An interview with Lulu Kennedy

We were fortunate enough to nab an interview with Lulu Kennedy and here it is! For those of you who don't recognise the name, you will soon enough! Lulu Kennedy's Fashion East has become hugely influencial since its launch in 2000 (so influencial in fact that she was named in Evening Standard's 1000 Influencial List) as a supporter of emerging talent at London Fashion Week and lest we forget, she's played an instrumental role in bringing us the MAN shows as well! She has recently been involved with Creative30 where VICE, Volvo and The Independent have teamed up to find and celebrate the UK's next generation of promising creative talent (the judges have now selected the complete Creative 30 and it is now up to the online world to vote for their favourite). Here we talk about what she has been up to, her thoughts on the industry and her favourite menswear designers!

You are often touted as Fashion's fairy godmother, was it this trait, to help others and transform their lives in the process, which brought you to Creative 30?

I'm at my happiest when I'm helping talented people so it was great to be asked to get involved with Creative 30.

How difficult a task was it to select the shortlist from the wealth of submissions?
I am seriously impressed by the talent and diversity of genres – god knows how we are supposed to pick one winner – its going to be very hard to choose!

How important is it that there are opportunities out there like Creative 30?

It's an incredible opportunity and prize, it's so important for people when they're starting out to get recognised and supported like this.

On the blog we've discussed the great work you do in nurturing design talent for Fashion East and most significantly for us (as a men's style blog) MAN, unfortunately there is only so much certain collectives can do, how would you like the fashion industry to change as a whole?

I'd love to set up a menswear sponsorship scheme with the same weight as New Gen, so that all the young designers who do MAN have the next lot of sponsorship in place. I'd love to see a London menswear week develop properly. And my favourite daydream is that all the great British designers like McQueen come back and show in London, it would be the best fashion week on the international circuit.

How do you select your next crop of designers?

Purely by instinct. I also try and keep a certain balance within the lineup so that its not repetitive or one sided – its best when there's a healthy mixture of styles.

What advice would you give young designers out there?

Don't do your own label unless you're really talented and prepared to work your self like a dog…being lazy or mediocre is not a good look.

Who are your favourite menswear designers?

I am mad about menswear. I wear some of the gear from my MAN show designers, like Casette Playa, Kim Jones, James Long and Christopher Shannon – seriously!

Who are your style icons? If you were a man, who would they be?

Grace Jones, Nick Cave, Iggy Pop, Terry Hall from the Specials – their style blows my mind.

What's next for Lulu Kennedy?

I'm thinking about how I can help the designers on an international platform. Don't get me wrong – I love London - I feel we should do more events, whether it's a party in New York or a press trip to Japan, or a presentation in Milan…it'd be fun to challenge myself to do something like that!!

Finally, what would you like to achieve/how would you like to be remembered?

I like to see my designers do well, that makes me super happy.

Men Represent: The next challenge

Whilst we at Style Salvage have been enjoying something of a long weekend, Jonas Fred of The Journal of Style has been busy interviewing Paul Hardy (the aspiring designer we featured recently) and from this unexpected fruits have grown. Taking inspiration from the marvellous blog What I Saw Today, The Journal of Style has asked why not start a program in which we could all start posting sketches of the looks we have seen around town or even from the deepest darkest nook of our men's style obsessed minds? The Journal of Style has set the the challenge and indeed the bar with his own sketches...are you up for the challenge? Steve's ability at sketching is unexplored due to his inability during art class and EJ is nervous about sketching menswear (although she's a dark horse and quite the artist) so we have opened up this challenge to all forms of artistic interpretation. If you can't sketch, why not come up with your own creative way to recall a look, EJ is pushing the montage medium. We will both be posting our own attempts this week, are you with us?

Good Train Reading

I just read the news over on Kanye's blog that a conversation between him and none other than Raf Simons features in Interview Magazine, I would not pair these two up so it should prove to be an interesting read. My lunchtime tomorrow will be spent stocking up on magazines for the late afternoon journey up to see EJ in rainy Manchester...my travel bag is going to be heavy! Talking of which, I need to go and pack! After she challenged me to introduce colour into my everyday style she has raised the stakes somewhat...Pictures will be posted soon.

Kanye (rocking LV) pictured in Paris with Oliver Zahm (oozing 70s sexuality) by Tommy

Are you a happy shopper?

