Author Archives: Sam Del Rowe

Kanye

A.P.C. x Kanye FW14: You Might As Well Get in Line Now

Kanye

Image: A.P.C.

There are roughly two finger-biting and emotionally exhausting weeks until Kanye West’s second collection for A.P.C. hits sales floors on Thursday, July 17, or what the world will soon come to recognize as Kanye Dependence Day. Last year’s release from the French brand and superstar rapper sold out immediately, and with the amount of anticipation surrounding this one, we’re sure it’ll fly out just as fast.

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Image: A.P.C.

The new A.P.C. x Kanye collection features a range of pieces inspired by the producer-turned-rapper-turned-designer’s personal style, including outerwear, sweaters, t-shirts, and pants. Many of which, such as the green parka and navy bomber jacket, feature faux fur linings, emulating West’s fondness for luxurious material and the “Good Life.” Also of interest is a pair of navy biker-influenced pants. They aren’t Balmain, but they do feature zip pockets and are made of faux suede.

 

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Image: A.P.C.

However, the collection’s most successful items may be its simplest. West often utilizes face coverings in his live performances, and though it isn’t as theatrical as his famed jeweled piece from Maison Martin Margiela, this new wool mask (above) is certainly more functional for the street. A controversy of the collaboration’s previous season, West’s plain white “Hip Hop T-shirt” became infamous last year for selling out despite a $120 price tag. Now another plain white tee will undoubtedly repeat that success—as will its camo counterpart—so ready your credit card if you just need Kanye’s name on your neckline. We know we kind of do.

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Image: A.P.C.

The A.P.C. x Kanye collection will be available in A.P.C. stores and online starting July 17, 2014.

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Prada Opens New Store in Turin, Italy

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Image: Prada. 

Hot off the legendary Italian fashion house’s Spring/Summer 2014 men’s runway showPrada has opened its first store in Turin, Italy. The new two-floor space is housed in a historic palace on the corner of the city’s Piazza San Carlo and Via Lagrange, and offers both men’s and women’s ready-to-wear collections, leather goods, accessories, and shoes. With a central black marble staircase, black and white-checkered marble floors, and green fabric-clad walls, the design of the store utilizes the success of the existing and historical architecture to present the storied brand’s luxurious aesthetic.

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Image: Prada. 

Particularly stunning are the seating options throughout the new location, with lounges featuring leather couches facing the product displays. Details such as these make for an engrossing shopping experience, and exhibit the success of architect Roberto Baciocchi’s use of the historic space to present the iconic brand’s image.

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Image: Prada. 

YSL

12 Billfolds to Boost Up Your Pockets This Summer

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It’s summer, which means now that we’re all wearing less clothes, accessories matter even more. One such accessory—often overlooked despite retaining access to all of our financial holdings—is the wallet. You know, that debris-filled brown ball taking up space in the back pocket of your jeans for the past ten years. Even though you may think you can’t part with that fading, hand-me-down excucse of a billfold, the truth is you’re more than overdue for an upgrade. So check out our list below, and the next time you’re out on a date (or just at the bar with your buddies), you will know that even if they don’t notice your wallet, at least it impresses you.

1. SAINT LAURENT – East/West Wallet

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Image: Saint Laurent.

This single-fold offering from Saint Laurent features textured black leather and interior slots for all your credit cards and IDs. Sleek and understated, this wallet complements both formal and casual ensembles.

East/West Wallet in Black, $385, Saint Laurent. Available for purchase online at YSL.com.

2. OPENING CEREMONY – Glitter Bi-Fold Wallet

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Image: Opening Ceremony.

Seeking some subtle flair? Opening Ceremony’s “glitter” wallet features sparkle without being garish. Might as well show some personality while keeping your essentials safe.

Glitter Bi-Fold Wallet, $26, OPENING CEREMONY. Available for purchase online at OpeningCeremony.com.

3. BALENCIAGA – Square Coin Wallet

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Image: Balenciaga.

Always wondering where to put your change? Especially those pesky pennies? Balenciaga offers an answer in this sophisticated yet functional piece. Featuring a coin pocket as well as card compartments, this beautiful lambskin wallet can hold all your essentials.

