As we saw from former Obedient Sons creator Swaim Hutson’s quick additions to Generra’s Spring collection, color was going to be important to what he wanted to bring to the new, for him, label. When I got a chance to chat with Swaim this week he confirmed that notion saying “We went in to Fall 2010 with the idea that we would inject as much color, keeping things as open, loose and casual as possible.”
I got the sense from watching his first full collection walk down the runway that it was a softer more relaxed extension of what Swaim did with his Hutson label just after Obedient Sons was dissolved. But Swaim didn’t necessarily agree saying that any similarities were “not intentional. If anything perhaps it is just a carry over of our aesthetic. Obedient Sons was much more tailored and stiff than anything we have done for Generra. For this collection we went for a more casual boxy fit and used snap closures to keep things modern.”
I really feel there is a rejuvenation going on at Generra and that Swaim has brought in some vision and freshness to what has been a label lost in the shuffle. What has always been described as a basics-centric line now has some oomph and pop. And it also helps that their new website plays Sleigh Bells on loop.
One of my favorite looks from the show was also made up of some of my favorite pieces as well. I love the grey moto/bomber cut jacket made in a textured nubby wool with a removable faux fur collar. The collar and lining give the jacket a striking pop of color and a point of difference. And the pants - I would buy these today if I could - made of a light wool with a subtle polka dot.
Continuing with the Generra basics heritage all the crewneck sweatshirts are made of cotton terry sweatshirt but Swaim dresses it up a bit by throwing a sturdy wool jacket over it.
The materials and color mix between the open-neck button down shirt, again with a polka dot, and the jacket, cut from a heavy jersey wool, are a very nice combo.
Wood Wood and I sort of came to age together. As I grew out of my streetwear training wheels and starting dressing more like a grown man the label was kind of doing the same thing. That’s not to say they have completely grown-up, but it has matured and broadened it’s scope over the last 4 years. But at the core there are always the staple elements you can expect - structured shirting, drapey layers mixed with fitted pieces, some key graphic images, and always a bit whimsical.
Wings & Horns. It’s like nonnative but Canadian? Not really, but maybe more like nonnative-lite. In a season when nonnative goes black with bright color pops for Spring, Wings & Horns went super washed-out with a soft color palette. Essentially what you would normally expect this time of year from nonnative.
Although I wasn’t overwhelmed the W&H’s Spring showing there are some very nice items sprinkled throughout the collection.
A polo can easily make a guy look like a complete tool if the fit isn’t just right. These appear nice and trim which should help, but color and nice detailing will go a long way. And these have both of those as well. Heather grey, heather blue, and white (no hot pink and green stripes) and a subtle gingham button-down collar will help separate you from the average Joe.
I’ve gotten a lot of crap, even here at ND from Ninski, because of my endorsement of The Sweat Pant. But I’m sticking to my guns on this one. Just to be clear, I have never endorsed wearing this out and about casually everyday, and definitely do not do this myself. But I think there are completely appropriate times for this look… while traveling on intercontinental flights like I have previously stated, while hanging around your house, while taking out the trash, playing ball at the park on a cold fall day, etc. There are plenty of occasions where they are useful and stylish. But I do not endorse a hoody with the pant, go with a button up or sweater and anything from sneakers to Bean boots depending on the weather work fine. And if you do not own a pair, why not go with W&H’s recycled fleece version (above left), they look great on the body and I love the pocket stitch detail.
Everyone is going crazy over the field pant right now but I think W&H’s ventile version (above right) is a perfect alternative to the flap pocket versions flooding the market. It keeps your profile slim without adding any unnecessary bulk to your silhouette.
And finally, their Chambray short (left) and Gingham Cargo short (right) are perfect for a hot summer day. I personally don’t have many opportunities to wear shorts outside of the weekend and while on holiday, so I don’t have a need for more than a few in my drawer. But if you live in Aruba or the like you can pick up both.
I’m finally getting a chance to double back on my thoughts on all the ‘breaking fashion news’ that everyone has been racing to share.
nonnative always gets a lot of attention here, and I must say that there probably isn’t any other label in the world I’m more enamored with season after season - at least from a wearability point of view. Sadly it’s the same old story - not easily available and extremely expensive. A full-proof strategy on their part.
Their Spring/Summer 2010 collection brings us more of what we expect from them with their usual adjustments in color palette. They have a much stronger black story running through the line than you would typically expect in a Spring collection but it pairs perfectly with the intense royal and orange color pops within the collection. That bold trio of colors mix in very well with the softer side of the collection made up of washed and worn blues, heather grey, and natural earth tones. This season they mix up the collaborations a bit with boots by Tricker’s, eyewear with Kaneko Optical, and Birkenstock thongs.
Some of the true stand out items from the looks above are the black over-dyed oxford and courrier coat (top left) and the orange student blouson (top right). I will be breaking down the collection item by item in the coming days.
