A visit to... A. Sauvage

Cast your minds back to the busy month of May 2010, what were you doing? Well, I was zigzagging my way across the capital for various press days and viewings to help see what AW10 would bring and encountered A. Sauvage. For those of you with short memories, the label is the brainchild of Adrien Victor Sauvage who, whilst working as a creative, realised that the stylish demands of his clients were not being met so set about meeting them with his own designs. The debut collection entitled 000-1 -000-11 showcased both radical and elegant menswear, each garment had traditional details and progressive cuts based in cashmere, flannel, mohair, micro cord and worsted wool that utilised a modern palette. Since I first made his acquaintance, I've kept an interested eye on the development of the brand and it has slowly evolved. 

Two years on since its inception, the label has amassed a cult following thanks largely to Sauvage's 'Natives and Captains' series of photography, recently opened its own store on Maddox Street, developed an ever growing offering and collaborated with Dr. Martens. Not bad at all for an emerging label. As A. Sauvage's route could be considered as being atypical, we caught up with the designer at his Mayfair retail base to hear all about its path and to see the first drops of AW12.

"The last couple of years have been a roller coaster. A. Sauvage started from an idea borne out of talking to a few people when I was working in the industry, I made a collection and showed it to the buyers of Harrods and it was snapped up straight off of the rail. Then the realisation came that I had to produce it but I didn't have a factory and at that stage nobody really knew who I was. it was a real learning process. It was then that I started playing around with photography. I went on a trip to LA playing basketball in Venice beach and I met so many interesting people and asked them to model the collection. Shooting that and returning to London, it received a lot of attention and helped establish the lifestyle angle of the label. It was a different approach because we were more interested in dressing people that wouldn't ordinarily wear suits. It was all about showing men different lapel and cloth option and various separates. It then began to evolve in to the next stage of D.E. because I wanted to add a more casual element and offer a fuller collection. I went back to Ghana to visit my parents who had moved back there and I thought it would be interesting to weave something out of the traditional fabric in to a more western feel. Then again, instead of using models, I wanted to shoot friends, family and people off of the street in the designs. It was a really interesting trip for me because I hadn't been back for eleven years and it had changed so much. The reaction to that collection has been great, we've built a cult following really. The brand has been really personal to me, I've been releasing little bits of the tale gradually."

Before I take you all on a tour of the store and offer a close look at AW12, I think it apt to remind you of a few highlights from Sauvage's series of photographs.  In each case, the designer invited subjects to wear garments from his collections and encouraged them to express who they are whilst wearing each piece with no directorial interference. The result is an exploration of individualism...

A selection of Captains and Natives donning A.Sauvage. All images by Adrien Sauvage.

"I designed the Autumn/Winter 12 range, took some time off and went to New York and it was there that I got the idea of shooting some rappers in the collection. Whilst over there looking for rappers, I got a phone call to say that Mos Def was in the store. It was crazy. He had a couple of made to measure suits made up, one of which was for Nelson Mandela's ninety fourth birthday. It was so surreal. I was blown away by the pace of New York, everything happens so fast over there. I'm going to shoot some B-Ballers in a street story for American GQ soon and gained even more confidence to push on with growing my offering for women."

These are undoubtedly exciting times for the house of A. Sauvage. Over the last twenty four months, the label has carved out its own path to success thanks largely to Sauvage's obvious passion and drive. Today he stands in his Maddox Street space, a mix of enthusiasm, pride, relief and surprise...

"It is not normal for an emerging label to have its own store but for us it made sense. We came at it from a different angle to most. The Maddox Street store grew out of the fact that we had a growing number of clients visiting us at our old studio so it made sense to have a retail space and it has been great. It feels really real now, it is a house and everything is here."

If you're yet to visit A.Sauvage on Maddox Street, take my hand and allow me to take you on a visual tour of the the ever evolving store...

The space changes regularly and I was fortunate to see the first drops of the new season including a look at the fruits of A.Sauvage's collaboration with Dr. Martens.
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A. Sauvage's path may have been unpredictable and atypical when compared to most emerging brands but there can be little doubt that it has arrived.

Details... Top heavy

Carven's guest appearance at Pitti Uomo SS13 was one of the real highlights of the season. Three seasons into defining the new Carven guy, Creative Director, Guillaume Henry delivered a collection rich in texture, colour and fun. In this look a classic shirt, tie and peacoat is unexpectedly paired with loose and quite skimpy shorts. 