Is clothes shopping an enjoyable recreation, a painful chore or an avoid at all costs like going to the dentist experience? I've always enjoyed shopping but have to admit that some retail outlets are more enjoyable than others and I still avoid sale shopping on the High Street. As a small boy my mum used to leave me to own devices in the Early Learning Centre playing with wooden train sets whilst she explored the High Street and boutiques on offer in Canterbury, or if we went anywhere else I would be left with my sister in the Toy Department and she pawed over the rails on the Women's Fashion floor. I learned from an early age that shopping was always more than a simple hunter/gatherer exercise, it was an experience. However, despite the significant rise in the menswear market in recent years I know that I am in the minority who actually enjoy shopping.

Via WeAreTheMarket I came across an interesting Forbes article on Men's Shopping Shrines. The article explores how a growing number of stores are enticing men in through their doors by offering a little more than just good stock - Convincing men to shop, requires making them feel like they're not really shopping in the first place. It seems that to get the majority of men to shop, retailers are taking the approach that many parents take in forcing their children to eat their greens...through gimmicks and mild deception (they haven't quite reached the full blown desperation stage -bribery, but after reading this article they just might one day soon!). Unique amenities such as a wine bar or video games are the sorts of things that are becoming essential to attracting-and-retaining male shoppers. I'm all for more stores creating a welcoming retail environment but do we really need wine bars and videogames?

Clockwise from top left: John Varvatos Store in New York, The Manly Man in LA, BBlessing and The Mechanic both in New York.

The article highlights Paul Smith's approach to retail (there was an interesting discussion between the bstore chaps and Paul Smith in the POP IN paper which I enjoyed reading and then subsequently left at a bar! Well worth a read though!) where the goal is to create a welcoming environment in which a shopper feels as though he's walking into a close friend's home. Amongst the clothes there are all types of nick nacks, paintings and furniture. Cliff Hunt (Head of US Retail at Paul Smith) believes that "having other items makes it more interesting for men to shop, especially in an environment like this. They can come into our store and even if they are not interested in apparel, there are other items to pique their curiosity. They don't have to buy anything to enjoy browsing in the store. It's a destination."

The Paul Smith Shopping Experience which all began with his first store in Nottingham in 1970.

In an interview with The Guardian, Paul Smith had this to say:

I hate the way that High Streets are all looking so homogenous. It's the one thing that gets me really irrate. I strive to ensure that every Paul Smith store looks totally different from the others. And the objects that we have in there are as important to me as the clothes. Of course I design clothes, that's how I earn my living, but the Old Curiosity Shop aspect - that you never know what you might find knocking around in Paul Smith, from a beautiful painting to a bootleg Dylan record or a brilliant tin robot - is the clincher. Someone said that walking round one of my stores was like being inside a Joseph Cornell box. I was dead chuffed.

Whereas I see a number of the US stores verging on the side of gimmicky I just love Paul Smith's approach to retail and I'm not alone because he is damn successful. All in all what does shopping mean to you? Do you see shopping as a recreation or a chore, if it is a chore how can shops make it a more enjoyable experience? Where would you like menswear retail to go?

Unlikely Style Icons - Team Zissou

Wes Anderson is one of my favourite directors because his films burst with detail, colour and textures. The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou is a great film, arguably his best - I recently picked up a copy for three pounds no doubt it will be one of the films I turn to when I'm just not sure what to do with myself on a wet Sunday- however I didn't think it would have any kind of impact on men's style. Steve Zissou was written with Bill Murray in mind, it just could not have been anyone else could it...however, this chap featured on both the Sartorialist and Facehunter was certainly inspired by the internationally famous oceonographer and his team...Team Zissou!

The lost member of Team Zissou as captured by the Sartorialist

Update: Since posting I came across more Team Zissou on Dejour

Buck to the Future

My magazine addiction has long been documented. I've always been a consumer of those glossy and not so glossy (depending on my mood and what I can get my hands on) pages. Despite there being a number of personal favourites (talking of which I'm still in the hunt for the latest issue of Fantastic Man), the men's style magazine market is somewhat undernourished...there are some undeniably great bi annuals and quarterlies published but my stomach is more often than not left rumbling on a month by month basis...The lads mags I grew up with are still on the shelf but they haven't been added to or pushed forward, even though the interest in menswear has and for this reason alone I'm sure that there is an untapped market out there. A young pretender is about to enter the fray - BUCK. BUCK is a new monthly men's style magazine that will be on sale from late October (in the meantime go and have a look at the site) and will feature the three f's - fashion, furniture and food. The focus will be on promoting new talent with up and coming bands, artists and designers featured every month talking about their own style and tastes. I hope it is a success. Surely there are people outside the confines of the M25 who are interested in the Topman Lens collection (has any noticed the new look Topman site?), upcoming designers like Charlie Ross and the bstore pop up store? If it is a roaring success, who knows maybe I'll publish a magazine with EJ, it would have to be a secret love child of a publication....with the not so proud parents being the Face and Fantastic Man.

