NEWS IN LUI

Remember Christopher Kane’s Galaxy-printed collection for SS 2011 ? It was the designer’s first mens collection, consisting of t-shirts and hoodies, with a now iconic galaxy-print. Now, Kane expands the line for Spring/Summer 2012 and offers suits, a couple of jackets and pants as part of the line too. The emphasis still remains on the all-over print pieces, that made him famous. We still have slim cuts with a graphic, twisted touch. Highlights include skinny suits, distressed denim and wild patterns seen on T-shirts, shorts and backpacks. Complete Christopher Kane Spring/Summer 2012 Lookbook after the jump. Read the rest of this entry »

Let me introduce you to Raval & Knight, which I discovered a few days ago. They are the new awesomeness producers, they are the guys you’ll hear about in the coming month. Why ? Because the brand is a fantastic project of reinterpretation of the past : they source the cloth from select mills capable of producing THE genuine article. The wool tartan plaid pictured hereabove originates from the same bolt of cloth that the Order of the Thistle uses in its traditional Scottish highland wear. Their Escorial wool colmes from the lineage of sheep that once belonged to King Philip II of Spain and make it into a classic American workman’s cap. Now you begin to understand. Their FW 2011 collection has managed melding American style and British craft. Iconic American classics such as the grey cashmere suit, the navy double-breasted suit, and the three-piece ropestripe banker suit are re-imagined in British cut and cloth. I let you enjoy the lookbook in the pics after the gap ! Read the rest of this entry »

Last week I reintroduced an alternative to the ritual of shaving that was long forgotten, not because of its obsoleteness but because of men’s laziness. But some of you might still not be convinced or don’t know how to get started. So treat yourself to a visit to your local barbershop. All barbers in the world have the same ritual; they will start by wrapping a hot towel on your face to soften your beard then will shave it using a badger brush and a straight razor. Any variation in the way they chose to do that is what makes them unique.

Some shops will serve you cocktails; others might sell their products. Some will simply offer a friendly face and pleasant conversation. Here are a few safe bets that are worth trying out (mostly North-American):

- Gornick & Drucker, The Montage hotel, Beverly Hills, CA, USA

- FSC Barbershop, New York City, NY, USA

- Rudy’s, Various Locations, USA

Read more about them after the break!! Read the rest of this entry »

When I Was Seven7een by Régis Dajczman:

Régis Dajczman is a swell guy! When he is not on tour with his wife (he actually sings soul), he designs some tees for When I Was Seven7een, a brand he recently launched!

I must admit we were instantly charmed by his line of t-shirts at the last (capsule) show. Made in Portugal, these When I Was Seven7een t-shirts are the perfect embodiement for the rockstar t-shirt: short, light, loose and with a large collar! His last collection, I Love You Mom for When I Was Seven7een, is just brilliant: it includes tees with the pics of celebrities presumably shot after they were arrested by the police! Check out the pics of the entire collection after the break!

Hurry up if you want to get yours! I go get mine on When I Was Seven7een‘s website. Read the rest of this entry »

To me, Ralph Lauren Purple Label suits are the suits of choice for power-dressing. There’s no other label that precisely says “I have the best suit in the room“. You can’t go wrong with Purple Label. Especially with that double-breasted fully canvassed grey wool suit. Classically cut, the canvassed, slim-fit jacket means the wool retains a ‘memory’ of a body’s shape and moulds around it with every wear for exceptional fit. I tried it on yesterday and I can say there is nothing more comfortable. Even my pyjamas aren’t as easy-to-wear. No kidding. The top-end line from Ralph Lauren, Purple Label focuses on exquisite tailoring: over 30 hours of hand stitching goes into making the jacket alone. That explains everything, including the price. Mr Porter has it.

To me, this is the equivalent of John Lobb‘s rubber overshoes. When having bought a masterpiece coat, you wouldn’t be happy to wear it when the weather threatens to rain, should it only be a few rain drops. So the solution is to get a Burberry Prorsum transparent raincoat. I believe it is particularly bold from Burberry to release this : it is quite futuristic but keeps your “under”-coat visible. Now everybody knows you got a double-dose of Prorsum on your shoulders. I haven’t seen the coats in real but we can expect haute-couture quality. Get used to these transparent coats, you’ll be seeing me wearing one soon. Read the rest of this entry »