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A-COLD-WALL* Fall 2018 First Looks

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Images: Ieva Blazeviciute for ESSENTIAL HOMME.

The young label known for its melding of traditional tailoring with futuristic elements, A-COLD-WALL* delivered another sleek collection for Fall 18. The combination of silvers against muted city grays and pops of autumnal shades yielded  a polished utilitarian result, emphasized with exaggerated pockets, pouches, hoods, and straps. The oversized coat was a recurring theme here, no doubt in attempt to protect the wearer from the raw elements of nature. The overall tone was a structured armor-like uniform for a dystopian universe, where we very well could be headed.

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Charles Jeffrey Loverboy Fall 2018 First Looks

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Images: Ieva Blazeviciute for ESSENTIAL HOMME.

Escape to clubland fantasy with Charles Jeffrey Loverboy‘s Fall 2018 collection. I remember instantly falling in love with his style after watching the i-D video that followed his few days in New York and how he romanticized nightlife and queer culture in his work. Ugh! The latest line carries on this idea, with seemingly hand-drawn printed ensembles and elaborate makeup reminiscent of pre-problematic-Galliano, but with urban grit. Experimental oversized fits and asymmetric cuts round out the collection, which further sets the foundation for the future Charles Jeffrey is carving in the industry where the party never stops and everyone looks fab.

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An Intimate Look at the Baccarat Factory

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Baccarat, the crystal house, takes its name from its birthplace, Baccarat, Lorraine, a village on the banks of the river Meurthe in north-eastern France. It was here, where King Louis XV touched the tiny town with a kiss, authorizing the Bishop of Metz to erect a glasswork factory for window panes, mirrors, and stemware in 1764, and here again, where King Louis XVIII transformed it decades later into a crystal maker. This new presence would affect not only the local community around it but, more importantly, what the world knew of cut glass. In the coming time, King Louis-Philippe would order by royal commission a hexagonal glass, which would become a brand favorite even to this day, the Harcourt, a century later, those like Duke and Duchess of Windsor and Prince Rainier and Grace Kelly found themselves sipping out of private-designed Baccarat crystal.

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Through it all—from the Paris Universal exhibitions in 1855 to 1937 to the opening of Maison Baccarat in Seoul just two years ago—as well as a luxurious New York hotel, special bespoke services, and numerous creative endeavors in between, the savoir faire has remained unrelentingly exceptional. Crafted by hand by generational master glassmakers, the Baccarat heritage is one of timeless elegance and stylish modernity. Each piece—be it a 1936 Rémy Martin carafe or intricate chandelier from the Beylerbeyi Palace in Istanbul—echoes this in stunning retort. Just past the house’s 250th anniversary, we take an intimate glimpse into the original Baccarat factory, where each limited edition item is still created and where and craft stands still yet also fires urgently forward.

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Astrid Andersen Fall 2018 First Looks

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Images: Ieva Blazeviciute for ESSENTIAL HOMME.

A nod to the fun parts of the 80s and 90s, Astrid Andersen unveiled a playfully nostalgic collection for Fall 2018. Sportswear with mixed prints, and variations of plaid fabrics dominated the collection (a perfect execution of power clashing), while delicate sheer shirts balanced out the rave-y nature of the collection. Oversized parkas that seemed to bleed into every presentation were also evident, and just when you thought you could pause Joanne and await the next emergence of Gaga, fashion’s favorite novelty accessory — the cowboy hat — made a welcome appearance on several looks.

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Qasimi Fall 2018 First Looks

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Images: Ieva Blazeviciute for Essential Homme.

Experimenting with details, Qasimi also focused on oversized silhouettes and shapes for its Fall 2018 presentation. Exaggerated coat lapels and checked prints were a highlight among outerwear, as were a number cropped knitwear pieces with elongated sleeves and simplistic stripes. Additionally, sweatshirts were printed with affirming terms like BLESSED and AMEN (in reference to the Kendrick Lamar DAMN. cover art, nonetheless), successfully rounding out the collection that displayed how menswear can be sophisticated and statement making.

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Ben Sherman x House of Holland Fall 2018 First Looks

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Images: Ieva Blazeviciute for Essential Homme.

