Travel Organised

Smythson of Bond Street is one of the UK's most revered luxury leather goods labels. Established in 1887 by Frank Smythson, an entrepreneur and inventor of the brand's signature blue Featherweight paper, Smythson's attention to detail and quality craftsmanship quickly found favor with an elite clientele. Today, the company boasts three Royal warrants and the Prime Minister's wife as Creative Director. It has always been more than a mere stationary shop. It is something of an institution on one of London's most revered retail streets. I have often walked past, peered inside and resisted temptation to venture in to this unfamiliar but fine smelling world (oh I do love the scent of leather). Thankfully, despite my nervous disposition, I am now a proud owner of a Smythson item.

This Christmas, my sister and brother-in-law have come up trumps in the gifting trumps. After being spoiled rotten in recent years, with gifts ranging from a Le Creuset pot to Bose headphones, they have excelled in both the fine art of giving and gratuitous art of spoiling. This Passport Holder comes in butter soft Nile Blue calfskin leather. It is something that I'd never buy myself but I am now so pleased that someone has. The travel organiser comes with two subtly embossed pockets for a passport and boarding pass. I no longer have an excuse for either losing or fumbling with my travel documents.

Despite being hugely comfortable in front of the television with a mind boggling amount of food this festive season, this present makes me long to travel. Here's to a jet setting 2011.

Advent - Day Twenty Three

3939 launched as a lifestyle and retail concept located in the basement of a well loved Japanese restaurant, Life just last month. Set up by three creative friends in Tatsuo, Pippa and Peter. Both the physical and digital spaces showcase the trios unique ideas, collaborations and exclusive products which have been developed in association with the craftsmen and talent that they all adore. This is a truly independent project driven forward by the determination to offer something different. 3939 incorporates a unique point of view and leaves me excited in the process. Having provided me with a wealth of present options for my nearest and dearest, I just had to find out what was on Tatsuo Hino's Christmas list and here it is...

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ELEPHANT RING BY DOG STATE

The item is the 'Elephant Ring' by Dog State . I have actually ordered to have it resized for me when I am back from Japan early next year. It is made by my friend, Toshi, who is based in London and trained at the Great Frog for eight years as residential shop keeper and designer. What I like about it is that the detailing about the face is so intricate. I cannot wait to wear this!

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LEWIS D LTD 204A FLYING BOOTS

My ideal Christmas gift would be the Lewis D Ltd Flying boots with shearing inside. I recently tried a pair on at the Lewis Leathers store. They were reintroduced the boots back into the range after carefully researching them right down the to the correct buckles of the original pair from the 30s. The shearling lining is sourced from a Tannery in the West Country, the leather nowadays is a high grade Cowhide for durability during everyday wear, soles are leather and the heels are rubber with a pattern identical to those found on many vintage RAF flying boots. They are a classic with heritage, sleek but modern and functional boot commanding a reasonable price (£350) for what they are.

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Introducing (ki:ts)

At this time of year it is difficult to resist the temptation to take a step back and assess the moments that have materialised over the last twelve months. With this in mind, a year in menswear summary will certainly be posted before we wave goodbye to 2010 but there are still a few moments to experience, labels to discover and collections to covet before. However, I can hint that our review will include my thoughts on a revived retail scene in London and indeed beyond. I have visited a myriad of newly opened stores in recent months and my faith in the future of menswear retail has been restored. During two of these visits a certain accessories brand has caught my eye. Up till now I have merely hinted at my admiration for (ki:ts). No longer. Trunk Clothiers first brought the label to my attention and and then 3939 duly reminded me of the fine leather accessory range. This weekend I met up with the man behind the label, Takaharu Osako to be talked through the current offering.

A look inside Trunk...
Woven belt by Ki:ts, boots by Common Projects, bag by BAG'n'NOUN and scarves by Drakes.

