Carolyn Massey SS10 Accessories

A few weeks back now we were fortunate enough to take a sneak peak in to the future as Carolyn Massey let us nosey around her studio whilst drooling over her SS10 collection. Carolyn was inspired by adventure and exploration and this is no more apparent than in the accessories. The talented guys from across the pond at Street Etiqutte recently dropped a nice piece on the necessity of accessories and they certainly are in this collection. Carolyn told us that she had been inspired by her first showing at LFW back in February and expanded her collection, in terms of tshirts as well as additional accessories, for this coming season as a result. As a follow up to the earlier sneak preview post, Carolyn sent through an accessories look book which we had to share with you. Looking through the look book made me dream up expeditions to far away places which certainly beats a grey, Wednesday afternoon in London...

The accessories go so well with the inspiration for the collection, the film the Heroes of Telemark. The film starts Kirk Douglas and Richard Harris and is based on the true story of Norwegian heavy water sabotage in World War two. Carolyn had also been on a camping trip to Dungeness, where she found the experience useful as she was able to realistically think about when and where these garments and accessories could be worn.

I fell head over heels for the chunky, cable knits in Massey's Aw09 collection and the above table of bold blue knitted creations renewed my love. Carolyn once again worked closely with her knitwear consultant Lynn to create these pieces which looked to be inspired by fishermen and explorers.

The braided pieces are based on 'Troddels'. These were traditionally used by the German army (post war) to place with precision the exact whereabouts of soldiers in particular regiments. Also the Japanese craft of Kumihimo was an inspiration for the braiding which featured in the key rings, troddels and belts.

I must confess to being more than a little surprised by the leather spats. So much so in fact that I have only just noticed that I failed to mention them in the first post. I just didn't expect to see them but of course they make perfect sense given the inspiration and collection as a whole. The time is definitely right to bring back spats! I love the amount of thought and attention to detail Carolyn has put in to this collection and can't wait to (hopefully) see it on the catwalk in September.

My eyes lie

I am under constant threat of Susie raiding my wardrobe in the morning and supplementing her outfit with one or a number of my items. It is extremely rare that I get the chance of some pay back but last week I discovered a new, cotton grey jersey sweatshirt and I have to confess that I’ve stolen it for myself. The black hole top is a recent find from Your Eyes Lie, a London-based artist collective whose identity is anchored in their use of bold statements and graphics on the classic white tee. The sweatshirt comes in the softest grey jersey and it is really hard not to spend the day stroking myself in some demonstration of childish abandon...

Outfit rundown: Sweat shirt from Your Eyes Lie, Unconditional drop crotch trousers, hi tops by Lanvin, glasses by Bruno Chaussignand. The jacket in the top pic is from APC.

Regular readers will know that I rarely post outfit shots anymore. The reasons being... firstly because there are better blogs doing more interesting things than I in the style stakes on a consistent basis (The Cablog, The Dandy Project and Tales of Frederic instantly spring to mind)... secondly, we've always wanted the blog to be more of a discussion and lastly...I just can't pose! The last reason is the all conquering one. If I could pose, the blog would be littered with entries of me in various shots. Fortunately for you, I really dislike posing in front of the camera... I just feel silly. In the best shots I look annoyed and grumpy, precisely because I am annoyed and grumpy as the shots never turn out how I want them to. I do however like the two shots here because it looks as though the black hole design is sucking my body in to it (starting from the head). Since seeing me wearing her top, Susie has offered it as a gift…an act of kindness which worries me slightly…what has she got her eyes on of mine that she wants to accumulate for her own sartorial endeavours…I will have to sleep with one eye open from now on...

