Monthly Archives

January 2008

Ben Sherman 2008

Ben Sherman 2008 “In 1963, Ben Sherman began producing his iconic shirts in Brighton, England. During the 70s, 80s and 90s the Ben Sherman button-down check shirt became the ultimate cultural icon through its adoration and adoption by Punk, Mod and Britpop movements. Today, Ben Sherman has evolved from its 60s shirt focus and now presents a complete lifestyle offering to the global market.

Ben Sherman’s Autumn 08 Global design theme takes inspiration from great British luxury, acknowledging the British tradition for attention to detail, premium design and quirkiness. And of course Ben Sherman gives everything its mod twist to make it contemporary and relevant.
 
‘The Getaway’ sees the Ben Sherman mod leaving the city. Mixing city sharpness with casual, we dress down the suit and mix tailoring with knitwear and smart shirts with track tops. ‘The Game’- indulging in great British elitist winter sports fishing and shooting with the attire to match. Waxed jackets, tartan influenced shirts, twill dogtooth porkpie hats, heavier knitwear and hunter wellies. ‘The Guestlist’ – up to the alpine resport for a party. Here dinner jackets are worn over shiny track tops, ski inspired light weight nylons over striped polos for the drive. Fine guage mod roll necks worn under double breasted melton coats for the walk from bar to bar.”

Energie jeans + Brad Pitt

Energie jeans + Brad Pitt Brad Pitt is well known for his association with Edwin jeans but he is probably not so well known for wearing Energie, the male version of Miss Sixty. Thanks to the paparazzi’s nosey beak, Brad Pitt has been photographed walking in Los Angeles, with Angelina Jolie, wearing the Energie’s Gabon Jacket. Nice! 😉

Red Monkey & Bread & Butter

Red Monkey at Bread & Butter 2008Here are a few shots from the Red Monkey and Yoropiko stand at Bread & Butter Barcelona 2008. Martin Ksohoh fly in from HK to be at the event in person. Red Monkey and Yoropiko jeans were a massive hit with buyers from all around the world and Martin helped explain the latest issue with counterfeit Red Monkey jeans been sold into the USA.
Yoropiko at Bread & Butter 2008

Armani Collezioni Clothing S/S 2008

Armani Collezioni Clothing S/S 2008ARMANI COLLEZIONI MENSWEAR, SPRING / SUMMER 2008 Press Release:

“To head off on holiday where the mood is totally relaxed. Where the natural colours of the ocean are bleached by the fierce sun. Where the tropical afternoon calls for ultra light fabrics – linen, cotton and viscose woven in typical tone on tone Armani designs. Where Bermudas (some with big cargo style pockets) teamed with jersey shirts, as well as blousons and parkas, are the focal point of the wardrobe. This is a collection in which every colour, subtle stylistic reference and inclination evokes the joy of travel, each item connected to the next by a strand of nautical crests and images that conjure up visions of the sea and a blissfully natural pace of life.

Anchors and sailor’s knots abound – embroidered, printed or raised – emphasising the fresh, cool appeal of garments that retain an impeccable sense of restraint with their carefully judged detailing.

For instance, the small white contrast features that define the navy blue cotton blazers, worn with that vital Armani classic, the Nehru collar shirt.  A cold mineral grey mingles with the blue to deliver an unusual and sophisticated contrast. Nehru jackets come in a choice of fine materials, including techno fabrics and ultra light leather. Striped patterns, predominantly in blue and white, take on a significant role in the knitwear and jersey section, either worn together with or as an alternative to a good selection of jackets, ranging from a version in printed nylon to a safari or a blazer in blue and white techno jersey. 
 
An unusual feature of the trousers is the way the belt fastening gathers them in to reduce the width, a hallmark of this season’s styling. Everything is given unaccustomed impact by the ubiquity of a soft white that seems to have been baked by the sun, figuring in micro chalk stripes, monochrome weaves, patterns in tone on tone or incorporating shades of tobacco brown.  Summoning up the erotic and seductive magic of Tangier, or the raffish elegance of Havana in the late Forties. Prime example, the ivory Spencer jacket with shawl collar.