After graduating from Central Saint Martins in 2003, Osako learnt his trade at Alexander McQueen before taking a design position at Jas MB. Last year, driven my his passion for handmade craft, he set up his own clothing and accessories brand. Taking its name from the dictionary pronunciation of the great English Romantic poet John Keats and Osako's desire to kit out the modern gentleman, (ki:ts) was formed. The label is an all too tempting cocktail of old, authentic elements mixed with modern technology and the pursuits of modern life. The accessory range takes its inspiration from the materials and craft which help create each accessory. These beautiful leather accessories are hand finished one-by-one in order not to ruin the natural feeling of the leather. Each season Osako makes up to one hundred and fifty belts and bracelets. The variety of fine Italian leathers are teamed up with sundries and buckles inspired from British horse riding and falconry detailing...

The Ki:ts range in 3939

Retrowood buckle bracelet.

Double Small Buckle Leather belt.

A close up of beautiful leather.

Black leather belt.

Surprisingly, the label is currently only Osako's fruitful hobby. He still works as an assistant designer at Jas MB by day and then dedicates his spare time to create each carefully crafted (ki:ts) product. The range itself, in addition to the stockists who buy in to the label slowly grows each season and this is how he wants it to remain. It was a pleasure to see his passion first hand, it was contagious and I could not walk away empty handed. During our discussion, the designer noticed that I was particularly taken by the retrowood versions. Up till then I had never seen such a leather in person. Amazingly, at the end of the range run through he gifted me with a bracelet version...

The wood effect bracelet in front of my Christmas tree.

Just look at the detailing...

I could not resist buying a belt for myself and opted for the stunning double buckle belt. I can't remember seeing anything quite like this before and I certainly do not own anything similar so it is a welcome addition to my accessory options.

The double buckle belt.

A closer look at the double buckle.

Osaka sources vintage fixtures for many of his belts.

I find it nigh on impossible to resist the charms of a label such as (ki:ts) and why should I? Takaharu Osako dedicates his evenings and free time to create each accessory by hand. Each accessory is carefully cut, shaped and polished and driven by his passion for fine leather craftsmanship. I'm looking forward to watching this label continue to slowly and organically grow over the coming seasons and beyond.

Gifts for me, myself and I

Earlier this year I waxed lyrical about my retail crush on Hong Kong's institution of a specialty store, Lane Crawford. After a number of longing glances from across the ocean, this blossoming long distance affair took a surprising turn with the age of my new love coming to light. This season, Lane Crawford is remarkably one hundred and sixty years old. Founded in 1850 by Thomas Ash Lane and Ninian Crawford, it has evolved to become a leading luxury specialty store offering a wide selection of mouth watering brands. Celebrating its one hundred and sixtieth anniversary, Lane Crawford proudly launched Heritage 160 for AW10. To honour the rich history and unique past of the store, as well as its strong relationships with top brands, designers and talents from around the world, Heritage 160 featured a series of programmes and events throughout the season. The celebrations culminated last Thursday with with a ceremony and a launch event at its mind blowing flagship store at IFC mall. It was a celebration to remember and thank the many generations of families who have worked and shopped with Lane Crawford, and ultimately woven the fabric that has built 160 years of traditions and community in Hong Kong. Thankfully, I was invited out to join the celebrations.

The theme for the day was Play and play we most certainly did. The flagship space was transformed in to a dream like arcade park. Guests and celebrities alike all lined up to play favourite games, including ping pong, air hockey, car racing, pool and testing their skill at the claw machine. I tried my luck on the air hockey and ping pong tables. I came up short with a racket in my hand but Susie delivered the goods with her vicious puck bashing. Now, I rarely win anything. Having grown up losing pound after pound in the slot machines that preyed on the young and the bored of Margate it felt good to win and win big. My prize came in a special blue box...

That special blue box that so many crave.

Now, if I did win anything in my previous life the winnings would normally still leave me short on what I ploughed in to the machine. Here however my luck changed for the better. A pair of embroidery adorned Lanvin cufflinks were found inside. I'm undecided whether they are a pair of skulls or monkeys but either way, I love them dearly and thank Lane Crawford (included eagle eyed accessories buyer Marco Lau) greatly.