Treasured Items... Aitor Throup

Despite existing on the periphery of the industry whilst working on other creative endeavours, few London designers have left more of an impression on contemporary menswear than Aitor Throup. From the moment he graduated from the Royal College of Art in 2006 with an MA in Fashion Menswear with an accomplished collection entitled 'When Football Hooligans Become Hindu Gods,' the industry has salivated over this great talent. But he has made them wait. Throup is a designer that will not be rushed or pushed in to anything. Everything has to be just right before he moves on it. The wait was over and duly explained in a packed presentation at St Martins Lane hotel during London Collections: Men. With a refusal to conform to fashion’s restrictive six month cycle, Tim Blanks, Sarah Mower and the designer himself discussed his philosophy before unveiling the articulated manifesto 'New Object Research' that will guide his design destiny. Parts of the industry might well have been confused but the overriding feeling was that of excitement. Throup has devised a new way of working, a fresh business model that will allow his justified design philosophy to flourish and allow people to buy his designs. Earlier this week I spent an afternoon with the designer at his Hoxton based studio and showroom but before I transcribe our long interview, I wanted to follow the lead of Throup himself by whetting your appetite with an introduction. Now, as a designer more concerned with product design than fashion, I felt the best way to help reacquaint you would be to take a look at his most treasured possession.

Born in Buenos Aires, Throup developed his passion for labels such as Stone Island and C.P. Company whilst growing up in Burnley from the age of twelve. Ultimately, it was this keen interest in the products of Massimo Osti combined with his love of drawing that led him to begin a BA in Fashion Design at Manchester Metropolitan University and on to an MA in Fashion Menswear at the Royal College of Art in London. So, it should come as little surprise that Throup treasures one of Osti's most iconic and rare of creations...

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Aitor Throup and the fibre optic jacket that lights his imagination...

"I believe that this is the first jacket ever to incorporate fibre optics and marked the twentieth anniversary of Stone Island. I just love the simplicity of it and how the light transforms it. Given that it around a decade old, it is a little broken now as some of the optics have snapped but it still continues to excite me. There's a subtlety now. It is almost eerie in a way and reminiscent of garment dying with the tonal differences of a number of fabrics. If it was just a block of blue it could be too artificial and alien to the garment but by going on and off throughout it becomes part of the garment more holistically, there's something really special about that. 

A mate of mine found it, he knew I was after one and one of his friends just so happened to have one. Another friend of mine who is one of the biggest Stone Island and C.P Company collectors and just so happens to be from Burnley like me, has got a few pieces from transformable series that Moreno Ferrari did for C.P Company that he is ready to sell, so I am getting them and I couldn't be more excited. They might not be the best pieces, like the inflatable armchair jacket, but they are awesome. Hey, they are transformables which is fucking cool! 

They are a massive part of why I became a designer, those pieces and items like the Goggle Jacket. It's all about product. If I go in there and put the jacket on, it would be nice but I almost get more enjoyment looking at them to be honest, same with Goggle Jacket I buzz of the fact that it's got a face. It's like a superhero costume. They are more valuable as objects. It is why my whole thinking isn't about styling and fashion but instead about making a cool object, suspending it and looking at it - let's geek out over it."

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The prps of obsession

Shorthand for 'purpose', Donwan Harrell's PRPS takes not shortcut in its ambition to deliver the perfect denim product to the most discerning denim enthusiasts. Over the last decade Harrell has continued to innovate and evolve denim. Few denim brands can legitimately claim to do justice to an item as functionally and symbolically significant as a pair of jeans. At a time in which so many of his contemporaries have simplified the manufacturing process to the detriment of the end product, PRPS obsesses over every detail and ensures everything is done the right way. Sat in the private dining area of La Bodega Negra which has been decorated in the finest denim from the PRPS Noir line, we talked through his passion and the craftsmanship behind the denim.