Sunday Monkey Business

Nursing a hangover and all alone in the flat (because Susie is in Paris for the week) Sunday has been a lazy day for me. My time lounging on the sofa was well spent though because Film4 were showing the perfect Sunday afternoon film, Monkey Business. The film has a star studded cast including Cary Grant, Ginger Rogers, Marilyn Monroe and Charles Coburn but more interestingly than boasting stars the film shows them in a very different light than to how the audience expects to see them.

There is no doubt that Cary Grant is one of the most stylish men ever. While most have seen Cary Grant and indeed remember him for the romance and Hitchcock films of this decade such as An Affair to Remember, To Catch a Thief and North by Northwest, Monkey Business is reminiscent of the screwball comedies of the 30's. Very funny and full of just plain silliness, this film is a great way to pass a Sunday afternoon. Although in a more comedic role than I'm used to seeing in, he's still as stylish as ever. The style on display is more than similar to Mad Men. As Valet showed us how to get the style from the show of the moment and I just had to share it with you all once again.

1.) Sterling silver tie bar by David Donahue, $40 at Nordstrom. 2.) Lemtosh frames, $169 (without prescription) at Moscot. 3.) Sidecar gunmetal briefcase by Dunhill, $1,240 at Dunhill, 212.753.9292. 4.) Bow tie by Band of Outsiders, $92 at Blue Bee. 5-7.) Ties, (from left) Mike & Chris, $83, Ralph Lauren, $125 and Shipley & Halmos, $92, all available at Blue Bee. 8.) Suit by John Varvatos Star USA, $795 at Nordstrom. Shirt by Theory, $125, at Nordstrom. Tie by Hickey, $115 at Hickeystyle.com. 9.) Wool hat by Rod Keenan, $360 at Barneys New York stores. 10.) Cotton handkerchiefs, $25 for a pack of seven, at Brooks Brothers.

I will leave you with a piece of wisdom from Grant's character - "You're old only when you forget you're young." Now I'm off to buy a pair of braces after being inspired by this film.

Why isn't Borders open 24 hours?

I've been waiting for the new issue of Fantastic Man (the issue is No. 8) for months now, thankfully the waiting is nearly over. The issue includes Fergus Henderson, a look at Chanel Menswear, Spectacles, Bowler Hats and so much more I'm sure. If only newsagents were 24 hours and stocked up on Men's Fashion/Style journalism...I'm afraid I'm going to have to sleep on it and rush to Borders in the morning before work. Sweet dreams.

Falling for Autumn

"Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower" Albert Camus

Both of us at Style Salvage love Autumn because for us, it's the season where men's style becomes that bit more interesting. Men can't hide behind a simple combination of t shirt, jeans and wayfarers, more thought is required and most importantly and most interestingly this also means more layers. EJ is going to post her thoughts on Autumn shortly but as I'm so excited about the prospect of crunching leaves underfoot in Hampstead Heath that I just had to share my current inspiration for the season with you.

1 - Harry Treadaway featured in VMAN wearing a Uniqlo Checked Jacket
2 - TheCablog's second han cap from Berlin
3 - In The Cut feature in VMAN
4 -Dexter Wong Slim Trench from Topman
5 - Expert layering by the master of layering The Cablog
6 - Clarks Desert Boot in brown
7 - Cranberry solid rib cardigan by American Apparel

Kanye's Pastelle Vision

Despite being out for almost a month now, only yesterday was I able to pick up the latest issue of VMan...but it is well worth the wait and it has well and truly wet my appetite for the coming season. The sun might be shining in London and it's so hot in my living room that I'm just wearing shorts as I type this (did you want that mental image on a Saturday afternoon? Perhaps not, but I've said it... there's no going back now) but all I want to think about is Autumn (more to come on this later this weekend). As the weather is against me on my quest for all things autumn, I thought it best to put my autumnal oohing and aaahing on hold for a day or so, so let's talk about Kanye's clothing line, Pastelle which was featured in VMan (despite Kanye's reported cold feet on showing the shots). I have been eagerly waiting to catch a glimpse of Kanye’s (with the help of Kim Jones) design aesthetic. The preview showcased in VMan has as a star studded cast including Rihanna and Lupe Fiasco modelling pieces of the collection...there just aren't enough shots though! However, from the three looks shown, you can definitely see the influence of Kim Jones on the collection.

