Hey man, Valentine’s Day is coming next week, and we don’t know how else to say this, but it’s time to update your underwear. No, we’re not talking about a new pack of Hanes or anything of the fruit variety, and better yet, let’s just ignore anything that comes in three, we mean the real deal. No matter how you plan to celebrate, use our guide below to pick out the perfect intimate for an evening of romance or anti-romance with your cat—hey we don’t judge!—either way, just keep it sexy.
aussieBum The Cup ($15.34): No straps, no back, no problem...? Coming at you from The Down Under, aussieBum presents an adventurous jockstrap to cover (or rather: not to cover) your own down under. Available for purchase at select aussieBum retailers and online at aussieBum.com.
Bread & Boxers Boxer Briefs ($18): If you're one for a nice, clean look, these sag-free slim boxer briefs from Swedish brand Bread & Boxers are just for you. Minimal in design (choose from white on white, black on black, or a world of grey), they fit close to the body should you want to wear those tight jeans you've been thinking about. Available for purchase online at BreadAndBoxers.com.
UNDER Parker Boxer Brief ($60): With a name referencing one of Steely Dan's most memorable hits, "Parker’s Band," these cotton briefs are outfitted with a contrasting woven chambray waistband and fly for a distinct form. Or maybe just an excuse for their eyes to wander. Available for purchase at select Barney's New York locations.
Calvin Klein Low Rise Flex Briefs ($24): Nothing comes between you and your Calvins, but with these sexy, low rise bold briefs, we can't promise you'll be able to keep them on for very long. Available for purchase at select Calvin Klein retailers and online at CalvinKlein.com.
Versace Short Briefs ($45): Your love might not cost a thing, but they don't have to know that. Enjoy the Feast of Saint Valentine in these luxe grey and gold-accented briefs with a high crotch. Available for purchase at select Versace retailers and online at FarFetch.com.
Tommy Hilfiger Solid Brief ($25): So maybe you don't have a significant other, that's no problem! You can still share your love this Valentine's Day for the good ole USA, in these very patriotic color blocked brief with a snug waistband. Available for purchase at select Tommy Hilfiger retailers and online at Tommy.com.
Richer Poorer Visionary Boxer Brief ($24): Mostly cotton—but with a touch of spandex for added fit—these black and white boxer briefs add a playful surprise to the dance of th undressing, because why should prints stop at just our street clothes? Available for purchase online at Richer-Poorer.com.
Diesel UMBX-SEBASTIAN ($28): Because nothing says "Happy Valentine's Day" more than a blood-red, skin-tight pair of d's. Available for purchase at select Diesel retailers and online at Diesel.com.
stonemen. Trunk Forest ($39.99): You grew up being told to always stay out of the woods, but for some reason we think these are safe. Made out of cotton with a touch of spandex, these low-rise trunks feature a print of South Australian forest, just after being burned in a massive fire, by photographer Marc Debnam. Hot. Available for purchase online at Stonemen.com.
adidas Climacool Boxer Briefs ($20): Forget dinner and a movie, we're all about the future with these bold graphic micro mesh briefs, made with smart technology for breathing room. You know, if the 'future' gets too hot and heavy. Available for purchase at select adidas retailers and online at adidas.com.
Header images courtesy of Calvin Klein; product images courtesy of their respective brands.
Got big weekend plans? Well, we do! It’s Milan Fashion Week and we’re bringing classic fashion-Italia style to you. Directly from Milan, live stream the Calvin Klein Collection Autumn/Winter 2014 men’s runway show right here at Essential Homme. The live stream will begin below on Sunday, January 12th at 2:00 PM CET (Milan) / 8:00 AM EST (New York), until then feel free to stare at the beautiful show preview below.
Sunday, after the live streaming event, the show will be viewable on this page for 24 hours, and then after, in case you miss it, the runway show will be viewable at CalvinKlein.com.
Introducing the ten most-desired items that you must have this season:
High Tech Tops - CALVIN KLEIN COLLECTION Black & white mesh high-top sneaker, $430, CALVIN KLEIN COLLECTION. Available at 654 Madison Avenue, NYC, 212-292-9027.