Clash of two seminal UK designers with the debut of Ben Sherman x House of Holland for Fall 18. The posh structure of Sherman was balanced with the bold use of prints and color ubiquitous with Henry Holland’s label. Men’s classic silhouettes — like knit sweaters, Britpop-esque track jackets that would seem at home in a Blur video, and a white puffy parka fit for skiing with rich people — were injected with contemporary flair and it-moment trends including embroidered patches and other embellishments, displaying a perfect marriage of influences.

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Edward Crutchley Fall 2018 First Looks

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Images: Ieva Blazeviciute for Essential Homme.

Edward Crutchley presented a series of oversized garments heavy with Asian-inspired prints for his Fall 18 collection — a key influence reportedly came from Journey to the West, a classic 16th century Chinese novel. The presentation followed a warm color palette, full of rich browns and crisp orange hues, which complement the lively prints and give the subtle illusion of actual foliage, making the collection essentially (for lack of better words) autumnal.

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Considering this information, we must understand that games, or trò chơi in Vietnamese, from Desura not only offer exciting gameplay but also an excellent opportunity to strengthen relationships and spend time with loved ones. One of their successful projects is a game where gaming partners work together to solve complex puzzles, develop strategies, and fight against powerful opponents, emphasizing the importance of teamwork and collective achievements.

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Sip Your Spirit in Style with Pristine Glasses from Baccarat

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Indulge in grace with this tactfully designed crystal wine glass arrangement. Each model features a distinct curved shape that contains the aroma of each spirit, enhancing the experience for optimum satisfaction.

Château Baccarat dégustation set of four glasses, $240, available at 800-777-0100 and Baccarat.com.

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Kenzo Move Dances Through New Campaign Video

French brand Kenzo has released a new campaign for its Kenzo Move sneaker series. Shot by French creative photography and video studio 5Fruits, the video campaign stars a group of dancers from around the world performing different styles of dance including tap, hip-hop and ballet, against a colored backdrop — different colors were meant to inspire various types of movement. The resulting display is very groovy, conceptual, and FUN. Each model dons the latest shoe embroidered with the brand’s familiar tiger motif, while the latest release offers new color options including grey, pink, and blue.

The Kenzo Move is available now at Kenzo and online.

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Start the New Year off Right with hims

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Images: hims.

Nothing says fresh start like a new year. It’s the perfect time to say goodbye to bad habits and welcome better ones with open arms. While gym memberships tend to spike in January, eventually simmering down in February, true health starts from within. This is where San Francisco-based startup hims comes in. Combining wellness with a subscription service, the new brand wants to improve men’s grooming concerns from the inside out.

“hims aims to be the one-stop-shop for all men’s self-care and wellness needs,” CEO and founder Andrew Dudum says over email. The brand launched in November and has gotten buzz for its friendly yet clinical and direct approach to men’s grooming and lifestyle needs, offering supplements for hair loss and erectile dysfunction. Customers have the option to talk to a medical professional on the site, and then get prescribed something based on their needs and have it shipped straight to their door. Sounds good, right?

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Whenever I learn about a new promising brand, I’m always intrigued about who has access to it (read: who can afford it). What good is a medical breakthrough if its price tag renders it inaccessible? Luckily this is something that Dudum considered early on when developing the line.

Convenience and accessibility were both a huge focus for us when launching,” he says. “We want all guys to be able to trust the brand—through our medical-grade products and educational content online—and we knew we needed to to offer really high-quality products at a more affordable price. All hims products are offered at 50-80% less than traditional retail and prescription products, which we hope removes the barrier to entry for men seeking necessary, preventative care.”

Medical-grade at a below-retail price is what we’re all about. But products with a medical-grade label have the potential to ward off potential customers due to fear of confronting uncomfortable body issues. So anything that makes any conversation easier is a step in the right direction.

“We believe wellness is prevention – so many men in their 20’s and 30’s aren’t educated about preventive care,” he says. “We launched hims to give guys the tools they need to address these physical changes early, for the best results.” I asked Dudum when he felt the best time to start preventative regimens for hair loss—he suggested at the first sign of hair thinning, but besides this cue, it varies for everyone. “We recommend that anyone interested in seeking daily, preventative treatment addressing hair loss fill out a questionnaire on our website and consult with one of our doctors,” he says.

