tom ford Archives - CLOTHES MAKE THE MAN

We start this season’s round up of all matters of a Sartorial nature in London and what better place to get the ball rolling than at an honest to goodness PUB QUIZ !!! OK with a rather stylish twist to it, in that it’s compare was Hacienda DJing Legend Mr Elliot Eastwick and it was organised by the Savile Row Tailoring trailblazers that are Cad & The Dandy, only in London.

TOPMAN DESIGN

Bright and breezy, otherwise known as flipping freezing, start to the day, but a warm reception was waiting at the TOPMAN Design show which was piled high with Northern Soul references, like being at a Wigan Pier Weekender. There was nods to The Bay City Rollers, Mark Boland right the way through to James Hunt and any show that finishes with Crazy Horses by The Osmonds is a winner in my books.

I was spoilt for choice on the first day of LC:M with a number of fave brands showing their wares but high points had to be David Keyte’s Universal Works, offering us a conceptual performance, which can go either way for me. But it didn’t disappoint, working on the principle upon which the brand is founded, the idea of Passing on, not in an deathly kinda way but how clothing can be passed on from being old to young and in doing so can be reinvented and reinvigorated.

One of my overall highlights of the entire schedule has to be the Barbour Presentation, which showcased the second season of their wonderful collaboration with the Japan company White Mountaineering, best summed

Barbour

up by the unique, Thank God, Mr Richard Gray, of The Sunday Times STYLE;

“I guess this collab is Tokyo cool meets Prince Charles or something like that. I spoke to Aiwaze San the designer of White Mountaineering, who told me the wax you see, which makes a Barbour jacket waterproof, was the Gortex of its day. And, in fact, it works as well as any new scientific development. Including Gortex. I look forward to the day the Royal Family wear White Mountaineering.“

Hackett

Then what a way to finish off the first day then to head over to one of London’s hidden architectural gems, No 2 Temple Place for a spot of dinner and to look at some exquisite attire by none other than Hackett, entitled, ‘Sheep, Shape and London Fashion’, this capsule collection paid homage to the prestigious longstanding textile mills of Britain. The 12 looks were an amalgamation of different checks and patterns in the finest British wools.

The second day started off with a great breathe of fresh air in the shape of the LC:M Exhibition, this never fails to impress me and I always fall head of heals for at least one brand this season my head couldn’t help being turned by the wonderful Gloverall and then the cashmere delights of ESK, this just has to be British craftsmanship at its best. And from one great example to another with Mr Nigel Calbourn who is never swayed by the short lived trends of Fashions but driven by inspirational stories of real people in history and vintage military, outdoor and work wear pieces.

Over then to Fraser Moss and YMC and once again I search the counsel of the ever wise Ms Sarah Gilfillan, contributor of this wonderful publication and founder of Sartorialab.co.uk ;

“I’ve always loved their simple understated look, and I particularly liked the clever layering and outerwear. The mixture of taloring with sportswear inspired pieces like the drawstring trousers takes me right back to the 90’s when they first started .I find their collections are minimal enough in design to appeal to the everyday man but they always have a subtle point of difference so they’re never boring. I have no doubt I’ll be buying many of these items with my clients next season and I can’t wait!”

Hardy Amies

Moving on to a brand which, to quote Messers Daft Punk and Williams, “Like a Phoenix from the ashes” WOW I can quite simply sum the Hardy Amies collection as, Beautiful clothes, where you find yourself wanting piece after piece.

Christopher Raeburn

Much like Mr Christopher Raeburn, who like Nigel Cabourn draws greatly on the great outdoors and nature in all its beauty for their inspiration and once again he does fail to impress. This season utilising Royal Navy rafts as his material of choice.

Belstaff

Now stay with me here, but I had my reservations when I headed towards an underground car park, not a million miles away from The House of Commons. Surely I must have taken a wrong turn, it wouldn’t have been the first time and this can hardly be classed as a glamorous setting for a stylish presentation for a brand like Belstaff ? Well, as I see Fashion Royalty like Ms Suzy Menkes, Mr Edward Enniful and Ms Caroline Rush spilling out of it, I can’t be wrong. Belstaff, took its inspiration from the ‘Ton-Up Boys’ of the 1950s. Heavily into their rock‘n’roll and motorcycles, these ‘greasers’ would rendezvous at cafés and attempt to ‘do a ton’ (exceed speeds of 100mph) on their custom-made bikes, both fearless and reckless in their stylish pursuit.

Casely-Hayford

Moving into the straits now we had a blinder of a show from Father and Son duo Joe and Charlie Casely-Hayford. Set to a sound track of Bjork and Bowie a tribe of Stylish Outsiders did the honours for u. Mixing Oranges and Pinks seamlessly with Blacks and Navy to create a riveting colour palette.

