CLOTHES MAKE THE MAN

With the turn of the season comes the inevitable wardrobe reshuffle, and few brands understand the art of transition better than Tretorn. Founded back in 1891, the Swedish heritage label has long been a byword for functionality and durability, evolving from its working-class Scandinavian roots to becoming a global player in sport, lifestyle, and fashion. Now, over 130 years later, the brand continues to balance its founding ethos with contemporary design, unveiling its Autumn/Winter 2025 collection – a premium wardrobe ecosystem built for modern life, wherever that life happens to take you.

This latest drop is less about fleeting trends and more about purposeful design. As Carl-Henrik Hallen, Tretorn’s Head of Design, puts it: “With AW25, we set out to refine our design language—keeping the raw functionality that defines Tretorn while pushing the boundaries of modern style. Performance and elegance are not opposites, but equal parts of a purposeful design philosophy.”

The result? A collection that blends refined silhouettes with technical protection, offering versatility that feels just as at home against a windswept coastline as it does on a city street.

For men, standout pieces include the Park Insulated Coat, Arc Insulated Parka and Grid Insulated Jacket. Engineered with Thermore™ recycled insulation and waterproof, breathable outer fabrics, these garments tackle harsh winter elements without sacrificing elegance. Clean lines, practical detailing, and a sleek profile keep things resolutely modern, while a timeless palette—think rich browns, warm beiges, deep navy, and muted green-greys—grounds the collection in understated sophistication.

Of course, no Tretorn season is complete without footwear. Anchoring AW25 is the Avan Hybrid Boot, a testament to the brand’s ongoing commitment to sustainability and versatility. Rugged yet refined, it’s designed to weather both urban commutes and rural escapes with equal confidence.

At its core, Tretorn AW25 embodies the spirit of everyday resilience. A reminder that style and sustainability aren’t opposing forces, but companions walking the same road—rain, snow, or shine.

Italian Luxury House, Ferragamo, have expanded the horizons of its men’s fragrance collection with the arrival of Ferragamo Sublime Leather, a powerful new expression of strength and sophistication. Crafted for the modern man who lives with intensity and confidence, it’s a scent that effortlessly blends timeless elegance with a contemporary edge.

The Ferragamo man is defined by determination, curiosity, and a daring spirit. He’s driven by his dreams, anchored by ambition, and never afraid to push boundaries in pursuit of fulfilment. Self-assured and empowered, he embodies luxury that is distinctive, effortless, and impeccable in every detail.

Developed in collaboration with Clément Gavarry, Principal Perfumer of dsm-firmenich, Sublime Leather is an amber fougère woody fragrance designed to capture the energy of the urban landscape. At its heart lies a deep, commanding Leather accord, enriched with sensual spice, green vibrancy, and a touch of woody opulence for a smouldering finish.

“With this creation, I aimed to encapsulate the vibrant pulse of city life. The warm spice of Cinnamon intertwines with the herbal richness of Davana, stimulating a sense of adventure and warmth, while the grounding essence of Cedarwood adds a deep earthy superiority.” – Clément Gavarry

The bottle design is equally striking. Finished in glossy black lacquer, the tall glass flacon mirrors the vertical power of a city skyline. A silver leather-effect band, embossed with the Ferragamo logo, runs along its length, while the house’s signature Gancini buckle in polished silver seals the design from base to cap. Sleek, modern, and undeniably luxurious—this is a fragrance that looks as good as it smells.

The exam results are finally in! A day of mixed emotions for families now transforms into a moment where everything suddenly feels very real: your child is going to university.

First of all, congratulations are in order – not just for them, but for you as parents as well. Getting to this point takes an incredible amount of support, encouragement, and resilience. Your son or daughter has worked hard to get here, and you’ve been there every step of the way. That’s no small feat.

Now, however, the real preparations begin. For many students, starting university also marks the first big move away from home. Setting up in a new city (or even country) is incredibly exciting, but it can also feel overwhelming – particularly when it comes to getting everything ready.