Now that Winter is just about here it’s ironically becoming harder to think about Spring 2010 than it was a couple months ago, but Secret Forts is forcing the issue and has just published some scans of Oliver Spencer’s catalogue and there are some very nice things as usual. They are always great for tailored casual garments and they appear to be continuing to push the creeper wedge style they’ve done for a few seasons. It’s a fitting staple for the label’s English heritage. Every color and material combination is beautiful in it’s own way - and all made in the UK.
As bittersweet as it is that Swaim Hutson is no longer producing Obedient Sons, I’m encouraged by what I’m seeing from Generra. He’s making a label I never would have paid any attention to pop up on my radar. Swaim has had a very short time to add his own point of view to Generra’s basics-centric collection, but you can already see his hand all over it. A very neutral palette of beige and grey was energized with pops of orange and marine blue. Shrunken proportions and soft tailoring were highlighted with cropped shorts all worn in an very relaxed way. Click on the images to see great closeups.
One thing is certain, John Bartlett knows what a large swath of men want to wear. He will never be called ground-breaking, in fact you might as well call this the Sperry collection because it is as if the two labels were designed for each other.
That being said, I’m not featuring pieces from the collection due to their leading edge star-power - the simple fact is come Spring you are going to need some new clothes and as the economy is dictating these days you might be looking for some value. Among the usual spots we all go to like Uniqlo or Topman, we now have another option for great affordable items. With everything other than the jackets retailing for under $100, I’m sure many of us can kind find a couple things we could wear.
Although I’m a man who can where some color, my favorites from the collection are the more subdued grey tones within the collection. But Bartlett does do a great job of mixing pattern and color to create a perfect summer attitude. Click on the images to see some great detail.
Richard Chai has gone for a more thematic approach this season and moved away from his rugged workwear beginnings and moved into more airy direction. Although some of the shear fabrics have skewed way too far to the other side of masculinity, Chai has taken the light layering seen on many European runways, tailored it and made it all a bit more wearable. His mens lines have always been grunge in a Kurt Cobain kind of way but his intentions this season were to create a sort of modernize iteration of it. A subtle beige windowpane was one of the only patterns used, showing up on shorts, knits and anoraks. Mismatched stripes and plaids were layered in harmony with generously cut pants, creating an intriguing contrast of pattern and silhouette.
As usual we have the best close ups of the runway you’ll find anywhere and some great shots of Chai’s collab with Keds. Click on the images to enlarge them.
On Saturday Band of Outsiders showcased a decidedly more grown-up and mature collection opting for a simpler, all-California aesthetic for Spring 2010. The label’s trademark cropped and fitted looks got just a bit more relaxed this season which is where everyone’s cuts are moving these days and some of the real highlights are the more formal items in the collection - the shrunken tux, the grey suiting, the sear-sucker blazer paired with grey marl sweatpant, and the dip-dyed tie over the pale yellow oxford and navy trench. Many of our images are larger than they appear on the this page so click on them to enlarge them, and twe have the best close-ups on the you’ll find anywhere (if not let us know).
We’re walking a fine line of being a little Wood Wood heavy here lately, but for good reason. The Spring/Summer 2010 collection is exceptional. The label showcased the collection at Copenhagen Fashion Week last week and as usual Wood Wood is one of those collections best viewed styled in order to get the full impact of how the pieces work together. We have some of the best looks as well as some exclusive detail shots of key pieces seen on the runway.
We have more from our exclusive look at Wood Wood’s Spring/Summer 2010 collection. The collection’s Split Shirt is an interesting juxtaposition - an army style shirt made in a delicate mélange poplin. The shirt has a casual classic fit, featuring epaulets, and a traditional Japanese cigarette chest pocket. It will retail for $145.
For Spring/Summer 2010, Wood Wood is continuing with one our favorites parts of the current boating trends - marine sweaters. The Paris (pictured above) and the Antwerp sweater (below) both are great examples of how to bring freshness to such a classic look.
The Paris is a super-soft, light wool knit and features a button detail on shoulder, very much like this years Bartali. And will retail for $145.
The Antwerp is a crewneck cotton sweater in a 5 gauge mask. The yarn itself is crispy yet very soft cotton. The fit is very casual and comes in a classic striped look and an attached twill pocket on left arm to give it a sailor uniform feeling. Retailing for $128.
Takeshi Ohfuchi’s Post Overalls is the seminal American made Japanese workwear brand, having been around since 1993. The label’s roots are derived from vintage work clothes, military outfits, and outdoor garments, and has stayed true to that from the start. The labels Engineer Jacket epitomizes that having been in the line since it’s inception.
We have another video feature with Mr. Ohfuchi coming soon. Stay tuned.
Always a supporter of Wood Wood first as a consumer and then as a buyer for our store, we were excited to view the labels Spring/Summer 2010 at Capsule earlier this week.
Wood Wood founder, Karl (Oskar Olsen), has always had a clear vision for the brand and although it always evolves, you can still see the roots of the label in every collection. Wood Wood’s Spring/Summer 2010 collection is no exception. Always a bit whimsical, with some key graphic images, structured shirting, with loose knits layered on top.