Making its debut this season, Armani Collezioni Active draws its inspiration from the world of sport, giving priority to high performance techno fabrics treated with design flair and innovative thinking to satisfy the requirements of those who love sport but are not obsessive about working out in the gym. After the outstanding success of the limited editions introduced last season, another special edition is now ready – a blouson in ultra soft hand woven nappa leather. This is in addition to the even more restricted luxury version created in the lightest, most effervescent wool, graded as Super 200.  The height of exclusivity, only one hundred of this model will be available throughout the whole world.  Each one will bear an internal label indicating its actual serial number, exactly like an original print signed by the artist.”

One Green Elephant – A Japanese Brand

One Green Elephant - A Japanese BrandOne Green Elephant is a Japanese brand that gets its inspiration out of the big Asian metropolis – Tokyo, Seoul, and Shanghai. They produce some of the most cutting edge designs available in the market today. One Green Elephant believe in originality and their products, creative packaging and branding illustrate this. The initial launch of OGE in Europe (mid 2005) achieved excellent sales results.

The main focus of the collection is derived from their history in “Denim”. The key styles this season are skinny legs in new and innovative treatments. One Green Elephant believe in total “crossover dressing” so you can find in their collection formal feminine styles “with a touch of spice” as well as heavy treated and clean casual clothes.

Prada Clothing – The Security Collection

Prada Clothing - The Security CollectionThere has been a loud outcry at the level of security at the recent unveiling of the Prada fall 2008 menswear collections in Milan. Apparently Prada are a prime target for PETA protests which was a contributing factor to Prada’s extreme security, which included forcing everyone to scan their invites, marked with a tribal digital thumbnail, as they were jostled through a bunch of beefy bounces. Welcome to the real world would have perhaps been an appropriate name for the highly hype show.
Prada Clothing - The Security Collection

New Burebrry Underwear Collection

New Burebrry Underwear CollectionBurberry are apparently considering a new underwear range according to designer Christopher Bailey. In a statement, Bailey said: “An new underwear range is something that we’ve played with… and we’ll possibly launch something. At the moment we’re not really talking about a launch date but it’s something that’s absolutely in the pipeline.”

Bailey said the brand’s accessory lines are “on fire… it’s going amazing, unbelievably well”, so expansion of the underwear line is a natural progression for the resurrected British brand.

Creative Recreation Shoes = Exclusivity!

Creative Recreation Shoes = Exclusivity!Creative Recreation was officially launched in Orange County, California in the Fall 2002. The founders of Creative Recreation noticed a huge void in the footwear market. Everyone was offering either dress shoes to be worn with a suit or athletic inspired sneakers that were not acceptable at most functions for the Creative Recreation lifestyles. No one was offering footwear to young professionals with style. Two long Time friends who were already enjoying a prosperous career in the footwear industry decided they would be the ones to change the game.

Creative Recreation is kept as limited as possible. Creative Recreation want their clientele to know that when they buy a pair of Creative Recreation the chances of seeing someone else rocking the same shoes are highly unlikely. For each color and style in their line they only make an average of 90 to 500 pair worldwide. Constantly trying to revolutionize footwear style Creative Recreation will continue to push the “bourgeois sneaker”.

Many people have difficulties understanding what category Creative Recreation footwear falls into. That has been the best compliment to the founders. “We don’t want to be put into any category, were a footwear company! We make shoes for our lifestyle, rather we make shoes for life with style”.

BAPE clothing to Black Label

BAPE clothing to Black Label BAPE clothing grows up? A Bathing Ape, the Japanese brand known internationally for its flambouyant camo and child-like characterisations, has released a new line called “Black Label” which is reputedly a collection of black and other one-shade clothing. Whether this is a transition to a more mature and discerning customer-base is yet to be seen, but as we all know Nigo is a marketing genius so the move is bound to have substance!