Calvin Klein Collection’s new sneaker takes material advancement to new heights, featuring only the most advanced materials in their high tops. And “high” in this case is literal, because the shoes stretch up past the ankles, providing the true ankle and arch a runner needs most. Covered in potent black and white mesh, it’s another great example of Calvin Klein Collection’s stark, modern aesthetic. You’ll want to run and get them, then you’ll want to run in them.
Mad for Plaid - ETRO Tweed plaid bomber jacket, $2,116, cashmere v-neck sweater, $442, ETRO. Etro.com. Loose fit pant with tapered cropped leg, $475, ALEXANDER WANG. Alexanderwang.com.
Fall is an ideal time for jackets. It’s also an ideal time for plaids. And it’s especially a good time for tweed. Fortunately, Etro’s new plaid tweed bomber jacket combines all three into a powerful statement piece. The shape is loose and comfy—perfect for slipping on during a crisp, cool morning in October. But the mighty tweed in its burnt beige plaid will have you standing out more commandingly than any leather bomber would.
In the Bag - BRUNO MAGLI Anselmo metallic Saffiano print Boston bag, price upon request, BRUNO MAGLI. Available at Bruno Magli Special Services, 800-624-5430.
Remember Bruno Magli? That purveyor of banker’s shoes in the 1980s? They’ve undergone a renaissance of late. Led by new creative director Max Kibardin, they’ve gone decidedly more fashion forward, using bold designs and rich materials to generate an entirely new, and totally great, luxury aesthetic. One of the first fruits of their new labors is this bag, made of brilliant midnight blue leather and structured to keep your stuff safe on a long weekend.
Space Race - DAVID YURMAN Exotic stone cross, meteorite, $865, 8.5mm meteorite streamline band ring, sterling silver, $850, 7.5mm meteorite knife edge band ring, 18k gold, $2,800, faceted cushion meteorite ring, 18k gold, $6,800, DAVID YURMAN. Available at 712 Madison Avenue, NYC, 212-752-4255.
If you wear jewelry, you’ve probably worn gold, silver, brass, maybe even platinum or rose gold. But have you ever worn a meteorite? If not, David Yurman aims to change that with his new and very aptly titled Meteorite Collection. As the name unsubtly suggests, the star of each piece is the sculpted meteorite fragment it contains, collected from Namibia’s four billion-year-old Gibeon Meteorite. In a ring, in a cross, in a tag, its crystal-infused surface will give your look an out of this world enhancement.
Top Specs - PRADA Eyewear, price upon request, kid mohair jacket, $1,645, shetland wool knit, $480, PRADA. Prada.com.
Remember when glasses were just for nerds? We don’t, either; they’ve been cool and chic since the days of Buddy Holly. Take the next step in your eyewear style with Prada’s powerful new frames. An exploded, outrageous take on the classic NHS style, these chunky glasses would be standouts even if they weren’t colored that strong shade of amber. Consider them the crown jewels of your collection, and wear them accordingly, pairing them with the rich hues of the season.
Buckle Up - FRATELLI ROSSETTI Fratelli Rossetti, $960, FRATELLI ROSSETTI. Available at 625 Madison Avenue NYC, 212-888-5107.
First there were single monkstraps. Then there were double monkstraps, and menswear rejoiced. And on the third day, Fratelli Rossetti said, “Let there be a monkstrap boot,” and there was a monkstrap boot, and menswear saw that it was very good. With a rich, warm burgundy hue, accented sharply by the silver color of its brass buckles, Rossetti’s new boot is sure to please even those who don’t go mad for monkstraps. Think of them as shoes with built-in jewelry.
Riding Wild - TIM COPPENS Twist jacket, price upon request, TIM COPPENS. Available at Barneys New York, NYC.
New menswear designer Tim Coppens is one of the hottest names in fashion, and with pieces like this jacket, it’s not hard to see why. The traditional silhouette of a bomber has been updated in 100% nylon, creating a crinkled gray shock of color that’s been stuffed into a classic shape. Another nod toward tradition can be found in the jacket’s black fur collar, and modernity beckons with the heavy use of zippers on the body and sleeves.