Rediscovering Christophe Lemaire

Two highlight looks from Christophe Lemaire AW09

I've been hearing the name Christophe Lemaire, or rather variations of the name for the last few weeks. Good friend, John Howard Little attempted to recall the designers name because he had stumbled across Lemaire's latest collection over on Mens Rag two weeks ago and has been excited by it ever since but couldn't quite recall the name correctly. I must admit that my little brain tends to overload with designer look books as a new season approaches and some slip right by me, so I have to thank John for forcing me to retrace my steps. I can certainly see why he was so excited by Lemaire's AW09 offering as the hard working designer resumes his relaxed volume and natural textures.

Do you recognise the name but are unsure where from? Well, Lemaire was at Christian Lacroix in the early 1990s before taking up the position of artistic director of Lacoste in 1998. Lemaire's luxuriously respectful take on the sports brand founded by René Lacoste in the early 20th century has made me nod my head in appreciation more than a few times. It his own line however, which gets me excited. His collections demonstrate a refined fusion of western and eastern references and none more so than this vision of AW09.

Heavy figure silhouettes, interchangeable and even and unisex, subtle dark palettes using Japanese costumes fabrics from the 70's. The clothes appear extremely comfortable and fluid, how could you not want to wrap up in cotton fleece, judo fabrics, silk, linen and woolen tweed? I have dabbled with this type of style before as I dressed up my Carola Euler cardigan with a pair of drop crotch trousers to create an ensemble which made me feel like the offspring of a Samurai and Obi-Wan Kenobi, it was a good look and one I'd happily try again. Here, the relaxed volumes and natural textures are so appealing as the rain lashes down in August, it might just be time to wrap up in soft fabrics and reach for a luxurious cummerbund....

Berthold's pac-a-mac 2.0

A look inside bstore for the latest exhibition

Raimund Berthold and artist Elsa Tierney took over the exhibition space of bstore this weekend. The joint exhibition, presents Tierney’s Meta Morphosis installation and more interestingly for me, marks the launch of Berthold’s capsule collection of transformational outerwear inspired by the practical pac a mac. Berthold, a (relatively) recent graduate from Central St Martins, showcases a capsule, debut offering comprising five pieces. All five pieces are are sporty, lightweight and comfortable, using modern fabrications which are perfectly suited for the British weather. It is undoubtedly a timely capsule range. The recent weather in London and beyond (EJ can testify for Manchester) can at best be described as a sick joke. Blue skies and glorious sunshine one moment (admittedly, these have been few and far between), wind and rain the next. More than once during the last few weeks I have been forced to trudge around town sodden whilst bemoaning the Great British summertime. Berthold's debut is a unique design collection of outerwear that cunningly changes from a coat to a bag and back again with consummate ease.

"I had an idea that it would be fun to reinvent the ‘pac-a-mac’. I loved its design and practicality and envisaged expanding this theme into a collection of men’s outerwear in interesting, weather resistant fabrics, and all with their own integrated bag” comments Berthold.

Pieces include a double breasted car coat which converts into a duffle bag, and an over sized round neck windcheater that changes into a ‘shopper’. There is also a rain cape, but with sleeves whose integral back ‘pocket’ turns into a simple square bag with back straps and a gillet which flips inside out to create a mesh shoulder bag as well as a loose fitting overcoat. These include a double breasted car coat which converts into a duffle bag, an oversize, round neck windcheater that changes into a ‘shopper’. There is also a rain cape, but with sleeves whose integral back ‘pocket’ turns into a simple square bag with back straps, a gillet which flips inside out to create a mesh shoulder bag as well as a loose fitting overcoat. My damp clothes are evidence enough that my wardrobe would benefit from a few items from this collection sooner rather than later, so I will just have to puddle hop my way to bstore.

An afternoon flicking through 'When you're a boy'

(When you're a boy) You can wear a uniform (When you're a boy) Other boys check you out (You get a girl) These are you favourite things (When you're a boy)
David Bowie and Brian Eno, Boys Keep Swinging (1979)

Two weeks have passed since the opening of Simon Foxton's When you're a boy exhibition at the Photographer's Gallery and the closest I've got to the images is the Gallery Shop whilst seeking shelter from (one of many) Summer downpours. Alas, we just didn't have enough time to explore the exhibition space fully so rather than trudge my sodden hi tops around I just picked up the exhibition catalogue. For those of you who have not been to able to see the exhibition yet, why not make yourself a cup of tea, sit in a comfy chair and pour over the pages as I have done this afternoon and marvel at Foxton's amazing body of work...