Square Coin Wallet in Black, $265, BALENCIAGA. Available for purchase online at Balenciaga.com.

4. MIANSAI – Gray/Blue Bill Fold

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Image: Miansai.

Made in the USA from full grain Italian leather, this wallet adds just the right amount of color without being distracting. The gray exterior has a greenish hint to it and the blue interior provides a subtle pop. Sure to brighten your day, even when if you’re the one paying the bill.

Gray/Blue Bill Fold, $155, MIANSAI. Available for purchase online at Miansai.com.

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Watch

Parmigiani Fleurier and Luisa Via Roma Celebrate New Partnership with Exclusive Collaboration

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One for the ages: luxury Swiss watchmakers Parmigiani Fleurier and legendary Italian boutique Luisa Via Roma celebrate a new partnership with an exclusive collaboration. Started in 1996 and headquartered in Fleurier, Switzerland, Parmigiani Fleurier produces hand-crafted watches in limited numbers. High-end retailer Luisa Via Roma has roots even further back (approx. 1930), and has evolved from brick-and-mortar to one of today’s hottest online stores. To celebrate Parmigiani Fleurier becoming the primary watchmaking partner for LVR, the brand has reinterpreted its Tonda Métro collection in a special edition, reflecting the exclusive luxury of the Florentine retailer. Two pairs of watches feature chevron braiding to produce a pattern of Luisa Via Roma’s triangle emblem, and the men’s is specially dressed in deep tones of dark blue and black. With such expertise behind these pieces, would you expect anything less than the best in quality and aesthetics?

Priced at a whopping $16,496, Tonda Métro for Luisa Via Roma watch is now available for purchase online.

Image courtesy of Parmigiani Fleurier.

Hanon Shoe

Fred Perry Reissues 1934 Blank Canvas Style in 5 New Lives

Hanon Shoe

Image: Fred Perry.

Wimbledon 2014 marks the 80th anniversary of tennis champion Fred Perry’s first title win. In celebration, the British legend’s namesake brand has partnered with five global independent brands to produce brand new versions of the iconic 1934 Fred Perry archive shoe. Founded in the late 1940’s, Fred Perry’s Laurel Wreath logo and pique shirts have since become a symbol of well-made athletic-inspired clothing, and the brand has collaborated with everyone from Raf Simons to Amy Winehouse. For the new collection Oi Polloi, Foot Patrol, HanonFirmament, and Bodega were invited to rework the classic shoe in a different image, exploring the contemporary design of each’s aesthetic,  but still retaining Fred Perry’s ethos (and logo) at heart.

1. Fred Perry x Oi Polloi

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Image: Fred Perry.

$110, Clean and understated. Cream colored upper and logo with white laces and subtle white stripe detailing.

2. Fred Perry x Foot Patrol

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Image: Fred Perry.

$145, Classic subtlety. Black upper with dark grey logo and tongue, white outsoles.

3. Fred Perry x Hanon

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Image: Fred Perry.

$160, If you’re feeling bold. Textured yellow upper and logo contrast with the white outsole and eyelets.

4. Fred Perry x Firmament

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Image: Fred Perry.

$135, Just a pop of color. Gray upper with green logo and heel, white outsoles.

5.  Fred Perry x Bodega

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Image: Fred Perry.

$145, For the classy dresser. Brown upper with red logo and black outsoles.

The Fred Perry Blank Canvas Reissue 1934 Footwear Collection is available now online. Fortunately, you don’t need to be a tennis star to sport these.

Fendi Beats Headphones SS15

Fendi x Beats by Dre Designer Headphones Coming Soon

Fendi Beats Headphones SS15

Unless you’ve spent the last five years living off the grid, you’ve definitely seen a pair of Beats by Dre headphones. Formally established in 2008, Beats Electronics headphones (and earbuds) have become ubiquitous fashion accessories, in part from their street-cred backed name, but mostly because of the unmistakable red and black colorway and “b” logo. Now, hot on the heels of the announcement of an Apple acquisition, Beats has teamed up with Fendi for a special headphones collection. Having already worked with Alexander Wang last year, the company is no stranger to designer collaborations and this new roll out is sure to be hot.