Speed Style - CARRERA From the top: Carrera 16/S, $145, Carrera Speedway, $120, Carrera 80/S, $179. Available at Solstice Sunglasses and SolsticeSunglasses.com.
Perhaps you’ve heard of the movie Rush? Ron Howard’s true-life tale about Formula 1 racing in the 1970s is a story of fast cars and a brutal rivalry between legendary racers Niki Lauda and James Hunt. For the film, Carrera supplied CA 80/S style worn by Daniel Brühl, who plays Lauda, and Speedway/S worn by Chris Hemsworth, who plays Hunt, along with CA16/S worn by Alexandra Maria Lara, who plays Lauda’s wife Marlene. Each pair will conjure the swagger and bravado of F1’s golden era.
Warm and Rich - RAG & BONE Bonded cable knit sweater, $595 , RAG & BONE. Rag-Bone.com.
Leather, as always, is good for fall. It’s most commonly used in jackets, but there’s no reason those should be its exclusive provenance. Take this sweater from Rag & Bone: much of it is Merino wool, true, but the body—the part that will keep your torso warm—is rich, buttery soft cowhide cast to mirror the cable knit of a more traditional sweater. And of course it will look as good as it feels, packing all the statement of a leather jacket into the freedom and ease of a sweater.
A Rosy Complexion - NIXON The 51-30 Chrono in Rose Gold, $500, NIXON. Nixon.com
The cool cats at Nixon make some pretty nice watches, don’t they? And their Chronograph line is the best of the best, featuring Japanese-made movements, a second sub-dial, and rock-solid construction. The 51-30 Chrono is great to look at on top of its quality, with its bold etched numbers and its heavy, masculine shape. So what could make a watch of this caliber even better? How about rose gold? The gentleman’s gold is now an option for this mighty timepiece, lending it that much more elegance.
Images photographed by A.P. Kim; styled by Terry Lu; Andre Bona at Request models; grooming by Konstanze Zeller at ArtMix Beauty using Oribe; photo assisted by Fabio Enes; fashion assisted by Adelaide Caillet.
Calvin Klein rose from a young, immigrant’s son in the Bronx of New York to a household name and a legacy in American fashion. In honor of the designer’s birthday today (Happy 71, Mr. Klein!) we pay homage to his long lasting and slightly-controversial career with our ten most favorite and iconic photos from the man who changed runway and retail, for better or worse:
1. Vogue-Featured B&W Bachelor
For its 1975 November issue, American Vogue highlighted the designer's then newly-finished apartment on New York's Upper East Side. His first marriage had ended a year earlier, and in response, Klein enlisted famous contemporary designer Joseph D’Urso to create a black and white industrious bachelor bad for his new, stylishly-single life.
Image courtesy of Cristopher Worthland.
2. Master of Denim
Although he technically founded cK Calvin Klein Jeans (arguably the first collection of American designer denim) in 1976, it wasn't until 1977—when Klein modified the fit to accentuate both the crotch and buttocks—that his jeans became a must-have fashion item. Here is the designer photographed above with supermodel Janice Dickinson in Vogue Paris of the same year.
Image courtesy of Devorah MacDonald.
3. Supermodel Support
At just 14-years-old Brooke Shields appeared in 1980 in a now-iconic photo campaign and television ad shot by photographer Richard Avedon. In the latter Shields so cooly says, "You want to know what comes between me and my Calvins? Nothing."
Image courtesy of Calvin Klein.
4. After The Jean, The Underwear
In 1982 US Olympic pole-vaulter Tom Hintanus starred in the campaign for Klein's first underwear collection for men shot by Bruce Weber. The success of both the brand and the image is still widely acknowledged to this day, with the latter having been named one of American Photographer Magazine's “10 Pictures That Changed America.”
Image courtesy of Calvin Klein.