A closer look of the cufflinks inside.

Having raised our glasses and partied with this Hong Kong institution our appetite for gifts was undoubtedly whet. The following morning (with a pair of slightly sore heads) we returned to the IFC store to explore the space in its returned state. After admiring the brand packed menswear floor (highlights include Nigel Cabourn, Kolor, Junya Watanabe, AI and the Cambridge Satchel Company to name but a few) we headed to the shoe department. It was here that I fell head of hi top heel for a pair of Lanvin's. Top of my footwear lust list has always been a pair of Lanvin hi tops.

My latest shoe obsession.

Now, you might recall that when I hit the quarter of a century mark, Susie knew me all too well and bought me the best present ever. Fast forward a couple of years and Susie saw that my eyes had lit up by a wool and leather combination for AW10. Having had the fires of gifting ignited within by the Lane Crawford party, she opted to treat me to a pair of these flocked grey, navy and maroon weave hi tops. Amazing. An early Christmas gift. I have been spoiled rotten and it feels good. Let's take a closer look at this pair of pulse racing, texture rich trainers...

A texture rich close up.

And another. Oh, I'm in love.

Later that day, we ventured to another retail favourite of this bustling city, Kapok. This small but perfectly formed store is an arbiter of good taste. With each visit there is temptation everywhere within its four walls. After recently featuring the latest offering from local accessories label Seventy Eight Per Cent I could not resist taking a closer. This closer look then led to a purchase of the real highlights of the new Harrison Fold collection, the Gustav. Having been treated by Lane Crawford and then by Susie, it was only fitting for me to treat myself, right......right?

As Shai Levy conceded in our recent interview, Harrison Fold was an interesting collection to design in several aspects. Firstly, it was a collaboration between himself and Harold Poon, a young talented designer who joined Seventy Eight Percent after graduating design school in Australia. Secondly, it had to meet the high expectations following the success of the Back To Old School Collection but at the same time be different. The inspiration initially came from waterproof outdoor bags that have roll top closures (hence the Fold in the title), and was influenced by Indiana Jones' shoulder bag.

Gustav itself is a designer Messenger Bag, designed to carry your belongings in comfort and style. It is spacious and well organized with pockets to stash my everyday essentials. The bags are engineered to fulfill people’s practical needs and are built to last. The Japanese wax coated canvas and Italian vegetable tanned leather are designed to age gracefully (far more so than this blogger). It makes for a fine present for myself.

One utterly spoiled me. Gustav messenger by Seventy Eight Percent and hi tops from Lanvin worn with black trousers from Tim Soar and a crombie coat from ASOS Black. 

Happy birthday Lane Crawford and thank you for igniting the flames of this gifting frenzy. Now, having been spoiled, I better make a start on my Christmas shopping.

Details... Leather collage

Whilst bouncing from store to store on her recent jaunt to Tokyo, Susie hopped in to the sidecar of the Blackmeans bike. As she whizzed through the bustling city she became transfixed on the Japanese label's very own Yujiro Komatsu's outfit and snapped a few detail shots of this fast moving collage of leather...

Utilising the experience of Japan's finest leather craftsmen, Blackmeans takes great pleasure in reinterpreting historic, ethnic cloth-cutting techniques in an innovative way that has kept it at the forefront of the 'New Tokyo' movement since its inception in 2008. Unsurprisingly, Yujiro Komatsu wears it well.