The Fendi x Beats by Dre headphones are hand stitched and created in the Italian house’s signature Selleria leather. The series will be available in a wide range of colors including sunflower yellow, fire red, emerald green, blackboard, and asphalt, and all of which will bear the mark of Fendi Roma’s logo heat embossed at the top of each band. Previewed on Fendi’s Spring/Summer 2015 men’s catwalk, the complete collection of headphones will be available for purchase at the end of this year. In the meantime, start preparing your ears and saving your pennies!

Image courtesy of Beats by Dre.

Vanstn

Vans x Ace Hotel Re-Imagines the Era Classic for Lucky No. 59

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Image: Ace Hotel.

Some shoe models just never go out of style. Vans’ signature Era—you know, the one you’ve been wearing year after year since middle school—is one such trend. Born out of Southern California, Vans’ history is steeped in skate culture, and in its 50 year lifetime the Era has become one of the brand’s most iconic offerings. But like most breakthrough products, the shoe has also grown to transcend its alternative roots, evolving to grace the feet of teenage hipsters and hip-hop stars alike (here’s Kanye in all-white Eras). Now, a new collaboration between Vans and Ace Hotel delivers a dressier (yes, dressier) version of the Era silhouette.

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Image: Ace Hotel.

Spearheaded by the international hotel group’s creative head, Atelier Ace, the cooler-than-cool collaboration naturally finds a home at Ace’s SoCal outpost. Outfitted on the hip downtown staff at the Ace Hotel Downtown LA, the new all-black-everything version of Era #59 features a leather and canvas upper, rubber outsoles, and brass eyelets. Sleek and subtle, the new model exhibits all the qualities of a “dress sneaker,” making it suitable for a range of outfits.

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Image: Ace Hotel.

Starting this Sunday, June 22, 2014 the Vans x Ace Hotel Era 59 will be available in limited quantities at Ace Hotel Downtown LA, and will subsequently launch online on the 23rd.

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The Hundreds x Richer Poorer for the Subtle Hypebeast

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Image: Richer Poorer.

Today, streetwear juggernauts The Hundreds launched a new collection with fellow Californians Richer Poorer, a collab sure to please the hypebeast in every man. Founded in Los Angeles in 2003, The Hundreds is a lifestyle brand that produces hip-hop influenced, distinctively SoCal men’s apparel. The new collection features four limited-edition products: black boxer briefs featuring The Hundreds’ recognizable “bomb” logo in a polka-dot print, as well as matching socks in black, yellow, and heather gray colorways. The socks aesthetically resemble Huf’s ubiquitous “plantlife” pairs, yet complement Richer Poorer’s vintage image. Equally at home with a pair of Vans or Timberlands, the collaboration effortlessly combines skateboarding style with rugged appeal. Plus, how often do you find underwear so dyn-o-mite?

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Image: Richer Poorer.
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Image: Richer Poorer.

The The Hundreds x Richer Poorer collection is available for purchase online.

JPG bag

Fund AIDS Research with Jean Paul Gaultier’s Tote for amfAR

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Image: amfAR.

Looking for that perfect light-weight bag for the beach this summer? Jean Paul Gaultier has designed a special-edition canvas tote bag for amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research. Available now for a limited time at Bloomingdale’s, the bag helps raise awareness for HIV/AIDS and  funds steps to find a cure the disease. How? 100% of the purchase price goes toward funding research for the organization. In an era where seemingly every purchase is benefiting a cause, it is important to note that the entirety of this bag’s purchase price goes towards an esteemed nonprofit such as amfAR.

The tote features blue nautical stripes, a red handle, and the designer’s signature, as well as interior pockets—perfect for keys or a cell phone. A canvas construction ensures the bag will not be heavy, and the pops of blue and red on a white background invoke a leisurely summer day. At only $35—and with proceeds going to a respected organization and essential cause—this bag is an ideal summer accessory (and perfect companion for your next cruise!).

The Jean Paul Gaultier x amfAR tote is now available at Bloomingdale’s locations and will be available online at the amfAR webstore later this summer.

NLTN

NikeLab Reopens Refurbished and Refreshed in Downtown NYC

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Image: Nike.