From 'Punk', photographed by Nick Knight. Published in The Face, Feb 1986

The exhibition explores exactly what a great stylist contributes to a fashion photograph beyond selecting clothes and dressing models. Through the impressive body of work of pre-eminent menswear stylist, the exhibition traces the growth and development of men's fashion over the past three decades. Foxton has deservedly built himself a reputation as one of the leading image-makers of men’s fashion; anticipating and defining key shifts in menswear design throughout. the 80s, 90s and 00s. Foxton's interest in masculinity, ethnicity and sexuality are captured in images shot by photographers and longtime collaborators Alistair McLellan, Nick Knight and Jason Evans. Foxton's contribution to fashion photography goes way beyond the production process that precede a shoot, and towards offering a benchmark of taste; it is a singular world view. In combination with longstanding photographic partners (Knight, Evans, McLellan) who each bring their own specific perspectives to bear on the work produced, Foxton's unique perspective inspires discrete and different bodies of work.

Left: From 'Punk', photographed by Nick Knight. Published in The Face, Feb 1986. Right: From 'War' photographed by Nick Knight. Version published in Big, No.18, 1987

Elements of the styling practice that Foxton had been responsible for popularising in the 1980s - street casting, customisation, inveigling non-fashion accessories into shoots, using 'model's' own clothing - were crucial in shaping the identity of my favourite magazines whilst growing up and beyond. Foxton began styling for i-D in 1984, at a time when the visual language of fashion photography was still being established. Since then he has contributed to my favourite magazines and more including The Face, Arena, Arena Homme Plus, Vogue Hommes International, Details, W, GQ Style and Big Magazine. Without his work, the magazines that we know and love would certainly not be the same.

From 'Strictly', photgrpahed by Jason Evans. Published in i-D, July 1991

There is a great Penny Martin interview with Simon Foxton in his garden shed featured inside the catalogue, below are a few of my favourite questions and answers...

Penny Martin: How did you make the shift from designing to styling?

Simon Foxton: When I had my own little design company, I found the whole process of from imagining the clothing to the realisation and production such a long, laborious and tedious journey. The idea that I could come up with ways of dressing people to make them look different and for it to happen almost immediately was like a big light going on in my head. I thought "I don't have to deal with factories in the East End, or order buttons. I can actually come up with ideas and make them happen within a week."

From 'Hey there fancy pants', photographed by Jason Evans. Published in i-D, May 2004

Penny Martin: If not money, what do you think still motivates you after twenty five years?

Simon Foxton: It is only when you stop and look at it, like now, with doing an exhibition, that you think "God, I have been doing this for twenty five years! Why?" I don't know. It is partly because it is fun. The commercial things can be tough but the editorial is usually great: having a freehand to make images. Once that whole character is there, it's almost like giving birth. I've created this thing and it's like "wow, I've not seen that before, a person dressed in that way." That is enough for me.

From 'Atlas', photographed by Alasdair McLellan. Published in Arena Homme Plus, AW 2003/04

With wit, sophistication and irreverence, Foxton continues to redefine perceptions of masculinity with his uniquely thrilling and fantastical portrayals of men. During his twenty five year career, Foxton has evolved a highly recognisable and much emulated approach to creating fashion photography. An approach which sees him balance a deep respect for traditional men’s fashion design with an injection of street culture, popular imagery and much needed humour. He is quite simply the quintessential menswear stylist, consistently progressing men’s fashion and truly deserves this exhibition. If you are in town anytime from today until October 17th, you have to make a trip to this exhibition...if you've already been, please let us know what you thought.