5. Mark and Moss
At the height of the 90's AIDS epidemic, reign of the supermodel, and rule of the jean, Kate Moss starred with Mark Wahlberg—then, still just Marky Mark—in a controversial Calvin Klein campaign titled, “The best protection against AIDS is to keep your Calvins on" shot by Herb Ritts.
Image courtesy of Fashion Journal.
6. One For All
After finding success with his first two scents, Obsession in 1985 and Eternity in 1988, in 1994 Klein releasef cK One, a citrus aromatic fragrance for both women and men.
Image courtesy of Calvin Klein.
7. Body, Body, Body
In 2001, Australian model and actor Travis Fimmel became the first male in the world to secure a six-figure deal to model exclusively for Calvin Klein for a year. During this time, famed photographed Steven Klein shot Fimmel for a campaign for Calvin Klein body.
8. Buy For Now
Phillips-Van Heusen, the world's largest shirt company and owner of American brands such as Tommy Hilfiger and Izod, purchased Calvin Klein from its founder in 2003, ending Klein's footprint on the American fashion house for at least the time being.
Image courtesy of WWD.
9. Still Keeping Face
Although nominally out of the game, Klein still remained active in both fashion and social circles. Above he is pictured in 2008 with John Demsey, Donna Karan, Anna Wintour and Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg at a gala for New York-based charity God's Love We delivery.
Image courtesy of WWD.
10. Work Or Play?
In 2010, Klein became romantically linked to model and adult film star Nick Gruber, although the exact details of their relationship has been highly contested in the media by Gruber earlier this year.
Tides of sporty, urban athleticism and streamlined, yet comfortable, silhouettes make up the new sophisticated Spring/Summer 2014 White Label collection from Calvin Klein. Yesterday we were lucky enough to attend their new presentation which featured CK signature models over white chain link fences against a projected blue sky wall. See our favorite selections below:
Images by Billy Farrell/BFAnyc.com and courtesy of Calvin Klein.
To help celebrate Drake’s birthday last night, the singer performed his “Would You Like A Tour” tour at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario with a bevy of new looks. And not just any looks, obviously — this is Grammy-Award winner Drake we’re talking about, not Milli Vanilli — Custom Calvin Klein Collection looks. When the music is thisdamngood, the look should go as follows. Throughout the remainder of the tour, Drake will wear an assortment of CKC looks, designed by Men’s Creative Director Italo Zucchelli. “I love Drake – he is very talented and I like his effortless attitude in terms of his style and music. It’s a perfect fit for me to work with him and I am very excited for him to wear my designs for his tour.
This is not Mr. Zucchelli’s first time at the styling-famous-folks rodeo, he has a long history of dressing top musicians, including Kanye, Jay-Z, Usher, Justin Timberlake, Ne-Yo, John Legend, Joe Jonas, Jared Leto, Tinie Tempah, Kid Cudi and Miguel. Add to that list: DRAKE.
You would not expect the man responsible for painting the world dramatic with his playful and glamorizingly sexual creations—such as Madonna’s cone-shaped corset made famous in her 1990 Blonde Ambition Tour or Milla Jovovich’s body-hugging “ace-bandage” body suit in The Fifth Element—to be anything less than loud. But when the 61-year-old couturier took the stage last night at New York’s Brooklyn Museum for the opening reception of his new retrospective The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk, it was his modesty that was noticeably second to his genius.
With his most recent muse, Coco Rocha, pressed firmly to his side, Gaultier said “I feel at home in Brooklyn,” telling that as a child he grew up in a suburb next to Paris, commuting back and forth between metropolitan and tranquility. “Brooklyn is not a suburb,” he said, “but it’s the same feeling.” And perhaps it was this intimately candid image of the larger-than-life designer in his childhood home, or maybe it was the crowd itself—packed full of life-long Gaultier supporters such as Bill Cunningham, Karli Kloss, Farida Khelfa, Fern Mallis, Amanda Lepore, Calvin Klein, Stefano Tonchi—roaring back with appreciation that encouraged a very authentic moment of fashion history. Traveling up the elevator to exhibit on the fifth floor of the museum this was impossible to overlook.