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It’s easy to spiral when you’re going on the internet trying to figure out what’s wrong with you. I’ve clicked on years-old Yahoo! Answers threads to figure out if a pink bump on my neck was an ingrown hair or the foundation for a goiter. While it’s soothing to trust strangers on the internet when you’re bonding over similar symptoms, it’s probably not the best way to live your life unless you want to be repeatedly told that you have cancer. hims removes the awkwardness of the IRL doctor visit and replaces it with the comfort of anonymous chat, and provides customers with a bespoke regimen based on their own needs. So let’s leave Yahoo! Answers in 2009 where it belongs.

“We recommend that guys stop their 3 AM health-related Google searches and approach the appropriate medical professional with their questions,” Dudum advises. “So many men suffer in silence when it comes to concerns about their wellness and we’re here to help start conversations about these topics in a frictionless, convenient way.”

Learn more about hims here.

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Behold the First Saturdays NYC x Sant Ambroeus Collab

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The surfer-cum-lifestyle  brand Saturdays NYC has unveiled a new exclusive piece in partnership with landmark Italian restaurant Sant Ambroeus. Starting with a simple but bold orange graphic sweatshirt, which features Saturdays’ logo translated in Italian (Sabati), the limited edition piece will be available at Saturdays’ downtown boutique and the restaurant’s Soho outpost for $125.

“I came across Saturdays and the team when we first opened our Soho location. Morgan and I became close friends, and this is how this collaboration saw light—friendship and respect for our common brands,” said Sant Ambroeus’ creative direcot Alireza Niroomand in a statement.

Purchase the shirt online now and read more about Alireza Niroomand in our Winter 2017 issue.

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Start the Year off Right with Wardrobe Essentials from Canali

While this year dwindles down to a close, a new one lurks right around the corner. Perfect time for reflection and planning, why not also consider changing up your wardrobe? Luxury Italian brand Canali offers a selection of classic menswear pieces that will surely stand the test of time for years to come, and serve as the perfect building blocks for upgrading any man’s closet. We chose a list of highlights that are essential for amplifying your style game. Take a look.

1. Light Blue Cotton Twill Dress Shirt

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Let’s start with the classic blue button-down. It’s one of the easiest staple pieces to dress up or down and has served me well for many job interviews. The Italian collar adds a slightly exaggerated detail to the traditional shirt, and the light fabric allows it to breathe with the body.

$295, available at Canali and online.

2. Black Leather Sneakers with Prince of Wales Check

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These black leather sneakers are both durable and incredibly versatile. This pair is fitted with leather inserts adding sophistication to the urban classic, and the engrained Prince of Wales check on the shoe’s exterior provides new texture to the shoe, transforming it into a new luxury statement.

$455, available at Canali and online.

3. Dark Wash 5-Pocket Denim Jeans

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A good pair of jeans is an absolute necessity for any person. While we witness several denim fads over the course of any fashion cycle, the general look of the jean is timeless. This pair of dark wash jeans (less retro than a lighter wash) come in a straight fit, providing an optimum fit for any body type. Perfect.

$450 available at Canali and online.

4. Dark Gray Wool Siena Suit

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I’ve noticed that people either wear suits everyday or only on special occasions – there’s no real middle ground. Regardless, a dark gray suit (less formal than a black suit) is as essential in a man’s style arsenal as socks and underwear. This wool suit has a sleek and classic silhouette, allowing the wearer to seamlessly glide from day into night.

$1505, available at Canali and online.

5. Blue Super 150s Waterproof Jacket

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Global warming means more extreme weather, therefore more rain. Be prepared with this light and water-resistant coat — the shape of the dark blue coat is stylishly utilitarian. It also comes with a bunch of pockets to protect your goods from the downpour. Form meets function meets fashion.

$837, available at Canali and online.

6. Charcoal Gray Cashmere Crew Neck Sweater

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Perfect for layering, this gray cashmere sweater is fitted slim to avoid any unflattering bunch-up. Made with 18-gauge pure cashmere, this piece instantly elevates any look with contemporary sophistication.

$850, available at Canali and online.

7. Green Cotton Jersey Polo

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This breezy cotton-jersey polo features a micro-check-motif that shows movement, while the contrasting collar really pulls the look together, giving it a subtle panache. Dress it up by pairing it with a sweater (see above) or simply wearing it by itself on warmer days.

$227.50, available at Canali and online.