Alexander McQueen Umbrella

The umbrella, a necessary item often overlooked in menswear, can be hard to tie in tastefully to a wardrobe. Design house Alexander McQueen, offers an all black, Gothic themed umbrella, complete with a menacing skull handle. For our inner maniac, this made in Italy piece has a water-repellant nylon shell and can easily be used as a walking cane with its telescopic pole.

Frank Ocean for L’Uomo Vogue

After being named as GQ’s Newcomer of the Year, Frank Ocean continues to make rounds within the fashion lifestyle scene with his appearance in the pages of Italian fashion bible L’Uomo Vogue. The famed magazine features an in-depth editorial on the crooner which is accompanied with photography by photographer-director Nabil Elderkin who also shot Ocean’s video for “Novacane.” Besides commenting on his breakthrough year with his compelling debut Nostalgia, Ultra and writing credits for Beyoncé, Jay-Z, and Kanye West, “Career-wise, this year feels like a montage scene in a movie,” Frank Ocean also offers his opinion on politics,

“My generation just doesn’t have the best taste in leadership. And weak leadership means little to no cohesion. If there’s no cohesion, there’s no real chance for effective protest or politics. Obviously, looking at Occupy Wall Street, there are a few in our bunch who still give a damn enough to rally and shout. This will change once I’m elected President.”

Bag ‘N’ Noun 2011 Fall/Winter New Releases

London-based haberdashery The Goodhood Store takes stock of a few select Bag ‘N’ Noun offerings for Fall/Winter 2011. Boasting an expected high degree of Japanese craftmanship, the recent delivery features an array of muted colorways across the label’s Tool Bag, Large Napsac and 60/40 Napsac. Made from premium cotton canvas, the collection is rounded out with leather detailing, polished brass hardware, and riveted joints. Minimal branding sees its way to vintage-inspired labels and embroidery. The entire range is now available in limited supply via The Goodhood Store.

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New York Spring 2012 - Theyskens Theory

Olsen Twin for the Row

The Olsen Twins Keep it Simple Yet Complex for The Row

The Row’s Mary-Kate & Ashley Olsen kept to the primal white palette and took risks with fabric and proportions. From multi-layer dresses-with fringe-hemmed underslips, to tuxedo jackets and loose pants, the twins varied silhouettes to create major interest.

Dec 2011

Amidst the whirlwind of speculation as to who will take over the creative reins at Christian Dior, add Raf Simons’ name to the hat. According to WWD, Dior is apparently in talks to sign the 43-year old Belgian designer. Some of the complexity in the move resides in the fact that Simons is currently on Jil Sander’s payroll including a recent contract renewal. Stay tuned for any more substantiating evidence of this move.

From the big screen to the TV screen, club floor to Grammy stage, the 39-year-old rapper, Common, embodies every bit of what it means to be a Renaissance man. Coming off his first successful publication, a memoir entitled, “One Day It’ll All Make Sense” and the launch of his television acting career with AMCs Hell on Wheels, the critically acclaimed artist recently stepped back into the studio to cook up his latest album, The Dreamer, The Believer, slated for a December 20th release. With plenty to discuss, Common sits down with online lifestyle magazine, Interview, to divulge what makes him so awesomely cool. Touching on topics like his friendship with the late J. Dilla, acting endeavors, and a track on his new album referencing the softer side of hip hop, this brief interview is a must read, no matter what art you prefer from the talented Chicagoan.

TAKE5 T5-003 Original Denim

One of the greatest denim purveyors in Asia, TAKE5 shows progression as they unveil the T5-003 Original Denim. This new style is made from Okayama, Japan and features some contrast stitching similar to many premium classic denim designs. The 16 oz denim reveals a newly designed back pocket detailing, while selvedge edge colors are highly influenced by the iconic Hong Kong “Red White Blue” bags

Sane Communications: ANTHEM Store

Shot by Helmstyle, this nearly four-minute exploration into the ANTHEM ethos is spotlighted by choice interview bits from co-founders Simon and Jeremy. Sensing a need for a place where a person could gather everything from a piece of furniture to a jacket by COMME des GARCONS, it becomes clear why they created the ANTHEM Store. What started out as a dream for both Simon and Jeremy, has very much become a reality for all of those people who enjoy luxury items. 

World’s First Muji Store Reopens as Found MUJI

Since its inception nearly 30 years ago, Japanese retailer MUJI’s first ever store was reborn earlier this week under the name Found MUJI. It was founder Mujirushi Ryohin’s lifelong philosophy of encouraging exploration and discovery, made evident by both the inclusion of the word in its namesake and intriguing line of lifestyle products. Re-imagining product to attain absolute utilitarianism for everyday tasks is MUJI’s cornerstone to success – bringing affordable, design-driven clothing and furnishings to the forefront. Found MUJI’s Japanese flagship location is located in the Aoyama district, which is made notable for its minimalistic use of wood paneling, glass and matte black finish.