Born into a hunting and logging family, Harrell has an innate understanding of functional clothing whilst quality and durability are of paramount importance and each and every detail on every item is constructed for a reason. His denim obsession dates back to when he first discovered what was going on in Asia. Rather than just admire the quality and dedication to true craftsmanship, the designer was inspired to open it up to a new market. "I just loved the really cool, high end jeans that were produced by small labels for the domestic business and when I came back to the US, I couldn't stop thinking about them and just thought, 'why can't I go back to Japan and get them to make something for me?' I saw the calibre in Japan in terms of the raw, five pocket, basic jean and wanted to push it more." Harrel's desire to push it that bit more ensures that PRPS constantly evolves. "So, I went to Japan, researched and began a relationship with the top family within the domestic market and over time it developed. There was no market for Japanese washed jeans at the time, it was non-existent. There were only around five small Japanese denim companies and you couldn't really find it anywhere, other than Duffer St George. For me to go to Japan and produce specifically for the Western market was unheard of at the time. It was great to create that path."

PRPS now offers three product lines, PRPS Goods (denim and sportswear), PRPS Japan (very clean Japanese selvedge denim), and PRPS Noir (Japanese denim with vintage washes and distress details). Given the surroundings, it is Noir that we focus on and Harrell's eyes light up and the pace of his chat rises to a canter as he talks me through the details of his cocktail of Japanese denim and distress details.

"In comparison with our other lines, Noir takes it one step further than where we've been previously. The bulk of the Japan line has always been non-selvedge denim and I wanted to take the selvedge denim and actually amplify it in to a full collection and I wanted to make the product more demanding from a design stand point. So, for example, I took the shanks and put them in paint thinner and exposed them in the sun for a week to rust them as well as the cracked leather that is used for the rear patch, I was inspired by an old couch - what I had them do was roll it up, twist and over dry so the leather has this aged appeal. The idea was to create this aesthetically superior product - laden with considered detailing.

Each segment has a different process. For Noir, it starts with me playing with the jeans in Japan and coming up with rough sketches but inspiration can be found every and anywhere from books to people in the street, I love looking at people who wear jeans as part of their working uniform, the jeans change through their day in, day out wear. I spend a lot of time with friends in the summer time and they are all diesel mechanics and all of their jeans are really, really crazy just from working for a period of time. I take photos and then experiment, trying to replicate elements that I've seen so that they look aged and already loved."

I have a particular favourite pair of jeans that one guy threw out and I found them in the dumpster and now they are in my personal collection. They are a great standpoint for me to look at and grasp where the certain tonal nuances are, I have amassed a pretty extensive collection over the years. I try and replicate what a guy would do in a working environment and apply it to a jean so that become a fashion statement."

Now, I'm far from a denim obsessive but Harrell's passion is infectious and my appetite was whet. Shortly after leaving the stomach rumbling inducing smells of La Bodega Negra, I took a closer look at a few of the AW12 options from PRPS Noir...

A closer look at PRPS Noir.

"Even though the market is difficult right now, there is a consumer base out there that understands what we do. The Japanese families are really traditional and anal about replicating the Big E Levi's concept - the construction and replication of an original World War II jean is the optimum jean making. Typically jean makers use a single needle technique and process for whole jeans manufacturing. There's no stop and go - no tension allowance for the different areas. Typically there are five changes in the stop and go process of stitching jeans that Mr Levi Staus created, based on the fact that when a guy works the tension in the stitching has to change for every part of the jean. For me, he was a genius but so many companies have lost sight of that and cut corners. At every segment of PRPS we stick to the different processes that he created because we are striving to keep that bar the same, if we are going to do any improvement, it comes through the leather quality, the shanks, the denim - but essential the process is the same. The hope is that the informed consumer understands that and buys in to the obvious quality."

There's no doubt that the informed consumer will fall for the charms of PRPS. From using the best cotton in the world to utilising the craftsmen of Japan's families who hand-spun it on the original looms that Levi’s used to create their denim and the experiments with finishes and details, Donwan Harrell's PRPS Noir line is a heady cocktail of tradition and innovation, the forgotten and the new. 

Details... Stitched Obsessions

Two of my current obsessions, the Olympics and Nike Flyknit running shoes, combine to help outfit the four athletes competing at the London 2012 games as Independent Olympic Athletes (IOA). Taking advantage of the Flyknit technology, the entwined yarns and fabric variations are inspired by the Olympic rings.