Selection of shots published in i-D, unpublished work and webcasts on SHOWstudio.com

Happy Birthday Fashion156!

The ever wonderful Fashion156 recently blew out three candles and celebrated with a review issue looking back over three years of quality work. Three years after launching, it still shows how an online magazine can achieve that same feeling you get from flicking through your favourite glossy. Guy Hipwell is devoted to fashion, working sixteen to twenty hour days, seven days a week and with his talented team of interns and passionate helpers he has really set the online benchmark. We can't wait to see a lot more from on of our favourite online magazine but for now, let's wish them Happy Birthday and look over a few of the highlights along with a few words from Guy about his experiences over the last few years...

Chain knit sweater by Siv Stoldal. Pencil necklace, Husam El Odeh for Siv Stoldal. Wooden hat by Steve J & Yoni P. AW07/08. To see more from The Water Issue, click here.

On the high points...

"Just the great response and enthusiasm from our readers and being phoned out of the blue by the New York Times for an interview. Had no idea we were even on their radar!"

All items by Edward Sexton AW08/09. To see more from The London Fashion Week Issue, click here.

On the funniest moments...
"Always on the way back from our shoots - we are all so wired and tired we get kind of delirious!"

Visor by House of Flora. Blazer by Comme Des Garcons. Shirt by Nigel Cabourn. Bow-tie by Peckham Rye. AW08/09. To see more from The Hats & Headpieces Issue, click here.

On featured designers
"Following designers from their very first collections and watching them emerge as huge names that everyone talks about. We first featured Carolyn Massey back in early 2007 and she is one designer we absolutely love and will always support. I feel it is really important to support new generation talent as so many of them are struggling badly at the moment."

T-shirt by Material Boy. Shorts at Beyond Retro. Blazer by Maison Martin Margiela. Neckpiece by Little Shilpa. Socks at Sockshop. Hat by J. Smith Esquire. White loafers by Paul Smith. AW08/09. To see more of The Circus Issue, click here.

On the hair pulling out moments...
"We are all totally bald in the f156 office as literally every day is "nervous breakdown day". I always want the show pieces from the collections for my shoots and of course the PRs have to prioritise and established magazines take precedence. Plus we shoot twenty looks/images a day - a massive amount for our photographers - and I am literally running to get models changed and styled. It is always manic and chaotic!"

Leather Jacket, Shrunken Cardigan, Straw Hat and Printed Trousers by Marjan Pejoski. AW 08/09. To see more from The Segmented Issue, click here.

On his favourite shoots...
"The nightmarish ones, always turn out the best. The underwater shoot was one of the hardest to arrange as I wanted an ink blue pool, not the normal bright blue and no designers wanted to loan their collections to be ruined underwater. The Circus shoot when we were up to our knees in mud, I was nearly crying with frustration as we had racks of amazing clothing and I was terrified the whole lot would be ruined - meaning huge charges to my credit card. Oh yes, not forgetting the day we were nearly arrested in Richmond Park for not having the proper permit and wondering just what I was going to do with all the dozens of balloons we had suspended in the air as props."

Trousers and jacket by Carly Garwin. Shirt by Balenciaga. Shoes by Kurt Geiger. Socks by Topman. Brooch by Titi Madam SS 09. To see more from The Colour Issue, click here.

On the next three years...
"A brand new revamped site will be unveiled in September and then a huge party to coincide with the new website. Pipe dreams for a coffee table book of our images and a small e-shop selling some special one-off pieces."

Mr. Hare secret pre-order link at oki-ni

Regular readers should have noticed that I have been pretty much been endlessly salivating over my keyboard ever since I first examined Mr. Hare's debut collection...now the waiting game is over and it is time to mop up the drool and get my debit card out! We were both excited and intrigued when our favourite shoeist announced he was taking his obsession one step further and rolling up his sleeves to create his own line for AW09 and we weren't disappointed by the results. We were the first to interview him as part of our 'Style Salvage speaks to' series and we have been impatiently waiting for the news that his stock is now available to buy. Our friends at oki-ni have entrusted us with a secret link so our readers can be the first in line to pre-order the stock.