Kanye recently gave an interview with Complex magazine where he spoke about the line:

"Just getting the right designs. It’s a gift and a curse. You’ve got all eyes on you, so if you deliver something great, it’s gonna get held as, “Oh, it’s supposed to be great.” And even if it’s good or it’s OK or something, it’s gonna get bashed. There were phases where I could just do the bear on a Polo and it would’ve made $100 million. At a certain point. But I always say I was a designer before I was a rapper, and I really wanted to get into design. So then, trying to start designing and goin’ with my girl down to the fashion district and stuff, and looking at fabrics and stuff like that, I’m like, “Oh, shit. This is real.” I’ve learned so much about materials and fabrics and applications and sequence and shiny fabrics and fits and all type of shit…"

The line should be in stores by November and from what I've seen of it, it's going to be a solid first collection which will no doubt make Mr West a lot of money. It is certainly going to be much more than just putting a bear on a polo shirt and slapping an extortionate price tag on it.

Men Represent: Essentials mark two

EJ

- Accessories: It's not one of the most used tags on the blog for no reason. They step any outfit up a level and give you an excuse to be a bit eccentric- bow ties and buttonholes anyone?

- Photography books: I love poring over glossy photography books of any era and almost any subject. My favourite in terms of style inspiration is Cecil Beaton portraits. I love tiny details like Gary Cooper's sideburns and more obvious things like suits, poise and posture.

- A pair of killer trainers: my love of Adidas is well documented, but I can have my head turned by all sorts of trainers (and I do mean that literally... it's not uncommon for me to almost smack into people because I'm looking the other way at someone's feet!)

- Superfly hair: tousled or slicked back, I'm not too fussy and I can appreciate guys making almost any sort of effort with their hair (why do so many men just ignore or mismanage their hair??) ...though of course my favourite is a brilliant quiff.

- Galleries: not so much a style essential, but believe me when I say that I couldn't do without them. The National Gallery in London is one of my favourite places to be.


Steve

- Everyday bag - These come in all shapes and sizes and the choice should depend on the day's activities. My current workday bag of choice is my vintage Polaroid bag but I'm also in the hunt for the perfect tote.

- iPhone - I love this piece of technology, it just makes my life a lot easier and is beautiful at the same time.

- Moleskin notepad and any pen I can find. Simple, elegant and just the job. In a fast paced world it is essential to be able to write down an insight, otherwise it might just be lost...if there aren't any insights to be jotted, you can always doodle.

- Borders - A well stocked newsagent is a necessity and Borders is heaven for me. Whenever I have a few minutes to kill in London I head to Borders. Magazines are so important to me, if it wasn't for magazines like The Face and even GQ who knows what I'd be doing right now. I'm a magazine addict and love nothing more than flicking through a new issue of Fantastic Man, 10 Man, Monocle, Man About Town, Nylon Guys, VMan, GQ Style....

- Wallet - The home of the key to all things shiny and new. I can not understand men who don't use a wallet. Mine is a Commes Des Garcons black wallet complete with coin purse.

Gian

We forgot to mention it on the last essentials post but Gian has posted his essentials over on his blog. Go and check them out!

Colour Challenge

Dear EJ

In the below post you challenged me to introduce more colour into my wardrobe this autumn. I must admit that looking over my wardrobe_remix shots there is indeed a lacking of variation and excitement which can be brought from flashes of colour. I'm not afraid of colour, not by any means, but for everyday wear which requires little thought neutral colours prove just too attractive in the morning when I'm a little bleary eyed and thinking of my pillow. However, over the coming weeks I will bring in colour into my attire, from simple accessories (I really want the Jack Spade for Gap x Collete) to full blocks of colour which will blow your mind...

Colour can be used in so many way, through canny accessorising...