The great outsider and collaborator

One of my current personal favourite designers is Watanabe. he can be considered a fashion outsider because he is something of an enigma and I think this is part of the attraction. I must admit that I've not really taken too much notice of him previously but now I am looking through his past creations and really enjoying what I'm seeing! Unfortunately menswear design is not really known for innovation but designers like Watanabe and (more recently)Throup are helping address this. I love how Watanabe deconstructs classics, for example taking apart white shirts or trench coats and exaggerating a facet or two, and then putting them back together for an entirely new and accomplished result. In an arena not exactly known for embracing groundbreaking innovation, Watanabe’s menswear has received particular acclaim. Although I like his s/s 2008 collection it is far too cold to be thinking about that season so I will concetrate on a/w 2007 and his bikerwear collection! As I've come to understand the 'Watanabe way' is to leave no sartorial cliché un-deconstructed, so he broke down the biker jacket into its component parts—collar, belt, zips, etc.—and put them back together in unexpected ways, reminiscent of The Clash.

This image is courtesy of men.style - Daft Punk on the catwalk? I'm in love with leather biker jackets right now and this show was one of the main reasons for this love to blossom.

Not content on concentrating merely on the leather biker jacket he looked at cloth versions and added numerous zips...as I've mentioned previously I adore zips.

Other than the search for the perfect biker jacket which is a tremendously difficult task because it is a classic and should be regarded as a staple for any man's wardbrobe I am looking for the right boots. I'm undecided between keeping to the biker theme or purchasing something a little more formal. I will keep you updated as to how my search goes and leave you with one more example of Watanabe's work...

Just look how Clash like this is!

Delving in to Antwerp with Delvaux

I saw so much during my weekend jaunt to Antwerp and apologise for not being able to blog about my experiences as fast as I wanted to but it was a hectic few days with limited blogging time (I know...excuses, excuses). Though the city might be be small in size, there is just so much to see in this beautiful city. As I am back in London now, it makes more sense to start at the end of my travels and work my way back, discussing the real highlights of a trip which was packed full of them. First up...a real suprise for me!

One of the last places we visited was the city's fashion museum, MoMu. Susie was desperate to see the Delvaux exhibition but I have to confess that I was less than keen. I thought the exhibition would be a showcase of luxurious handbags and little else but I'm so pleased we went because I was enthralled by the stylistic evolution of the house's output whilst seeing the often unseen side of the business, the skills of the designers and the artisans that represent the core of the company's values. A year older than the Belgian nation itself, Delvaux can claim to be the most Belgian of all luxury houses. The exhibition follows Delvaux from the maunfacture of travel goods for the local nobility in the nineteenth century, through the rise of the modern handbag in the twentieth century, to the company's vision of a new kind of elegance under its artistic director Veronique Branquinho. The creative process behind each bag has changed very little in the last sixty years, all products are still made by hand, the conpany is still in th family hands and Delvaux's output remains small but exclusive.

The travelling by train space...

Each mode of transport brought its own requirements for the baggage manufacture. founded in an era of when travel was largely horse drawn the company has survived through the revolutions and wars, and adapted to the requirements of ocean liners and railways, to bicycles, cars and jets. It is how the luxury house adapted its offering to the changing world around it which interested most whilst walking through the well curated exhibition space. Train travel assisted the rise of the modern business traveller, for whom Delvaux produced not just attache cases and document wallets, but overnight bags, equipment cases and even bespoke display trunks for travelling salesman.

The Newspaper Bag. Bruno Pieters for Delvaux, AW09-09.

I recently read about Monocle’s latest collaborative effort involves Belgian luxury brand Delvaux. Known for their leather goods, the Newspaper Bag features a woven Toile de Cuir exterior and a Basane Leather liner. The bag is sized appropriately for A4-sized documents and a laptop and I want one!

Monocle x Delvaux Newspaper Bag, available from Monocle

Besides leather-clad maps and holders for the driver's licence and Michelin guides, Delvaux provided the 1950s tourist motorist with gentleman's bags. This bags were capable of holding everything required for that perfect Kodak moment, with of course compartments for camera, pipe, postcards and even a handheld cine camera.

The cruise luggage of my dreams.

For those travelling in grand style on the ocean liners leaving Antwerp, luggage had to be capacious and extremely resistant both to impact and to damp. Delvaux certainly offered beautiful luggage which protected the cruise-wear finery of those first class travellers aboard. This selection of cases inspired the inner traveller in me, oh to travel the seas for months on end...oh, I can but dream.