I'm sure you've all had (at least) one garment/accessory that you've seen and fantasised about wearing, well I've had my head in the clouds and my feet inside the Mr. Hare Orwells ever since I first clapped eyes on them back in February. The shoes are due to be released at the end of August but my beating heart can rest easy knowing that they have been pre-ordered. If your heart is all a flutter because of Mr. Hare's romantic shoes then why not follow the secret link for some further shoe porn.

Style Salvage Speaks to... Universal Works

We are currently searching for the best British design and craftsmanship to feature on the blog as we feel that despite there being so much talent out there it is often over looked and neglected. Last week we stumbled across a new label, Universal Works which aims to produce well made, well considered, easy to wear, affordable menswear. Spurned on by the recent discovery of Old Town we were after quality, British made workwear inspired menswear and Universal Works certainly fits the bill. After many years of working in the fashion industry David Keyte and his team wanted to make something they were proud of, not over-designed but well cut and craftsman-made. All garments and accessories are made in small, highly skilled factories and are designed for purpose and to live way beyond one season of fashion. A pop up store showcasing the AW09 collection opened last week at 47 Lambs Conduit Street for one month only but will also be available all autumn winter from the Oliver Spencer store on the same street. The street (as profiled by Monocle last year) symbolises what can be achieved in retail areas as it champions a real community spirit and this pop up store fits in nicely. Inside, the classic collection of British workwear-inspired menswear sits alongside art work by Kay Van Bellen and features special edition t-shirt prints designed for the event by Kay. We caught up with David Keyte as he manned the store and chatted excitedly about the launch, Josef Beuys and menswear of the 50s and 80s...

Universal Works takes over Cube

Style Salvage; You have worked with companies such as Paul Smith and Maharishi, what drove you to set up your own label?
David Keyte: I have been lucky to work with great British fashion companies, working for many years with Paul was the best education in British fashion you could get. Slowly I realised I was less interested in fashion and more in the function, fit and cut of garments. Always inspired by work wear and military clothing I wanted to explore this more and decided the only way to do this was for myself. And what better time to start a new business than in the worst recession for a generation! Anyone know a good bank?

SS: Describe the collection in your own words
DK: It's a very British look, loosely based on work wear, simple honest fabrics, practical knitwear, a collection for a man who doesn't need to follow fashion but cares about how he looks but does not have try too hard.

SS: Can you talk us through some of your inspirations?
DK: I was always inspired by old guys who seem to always have on too much of their mismatched wardrobe at the same time yet look weirdly stylish; my grandad who could wear his work jacket with a pair of pleated wool baggy trousers, a fair isle slipover, a hearing aid and still look good.

SS: What are your favourite pieces from the collection?
DK: The trousers are a favourite as the fit is great (I think) and the suit waistcoat, not really part of a suit but a good looking classic. Two heavy jersey pieces; the Bomber jacket lined with light weight jersey and the climbing pant (which is not really for climbing but the perfect track pant) yet looks like a normal trouser are also favourites and are selling well.

Left: Hand Embroidered wool scarf, canvas unlined jacket. Right: Knitted Work Jacket in milano wool over knitted L/S waistcoat also in milano wool, blue oxford cotton work shirt, pleated chino pants.

SS: Is there a Universal Works man/muse?
DK: Me... or is it my granddad!?

SS: You've recently opened up your pop up store on Lambs Conduit street, what has the reaction been like to the collection?
DK: Really good, I love the street and there are some great men's stores here like Folk, Pokit and Oliver Spencer so there is already a customer for interesting men's wear coming here. Also Oliver is carrying the collection for the autumn.