Fashionistas and sneakerheads rejoice! Nike has returned to its 21 Mercer Street location in New York City as NikeLab, a new retail landscape that also launched online and in other major cities around the globe. As the trend of matching sneakers with designer-pieces continues, Nike’s SoHo resurgence secures the activewear brand’s position as a force on the street as well as in high-end fashion. We’re not complaining. The re-opening also marks the release of Nike’s Free Mercurial Superfly HTM, part of the brand’s ongoing collaboration with designer Hiroshi Fujiwara. The shoe has been released exclusively at physical NikeLab locations and the online portal, though it has already sold out on the latter…because with a name and look like that, how could it have not?

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Image: Nike.

The inside of the newly designed 21 Mercer store features a futuristic aesthetic, with shoes perched atop illuminated pads and shelves. The overall design integrates lighting effectively, bathing the coveted kicks in white and red auras. The Free Murcurial Superfly HTMs—there has to be a shorter name for this shoe already—sit atop glowing red pads, a pleasing display that evokes Nike’s status as a boiler plate for both utility and design. The store also features abstract, minimalist artwork, making it as much a gallery as a shopping destination. When sneakerheads line up for exclusive releases, the location will reflect the rarity of each pair of coveted kicks inside.

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Image: Nike.

The store, of course, carries lines of apparel, but the offering is mostly made up of Nike’s collaboration with SOPH founder Hirofumi Kiyonaga. Inspired by Kiyonaga’s fictional soccer club, Football Club Real Bristol, these pieces offer a streetwear influence on athletic apparel. Pieces show various interpretations of camo pattern, which somehow suits the athletic-influenced gear. However, it is clear that the focus of NikeLab is the limited-edition shoes awaiting cooly inside, and we’re glad to see the brand reaffirming its status.

NikeLab is open now at 21 Mercer Street, New York, NY 10012.

Beckham for Belstaff

Beckham x Belstaff Arrives with a Rugged Aesthetic, Refined Details

Beckham for Belstaff

Great news for Anglophiles—British luxury lifestyle brand Belstaff just launched a new capsule collection in collaboration with fellow English icon David Beckham. The soccer star was recently announced as the face of fashion house’s 2014 global advertising campaign, along with news of the opening of the company’s London flagship store on New Bond Street.

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The new collaboration offers t-shirts, jackets, and boots in muted grays and browns, with an air of ruggedness that reflects Beckham’s cool-dad style. In particular, the casual-but-sophistcated leather pieces exhibit this style, utilizing elements of the classic motorcycle jacket and updating them for a paired-down, modern look. The jackets also feature textured shoulder pads, adding masculine detail while maintaining a slim silhouette. It is in these specific, English-made details such as these that the collection succeeds, adding just a touch of toughness to otherwise sleek designs.

Beckham x Belstaff also features distressed detailing, particularly on its trousers and boots. However, the effect is far from gaudy or distracting—a usual overeager casualty found in this trend. The dark gray Harpton Trouser shows off this technique on its leg and thigh areas, exhibiting the collection’s rugged aesthetic without detracting from the slim shape of the pants. Similarly, the brown leather Norley Boot (shown above) features distressing in the ankle and toe areas, appearing worn-in and comfortable. Like the jackets, both pieces utilize zippers, with the trousers featuring zippered pockets, and the boots zippered heals. These details combine style with functionality, making the pieces especially suitable for men who travel often or otherwise spend significant time performing physical activities.

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The Marshfield Jacket (shown left) is another particular feat of the collection. Featuring a button front, four large pockets, and a belted waist and collar, the jacket is a refined blend of utility and style. As with the collection’s leather jackets, the Marshfield features a slim silhouette, accentuated further by its belted waist. Both the waist belt and the smaller collar belt feature matte, gold-tone buckles, providing a pop of color without straying from the character of the collaboration. The Marshfield is particularly successful in blending utility and style, with large pockets suitable for everyday essentials. Paired with the right boots, the Marshfield can straddle the line between toughness and refinedness.

Belstaff is a heritage brand that seeks to appeal to the “fearless explorer and the fashion enthusiast alike,” and with its latest collaboration, The Beckham x Belstaff collection perfectly embodies this adventure.

The Beckham x Belstaff collection is now available online.

 

 

Images: Belstaff.