CLOTHES MAKE THE MAN

Threadbare LUXE is premium menswear for the modern man, a concept collection part of
the Threadbare range. With everything you need to transform your wardrobe into semi-
formal or formal, Threadbare LUXE is here for the men who want classic styles made new.

Threadbare is a family-run fashion house, where style and quality meet the needs of
everyday life. Our core is family, It’s at the heart of what we do, who we do it for, and it’s
what we celebrate. Since launching in 2014, we’re now so much more than a clothing
brand. We have a passion for creating purposeful product that’s made to last, and
affordable investment pieces you can wear again and again.

The second drop follows the successful AW22 launch and encapsulates the luxury
discipline of crafted silhouettes and technical innovation. Invest in elevated separates
inspired by timeless tailoring, and kick back in relaxed curated casuals with a premium
aesthetic. With rich fabrics and a blended palette of new neutrals, it’s all in the details. In the pursuit of luxurious legacy dressing, these hand-picked pieces are crafted for those
moments when a little luxe is desired.
With hero pieces including the statement Jersey Blazer and Quilted Funnel Neck Jacket,
the collection focuses on transitional essentials and forever investment pieces.

Louise Thompson, LUXE Menswear Tailoring Buyer comments:
“We wanted to offer our customers an elevated package of separates which is slightly smarter than our current main range, but nothing too formal, LUXE was designed as a capsule collection meaning each piece could be worn head-to-toe LUXE or mixed with your current wardrobe for everyday elevated basics, but still feels you.”

Researchers at the University of East Anglia have developed a new technology that turns beauty products like moisturiser into a dry piece of confetti-like ‘paper’.

The breakthrough means that 98 per cent of the water in products like moisturiser, sun-cream, shampoo and conditioner can be removed.

Users simply need to add a drop of water to the paper-like disc to rehydrate it instantly.

It could revolutionise the beauty industry by dramatically reducing both its carbon footprint and packaging waste.

The new technology also removes the need for preservatives in these products and improves their shelf life.

Lead researcher Prof Sheng Qi, from UEA’s School of Pharmacy, said: “Most cosmetics and toiletries contain up to 95 per cent water, leading to heavy units by volume and bulky packaging.

“Every year, 120 billion units of cosmetics and toiletries are packaged and shipped globally, so the industry has a huge carbon footprint.

“The technology that we have developed uses a no-heat process to transform a range of water and oil-based based beauty and skincare products into small discs of paper-like material.”

The innovative process allows up to 98 per cent of water to be removed, while preserving the stability of delicate active ingredients.

Just add a single drop of water, and the dry sheets rapidly reconstitute to a cream or lotion, which can be applied in the same way as conventional products.

Prof Qi said: “We originally developed this technology for the pharmaceutical industry, but it quickly became clear that it could really help reduce the carbon footprint of the beauty and skincare industries.

“Removing the water and oil from toiletries like moisturiser, sun cream, and other hair and beauty products means that we can not only improve their shelf life but hugely reduce product and packaging weight, transportation costs, plastic waste and the need for preservatives.

“Above all, it dramatically reduces their carbon footprint, which is better for the environment. We hope it will help the beauty industry achieve Net Zero carbon targets and sustainability goals, without compromising product quality and performance.”

Leading Fashion etailer MR PORTER and Nordic lifestyle brand ARKET have collaborated for the first time to launch a limited-edition menswear and childrenswear capsule collection inspired by nature. The collection will launch on 15th March, with 120 pieces at MR PORTER, and select styles online at ARKET and ARKET’s flagship stores in London, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Paris and Amsterdam.

MR PORTER and ARKET worked together across the full collaborative process, from collection development to creative campaign. Across these, inspiration was born out of a shared principle of modernist, bold and colourful design that embraces nature – important principles for both brand’s global customer base.

The collection features a bright assortment of everyday ready-to-wear staple pieces and accessories; coats, anoraks, jumpers, T-shirts, trousers and caps are designed for modern living. It’s a true family affair, with select pieces twinned in design across the collection of 70 for men and 50 for kids.

A proportion of the collections are created in collaboration with London-based Planet Good Earth, a community project that brings together families through gardening, inspiring them to be part of the worldwide environmental movement. This is brought to life through a series of Planet Good Earth patched graphics on select garments, including a green fingered “good earth, good energy” character, a Good Earth smiley world cartoon – and a series of animated garden friends.