SS: Provenance, craft and a sense of purpose seem to be integral parts of the label. All of which are rare traits in the industry, which other designers/brands do you admire?
DK: I have always admired the late Masimo Osti and for a British aesthetic Margaret Howell. Current favourites are Junya Watanabe, Diaki Suzuki in the USA, and Post Overalls from Japan. They all have great integrity in their work.

SS: How do you see the Universal Works label developing over the next couple of years?
DK: Continuing to work with great skilled factories and craft people and find a few more British suppliers and working with good independent retailers and maybe selling enough product to pay the mortgage.

Left: Work Jacket in cotton, white poplin classic shirt, heavy jersey climbing pants, soft wool bobble hat. Right: Bomber Jacket in heavy jersey, sand cotton pleated chino pants, work waistcoat in cotton, stripe poplin classic shirt.

SS: What item of clothing (if any) do you wish that more men wore?
DK: Hats

SS: What is inspiring your own personal styles at the moment? Do you have any style icons (long or short term)?
DK: Josef Beuys. a man who knew how to wear a hat... and a waistcoat. A recent trip to Japan was very inspiring, they still have a great love of craft and quality and they all look so damn good.

SS: If you could go back in time and experience any fashion/style moment, what would it be?
DK: I love the menswear of the fifties and also of the early eighties (well more Joe Strummer than new romantic!) but I prefer to live for now and am happy to be living my own style moment.

SS: Finally, have you got any recommendation that you'd like to share with our readers? (shops, hairdressers, designers, websites, bars, cafes etc)
DK: Dover Street Market is still one of the my favourites and Oi Polloi in Manchester has become a great northern institution. Bikefix another great store on Lambs Conduit St. Monmouth Coffee for the best caffeine fix in London and Grindleford Station Cafe for the best greasy spoon breakfast, but you will have to go to the Peak District to enjoy it. For websites, apart from your own great site, JJJound, detourdesign blog and acontinouslean are always good to look at and hyr collective is another good site.

Left: Work shirt in grey checked cotton, l/s henly tee in grey marl, suit jacket in herringbone brushed cotton, chino pants in same, hat in soft wool. Right: Waistcoat in herringbone brushed cotton, chino pants in same, grey check cotton work shirt.

Picture Postcard: Milan Vukmirovic and the importance of accessories

Milan Vukmirovic captured by the Sartorialist

Beneath his shot, Scott confessed "The belt is such a simple accessory, and yet I am just now really learning how to use one successfully" and I have to say I feel exactly the same. Here, the belt is elevated from humble bit part accessory in to a head turning, statement piece. When I wear a belt I usually hide it and function reigns over aesthetic but why not have both? I must go belt shopping this weekend. If you are interested in the details of this particular belt, after a little late night accessory hunting I discovered that it is a blue and white embroidered belt from YSL's Cruise Spring 09 collection, I don't think the term accessory does it justice.

As a regular reader of The Sartorialist for the last few years, I always enjoy recognising those who Scott focusses his camera on. Milan Vukmirovic frequently pops up and always looks effortlessly stylish making him one of my favourite subjects. For those of you who don't recognise the name or face, he is something of a retail visionary as well as menswear designer and photographer. After co-founding Colette, he worked alongside Tom Ford at Gucci and succeeded Jil Sander when the beloved designer was ousted. Now the 36-year-old Frenchman is creative director at L’Officiel Hommes, menswear designer for Trussard and has his fingers in far too many other pies to mention. GQ recently ran a piece on Milan where he talked about his style, below is my favourite quote and I will leave you with this:

“I go to L.A. and people tell me, ‘I love the way you dress, but I could never do that because everyone will think I’m gay.’ American guys worry too much about what others think. Fashion is fun, and you should be able to play with your look.”