Images from left to right: Parisian Dandy in red accessories shot by thesartorialist, Waris Ahluwalia as shot by Cafe Mode, Sasha from Hel Looks

To full blown assaults of colour (and of course everything in between)....

Images clockwise from top left: Model from aw 08 Y3 collection, of the runway shot from thesartorialist, a look from JW Anderson's recent ss 09 collection and finally two images taken from Fashion156's Colour issue

In short, I accept your challenge. Be prepared for some colour.

Love

Steve

Folk's SS 09 Colection

Folk's ss 09 Colection

Folk's collections are typically understated but with an attention to design and detail that makes the individual stand out. I am really liking the preview of Folk’s S/S 09 line with its great styling and use of illustrations which help to capture the carefree and classic looks typical of the brand. Like far too many good menswear labels Cathal McAteer's understated, classic and very wearable clothes used to be solely for Japan. Thankfully, there is now a shop on Lamb's Conduit Street (as featured on Monocle) which is located nice and close to my office...I will just have to spend my time and money in there during my lunchtime.


I've also recently come across the folkclothing blog which is also great and well worth a read.

I'm not sure about these pictures (a little corny for my tastes) but I do like a look of the gear (particularly the red and blue cardigan/jacket thing in the bottom right). Folk is definitely one of those brands that I look out for.

Finding grey in the sunshine

The close up - Grey suede shoes from bstore, grey socks and navy wool trousers from uniqlo.

The British summer was something of a non entity and just as I was getting exciting about shopping for my autumnal look...the sun came out. The sun was so bright yesterday morning that it woke me up at 8:45, which is crazy early for me at the best of times, but on a Sunday...well that's just madness. It meant that I could enjoy the whole day but rather than reach for my shorts...I mean come on, it is mid September after all...so I reached for different shades of grey.

Grey shirt and suede shoes from bstore, navy trousers and grey socks from uniqlo, Polaroid case bought from unsaleable

Why hello there Stevie!

Looking fly in the greys and blues. However, I have a challenge for you. Browsing your Flickr pics and thinking over your favourite outfits, I have noticed one thinking missing: colour! Other than your bright blue double breasted cardie, I rarely see you in any real amount of full-on (or even slightly muted) colour. I demand some more colourful outfits for autumn, both casual and work-wear. Consider this a challenge.

EJ

ON/OFF - Switching on to Rozalb de Mura

As promised, the early part of Sunday morning (the glorious sunshine woke me up far earlier than expected) was spent analysing the collections on catwalking.com. However, the aim was to create a wonderful montage of my favourite London show looks...this will come, in time and will probably merge into one all conquering montage with the New York shows, but first I would like to dedicate a post to a menswear label which showed as part of On/off, Rozalb de Mura. Rozalb de Mura is not a name I've noticed previously (although I've since found out that the aw 08 collection - The Thing - was featured on mensrag last month) but I'm taking notice after the latest collection, which showed an acute understanding of fabrics and textures whilst being playful and offering something a little different to everything else seen over the last two weeks.

What makes me like this collection even more is that the label is Romanian. Rozalb de Mura’s Olah Gyarfas is working hard to change the perception of Romania from fashion slave into something of a fashion competitor, it certainly is one of the most exciting brands to come out of Eastern Europe and I just had to share it with you.

Old Curiosity Shopping

The wonderful Old Curiosity Shop captured by Dazed Digital

It was a beautiful sunny day in London today and I spent it wandering the town and visiting my favourite stores and looking in on a few new ones. The first stop on my shopping tour was the beautiful Old Curiosity Shop which was of course immortalised by the Dickens' novel of the same name and is apparently the oldest shop in London (it was built in 1567). If the history of the building wasn't enough, the store now holds BLAAK's aw 08 collection and some beautiful handcrafted footwear and accessories by some designers handpicked by the design duo to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the brand. With it's cottage like appearance and all together parochial feel, it seems like an odd location for cutting edge London designers to be selling their collections but this make it all the more special.

As well as selling their own A/W 08-9 collection (highlights shown above), BLAAK have selected other products to sit alongside such as Oliver Goldsmith glasses exclusively made for BLAAK or Daiko Kimura's handcrafted shoes. If you find yourself around the Holborn area (or anywhere in London for that matter) you have to visit this store, if it wasn't for the lack of funds I would've bought a number of pieces and left and extremely happy chap...Despite not being able to afford anything, the cornucopia of curiosities make it a must see.