The inspiration changes from season to season but the philosophy always stays the same. The collections are always made up of what Karl is fond of, or what he is feeling at the moment. For the Spring/Summer collection it was a mix of travel influences, university life, and his childhood fascination with Swedish
tennis great Mats Wilander. Over the course of the week we will be featuring some of the key looks from the collection.
One of out favorite looks of the season is the Geneva Short Suit. The black over-dyed seersucker jacket and shorts make a huge statement. Mixing in the edge of city life where traditional seersucker can sometimes look out of place. Both pieces are lined with light blue chambray bringing in some more subtle preppiness, allowing you to roll up the sleeves to continue the relaxed feel. Although the suit can be paired with set of matching trousers we think shorts are the way to go. Jacket and shorts will retail for $218 and $14 respectively.
I truly enjoyed that first, incredible Ken Block sequence shot at an old airfield. Now comes this Top Gear episode- pretty spectacular stuff. Recently I’ve come upon Speedhunters.com, which is an awesome site stuffed full of incredible car imagery and videos. Rod Chong recently posted a video riposte to the Top gear sequence, done by the crew at Format67.net. When I started viewing this new clip I became excited. The ominous text in the video seemed to tease of something awesome to come, that they were going to set old Ken straight- show him how things are done away from the flashy camera work etc.
Instead we end up with a relatively flat video, one that is beautifully shot but far too stylized and choppy. These guys barely delivered on their statements in the clip. Most disappointing… and judging by the comments, this is a common sentiment.
In my opinion, this is how you outdo a Ken Block Gymkhana clip. Firsty, by all means state your bold intentions, but for god’s sake make sure you (over) deliver on them. The plain looking car- great, fine. Naturally a great driver is also required. Location- F67.net’s was a bit flat/blah- it must be a challenging course with some tricky bits that really showcase the drivers skill. Now here is how to stand out- once the intro text rolls by, and the blaring music winds down- its key to shoot this… wait for it… in one take. Shoot it with an in-car, a roof cam, 6-8 static cams, but a few handhelds, but it must be done in one take. No camera trickery, no mending a botched drift or a misshift. No redo’s allowed. The impressive bit will be the sustained, one shot bit of driving mastery. Even Mr. Block cannot yet lay claim to that…
Tomas Maier is this strange mix of German precision with classic American tendencies directing an Italian brand, which makes for a beautiful mix. So it’s nothing new that he decided to continue his exploration of traditional notions of the American male in his Spring/Summer 2010 collection. In this spirit he debuted Varsity jackets made from baby-soft suede, along with classic pique polos modernized with subtle color-blocked details. Denims paired with a midnight-blue tux jacket, a quintessential all-American casual look, but done so perfectly, if only every American male knew how to pull it together like this. He also introduced some military-inspired looks done the Bottega Veneta way. A classic army pant was paired with a wallpaper-printed blazer, while the same fabric in a bomber jacket contrasted nicely with a rolled chino and electric blue crocodile tote, which is one of our favorites. A final group of ”fever red” suitings and knits looked perfect, and as I mentioned previously here, is a color that the royal blues of this Spring will have to share time with come next year.
Read more for many detailed views of the clothing and accessories from the show. Click on the images to view them larger.
We’ve featured Giuliano Fujiwara footwear before and his accessories collections just don’t get enough attention. This season he changed up what is usually a very clean selection of shoes and went with a little more straight sneaker-head style. Many will make the obvious comparisons to Cr8tive Rec or worse, the Air Cheezy, but it’s the detailing and materials that separate them. The monochromatic series of navy, red, white, and sand are perfect, and they aren’t over stuffed with an oversized foam package like many mainstream brands. And although I have become a low guy over the last couple years I’m starting to consider the high-top again…
In his second season as Creative Director for Dunhill, Kim Jones continued his march towards modernizing the label’s timeless heritage. For Spring/Summer 2010, he gave a contemporary update to the traditional tailoring for which the brand is known. I loved the icy grey and navy color palette and slim silhouettes. Some of the suiting fabrics were made up in Camdeboo, a crush-proof mohair. Two-toned Panama hats, short-sleeved patterned shirts and lightweight summer cardigans paired with tailored linen shorts could be your uniform this season. And a grey suit with a pin dot tie and polka dot shirt, all in various tones of the same color worked perfectly.
Jones once mentioned he’d like Dunhill to become an English Hermès, which places a lot of weight on the accessories and that emphasis was felt throughout the show which featured warm weather hats, cuff links, sterling silver briefcases, supple leather carry-on bags, flint framed sunglasses, and classic brogues.
Keep reading for detailed views and our favorite looks. Click on the images to enlarge them.
It is so rewarding to watch a beautiful collection come down the runway and know that you may be able to find every piece in store someday. As a designer I love the “fantasy” shows that are pure design inspiration but it is much harder to put together an interesting show filled w/ peices you could buy and wear now without looking like you stepped out of the future. Junya Watanabe is a master at this and displays those skills every season. The collection speaks for itself… so I will let the images do the talking. Below you will find a selection of the best looks and detailed views.