Naturally, as parents, you’ll want to send them off with all the creature comforts they could possibly need (sometimes to the point of overpacking!). But what do they actually need to take? Should you pack up their entire bedroom? Will there be enough storage? What happens if they forget something important?

This is where a clear, sensible packing list becomes invaluable – it reduces stress, avoids last-minute dashes to the shops, and ensures your child settles in smoothly. With that in mind, here’s a guide from the experts at Student Luxe (who are true gurus in student prep, helping house people just like you in student apartments in Cambridge, Oxford, London and more) on the essentials that really matter – plus a few extras that will help your child’s new space feel like home.

Making Their Room Feel Like Their Own

Their student bedroom is their one personal retreat on campus, so comfort is key. Send them with the basics – duvet, pillows, sheets, and a mattress protector – but don’t underestimate how much difference a throw blanket or some cushions can make. These small touches will help transform a bare student flat into a warm, personal space.

A golden rule: double-check the bed size before buying bedding. Halls and student apartments often use single beds or “small doubles” to save space, and mismatched sheets are an avoidable headache.

Cooking More Than Instant Noodles

We’ve all heard the stereotype that students live off beans on toast and noodles. While it’s true that many stick to the basics, a small set of kitchen essentials will help your child cook properly. A couple of pans, utensils, and a few plates, bowls, and mugs are plenty. A sharp knife and some tupperware are particularly useful for meal prep.

A helpful tip we hear from students: send them off with one “shareable” item – like a large frying pan or cafetiere. Cooking together is a fantastic way for freshers to break the ice and make friends in those all-important first weeks.

The Study Setup

Freshers’ week is an unforgettable experience, but ultimately, university is about studying. Alongside the obvious laptop, think about extras that make life easier: extension leads (plug sockets are never where you want them), noise-cancelling headphones for the library, and a sturdy backpack.

And yes – they’ll still need pens, notebooks, and highlighters. No need to overdo it; the basics will do until they find the nearest stationery shop.

Staying Healthy (and Surviving Freshers’ Flu)

Help them start on the right foot with essential toiletries and a small health kit. Beyond toothbrushes and shampoo, pack paracetamol, plasters, cold remedies, vitamins, and tweezers. These basics save them the hassle of finding a pharmacy when they’re already feeling unwell.

Students also tell us that being the one person with plasters or paracetamol often makes them surprisingly popular with flatmates!

Clothes and Laundry Reality Check

Most students overpack clothes. Encourage your child to keep it simple: everyday basics, some sportswear, and a couple of smarter outfits. Remind them to pack for the weather (yes, waterproofs are a must) and to prioritise comfortable shoes.

Unless you expect them to bring washing home, make sure they have detergent, a laundry bag, and possibly a drying rack. A shoulder-slung laundry bag is particularly useful when machines are a trek away.

The Boring but Important Stuff

It’s not glamorous, but paperwork is essential. Ensure they have ID, bank cards, student finance documents, and university acceptance papers. Taking photos of key documents provides a handy backup, though they’ll still need originals for official purposes.

A Few Home Comforts Go a Long Way

A few familiar touches will make their space feel instantly welcoming. Posters, fairy lights, and family photos can help ease homesickness. A favourite mug or a stash of familiar snacks can do the same.

And one tip we hear time and again: pack a doorstop. Keeping the door open in those first days makes it easy to meet new people.

Extras That Make Life Easier

Over time, your child will figure out what “extras” they need, but some tried-and-true items include a reusable water bottle, a travel mug, and a small toolkit. A yoga mat or gym kit is also a good addition if exercise helps them settle in.

Final Thoughts

As parents, it’s natural to want to send them off with everything they could possibly need. But remember: it’s the essentials that matter most. The rest they’ll figure out in time.

So, keep it simple, cover the basics, and add just a few home comforts. That way, your child can settle in quickly, adjust to their new independence, and start this exciting chapter of their life with confidence.