London Fashion Week comes to a close - MAN SS09

After giving myself concussion on Wednesday, London Fashion Week passed me by in a somewhat confused and bemused state...I can't believe that it's Saturday morning already. I promise that I will go through catwalking.com with a fine toothed comb and will post my highlights...in terms of menswear these were a little too few and far between but we expected that though, this is just the state of menswear today. Anyway, yesterday afternoon I was on the mend from my self induced affliction and most importantly fortunate enough to have a ticket to the hottest ticket in menswear all week, the MAN show. We've mentioned our admiration for this show before but it has to be applauded once again. MAN gives up-and-coming designers the opportunity to make a name for themselves (however we would like the panel to branch out a little bit more and offer new names a chance) and eventually even sell some clothes which is always a good thing for a starving, young designer. It was a strange crowd who were crammed into the NCP Car Park on Brewer Street including, Erin O'Connor, Jefferson Hack, Charlie Porter, Daniel Jenkins (who I got to meet for the first time and we discussed the state of menswear before and after the show), countless fashion students and erm, Lawrence Llewelyn Bowen...very strange indeed...Now onto the collections:

Christopher Shannon

First up was Christopher Shannon, who I knew would deliver a wearable and interesting collection and he didn't dissapoint...but then he didn't amaze either. Shannon has been given a fair bit of media atention in the week's running up to the show and rightly so (highlight being an interview with wearethemarket), since graduation from Central Saint Martin's he has worked with Kim Jones ad designed a collection for New Balance. It was a solid, marketable collection and I can see a lot of men wearing these clothes. The colour palette was fresh and I particularly liked the use of green, it was a collection which offered sort the type of imaginative sportswear that wouldn't disgrace his past mentor, Kim Jones.

Hans Madsen:

In this collection Hans Madsen was playing with textures and textiles to wonderful effect. I do have one problem with it though, the clothes just looked too warm to be part of a Spring Summer show. Yes the seasons are somewhat blurring and merging but for me there still needs to be a difference in the collections and not just teaming the knitwear with shorts. That said, if we our Summers continue down the same path I would happily wear these clothes all year round.

James Long:

Unlike the previous MAN show, thankfully Long managed to keep his collection safe from the thieves. This was a step forward for Long and the highlights for me included his new slant on knitwear and in particular his use of sheer fabrics and textures.

Topman Design:

I was pleasantly surprised by the Topman Design collection, initially I was dumbstruck as model after model came out clad in neon coloured tracksuits and matching rucksacks but my eyes soon recovered and enjoyed the rest of the show. My fashion week highlights will follow...

James Franco is a Man About Town and he might just be stalking me

James Franco seems to be wherever I turn lately. It all started only recently when I watched Never Been Kissed (it was raining outside, it was on TV...I was ill, I'd not seen it before....*insert another few excuses here) and there he was (who knew he was in it???), then he fronts a Gucci perfume and then one of my favourite magazines, Man About Town puts him on the cover and dedicates a number of pages to 'A Study of the Actor.' The man is stalking me.

The cover and the highlights of the editorial

From the study within the magazine I learned quite a bit about my new stalker...he used to work at McDonalds before his acting career took off, he dropped out of UCLA in 1997 and has recently returned to finish off his undergraduate degree which is commendable but to be honest I'm not really interested. I only care care about the degree of style a would be stalker has and within these pages I like what I see. James Franco I give you my blessing to continue to stalk me. With three major films released this year including the Judd Apatow produced comedy Pineapple Express (which I might see), the weepie romance Nights in Rodanthe (which I won't see) and a biopic of former San Francisco councillor Harvey Milk called Milk which is directed by Gus Van Sant (which I probably will see), we will all be seeing a fair bit more of the actor.

Men Represent: Essential essentials

Apologies for the delay in putting up the first batch of Men Represent's Essentials, Steve managed to give himself concussion after fainting (he really needs to give this story a more masculine edge), anyway, he's on the road to recovery now and please see Men Represent: Essentials, part one...

xS - The Staple:

1. A killer item, something that you love and goes with anything - mine would be an APC peacoat


2. An individual/daring streak that means you try and look different from the crowd, and aren't afraid to leave the house wearing something a little odd (whether that's pink shoes or a sequinned cardigan)


3. A good sense of colour/pattern so you know what goes together and doesn't to complement the individual streak
   
4. A voracious appetite for magazines, style and curious eye for detail
   
5. The evening dress outfit combo (white shirt, black trousers, black tie/bow tie, smart black shoes, jacket/blazer/tux jacket and accessory (scarf/brooch/bag)

Matt Ahoy - Buckets and Spades

1. Quality socks are a must, ususally bright coloured. Marks and Spencers is the best bet for good quality yet affordable socks.