Like any retrospective, From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk begins with a timeline of the designer’s life: his birth in Arcueil, early assistant work at Pierre Cardin, Jacques Esterel, Jean Patou and then Pierre Cardin again, creation of his own fashion house and respective prêt-à-porter, menswear, and haute couture labels, creative direction at Hermès and the fabulous movie stars (Catherine Deneuve, Marion Cotillard, Victoria Abril), pop stars (Grace Jones, Davie Bowie, Beyoncé), and artists (Andy Warhol, David LaChappelle, Cindy Sherman) in between. Afterwards, in true excess, the exhibit spans out into several thematic sections, chronicling the complexities and theatrical style motifs in Gaultier’s body of work in a lavish 130-piece seven-course-meal. First is The Odyssey, a religiously sexualized array of dangerous mermaids, virgins, and sailors; moving into The Boudoir, a plush, tufted-wall room that strips away all aspects of the costume and showcases Gaultier’s famous eroticism; next is Muses a saloon that pays homage to the designer’s most famous inspirations with an Andrej Pejic mannequin wearing a hip-py Amy Winehouse Tribute S/S ’12 embroidered dress; to a graffiti tagged warehouse-style loft that houses Punk Cancan; to Skin Deep, a sultry red light district display of nudity and existential thought; to Metropolis’ house of mirrors and its cinematic looks; and finally Urban Jungle, a multiethnic—Bedouin, orthodox Jewish, Chinese, Flamenco, Russian, Bollywood, Nordic—assortment of combat-like fashions over the New York skyline.
Though clearly educational—the show is the most comprehensive look at Gaultier’s iconic work today—the most exciting aspect of the retrospective is its use of technology as means for experiential display. Inside the galleries, 32 of the mannequins come to life with interactive faces and speaking voices through the use of high-definition audiovisual projections and custom-made mannequins. A dozen celebrities, including Gaultier himself, model Ève Salvail, and bass player Melissa Auf der Maur, have lent their faces and voices to this project, allowing museum visitors to interact with these pieces as if they were speaking to the models straight off the runway. This breaks the sense of detachment that is often felt in most costume exhibitions (even in Gaultier’s earlier exhibit at The Metropolitan Museum Art) and retail environments, allowing us to experience the fashions on a more human level.
In an interview with Jeanne Beker, Gaultier once confessed, “making clothes is my way of communicating,” because he was always so shy. And, in many ways The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk feels just that: a long conversation with the designer that you never want to end.
The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk is on view at Brooklyn Museum from October 25, 2013 – February 23, 2014.
The 2013 CFDA Awards were held last night at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall. The 400+ members of the CFDA Fashion Awards Selection Committee (comprised of members of CFDA, top fashion retailers, journalists, and stylists) came together to choose the evening’s winners. And while the guest list was tight as ever, Style.com will be broadcasting the awards digitally later today as a consolation for many. In the meantime, we took things to Instagram to immerse ourselves in a little Behind-The-Scenes ventures of three of the evening’s noteworthy guests: Riccardo Tisci, Nicole Richie, and Andy Cohen.
First there’s preparation:
Riccardo Tisci began his evening getting prepped with his date, Adriana Lima, with the caption, “Get ready….cfda…..@adrianalima.”
Meanwhile, Nicole Richie was putting the crowning touches are her evening’s look (Marc Jacobs’ Fall 2013 collection, Louboutin clutch, Jennifer Meyer jewels, Giuseppe Zanotti heels).
Evening’s host, Andy Cohen, snapped a photo with his birthday buddy Zachary Quinto.
Richie then made her way to the show, first snapping a ubiquitous selfie.
Then it was time for the Red Carpet, where she huddled up with amazon Jessica Hart, describing this pose as “the only way I can take a photo with @1jessicahart #fiveoneisthenewblack.”
Then she sauntered over to snap a quick pic (and give a little side-boob) with friends Derek Blasberg and Alexander Wang.
Once inside, the Awards began (full list of winners below), where Givenchy’s Riccardo Tisci took home the International Award.