London Collections: Men Roundtable

In a week that welcomed the announcement that London Collections: Men would build on the success of its debut and return for a second season in January (despite the slight overlap of dates which saw Pitti release a statement airing their grievances), I thought it about time I transcribed the fruits of my roundtable on the final night of the inaugural event back in June. Held in the luxurious surroundings of St Martins Lane Hotel, I saw down with a few of my favourite designers and industry friends to reflect on the London Collections: Men 's glorious debut. Joined by Lou Dalton, William Richard Green, Matthew Miller, Amber Siegel, Daniel Jenkins, Nick Bain and Dan Hasby-Oliver, we chatted for over an hour on a range of subjects but always with a keen and measured focus on the platform itself.
Over the course of three full days of shows, presentations, previews, installations and exhibitions, LC:M showcased the breadth of design talent that uniquely exists in the capital. It was a treat of design diversity and showed just how far London menswear has come. Over the lifespan of this blog I've seen its influence evolve from a reimagined Townhouse thanks to Fashion East to Menswear Day and now on to this three day showcase. Having toiled both in and out of the spotlight over the last seven years or so, London menswear finally has the platform that it deserves and we cannot wait to see it continue to grow. Before we sit back down at the table and read back the discussion, I'd like to remind you of just a few pictorial highlights from the long weekend to help whet your appetite...

From top to bottom... William Richard Green, Craig Green, Astrid Anderson, Agi&Sam, Shaun Samson, Christopher Shannon and Aitor Throup.

SS: Now that we can sit back, relax with a beer and reflect on London Collections: Men, how has been for you guys?

William Richard Green: It's been awesome.

Style Salvage: Now that is succinct. Let's all go home now! In what sense has it been awesome for you?

WRG: In terms of the Fashion East Installations, where I sent most of my time it was great. From having the time to put real thought in to the installations to having a full day to get everything set up, it was great to have that level of creative opportunity around the clothes, it helped elevate them.

Amber Siegel: Exactly, this platform helps us show the collection in a way that makes all of our jobs much easier. It can be a much more visual introduction rather than excitedly talking up a plain rail.

WRG: Today, I had all of the international buyers visit and they could see the clothes presented in the way I wanted them to be presented and it was just a great environment to help introduce them to the collection, come Paris it would have received some press already and then we can talk business. For me, London Collections: Men was all about showing and then Paris will be where the majority of orders will be made. It's a far better way of doing things, previously we were showing collections on rails in Paris and gearing up to a big show in London months later. This makes much more sense.

SS: Rather than London being an afterthought, it is now an introduction. As great as Menswear Day has been in raising all of your profiles, from a buying perspective at least, it has always come far too late in the season.

Lou Dalton: Much, much too late. Most folk who were coming to Menswear Day in September and late February knew that we had missed the slot in terms of them putting their money down, certain buyers might have some budget left but the majority of business had already been done. It made trying to court a new buyer extremely difficult, the Showrooms helped but it was still a little late. London Collections: Men is a great incentive for real business to be done.

AS: When you speak to buyers this early in the season, it's important that they feel as though they've seen a lot of offerings pre-showroom situations. It's important to show early on and to give the buyers a comprehensive overview so that we can bubble away in their thoughts as they carry on with the season.

SS: I was particularly surprised by the calibre of international press that made the trip over. I normally find myself in a queue of a few for backstage interviews but this season I was joined by the likes of Tim Blanks and Suzy Menkes, seeing those guys take an interest, must be great...

WRG: You're right, the calibre of people here was really strong. It wasn't just a case of a few hanging over from the womenswear schedule, they were here for us. Even at Fashion East, we had such great people come to see us and to take the time to talk to us.

LD: The BFC did a great job in getting everyone here and the GQ team played their part in that as well. From great international press to buyers. A few of us had been to New York earlier this year and met some of them and it was great to see them visit us over here. Most of these people are now en route to Milan. We are part of the season. It's a great starting point and hopefully we can maintain that. I did feel a bit of pressure this season from a realisation that this could go one way or the other, both in terms of what their expectations were of us as designers and making sure we could deliver, not just as individuals but for everyone on the schedule. Thankfully everything came together.

LD: The BFC are happy, attendance has been good and the designers have stepped up to the mark.

AS: I think all of the surrounding elements, in addition to the collections, really helped make everything cohesive as a true landscape of London menswear. There was no segregation, everything overlapped.

