We love Parisian label April 77′s summer collection. Entitled ‘The Apollo Program Was a Hoax’ it’s an eerie journey through deserted landscapes and as the name suggests there’s more than a touch of otherworldliness to the images.
They’ve given names for the colours: ‘Telstar Black’, ‘Satellite Red’, cute little touches on the space theme. The clothes themselves are clean, minimal staples with a slight ’70s feel. One of the standout pieces is the Hubble sweatshirt, with its space print. Jump through to see more images from the shoot.
Since turning up at the Met’s Costume Institute Gala with a trinity of her Hollywood girlfriends, Stella McCartney has had a whirlwind week involving everyone from Simon Doonan (creative director of Barneys) to Michelle Obama.
While chatting to the gloriously over-the-top Doonan, Stella was asked about lending her ethical hand to a menswear collection. “Yes, I would love to!”- so what can we expect? I’m hoping for vegan-leather brogues and penny loafers, baggy suit jackets, chunky patterned knits for men, modern shapes and shirts in innovative fabrics.
McCartney, herself, spoke recently about her love of menswear: “I’ve always been a bit obsessed with men’s tailoring. When I was in St. Martins, I’d take time out at night and go work on Savile Row. I was always influenced by my mum and dad’s wardrobe and they always had really cool bespoke suits.”
When my English teacher announced we would be studying ‘A Streetcar Named Desire,’ I have to admit to a light leap of the heart as I reminisced on John Galliano‘s ‘Blanche DuBois’ collection of 1988 and Marlon Brando in all his retro glory; oozing sex appeal and hard-edged fashion prowess. With these thoughts in mind, and a bit of time spent re-watching the iconic film made in 1951, I set about creating an outfit based on the look of Stanley Kowalski.
I’ve mixed a pair of amazing chino/casual-esque trousers with a bit of a vintage feel and a thin leather belt from with a basic tee from Topman and a pair of roughed up plimsolls from New Look. This is simple and seemingly effortless but the look as a whole is incredibly effective at turning you into a rugged, alpha-male icon. Now, with the fashion bit past, can anyone do a good New Orleans accent?
Over coffee the other day, I was talking to a friend who suffers from SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder.) Listening to the misery of days spent not knowing what to wear each morning (friends will know of how immense the impact of fashion is upon my life!) I decided to go on the lookout for a designer who can deliver trans-seasonal clothes that will carry us males throughout the year.
b Store London is edging towards the avant-garde and I wasn’t at all expecting to find my SAD solution on its site. Its b Clothing range is full of really wearable, all-year pieces and I would be proud to don this shirt-come rain or shine.
Knitwear and accessories are the shining stars of the River Island Menswear collection, they’ve got a great range of chunky cardigans, arran-style jumpers and we love the rocket cardie below!
We caught up with the RI team at the press day and couldn’t resist taking a photo of their outfits. We spoke to James Lawrence who does the bags for the brand, and he told us he was really excited about all the range, and the nylon shopper (last pic) was declared group fave.
Andrew Chen from 3sixteen kindly sent us over a sneak preview of their A/W range. I know most of us are just getting our summer wardrobe sorted, but it never hurts to be prepared!
Shot on the streets of New York the collection is neat, grown up and functional. There’s a lot of grey, which we always love, but the real treat is the mix of textures like chambray, denim tweed and knit. Look out for details like toggles on jumpers and quality leather accessories, can’t wait to see the lookbook.
Paul Hamill describes himself as “student, stylist, blogger, writer and retail assistant”, we invited him to give us his picks for this summer and he came good with a selection of staples that will make a good addition to any man’s wardrobe:
Summer in Glasgow is always a risky affair. Thankfully I met my American flat mate who invited me to stay at her family home in Seattle for a few weeks this summer. My saviour! And with this blissful invite comes the summer wardrobe shop.
For the British, summer is a time of seaside, (dubious) sun and 99p ice creams. It can be hard to find the perfect sun ‘n’ sea outfit and I won’t bore you with details of the economy but, basically, we should all be investing in classic investment fashion pieces. Could there be anything more perfect than these cropped trousers in a brilliant azure blue. At $798 (£542,) they might be rather over-priced (okay, very over-priced) but they can be worn in the heat with a basic white tee and Raf Simons gladiator sandals or in the winter with black brogues, a black tee and a grey cardie.
The one problem? They are only stocked up to a size 4 so, as if the beach wasn’t enough in itself, you now have even more reason to drag yourself to the gym after work!