E.Tautz

Opening to a surmon by his Holiness Pope John Paul II isn’t the most obvious start to an E.Tautz show but give Patrick Grant his dues it certainly got the audience’s attention in what Grant called his most personal collection so far, for the Savile Row house. Every coat and piece of outerwear he sent out was one you lushes and craved for already, no brights or pastels for Grant this season only monochrome in his highly wearable colour spectrum.

Tom Ford

Now here’s the battle of the big boys of LC:M, the Texan and the Yorkshire lad, up first we have Tom Ford who showed us a much more causal side to him, which I have to say I’d really not expected to see which included jeans and trainers, I lie to you not ! Then we have Christopher Bailey in the Burberry Check corner, offering us Classical Bohemian in ponchos, florals and paisley, fresh off a hazy trip back in time to India.

Well, there you have it for another season next stop Milan, ding, ding !

So after yesterday’s instalment of LC:M for Spring Summer 2015 we conclude it with highlights from such illustrious brand as Burberry, Tom Ford and MOSCHINO !

As in past seasons, I like, for both of our sakes, to ask the opinion of leading figures within this industry, in fact the third largest in the country, if statistics are to be believed, and this season is no different. Let’s start with Mr David Heyes, leading freelance Fashion Writer, who had to say the following regarding Christopher Bailey’s Burberry show.

“Christopher Bailey has got the Burberry formula down to a fine art. Put up a tent in the middle of one of London’s Royal parks, have your fingers crossed for sun, but don’t be too disappointed if it pours down – this is Britain’s heritage rainwear brand after all – and send of out loads of quite nice coats whatever the season. Spring/summer 2015 stuck to the script (no rain, just iPhone melting sunshine) but added a few surprises by way of off-beat colour – think poisonous greens and purples – and a mix of rich fabrics such as tonic suiting, plush velvet and superfine ‘ombre’ knits. Oh and some pretty cool rainbow hued trainers. The take away ideas for next season? Denim jackets buttoned to the top as a key layer under coats, duffle coats and cardigans yet again (surely timed to coincide with the new Paddington Bear movie?) and cute typographical prints that went someway to explain the show’s ‘Book covers and Bruce Chatwin’ title. What best to leave back in Burberry HQ? Those floppy felt hats of course.”

So from a British Power House to a Italian one, who we welcome with open arms, Moschino, and we asked the opinion of one of the rising stars of the publishing industry, in Ms Mandy Pang, grooming Editor of none other then Shortlist Magazine.

“Jeremy Scott has brought back the best of Moschino and the 90’s with bold logos and branding. His take on “counterfeits” of other major designer brands such a Louis Vuitton, Gucci and Armani as inspiration for the prints and designs were fun, in your face and made the whole show very tongue in cheek. The incorporation of power cut suits, netted vest tops, oversized print, a generous splattering of pop colour and a nod to popular cultural references meant that the collection also stayed true to it’s Moschino identity. It’s loud branding at it’s best!”

Keeping on that international tip and welcoming another new face to LC:M is Tiger of Sweden, we caught up with Neil Thornton, leading menswear blogger with The Science of Appearance, informed us .

“If there’s one thing that Tiger of Sweden do, and do very well, it’s the skinny suit. They totally own it and they know. For SS15, Tiger of Sweden showcase their best and most signature styles with seasonal updates. While not groundbreaking, which I don’t think it ever intends to be, Tiger of Sweden’s offering is slick and undeniably cool. Their staple palette of blacks and greys, that show the trends that will crossover into mainstream fashion, were interspersed with rust hues and leaf prints as well as the now synonymous baseball jerseys while trouser lengths stayed above the ankle. The collection is effortless and above all, totally wearable.”

Back to a Brit, well a Scotsman, in the form of Patrick Grant for his Savile Row Brand E.Tautz, for this I sort the opinion of UK’s leading men the world of Blogging, Simon Glazin of The Very Simon G who described the show as.

“I did actually love the school boy stripes from E Tautz and the big belt buckles on the trousers. It was clearly inspired by the 70s but without just throwing in flared trousers and psychedelic prints and we saw denim introduced for the first time which was fresh, minimal and wearable.”

Now last up but by no means least, is the Texan who every man in the know wants to be and every woman has a secret crush on Mr Tom Ford, for this man I had to turn to one of the biggest names in British men’s blogging, Marcus Jaye of The Chic Geek. Jaye summed up Tom’s Spring 2015 offering as.