2. Footwear, I ususally can't stick to one type of shoes but since I bought a pair of A/W08 Kurt Geiger patent black hi tops I can't take them off. Hi tops, boots, brogues, deck shoes and loafers are my 5 essentials.



3. I can't leave my house without a watch, I need to know the time all the time, I don't know how anyone feels about this, Whether it's weird but I just can't do it. Casio is the brand for me (until im earning a bit more).



4. Christian Dior - Eau Sauvage
   
   
5. Pen and note pad. These guys never leave my side. You never know what you will see or hear when leaving your house, they're a must.

Mark - Broken Closet

1. The Velvet Blazer - I couldn’t bear to see the blazer in anywhere but my top five. It would be like moving to Nepal and leaving my favourite teddy behind in my empty room. This Autumn I’m a little obsessed with velvet, so on the look out for a velvet blue blazer. I am in love with the one by Kris Van Assche last year, but I’d rather not have to sell my liver or youngest child to buy it. I just think a well fitted blazer transforms anything underneath into pure gold… like the philosophers stone, but dry clean only.

2. The Giant Knits - I was never much of a cardigan boy. I have but one, which is colossal and increased my body size threefold. Now I’m after more humungous knits, requiring a whole herd of Swedish sheep to make a single sleeve. In particular I love the turtle necks by Alessandro Dell'Acqua this Autumn… but then I have a soft spot for blissful winter jumpers.

3. The Dress Coat - Something about the dress coat this Autumn fills me with pleasurable quivers. I think it’s because for a while all the featured coats and jackets have been cropped to just below the waist and now I think it’s time to let them flow down to the knees. I'm loving Paul Smith's ones this year.

4. Hi-top Footwear - I’ve been captivated by Connies for many, many years. My feet are addicted to them, shivering in hatred at anything else. This year I’m determined to break their obsession and the return of the Hightops might just do it. Then again, I might just buy some new hightop AllStars. Ah Well.

5. Am I Allowed to Say Plaid? No? Well I will anyway. I didn’t like the idea of this at first. I prefer block colours to patterns and thought the plaid might be a bit too masculine for me. However,one fateful day in one of my online buying fits, I bought one off ASOS and it worked! I do feel quite manly in them… even though I’m sipping a Cosmo and humming a tune from Hairspray at the same time.

Jonas Fred - Journal of Style

1. Canvas Shoes. Preferably a pair from Converse (although everyone has them)


2. History. Because without the past there is no future.


3. A good music system. Preferably an ipod (although everyone has them, again)


4. The Internet. In the form of blogs, websites. It's a wonderful resource.


5. A good read. I do enjoy reading books on great designers and a magazine but what brings great joy to me is a wonderfully written novel. (The Godfather would be my favourite)

An eye for an eye in London - JW Anderson

Like me, I'm sure that more than quite a few are itching to see if the menswear on offer in London goes someway to fill the dull, commercial vacuum that was the majority of offerings in New York. I've been looking forward to JW Anderson's collection for some time. Partly because I'm a fan of his work and partly because the model fittings took place in my new flat's building which intrigued me greatly, as there were signs placed around the building saying somewhat creepy things like 'Boys this way'. Anyway...what better way to kick off the menswear proceedings than with Anderson taking a step forward (with more wearable offerings), the show was titled 'An Eye for an Eye.' For Robbie Spencer of DazedDigital the show was "was drenched in historical referencing, inspired by religious paraphernalia, mythical characters and societies bound in traditions" and I couldn't put it better myself, so I didn't. Anyway, here are my picks:

EJ - Check out the model in the bottom left who also featured in DazedDigital's top 7 models from New York.

From my picks above you can see that this is something of a breakthrough collection for Anderson, that had aspects of commercially viability that is sure to please buyers and customers alike whilst catering for the editorial eye. The designer says he would 'like to see Great Britain become a men's fashion country again', and I think he is certainly one of the designers who is going to make this dream a reality.