SS: Given that you were showing in June as opposed to September, did you find it difficult turning this season around?

WRG: With menswear and how most labels work or at least mine, you do continue designs that you've already worked on from season to season so that helps. It is a process of re-contextualisation as opposed to starting from scratch each season. From this perspective it wasn't too much of a struggle this season.

SS: Having London Collections: Men so early on ensures that everyone is ready - it's a real focus to work to.

LD: Most of us are in it for the long haul and want to make it into a business. London is amazingly creative but we do get a little stick internationally for churning out these designers and very few make it through.

SS: There's been little infrastructure to support them beyond a show.

LD: Exactly. You can go to an institute and take a graduate, put them on a plinth and sponsor a show but there needs to be some insight given in terms of production and the business side of things.

WRG: It's a steep learning curve for designers.

LD: But this will help, this is an amazing incentive. If we can keep on getting the same traffic.

DJ: In a sense, the first one might be easier because this is an exciting city to be in at the minute with the Olympics and Jubilee. The real test will come in the next season or two. That said, this season was great so hopefully we can continue it. From a buyers perspective, trade shows and showrooms tend to look the same and London menswear designers found it difficult sitting alongside them because they are so different but this platform enables designers to show on their own terms. It feels new and makes you question your buy and I'm sure it will provoke a few more risks. There is certainly a feeling among some of the international press that London menswear designers struggle to deliver and collections used to change from what we saw in Paris to what we ended up seeing in London as part of Menswear Day. London Collections: Men forces designers to be ready.

Dan Hasby-Oliver: In terms of next season and the potential (but now confirmed) timing of London Collections: Men do you think you could struggle?

LD: It's an interesting one because we could be casting as early as the 2nd January but we just don't know. We would be delivering this collection in store in December and January as well, so it will be tight.

AS: More and more stores are asking for stock to delivered earlier and earlier.

LD: The large stores dictate it and the independents follow suit. I drop Autumn/Winter in July and Spring/Summer December and January. It does help with sell through.

SS: In a sense it goes to show just how far the industry has evolved, we are talking about production and the logistics of business rather than just putting on a show. There is potential for a real industry.

LD: The media have helped to lead that, especially on menswear. It is hard to crack and get your feet under the table and a lot of the menswear press are pushing for longevity.

SS: I'd like to talk a bit about the evolution of London menswear. Blogging over the last five years, I've covered it from a Fashion East afternoon showcase to London Collections: Men. Lou, as the elder statesmen of London menswear, what are your thoughts?

LD: I was talking to Tim Blanks last night and he was saying, "Look at how far you've come Lou." From that townhouse by the Natural History Museum on to Somerset House where myself, Matthew and Martine all had a room and beyond. You've got to think about your own aesthetic and driving your own business forward, it has evolved but it has taken a lot of work from all of us. I've had to up my game in terms of production and delivery because the focus is on growing the stockist list. It's alright having one or two retailers but we have to build a strong stockist list to have a global profile and for us to sit alongside the big boys of Burberry and Paul Smith. I've always said, if I can do this and be self financed, it's a bloody good achievement. I've just kept my head down and worked at it. It's great to see others doing the same. From Lulu (Kennedy) and Gordon (Richardson) seeing the promise all those years ago, the BFC have taken it on is great and we should be grateful for that. A few of us have been around for a while and it's great to see things continue to move forward.

SS: That's a good point. As great as London Collections: Men is as a platform, it is important to remember all of the effort, work and support.

DJ: Over the course of Daniel Jenkins as a business, we've seen so many designers come and fall away. From initial meetings, I think we've been quite successful in spotting the talent that can produce - it's hard work in building it up.

(Matthew Miller walks in, grabs himself a well deserved beer and readies himself to join the discussion)

SS: As the evolution of London menswear plays such an important role in your collection Matthew and you researched the designers that have played their part in its various incarnations, what are your thoughts?

Matthew Miller: It has been driven by designers and their ideas since 2005, before even. I found out so much and was surprised along the way. I encountered names that I didn't really know and names I recognised but have since moved on to other things, Benjamin Kirchhoff from Meadham Kirchoff started out in menswear and Lotta Skeletrix, who was bought by DSM were both awarded MAN. The list of designers that have played their part is a long one, some of whom have fallen away and moved on to other things. With London Collections: Men, I wanted to help people remember them. One of my suits has all designer's names lasercut in to it, from MAN to NewGen to Fashion Forward. It's celebratory in a sense but it's also darker than that.