“The big news from Tom Ford was the introduction of jeans. Made in USA, all 3 styles are fitted and made the whole look much younger.”

Buying a present for the woman you love, whether that’s a wife. mum or girlfriend can be an absolute minefield for men and the smallest of errors can be the difference in making an impact for all the right reasons and equally for all the wrong ones. We at Clothes Make the Man are all too aware of the pitfalls involved in the buying of gifts of this nature, similar to the scene from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, you know the one with the booby traps and the big old Rock etc. So we’ve asked the always reliable Mrs Mc to give us some surefire pointers in the the right direction, for fail safe beauty gift ideas. Or on second thoughts maybe she’s just telling me what she wants for Christmas, Hmmmmm.

It may mean very little to yourself, but you wait til you see the reaction this Orla Kiely ‘Forest Flower’ print matt laminate wash bag with cream nylon twill lining and zip to close. Features a front zip pocket which can be detached from the main bag and used separately, gets. Make sure you’re standing under the mistletoe.

Currently Mrs Mc’s Perfume of choice, this has to be one of the surprises of the year, the Reiss debut fragrance for Him and Her, smells incredibly artisan and expensive. Plus, Reiss will be offering a personalisation service for its debut signature scents Grey Flower & Black Oudh until Monday 16^th December. A perfect Christmas gift, for £5 you can have a personal message engraved on your Reiss Parfums bottle.

Trust me you will be in your lady’s good books for the entire year if she unwraps this little trinket. Each year Estee Lauder produce these covetable and collectable compacts, the year’s theme is the zodiac, which are perfect for those celestial beings in your life. One essential tip, don’t get her star sign wrong, all that good work, will be for nothing.

Help to save our British honey bees! The humble honey bee is essential to all of our wellbeing – they pollinate around a third of the foods that we eat, but they are currently under threat and could disappear completely unless we take action.

Now you can help protect the honey bee through Burt’s Bees ‘Adopt a Beehive’ programme, run by the British Beekeepers Association. By adopting a beehive, you will be raising vital funds for research into honey bee health and education programmes for beekeepers, as well as supporting the work of the BBKA. 100 per cent of the sale price goes directly towards BBKA research. Included are lots of Bee Goodies

Like no two women are the same, opinion is equally divided on what a woman’s favourite Chanel fragrance is. But one thing is for sure, every lady has a favourite whether it be the Classic No5, the Elegant Coco or the Contemporary Cristalle. Every woman no matter, gets excited when they see the iconic interlocking C’s and the unmistakable branding of the monochrome of Chanel.

Another gift idea she wouldn’t be expecting but will love you all the more for is the Nails Inc Christmas Crackers Six crackers with a full size polish and fashion quote in every cracker. London centric colours such as Mayfair Mews a chic navy, Baker Street and Marylebone Lane – red full coverage glitter polish so what you waiting for, snap them up !

Create a spa experience in your own home with the Champneys Spa Indulgence Best of Spa Deluxe Gift. It contains a collection of 5 Champneys spa favorites such as Distant Shores Body Scrub ,Citrus Blush Shower Gel and Oriental Opulence Bubble Heaven. Champneys Spa Indulgence, exclusively from Boots Stores.

Create the prefect gift for the lady in your life with this personalised selection of 12, yes one for very day of Christmas, TOM FORD lip colours presented in an elegant Mahogany-coloured TOM FORD box. However, this amazing gift does come in a more pocket friendly 4 set.

Well it’s nearly upon us, The Most Wonderful time of the Year ! And even though you may have the hangover from Christmas Past come back and haunt you, come December 25th you want to ensure you’ve dropped enough hints, discretely of course, so that you get the right presents. But more importantly you give the right, meaning best-est, presents so that you guarantee your place as Golden boy for the next 365 days, whether thats with your Girlfriend, Parents, mates or even the Outlaws.

We at Clothes Make the Man have literally worked in collaboration with the good man, yes him of the Red Hat, a fondness for a cheeky sherry, a mince pie and a ho ho ho to find the great and the good of Christmas Present Gift ideas to assure you get it right. First up today, is Grooming Gift ideas, think more Acqua Di Parma then Blue Stratos.

“Fine grooming is the mark of a modern gentleman. It is the way a man presents the best version of himself to the world.”—Tom Ford
Well said Mr Ford, Ford believes that any man can achieve a handsome and impeccable look with a straightforward and effective grooming regimen. Inspired by this philosophy and by his personal grooming ritual, he developed TOM FORD FOR MEN, a collection of essential tools a man needs to look his very best.