Celebrating the great Surrealist, Magritte.

In Belgium, surrealism is not part of some wild, exotic dream scape but rather it infuses the everyday. This selection of bags celebrated Belgium's most famous and my favourite surrealist, Rene Magritte's 100rd Birthday and were released in 1998.

Leather working tools belonging to Bernard Gombert.

Delvaux bags are produced by a team of forty five craftsman in the atelier in Brussels and a further sixty working from a dedicated atelier in France. Each bag is immensely complex and such craft goes in to each one. One of the exhibition spaces evokes the atmosphere of the atelier and the leather store room at the Arsenal and focuses on the production of the Brilliant. The leather working tools in the exhibition belong to Bernard Gombert, head of Delvaux's technical department and I spent a good ten minutes staring at them, imagining how each instrument is used to create one of the famous bags. The exhibition was a great way to spend the final hour of my time in Antwerp. The exhibition runs until 21st February 2010 and is well worth the visit even if you aren't the worlds biggest handbag enthusiast like me!

Picture Postcard - Going away present

As you are off to the US I thought I thought I would whet your appetite for everything stars and stripes. What better symbol of everything that is good about our American cousins than James Franco? Here he is on the cover of Vogue Hommes International. I've not bought it yet but this cover is so much better than the previous one which had Pete Doherty gracing it! Thanks to Fashion Verbatim form making me aware of the new issue.

Not so sure that he is the new James Dean, I think he will be around for a lot longer! He certainly looks good in his leather jacket and his damn cool! I REALLY want a leather jacket and think I'll treat myself to one before Christmas! Anyway, enough of this you have a plane to catch! Have fun and buy me presents!

I'm desperately trying to think of something clever and interesting to say about this. I'm not sure about Mr Franco generally but he does look wonderful here- I haven't seen a man rocking the leather this well in a while, although I wouldn't be surprised if we see a lot more of it in the coming months. I may see if I can pick this issue up at the airport. Anyway, that's all from me for the moment as all I have in my head right now is the theme from The High Life

Much love

Showroom Next Door SS11: Mr Hare

Ain't No App. For That. Mr Hare SS11

Oh Mr. Hare. The brand has been close to our hearts the moment we heard that our favourite shoeist was launching his obsession. The label was first conceived at a roadside tapas bar in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in Andalucia, Spain on July 23rd 2008. Marc Hare looked at the woven leather shoes of the old gentleman sat next to him and thought his shoes could be brilliant with a few tweaks, but who could he get to make them. Five minutes later, Mr. Hare the brand was conceived and it took just three hundred and sixty days to go from idea conception to the shop floor at Dover Street Market. Since then, the brand has gone from strength to strength and deservedly so. His leather creations can now be found across the world in an expanding selection of fine retail outlets, from Selfridges to Colette to Beams. In his continued quest to dominant the world of shoes, Mr Hare has unveiled his latest collection, for SS11 entitled Ain't No App. For That. Mr Hare continues to push and explore the boundaries of footwear with spectacular effect. The collection showcases shapes and materials that I've never come across before. I will of course feature the collection in some detail in the coming weeks (not least after MAN day) but my feet and heart have been twitching to share these images from the Showroom and now the wait is over.

Burroughs. Hare has added to his literary influences.
The studs will act as a badge of individuality in the office and beyond.

Camus in eel.

Onyx stud loafer. Hare experiments with this shape in a few models but this has to be my favourite.

Burn my house, steal my car, drain my liquor from an old fruit jar, do anything that you want to do but uh-uh honey, lay off them shoes... King Tubby Specials using ostrich. Just beautiful. My feet need these.

Now, that is enough shoe porn for one day. Do not despair though, Mr Hare's Aint No App. For That will continue on its tour of the London Fashion Week circuit at the Fashion East Menswear Installations. Tune in later this week for a closer look at the creations of our favourite shoe aficionado.