AS: It's hard work and not everyone can make it. Thankfully, there's a lot more support now and all of the designers have played their part.

LD: Some people think fashion is easy but it is anything but. The hours have to be put in and it can be blood, sweat and tears.

MM: Out of everyone who has shown since 2005, who do people miss the most?

SS and DJ: Carolyn Massey is one.

SS: Her last collection for SS11 was one her strongest and I hoped she would kick on so it was a shame to see her take time out but she is doing well now at Lyle & Scott.

LD: Siv Stoldal is another.

(Further agreement around the table)

MM: Deryck Walker is another, he's now teaching in Scotland.

SS: I miss Kim Jones but he's doing alright for himself, isn't he? Ha!

JD: The good news is that Siv is coming back.

MM: The thing we have to remember is that no one has yet gone through the system of London menswear and made a successful business.

JD: True.

SS: I'm sure looking around this table that it will be one of you.

WRG: The difficulty is that with wholesaling clothes just twice a year there's very little profit in it, people have to do stuff in between.

LD: Absolutely. I think all of us can say that. We can't base our businesses around being able to do a show or presentation on a given that cash will be supplied by the BFC. I'm totally grateful for all of the amazing support but in the future if I'm purely dependent on that support then I would have failed. For practically all of us, everything we make goes straight back in to the label.

WRG: And it's such hard work.

SS: What people don't realise is that most of you work on other things to support your labels, be that teaching or consultancy work.

(Now lets take a few questions from Twitter...)

NB: Lou, were you nervous being the first designer to show?

LD: Yes! It was interesting because I tried really hard to not think about it because it frightened the life out of me. When I was at the palace on Thursday night, which I really didn't want to go and I even tried to get out of it but had to go, people kept mentioning it and I got quite emotional. It wasn't just about what I put out, it was about setting the tone for the platform. I was slightly overwhelmed but it was an amazing compliment.

MM: It's interesting that you talk about it being a fearful thing, it brings about this idea that we are driven by our fear of failure rather than merely striving for our own success.

LD: For me, the best form of revenge is success and that's something I do think about. It was tough and it was hard but this weekend wasn't just made up of one or two designers, it was about a collective of kids proving a point and to be taken seriously.

MM: I think everyone smashed it.

NB: Matthew, urban design often influences your work. Is there any secret space in London that inspires you  most?

(Before Matthew even has the chance to answer)

LD: At home and your bedroom probably, ha!

SS: Judging by your Twitter feed, I'd say it has to be the brothel that's opposite your studio.

MM: I am fascinated by that brothel. I haven't got a TV, I just watch people going in and out, judging them at all times. Business is booming at the moment. There isn't a recession over there. Actually, it's Hackney Wick in general. In my square there's a mechanics, a call centre, a place that makes coleslaw, a brothel, a church.

SS: You don't have to leave with that offering, what more could you possibly need?

SS: This one is also from Twitter and is for you Lou... how does being a Shropshire girl influence your work?

LD: I spent most of my life trying to get away (not from my folks who were hugely supportive) because I left school at sixteen and work with a tailor for three years. It is heavily noted that I come from quite good working class stock, where if you wanted something you had to work at it. I enjoy going back to Shropshire now because London is so fast and what we do is just so quick, to be able to take a breather is a rare thing and it's nice to take the time out to see my folks and briefly live at a different pace. It keeps you on the straight and narrow.

DJ: You've always made English sportswear that is grounded in the countryside.

LD: That's true and this season, although it was quite clean and simple, it was personal. In a way it was about this obsession with fashion and how it take over your life and sacrifices have to be made. It'll be interesting to have this discussion in five years time and see who is still around the table.

SS: Right, last question and this comes from the lovely Colin of Sharpened Lead... what influence do you think fashion blogs might have and how does this compare to mainstream press?

LD: I don't really see the difference now. The interesting thing is that certain international press are told from the powers that be who to cover and who not to, often London menswear is overlooked. There was a lot of concern around certain larger brands being part of the schedule and taking the focus away from the emerging designers but my take was that, as long as we put on a bloody good show we will get a mention. Blogs have really helped elevate us far more. it is so fast.