Make sure you look as sharp after the twelve days of Christmas as you did when you started. The secret of this breakthrough innovation is Braun’s pioneering Thermo-Electric-Cooling technology, usually employed in the construction of spacecrafts and satellites. While most electric shavers allow heat to build up uncomfortably in the head of the shaver, the °CoolTec’s integrated aluminium cooling bar actively transports heat away from skin to minimise the shaving-induced increase in skin temperature.

This newly customised set for men from Creme de la Mer from urbanretreat.co.uk containing a complete regime to cleanse, treat and moisturise the skin. Products work together to renew the look of skin, improving the look of tone and texture. Particularly helpful in the season to be Joy, when I say Joy, I kinda mean overdoing it on the fun front & burning the candle at both ends. Oh but do remember after years of us sneaking a use of the girlfriend’s potions and lotions, with this lil bundle, she might be returning the “Favour”, if you know what I mean ;).

Not all men are are as modern in their interpretation of shaving. A lot of guys prefer the traditional approach and while this isn’t quite a cut throat razor is it the height of old school Luxury. Acqua di Parma has formulated everything necessary to interpret this fundamental moment of grooming and elegance. A shaving product must prepare the skin for shaving leaving it soft and supple. The Barbiere Collection comprises three different products: Soft brush shaving cream, Soft brushless shaving cream and Shaving Oil. These three extraordinary formulas are rich in eudermic oils and advanced active principles; they are easy to use products that facilitate the smooth, precise gliding of the razor for an impeccable shave and they leave a soothing feeling of freshness and well-being afterwards.

Another great shaving gift idea is this, Guinot – Grooming Tied Up set available from urbanretreat.co.uk. Designed for men who aren’t afraid of taking care of their appearance, the indulget christmas gift set makes for a perfect shaving and skincare ritual.

No matter how easy going we are theres always a product in a gift set that we aren’t so keen on, no matter how great it is. Well those boffins in white coats over at Lab Series have listened to our moans and like all good scientific solutions have only blinking well gone and answered it ! You can select up to three of their best selling products from their CLEAN, SHAVE, TREAT and HAIR/BODY range. The perfect package of High-Tech, High Performance products will come gift wrapped, FLIPPING FREE just for you, ahhhh.

The Oral-B Limited Edition 5000 is the must have gift for the discerning man. The black handle with silver trim and bold blue lighting, wouldn’t look out of place on a high-performance sports care. It includes six, yes six, modes for a more personalised brushing experience. It has a SmartGuide wireless technology that acts like a SATNAV for your mouth, giving you while you brush feedback to help you brush more effectively. Plus, did you know that the computer power on the 5000 is 20 times higher in performance compared to NASA’s Apoolo Guidance Computer that managed the calculations for the moon landing. So small step for man, one giant leap for your mouth.

Pretty much every grooming brand, pulls it out of the hat with gift sets for the Christmas Market, with most being GREAT value for money. These two from Clinique for MEN and ClarinsMEN are prime examples, where for the cost of one or two products you get LOTS of added extras plus a great wash bag, which we all know we need, whether we like it or not.

If ever the term, “Everything he touches turns to gold”, was meant for someone, surely they had Tom Ford in mind. I mean jeez, the man is like a real life James Bond, OK his main job is as Creative director of his Stylish Empire and Bond is a British spy, but both are impeccably dressed (could that be because Mr Ford dresses Mr Bond) equally these alpha males are international men of mystery plus men want to be him and women want be with him, including Julianne Moore, Angelina Jolie and Beyonce, no less.

Now, Tom Ford is releasing his new signature fragrance for men, Tom Ford Noir. An oriental, sensual fragrance created to capture the dual facets of the Tom Ford man.

The top note of Noir offers a confident citrus effect of glowing Italian bergamot and verbena. Caraway, baie rose and violet flower accent the citrus notes with sparkling eccentricity. The core of the fragrance is a smooth spice accord of black pepper from Madagascar and nutmeg. Tuscan iris resin, Egyptian geranium, Bulgarian rose and enriched clary sage lend depth and richness. Leathery styrax trails into an amber-drenched woody element and amber and a dose of masculine Indonesian patchouli oil and vetiver oil. While, warm leather and hypnotic benzoin from Laos bring a creamy sensuality, while civet and vanilla lend animalic sophistication and edge.

London Collections:Men – Highlights – Autumn/Winter 2015

London Collections:Men – Show Review – Spring/Summer 2015 – Part II

Make sure you don’t go and spoil it all by saying something stupid like I Love You – The Beauty Gift Guide for the one you Love. by Amanda Lewis

Ensuring you look and smell your best come the BIG day – The Grooming Gift Guide

Something of the Noir about him – Noir by Tom Ford

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