Les mêmes lunettes

In a slight change to our normal posting, I thought I'd present you with a new feature: Style Blogger Glasses Trendwatch 2009 (note: may not be a regular feature)

The classic: 'why are you still taking photos of us' look

Some of you may know that we recently met up with Thomas Wong and his lovely fiance Sharon in Paris. Stood side by side, I couldn't help noticing that Steve and Thom had something in common. Later on (sadly I don't have a photo, but maybe Steve will be so kind as to provide one) I noticed that they shared this with another friend of ours. That's right: tortoiseshell, thick framed glasses are taking over. This may be highly contagious. Watch out for the tell-tale symptoms in your local men's fashion blogger.

(Additional: this man had rather nice shoes so I just had to sneak a shot. Click to enlarge and then tell me the make.)

Magazines In The Spotlight: The Rake

The Rake (cover of issue four)

The magazine spells out, in exquisite detail, the ground rules for grand, flattering dressing...and then explains how and when those rules may be broken. The Rake

Regular readers might have noticed that it has been a few months since our last 'Magazine In The Spotlight' post but this is not want of trying. I normally furiously finger through the racks at my favourite newsagents but instead have been nonchalantly flicking through them before placing them back only to walk glumly out empty handed. Fortunately, it isn't all doom and gloom though as we stumbled across a fine specimen of a gentleman's magazine, The Rake.

I first heard about this brainchild of Singapore-based publisher Revolution Press via a Simon CromptonMen's Flair a few months back where he justifiably declared " penned piece for Finally. A magazine that professes to be about men’s style and actually dedicates most of its content to that topic." This bi monthly launched last December but it has taken me this long to track a copy down because, somewhat criminally it just is not stocked anywhere in the UK. Thankfully my own hunt for the magazine was concluded by a chance sighting of the James Sherwood cover peaking out from the shelves of Lodger Footwear.

A closer look at Savile Row tailors Chittleborough & Morgan

Issue four is a celebration of British heritage and elegance and I've found it difficult to put down since picking it up last week. James Sherwood, self appointed Savile Row guardian and author of the marvellous The London Cut, is guest editor and overseas proceedings. During his editors note Sherwood confesses that the premier issue of the magazine 'prompted a murmur of satisfaction that at last a publication had arrived celebrating the fine art of men's dress' and no doubt the satisfied murmurs are echoing throughout the rooms of whoever encounters the publication. It amazes me that this magazine published in Singapore and so damn hard to find in Britain has really shown what the British magazine market has been missing. It certainly fills the void for the disenfranchised, elite sector of the male population whose needs are just not catered for by the likes of GQ anymore (boo hoo I know). As someone who is not yet a member of the disenfranchised elite, I am interested more in the magazines desire to recapture codes of classic men's elegance which have been increasingly marginalised in the printed press as I've grown up.

Whilst refusing to be drawn in to the 'who is the best Bond debate' the feature dissects the style of Sean Connery's iconic Bond.

This is a magazine which caters for mature minded readers who have become alienated by the typical, 'edgy' , fashion focused offerings on the market. Rather than following the lead of the catwalk and the latest releases, sartorial inspirations are drawn from icons of classic gentleman's dress including Cary Grant, Fred Astaire, The Duke of Windsor and a few contemporary counterparts.

The Fabulous Bentley Boys: A dashing photographic homage to the daring aristocratic rakes of Roaring Twenties British motoring.

During the last few months there have been a number of ominous grey clouds hovering over an industry struggling against an economic downturn induced advertising slump and a general state of publishing soul searching. One of the obvious signs of a magazine being in trouble is an issues weight and number of pages and it is clear that most on the market are becoming more like style pamphlets rather than style bibles. 00o00 highlighted the WWD article which predicts that as advertising revenue is in decline, the September issues will drop with a whisper instead of the usual thud. Thankfully, The Rake is decidedly plump and full of juicy content. Highlights inside issue four include features on rebellious sartorial legend Tommy Nutter, masterful shoemakers John Lobb London and Foster & Son, superb shirt maker Turnbell & Asser and Sean Connery's seminal style.

Offering something more than a classic black dinner suit taking guidance from the Duke of Windsor, Sean Connery and Roger Moore, followed by a few words on formalwear uttered by no less than G. Bruce Boyer.

