.

Christopher’s AW14 collection explored his take on old school tracksuits with giant floral motifs on anoraks with sleek leather track trousers. Sleeves were sewn onto the back of short shorts or to the side of a track jacket, signalling a nod to the early years of Thatcherism and the post-punk era.

His collection for Dune is inspired by footwear shapes he would personally wear. With colours ranging from optic and sporty to more formal classic tones. Shannon has chosen a complementary mix of materials, with the shine of textured patent next to the richness of suede particularly standing out. Light- weight handcrafted sport inspired EVA soles feature heavily alongside hand stamped leathers for a high quality finish on the boots. Classic cup soles feature on the pumps and slip-on’s to give the collection a futuristic urban edge. Christopher has chosen to name each style after a town in his birthplace, Liverpool.

Christopher Shannon for Dune Shoes

The Sefton

The Sefton

The Caldies

The Caldies

The Allerton

The Allerton

The Garston

The Garston

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Improve your personal App-itude – Clinique for Men’s Skin Care Diagnostic tool by Amanda Lewis

imageAs part of the new Clinique for Men skincare range where they strive to increasingly make it easy for men to find the right products for their grooming needs with the Men’s Skin Care Diagnostic tool exclusive to  Clinique on the i-Pad.

Hey we love an app, here at Clothes Make the Man ! It works by assisting in identifying your skin type and suggests the best product combinations to for your skin care needs. At the end of the intuitive analysis print your product recommendations or receive an email.

We like the keep it simple approach to skin care – cleanse, exfoliate, moisturise to achieve and maintain healthy, great skin. Seems eeaassyy.

Start by CLEANSING (washing your face!) with the Face Wash or Face Soap – to remove all traces of pore-clogging dirt and debris as well as prep the skin for shaving.

EXFOLIATE with Exfoliating Tonic to remove any dry skin, control excess oil, reduces the likelihood of ingrown hairs to leave skin smoother and less prone to blemishes.

MOISTURISE with the NEW Anti-Age Moisturizer a multi-purpose hydrator that combats lines, wrinkles and dullness and contains antioxidants to help protect against future damage with skin strengthening and firming ingredients.  .

The skin around the eyes is just as sensitive for men as it is for women. Anti-Fatigue Eye Gel is a roller-ball that deposits a liquid gel-serum to instantly cool and refresh puffy eyes on contact, reducing the appearance of dark circles and brightening the overall area.

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It’s not just Chocolate Switzerland’s famous for – Dreyfuss & Co Watches

imageDreyfuss & Co are able to boast that Horology ( an expert maker of timepieces) is in the blood, literally with it now in its fourth generation of family ownership the company, virtually, lives, works and breathes watches. You could almost say they live their live by it.

imageSteeped in tradition and inspired by historical events in the life of Rene Dreyfuss, each Dreyfuss & Co timepiece is meticulously handcrafted to ensure that every piece is as individual as the wearer. For gents, the stunning automatic skeleton by Dreyfuss & Co is showcased through adistinctive open dial. Featuring the brand’s proprietary automatic calibre, the movement boasts a stunning branded Dreyfuss & Co rotor, visible through the sapphire glass case back. Brushed 2 link, tapered bracelets with polished facets are combined with skeleton dials, sapphire crystal, screwed down crowns and luminous indexes.

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WEAREFORE by Sarah Gilfilan

imageAs soon as I arrived at London Collections Men earlier this year, I was excitedly taken to see the Wearfore brand by another menswear blogger who had becomean instant fan. I was pleased to discover that heading it up was Anne Marie (also known as NG) who was a blast from my past, and who’s casualwear brand in the 90’s had made it into many a shoot I’d styled.

Since I last saw her, Anne Marie has designed for two of the largest Savile Row brands – Kilgour – where she was Head Designer of Casualwear, and Gieves & Hawkes where she was Global Head of Design.

imageIntroducing me to a small capsule collection of contemporary and beautifully made shirts called The Blue Hour – in, yes you’ve guessed it – varying shades of blue plus some crisp ice whites, Anne Marie told me how it’s inspired by the time of day known as The Blue Hour and the song Blue Moon.

The fabrics are sourced from the very best mills, and the shirts are designed in London and crafted in Europe by top manufacturers. You really need to get up and close and personal with these shirts to appreciate the quality and detailing -washed Japanese selvedge fabrics, Egyptian cotton denims, indigo pique (my favourite!), brushed checks, 100/2 cottons and Swiss organic Royal Oxford.

imageI challenge you not to find a shirt here that you fall in love with, and put together with a collection of super soft merino crewnecks from Scotland and an accessory or two featuring their exclusive house print, you’ll stand out from the crowd – not by drawing attention to what you’re wearing, just by being the best dressed man in the room.

I can see that this brand will go far with it’s modern, contemporary but subtle designs, and one that I’ll be looking forward to introducing my clients to in the very near future.

Sarah Gilfillan is founder of Sartoria Lab – Personal Styling and Shopping Consultancy for Men.

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Duggers of London – A fine and upstanding Shoe brand if I ever heard one !

Duggers of London was founded over a late night conversation regarding the general lack of reasonably priced, good quality shoes, fuelled over a a decent bottle of Brandy and a Cuban cigar. This conversation in question was held between Father and Son, Mark and Paul Dugdale.  The former having 30 years experience in the shoe business and the latter’s knowledge of digital marketing & Duggers was born! (Duggers is the nickname both family members answered to during their school years!)

Blending classic British style with the best in shoemaking craftsmanship, Duggers of London make great pairs of shoes.  The family team uphold the principle of gauging the quality of a shoe not from a high price tag or a familiar name, but from the product itself – the craftsmanship, the details, the weight and the materials.

imagePaul offers his pearls of wisdom and imparts his wealth of knowledge for summer dressing and purchasing a great pair of shoes for the right occasion. “Looking for something a little more casual for the weekend or dress-down Fridays? Or perhaps you’re dressed down all week long? Then you’re after a Brogue. Named after the stamped leather detailing on the upper, the brogue is the ultimate in smart-casual cool, and we’ve put together a full range of tan brogues for you. William is our entry-level model, a tan brogue with a blake-stitched construction. Dickie, Monty & Paul(above) are the connoisseurs’ shoes, with a rubber midsole, a double-sole and antiqued leather, respectively.”

image“If you’ve got your classics sorted, then it’s time to look for a twist on your footwear. Shoes without laces might sound like something from your school days, but in fact these styles are completely on-trend for a relaxed look that can still cross over into the office. Loafers like our leather Barringer or suede Rupert (above) will always give a breath of fresh air to an outfit, while the James Weejun is our take on an American preppy classic. For the ultimate in sartorial footwear, it can only be a Winston single monkstrap, with the strap left undone for full house in street-style bingo.”

So now you know !