Unpicking the seams...H by Harris for GQ iPad Case

H by Harris for GQ iPad Case

To coincide with the launch of the the GQ iPad App,  H by Harris has collaborated with the gentleman's monthly to create a limited edition case. It is the perfect match up. Harris' personal need to find a stylish yet practical laptop case has continued to evolve into a thoroughly modern, yet understated luxury luggage brand which is designed and manufactured in the UK. As with all of the carefully crafted accessories that he produces, the exclusive case is an item that fuses function with design. Hand crafted from luxurious Navy hide leather, the interior features contrast grey suede lining, a card holder and space for documents. It turns my indifference towards the machine in to longing. I need an iPad just so I have an excuse to possess this case, to be able to stroke the quilted butter soft hide. However, before rushing off to the Apple store, we sat down with the designer to learn more about the collaboration and the item itself... 

A closer look at that butter soft Dallas leather

SS: How did the collaboration with GQ come about?

Harris Elliott: As with most good things, it started with a simple conversation, i was chatting to Robert and Vanessa at GQ about the different projects they were planning regarding the launch of the GQ App.... Then it became obvious that we should try and do something.

SS: What was the initial starting point for the item?

Harris Elliott: Luxury, protection and style. I wanted it to be one of those pieces that had it's own identity.

SS: Why attracted you to designing an ipad case?

Harris Elliott: GQ were launching their iPad app for their October issue. They had released a pilot issue in July which was amazing, everyone I showed the app to, couldn't believe that magazines had reached that stage of digital development. So it made sense to create a new luxe case to commemorate the launch.

SS: How did you go about stamping your take on this accessory?

Harris Elliott: One of the H by Harris trademarks is quilting, we used the quilt so people would know it was an H by Harris design.

SS: This season marks a shift in your quilted offering. We've all grown accustomed to seeing the diamond quilted (Q1) skin but now we are introduced to the striped quilting. Could you talk us through this introduction?

Harris Elliott: Since day one I had planned on introducing new styles and leather/fabric applications. My head is always two steps or a year ahead of reality. So AW11 became the time to introduce the stripe. Inspired by the shoulder padding on old motorcycle jackets, this style is very popular with boys, so it was the obvious choice for the GQ man.

SS: Could you talk us through some of the technical processes and people involved in making the case?

Harris Elliott: Robert Johnston (GQ features editor) and myself discussed the features that we felt an iPad case for a guy should have. So a space for cards and possibly a passport, seemed like a nice touch.

The leather we used is called Dallas, a butter soft hide with a slight creamy texture. Unlike nappas that H by Harris uses a lot, you can see and feel the grain of the leather, so the luxe look is in shape and form.

We worked with a sign writer, and an old school book binders to produce hand printed cards, with double foil blocking.

Of course there were the artisans that put it together....

A closer look at the personalisation

SS: Did you encounter any problems? How were they resolved?

Harris Elliott: The initial problem was time, we had two months to produce the cases from start to delivery...you normally have much longer than that from sketch to end user. We had a week to produce the initial prototype which was stressy as the first proto had to be almost spot on.... Thankfully it was.

SS: How would you describe the finished piece in your own words?

Harris Elliott: Contemporary luxury, I can always tell how good something is, when people instantly comment on a product, pick it up and caress it before being asked their opinion.

SS: I notice a bit of personalisation on some of the cases, is this a new way forward for H by Harris?

Harris Elliott: Definitely, it's something we've planned to introduce for a while. In the past we have created metal plates and embossed customers names into the leather labels for them. Scriptwriting takes it to the next level, it makes the item completely exclusive, because of the hand craft nature, therefore increasing the personal value that a customer places on their purchase.

We work with an amazing sign writer who hand paints typography for art installations. It's been a pleasure working with him.

The sign writer in action.

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A limited number of cases will soon be available on the wonderfully revamped H by Harris site. Each case can be hand personalised by the script writer.