Through providing comprehensive knowledge of the heritage, expertise and craftsmanship of some of the world’s most luxurious products and brands, The Rake seeks to educate readers on their inherent value something which the likes of popular men's fashion magazines consistently fail to do. Yes, the content is classic elegance and it is undeniably shaped by the past but with contributions by the likes of Patrick Grant, James Sherwood and Timothy Everest it certainly has a modern voice. Here's hoping that the flailing British counterparts learn a few things from this publication or at the very least, The Rake becomes widely available for all to marvel over.

Style Spy at Amsterdam Fashion Week

Susie was invited out to Amsterdam Fashion Week so has spent the last few days in the Dutch capital. As well as her own official business and blogging of the event she has also donned her mac, dark glasses and trilby as she style spied for us. Her solid recommendation was NON by Kim's SS10 collection titled Inventorum Natura...

Founded in 2007, the Dutch designer Kim Bakker is a new find for me. Looking through her first few collections she mutates the archetypes of men’s garments to push and explore the boundaries of menswear. This third collection of Kim Bakker takes us in to the wonderfully weird realm of flesh eating plants. The collection reflects parts of this world, the agthered constructions and wired seams give the garments an organic and clean cut feel. An interesting balance is created between lightweight and textured materials achieving fluid layered silhouettes and a feeling of motion. Now, it might be because I am a little sleep deprived at the moment (a combination of late nights, howling at the moon because of Susie's absence and a few too many drinks) but I am most intrigued by the textured tights worn under the shorts. Of course we have seen Ricardo Tisci experiment with this styling for the past few seasons but it is interesting to see quite so many of his peers play with this idea, Kim Bakker pulls it off most admirably here.

Brioni and the RCA: The Travel Jacket

The Travel jacket reimagined. Robert Huth's winning design was judged to have best expressed Brioni excellence.

Regular readers will know that I have something of a soft spot for student design competitions (the CSM's 1960s film challenge anyone?), so I am kicking myself that the second year partnership between Brioni and RCA passed me by until now. To be honest with you, if it hadn't been for a quick visit to Wallpaper this morning, I would no doubt still be in the dark about the partnership and I'm amazed that barely any blogs picked up on it all. (were the happenings in Milan really that interesting?). Last year the fledgling designers took the iconic tuxedo to task and this time round it was the turn of the travelling jacket.

In 1968 Brioni created the first travel jacket for a wealthy Californian globetrotter who commissioned a bespoke piece of outerwear for his countless adventures. This original and innovative garment was made with sixteen pockets and compartments to store a variety of essential items of gentleman’s travel equipment: a compass, plane tickets and passport, as well as cigars, watch and wallet. The jacket soon became an iconic garment for Brioni and this unique jacket has since become a staple fixture in the menswear collections. Forty one years after the first jacket was produced, awards were recently presented to the twelve students from the Royal College of Art for the travel jackets they have designed and created. The students have interpreted and created their own travel jackets, with garments that reflect the concepts of sartorial skill, creativity and stylistic innovation, below are a few of my favourite efforts...

Alan Bennett's design hides all the pockets on the outside of the jacket, using concertina folds achieving a tidy practicality. The jacket also incorporates a rolled-up towel into the collar. How many times have you been away and longed for a clean towel?

Justifiably, Astrid Anderson's design (above) won the Creativity Award. Her creation was inspired by sportswear jackets from her native Denmark and I just can't stop looking at it!

Hanna Ter Meulen’s design was not awarded any prizes but it is still one of my favourites. I remember reading Hanna's diary on The Moment back in February but for some reason this whole project still managed to pass me by. With a cape hidden behind the collar, this design was intended to be as comfortable as possible for running through airports. Having travelled myself a fair bit over the last few months, I longingly look at some of these designs and see that my own wardrobe offerings are somewhat lacking...pockets, I need more pockets!