Menswear highlights include a rugby shirt, available in both a striped red and orange, and green and yellow, a quilted jacket and matching gilet vest in lilac, and a mustard long-sleeved T-shirt with Planet Good Earth pocket and rear graphic. Extra attention has also been paid to fabrications – a windbreaker is available in blue and green is designed in Limonta fabric, a highly regarded, premium technical fabric made in Italy. Accessories include a multicoloured five panel cap, a lilac and green beanie and two colour-block ribbed rugby socks.

Styles and colourways are mirrored throughout the childrenswear collection, allowing adults and children to style the collection intergenerationally. Bright pops of colour, such as the blue fleece vest with orange piping or the hooded towel robe, again ideated in rugby stripes, offer a playful and vivid wardrobe for the whole family.

This sense of family duality is celebrated in an accompanying creative campaign that candidly captures the notion of togetherness and embracing life outside in the garden – a core focus of Planet Good Earth’s work. These stories, which will profile families involved in city gardening and interviews with farmers and the team at Planet Good Earth, will be championed across MR PORTER and ARKET’s editorial and social channels, and provide the immersive window displays across each selected ARKET store.

“We are incredibly excited to partner with MR PORTER for our first ever ready-to-wear design collaboration on this scale and proud to be part of a new chapter in their beautiful curation of lifestyle products. It is an innovative collection, both unisex and ageless in its approach, inspired by the joy of colour and nature. Launching this collaboration with MR PORTER gives us a unique opportunity to reach a global, style-conscious audience looking for modern and sustainable everyday design.”

Mr Karl-Johan Bogefors, Brand and Communications Director, ARKET

“Planet Good Earth is an Earth-friendly organisation that inspires the next generation of gardeners to be part of the environmental movement worldwide. We are an initiative that supports young people to protect our planet and cultivate a sustainable future. Our food education programme is a micro-cosmos of activity-based learning that feeds back on our health, the Earth and the environment. We are super excited to showcase our playful graphics across the ARKET x MR PORTER men’s and childrenswear collection; it has given us an awesome opportunity to tell our story and reach out to new audiences who want to be part of our fun community. Cultivate and appreciate, love the land, choose to reuse.” Ms Louise Page, Founder, Planet Good Earth

Relationships can also be affected by the current cost-of-living crisis, trying to find an activity to do with your special someone on a budget can prove difficult.

It can also be a struggle to think outside of the box of things to do, especially after having to maintain relationships in recent unprecedented times, where we feel we are lacking creativity.  

Valon Asani from relationship app Dua.com has shared some fun and quirky date ideas that you most likely have not done before and are easy on your wallet.  

1. At home Paint and Sip

 ‘Paint and Sips’ are an excellent way to see how you and your partner can get creative, however, they can be pricey. Paint and Sips are in-formal art classes where you paint the same image and drink cocktails, mocktails, or wine.  

You can recreate a similar experience at home that is not limited to painting and can include fancy homemade cocktails/mocktails. You can purchase affordable arts and crafts sets from your local craft store or even create something using air-drying clay.  

2. Game Night

Game nights are a fun and competitive way to put your partner’s skills to the test. Most video games do have a co-op mode where you can team up together. Story-based games are great as you through challenges together. Board games can also provide hours of entertainment on a low budget. You can find rare board games at charity shops. Most new board games are fairly inexpensive and can be a great option for date night.  

3. Visit an Art Gallery or Museum

Most museums and galleries have free entry or discounted tickets available, which means you can get cultured on a low budget. This is a great way to see what art styles your partner likes and can even help you decide what to create for your ‘At home Paint and Sip’ 

4. The viral £5/$5 meal challenge

This challenge has taken over social media and is a fun way to put your cooking, budgeting and creative abilities to the test. Taking turns, you and your partner must come up with a three-course meal that stays within a set budget – typically the budget is set low to make this more challenging – the lower it is, the more difficult. The challenge is in the budget, and the lower it is, the more challenging it can be. 

5. Book Club

If your partner is an introvert or book lover, they will love this idea. An ‘at home book club’ where you and your partner can read the same book, with a cosy drink and candles. Not only can this improve your communication skills with your partner as you discuss your thoughts on the book, but this can also provoke interesting and thoughtful conversations. This can be a great and intimate way to reignite the spark in your relationship. 