Addict Clothing – True British Streetwear

Addict Clothing - True British Streetwear In recent years Addict clothing has emerged as one of the leading British Streetwear brands. Their uncompromising dedication to streetwear style is undoubtedly the basis for their success.

What initially started with 1 logo, 4 tee shirt prints and a dream in 1994 of creating a British Streetwear brand has slowly but surely become reality over the last 10 years…Addict with its direct approach has built its reputation on solid foundations through the consistent production of clean, minimally branded, functional mens and womens clothing with fine attention to detail attracting the support of some of the finest stores.

Addict remains an independently designer owned and led company producing all its clothing and patterns in-house, letting the brand evolve naturally rather than bending to fit in with fashion. Outside assistance comes from a handful of UK’s most influencial designers, typographers and artists, Swifty, She One, Mr Jago, C-Law are all regular contributors.

One thing that becomes apparent under closer scrutiny is the quality of high profile collaborative projects that the brand already has under its belt, limited Vans shoes, camouflage G-Shock watches, SPY Optic Goggles, jointly designed pieces with ONETrueSaxon, and an impressive set of camouflage snowboards with Endeavor in Canada, the list goes on.

Music remains a strong influence within the brand and ‘ABC’ or The Addict Beats Collective arm of the company embraces a cross section of musical genres with high level support from the likes of The Nextmen, Rodney P and Skitz, London Electricity/Hospital records, Stanton warriors, LSK, Big Bud, Genna G, Maxi Jazz/Faithless and Part-Time Heroes.

RMC Jeans after a few years

RMC Jeans after a few years Kitmeout user shares 2 year old well worn RMC jeans. Notice the red logo on the leather patch. Authentic RMC only have a red logo. This red logo is a good identifier as a number of fakes have black or blue logos. The other way to distinguish real from fake is a lot of fakes just have RMC in the logo and are missing the all important Martin Ksohoh beneath the RMC which is probably because the fakers find it too expensive and difficult to print the small letters on the leather patch.
RMC Jeans after a few years

RMC Jeans after a few years

Money Jeans

Money JeansBased in England but with founding designers from Milan, Tokyo and London, Money has been influenced by classic American street styles and blended them with a unique energy and attitude. The result is a dynamic combination of fanatical Japanesse attention to detail, Italian obsession with quality and an English sense of anarchy and wit.

Money Denim Menswear is a collection of high quality garments contructed from the best materials. Money 750 Collection is the premium range, made in extremely limited numbers from extravagent materials. Stocked in only high end stores 750 garments are made in partnership with recognised world leaders in specific areas.

Recently Money has launched into Footwear and added dollar bills into the soles of their stylish trainers.

Live Mechanics 2008 Collection

Live Mechanics 2008 CollectionLive Mechanics is a streetwear brand that expresses it’s pain, passion, and progress in a creative form through it’s detailed crafted apparel.

Live Mechanics commissioned Metal Cells Studio to direct the visual outlook of the upcoming 08′ Collection campaign. The mission was to create a modern outlook with minimalistic urban elements emphasizing on apparel photography. Live Mechanics was impressed with the new design and creative efforts of Metal Cells Studio. Metal Cells Studio will be launching more productions with Live Mechanics soon.

Spawned from the fusion of street and music, and energized by the creative spirit, a new breed of style is born. Shaking up reality through art, music and an appreciation of life’s challenges, Live Mechanics has been a force in the world of street couture since 2000; offering a new conscious line bound for revolutionary achievement.

Created to be an answer to the fast changing climate in today’s world of street wear. Live Mechanics started as most great sportswear companies do by printing tees and sweatshirts and building a strong grassroots following in its California home base through our familiarity with our customer base and our marketing expertise. Since this time we have taken our flare for graphics and moved to a full scale line.

Our strength lies in the multicultural group of individuals that work closely to leverage a passion for putting together creative graphics and our eye for directional fashion design and the ability to interpret imagery inspired by the real world into our garments in a way that is fresh, unique, and speaks to our market place.