It looks as if, this summer, you will be mercilessly defined by your haircut. We’ve outlined a few of the trendiest, the possible need for back-up in a can, and now, I have a new look. This piece of major hairspiration comes in the form of the ‘Pale Fountain’ editorial in the latest issue of Crash magazine. I’m loving the almost bark-like quality of this model’s gorgeous copper locks and his overall effortless look means that he can play up his fashion with structural shapes, patterns and brash fabrics (check the velvet and plaid after the jump!) This follows on with the current trend for vampires, supernatural adolescents and dewy youths. So, next up should really be a post on how to find inner vampire. Oh, what a job!
I know, I know; Topman has become a bit of a regular feature on Brandish but when I noticed this look on the label’s website during my regular internet trawl, I couldn’t resist commenting.
While I’m not too sure about the rather peculiar Alice Dellal haircut (as highlighted in a previous Brandish post.) I think he gets off with it due to his incredible look- brash patter shirt, acid-washed jeans and skinny belt…but messy enough to avoid the overly-manicured style of the 80s fashionisto.
More to come on Topman’s ‘Motel Arizona’ look soon!
(Shirt, £25 on topman.com)
Topman have a new mini-collection on their online shop and the look is ‘Chelsea Arts Club.’ The high street label (beloved by the Brandish team,) tells that “this smart trend is influenced by a sophisticated age where actors, artists and sartorialists mixed in exclusive members clubs…the overall look is quirky.” For me, this translates as unusual textures, subtle details and wow-factor tailoring. My fashspirational men are Bob Dylan, Gregory Corso and Pablo Picasso; men who looked effortlessly awesome in rolled-up trousers and paint-stained tees.
Why not buy basic items from Topman and try your hand at home-made accessories? Prepare yourself for beads on string, paperclip tie bars and old woman’s brooches pinned into buttonholes.
Pick up a Murakami novel, write a poem and carry a wicker basket- this summer is all about your inner artist!
With a month long holiday in India coming up, I knew I had to get some stand-out holiday wear. I thought about the different eras of recreational wear and began racking the (fashion) history books for inspiration- jumpsuits, capri pants, high-waisted slacks, kaftans, tunics, dungarees…the list goes on. But then, as with all moments of fashion genius, America’s Next Top Model came on the telly and I was reminded of the genius that is Jeremy Scott.
As a result I was led to a picture of a friend wearing a pair of Jeremy’s cropped print trousers and I fell in love. In order to recreate the look, I bought a pair of Topman’s cartoon-print pyjama bottoms (£15) and tied bits of string around my lower legs. I then folded the pyjama fabric under the string to achieve a cropped effect.
Because the print is so loud, you should stick to basic items in muted colours. And even if you don’t get the look that you wanted, I assure you that making the trousers is almost as much fun as wearing the finished edition anyway.
When you see a photo of a teen wearing a prom tuxedo jacket fashioned entirely from Coke cans, you have to wonder what the teen in question does with their free time. This guy, a Napoleon Dynamite-lookalike with a penchant for commercialism, has decided to venture into eco-friendly fashion and after the jump you can witness the entire creation of the waistcoat and jacket (plus bowtie!) from metal to masterpiece. Sadly, this look is more Sideshow Bob than Stella McCartney.
Last summer I was down at Shiny Towers and the gloriously hot days were spent writing, chatting with my fellow Shinies, trying on Drop-Crotch jeans and touring the streets in search of aspirational street style. But despite all the joviality I didn’t quite anticipate the weather (although I refuse to take the blame for that one- when was the last time we had a proper summer?) and ended up the innocent victim of SSS (that’s Skinny jeans in Summer Syndrome.) This summer I am determined to get it right, which is why I have compiled this list of fashion needs (okay, wants.)
1. Lots of Extra-Hold Hairspray
Since Christmas and a happy accident haircut, I have been living with a bit of an 80s asymmetrical style. My super-thick hair means that I have to use extra-hold products which are effective but grease-free; the wet fro is never a good look! I will need lots of hairspray to combat the heat.
Saturday’s oh-so-welcome sunshine provided a first opportunity for 2009 shorts sightings with Hackney’s Broadway Market being an ideal setting. Amongst the tangled limbs of pram central, shorts were very much in evidence. On the lithe and louche, high jean cut-offs (a la Fantastic Man‘s guide to making your own) were a popular option. The plentisome SYD‘s (that’s sexy young dads if you’re not sure) meanwhile were a tad more modest with the long and narrow shorts style being popular – often teamed with plaid, deck shoes and a serious beard.
An emerging shorts trend however is old-school khaki shorts – rugby shorts length – that add a certain David Attenborough touch to your summer kit. Look out for vintage Ralph Lauren for a quality look – best avoided if your lallies are more Charles Hawtrey than Lawrence Dallaglio though.
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