6. Gardening

Some garden centres offer free volunteer gardening days, especially in the Spring. This can be a fun activity with your partner, and you can give back to your community at the same time!  

You can also garden at home, growing seasonal fruits or vegetables that you can harvest and cook with.  Over time this can be very cost-effective, as you can re-grow your own produce.  

7. Come Dine with Me

Cooking and baking is a fun activity to do with your partner. You can try recipes from various parts of the world and learn about different cultures. To make this more fun and competitive, you can host a couples Come Dine With Me and judge your partner’s dishes! 

8. Hobby Swap

 This is for the partner that find themselves doing what their partner likes most of the time. Take turns explaining and participating in your partner’s hobbies. This can also help you get to know your partner even more. You can teach your partner a skill that you have, such as playing the piano.  

9. Play Tourist

You can become a tourist in your own city with your partner because the chances are you’ve not been to any historical places that are on your doorstep. A spokesperson from Dua.com says that “exploring your city can be refreshing and give you a new perspective on where you live”. 

10. IKEA Challenge

 IKEA is a great date spot, since there is a lot of walking and talking involved, plus there is no entry fee. You and your partner can walk through the showrooms or even grab something to eat at their food hall. You can even find something that is within your budget to build together. 

Acqua di Parma presents Colonia Limited Edition, designed by Samuel Ross — a reimagining of its signature fragrance bottle by SR_A, Ross’ London-based, industrial design studio.

SR_A was debuted by Samuel Ross at the Hublot Design Prize exhibition in the Serpentine Gallery in 2019, SR_A (Samuel Ross and Associates) is a design-led studio operating within the fields of luxury industrial design, interior installation, architecture, furniture and sound design and visual communication

As the first iteration of a three-year partnership between Acqua di Parma and SR_A, the iconic Colonia — presented at Design Miami — is an artistic play on duality. A project of both conservation and renovation, Colonia Limited Edition by Samuel Ross reshuffles the design codes of each Maison to create an entirely new blueprint. It will drop globally in March 2023.

As regular readers will know, Acqua di Parma was founded in Italy in 1916, with Colonia its debut fragrance. Colonia Limited Edition, designed by Samuel Ross celebrates the timelessness of its signature scent, which has endured, unchanged, for more than 100 years. Samuel Ross’ dynamic interpretation of Colonia is an ode to the past, funnelled through his contemporary lens to create a vision of the future.

Exuberant and industrialist, multi-disciplinary artist and designer Samuel Ross looked to the architecture and attitudes of London and Milan as the foundation point for inspiration. Informed by the structures of Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers, Ross imagined the sun — an eternal source of inspiration for Acqua di Parma — glazing across a European cityscape. The vantage points of light informed the vision.

London’s urban brutalism is represented in a hyper-flat, uber-pigmented yellow that absorbs the light: a reimagining of Acqua di Parma’s signature colour, which formed the starting point for this collaboration. It is a jolt to the senses: this optimistic hue synonymous with Acqua di Parma is imprinted with SR_A’s visual handwriting. Sun_Rise_Yellow will be juxtaposed with primary shades of Grass_Blade_Green and Ultra_Orange, an industrial nod to Samuel Ross’ own practice. This evolution of palette forms a new design language that pays homage to the heritage of Italian and British modernism.

The iconic Art Deco bottle remains: the juice itself, consistent as an Italian golden citrus- blend since its first unveiling in 1916, is a timeless masterpiece, and the bottle a scaffold for display. Prismic points of interest are discovered as light refracts off its angles: Colonia Limited Edition designed by Samuel Ross is a tangible sculpture created with a digital-first audience in mind. Hold the bottle up to the light and watch it transform. The object becomes interactive, creating thoughtful images to cherish throughout the day as one might recall a moment of sunlight — think midday sunlight refracting off The Centre Pompidou, or The Shard. Such beauty is in the eye of each beholder.

Crafted in Italy, Acqua di Parma Colonia Limited Edition, designed by Samuel Ross will be released globally on March 15. 300 numbered, special-edition collectors bottles, spanning the three colours in ascending order, will be released on March 1. Each will come with an exclusive art publication featuring behind-the-scenes stories and visuals.