MM: Blogs have given the mainstream press a kick up the arse. Old school journalist don't exclusively own the right to write about things anymore. They have to be relevant now.

DJ: Away from the regurgitated press releases, there are interesting menswear blogs out there that actually comment and put things across in a far better way than any magazine could.

SS: There's a freedom to blogging which can be exploited, be that post length or volume of images.

DJ: When you've posted about things before Steve, we've seen sales and for me that's influence.

LD: I think magazines have had to up their game because you guys are so quick, knowledgeable and vast.

MM: I went to Nike recently and they produced an internal pamphlet that documented everything that I had done and what I was doing, based on online features. It was crazy.

SS: The thirst for all things 'new' is being both satisfied and intensified by online media, both blogs and mainstream sites.

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Huge thanks to Lou Dalton, William Richard Green, Matthew Miller, Amber Siegel, Daniel Jenkins, Nick Bain (who helped organise everything at St Martins Lane Hotel) and Dan Hasby-Oliver for all taking the time to speak so honestly about London Collections: Men and the evolution of London menswear. Despite the obvious design talent that resides in the capital, it's not been an easy process hauling the industry to this position and there's still a lot of work to do but it will be done. Here's to the future of London menswear.

Magazines in the spotlight... LAW

Regular readers will know that I'm always on the hunt for challenging, exciting and inspiring publications. As incessant whispers of 'print is dying' echo around the libraries and bookstores of our minds, there are countless examples that should be cherished and flaunted in the faces of the prophets of doom. John Holt's LAW is one example. As soon as I picked up the first issue at Goodhood (on the recommendation of the store's very own Kyle Stewart) I knew that I had discovered a title with a refreshing point of view. For its editor Holt, style is everywhere, all you have to do is look. This limited edition bi-annual magazine revels in revealing what others miss as it serves to document the ups and downs of the beautiful everyday. In its accomplished debut, it paused to shine the spotlight on a patchwork of everyday eye catchers including passionate shop owners, matchmakers, tailors, brand devotees, dilapidated funparks and cursed football kits. Weighing in at just fifty three pages it managed to navigate my past and present with skill. My head was not the only one turned by its charms. The issue ended up being stocked in an enviable assortment of stores from Brighton to London and then on to Paris and Hong Kong. Building on this success the title returns with a pulse quickening sophomore issue.

"The magazine will always tell the adventure of the search to describe what LAW looks like," explains Holt in its Introduction. "Perhaps we may never find the perfect image but in this issue I believe we have sailed very close." Holt and his team revel in uncovering forgotten objects, styles and individuals that are overlooked and documenting how they hold a certain special something. In their second issue they bounce from British nightlife, shopkeepers, Fifa, forgotten flags, Happy Shopper Hair Gel and a Suede Head. For me, LAW is a window to the world of the past, the current and undercurrent. It is a cross section of people, places and objects that may first appear disparate but combine to form one aesthetic. The bi-annual shines the spotlight on facets of Britain and localised symbols that would ordinarily not be known outside of these shores. Lets press our noses to the glass of this issue and see... 

John Holt meets photographer Stuart Griffiths and talks about his time in Madchester, Northern Ireland and Brighton.

A collection of our misspent youth. Fifa 1995-12. How many of you have played them all?

A visit to Edgware Road's R. Aguis Scooters

An editorial with the twelve year old (Arsenal fan) cover star, Fred Grant wearing Brutus Trimfit, Christopher Shannon and Sadie Williams.

Jake in a patchwork bomber by Christopher Shannon.

Sparkling jumper by Sadie Williams.

My favourite feature. Jack Cassidy meets property developer David Rosen and discuss the Suedehead look and share a few pieces from his archive. From Dr. Martens to classic Bass Weejun loafers, the look became softer over time.

Beauty in the everyday right through to the back page. LAW's pebble dash print of the debut issue is replaced with a confetti bush.
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"Our vow to you is to make this and every issue as beautiful and thought provoking as possible," Holt declares in the issue. It is and it does. It is its ability to archive real characters and document a cacophony of British traces as they shift, evolve and disappear from our surroundings which makes this title special. For me, LAW is destined to be treasured on book shelves.