Remember you, and they, have got this and you should feel proud of them and you !

Cycling has gone from niche pursuit to mainstream movement. Whether it’s dodging gridlocked traffic, avoiding the daily cattle-herding of rush hour trains, or simply embracing a more sustainable way of life, more and more of us are choosing pedal power as the smartest way to move around the city. But as the number of cyclists has grown, so too has the conversation around safety — and often, practicality and style have been left behind in the pursuit of visibility.

Enter LUMO, the British lifestyle brand determined to change that. Founded in 2014 after a successful Kickstarter campaign by Doug Bairner, LUMO was born with a clear mission: “to encourage more people from around the world to enjoy the freedom of their city on two wheels.” And their latest launch shows just how seamlessly they’re bridging the gap between fashion and function.

The debut range, The London Collective, reimagines classic British outerwear and bags for the modern cyclist. At first glance, these jackets and backpacks wouldn’t look out of place in a designer boutique — think timeless silhouettes, refined details, and fabrics chosen as much for their quality as their innovation. But hidden beneath that heritage-inspired styling lies smart, cyclist-first technology: LUMO Glow LED lights discreetly woven into each piece. Invisible until switched on, the lights transform the garments into a beacon of safety, dramatically increasing visibility on the road. Step off the bike, switch them off, and you’re left with a jacket or bag that looks as sharp in a bar or office as it does at the saddle.

It’s clever, it’s practical, and most importantly, it refuses to compromise. LUMO understands that city cycling isn’t just a hobby anymore — it’s a way of life. And with The London Collective, the brand proves you don’t have to sacrifice style to stay safe.

With cycling firmly cemented as part of our daily culture, it feels like the right time for brands like LUMO to step in and lead the way. Marrying heritage-inspired design with science-lab innovation, they’re rewriting the rulebook for urban cycling gear. So whether you’re pedalling to work, riding to meet friends, or heading out into the night, LUMO has you covered — literally.

The latest scent from the luxury fragrance house is crafted from the ancient technique of cold enfleurage, a thorough and time-consuming process that gently captures the purest olfactive essence of jasmine, the vibrant and bold composition joins Acqua di Parma’s Signatures of the Sun collection.

Time is the most precious ingredient in this new fragrance, where the name ‘a Freddo’ reflects the rare craftsmanship of the method. Jasmine flowers are carefully hand-placed on purified shea butter and left for 48 hours to release their essence under supervision of a master perfumer. This process is repeated multiple times, with fresh flowers replacing the previous ones, until the butter is fully infused with the essential oil. The process ensures the capture of every nuanced olfactive molecule, preserving the flower’s natural complexity and richness in the resulting jasmine enfleurage essence. It’s a method steeped in heritage, where human expertise elevates nature to its most sublime expression.

The olfactory construction of Gelsomino a Freddo embodies the tension between purity and depth. The luminous white jasmine symbolises light, while black tea and guaiac wood add smokey undertones, creating a bold and unexpected duality.

“Creating this fragrance presented a double challenge: the first was balancing the contrasting elements while elevating the jasmine enfleurage extraction. Creating a genderless jasmine fragrance was the second challenge: finding the middle ground between the floral and woody elements of the composition,” says perfumer Daphne Bugey. The result is a complex composition where the cold essence of jasmine meets the smoky facets of black tea, guaiac wood, and patchouli, culminating in a gender-neutral fragrance that defies convention.

The top notes of Italian lemon, pink pepper, and artemesia bring a zesty, uplifting opening, while the heart reveals jasmine enfleurage essence, black tea, and orris concrete. The base notes of Gaia’s wood, cypriol, and patchouli essence anchor the fragrance with warmth and structure, leaving a lasting impression that resonates. The new transparent Signatures of the Sun fragrance bottle showcases the coloured jus and features a redesigned label. It is also presented in a newly enlarged hatbox with updated colour and finish.