Not pleased with the zoom (or lack thereof), he gave us a close-up.
Meanwhile, Andy Cohen posed backstage with a line-up of Icons: Anna Wintour, Hillary Clinton, Oscar de la Renta, and Diane von Fürstenberg. Earlier in the evening, Clinton presented de la Renta with the Founders Award, recalling her first time meeting Oscar in 1993. “I was hosting, along with my husband, the annual gathering for the Kennedy Center Honors. We were in the receiving line, and people were coming through, and they were making small talk. Along came Oscar and Annette, his fabulous wife. So I reached out to shake Oscar’s hand, and he looked me up and down and said, ‘That’s one of my dresses.’ I said, ‘Really?’” She paused, and then deadpanned: “I always have been, as I am now, such a fashion icon.” Hillary’s Night of a 1000 Laughs continued with her quipping, “Now that I have some more time on my hands,” she told the crowd, “I am going to be pitching Andy [Cohen] and others, a new show for Bravo … We can call it Project Pantsuit.” She gets it!
Four legends just wasn’t enough for Cohen, so he found a cozied up Calvin Klein & Donna Karan, and asked one of them to smile.
Meanwhile, a pixel perfect Tisci had one arm wrapped around his award and the other, the lovely Jessica Chastain.
Winners:
Womenswear Designer of the Year: Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez for Proenza Schouler Menswear Designer of the Year: Thom Browne Accessories Designer of the Year: Phillip Lim for 3.1 Phillip Lim Swarovski Womenswear Designer of the Year: Max Osterweis and Erin Beatty for Suno Swarovski Menswear Designer of the Year: Dao-Yi Chow and Maxwell Osborne for Public School Swarovski Accessories Designer of the Year: Pamela Love
Dressed in custom Richard Chai, Essential Homme cover man Darren Criss gives Gatsbian punk in a windowpane tux, inky black shirt and ever so bouffanted, silk, medium-width tie. Quite a far cry from last year’s textured charcoal tuxedo, Elvis pomp, you’ll note his hair stays shifted a beat on over to motown with the tight, slightly tapered curl. Check last year’s look and the original sketch from this year’s on the other side.
If you’re disturbed by moody poetry, slow motion, non-linear story telling and/or Scandinavian beauty, then the latest Calvin Klein cinematic production will be like fire slapping you in the eye. If, however, you’re one of those who appreciate the dabbling of fashion with art, film—and a little celebrity, then it will set the fire to your feet. Provocations is beautifully shot, dark, sleek and sexy ten minute film/commercial for all three Calvin Klein brands (Calvin Klein Collection, CK and Calvin Klein Jeans) starring Alexander Skarsgård (who’s been a frequent face in the world of Calvin Klein) and model Suvi Koponen. There’s some verse recited over modeling, chapters that aren’t in order and a lot of fire. Plus gorgeous architecture. Since it’s long and esoteric…we’ll let you get to it. This way to the theater…
There are usually three things people talk about the day after the Super Bowl. First—well…the game. Second—the half time performance (last year Madonna, this year Beyoncé). Third—the ads. On Monday, Feb 4th, there’ll be talk of a :30 spot for Calvin Klein Concept Underwear—the brand’s very first foray into the highest echelon of American television advertising. The mostly denuded commercial depicts model personal trainer-cum-model Matthew Terry as the iconic archetype in a modern “man versus machine” creative inspired by the sleek 360º seamless technology construction of the new men’s Calvin Klein Concept line. Shot in New York City, the campaign video was conceived and directed by consulting creative director Fabien Baron of Baron + Baron, working with Calvin Klein’s in-house global marketing and advertising agency. The print component (seen above) was shot by Steven Klein. The commercial will air towards the end of the first quarter of the game. Of course, if you can’t wait till then, just click right on through…
The new Calvin Klein Concept underwear line is currently available for purchase in the U.S. on calvinklein.com and at the Calvin Klein Underwear stores in Soho and Georgetown, as well as select retailers around the country. The product begins arriving in store at other fine retailers around the world and throughout the global network of Calvin Klein Underwear stores the first week of February.