C L O T H

LONG Clothing

2011-08-24T05:29:00.000-07:00

LONG is a company who have really hit a note in London in a past few years. Using simple black & white colour LONG are mainly known for there t-shirts, the most recognisable being a simple black triangle dominating a white T. The good thing about LONG is that it manages to steer away from pretension to instead be something that is just a bit of fun. The clothing is simple and unreferencing although some people might suggest its aimed at hipsters and the likes. But with 'every day' people now sporting the clothes on the street its slowly moving into mainstream culture.

That being said the attraction of LONG is that it is underground. Famed for being alternative that seems to be where LONG thrives the most.

Very Veja

2011-08-20T16:04:00.000-07:00

Veja are the eco warriors all planet lovers need. An eco friendly fashion company that doesn't shove saving the planet down our throats. Unless you ask them!

CLOTH recently took a visit to Veja's London showroom/office to take a look at their new lines and the classics that have been slowly building up there rep here in London. With a recent launch of items on the always popular Oki-ni (www.oki-ni.com) site that have been proving popular, we at CLOTH went to check out what all the fuss is about.

As a business that outsources its products directly from Brazil, Veja show a move away from cheaper means of manufacturing that many other brands find too costly. Veja fabric is made from organic cotton grown by small producers in northeastern Brazil. The sole is Amazonian natural rubber and workers' fundamental rights are respected.

Talking with Veja's Aurélie Dumont she identified not only Veja's expansion into accessory's, such as bags and wallets, but also a growth in the styles and new colours available in its shoe ranges. Simple styles and well made products, its a far cry away from the rest of the high street. But the fact that Oxford Circus' TOPMAN are one of bigger fashion stores now stocking Veja identify public interest and social growth for the brand.

The recently released items in connection with Oki-ni show a much more diverse and perhaps less stylish designs (especially in the shoes) than Veja did with some of their other launches. In London and the UK this has gone down well and rightly so.

But the fact that Veja is ethically friendly is surprisingly not its only asset, they look good on people and should ultimately be the main reason for purchasing a pair.

Check out Veja for yourself online - www.veja.fr

The Rise & Rise of Doc Martens

2011-08-19T14:37:00.000-07:00

Doc Martens are as traditional as Liz and her Royal Family. As of late everyone seems to be jumping back on the band wagon of the now must have DM boot. In the past thirty years its become more than a symbol of punk rock as now even the ‘ultra cool’ indy boy’s and even the ever so girly girls all seem to be attracted to the overwhelmingly large foray of colours and styles that now make up the DM family.

Doc Martens started with the idea of air wear boots for industrial work. That transitioned into fashion and the punks and skin heads took it over. But unlike most shoes DM is constantly evolving and now once again has been welcomed on every street by all different types of feet on a much larger scale than in recent years.

As shoes they are unique. They are not formal or casual or a sport shoe they are, simply put, Doc Martens. Its almost a right of passage once again to get your first DM’s and as of late the mainstream is once ore embracing a traditional peace of footwear, much like the brogue, and revamping its popularity for street style.

One man interviewed said he had gone out and picked up his pair of green Doc’s after watching 80’s themed Film/TV show This Is England. Mass media obviously influences us all but it cant just be one single program that is influencing us go out and get our own pair?

The Doc Martens web site presents a small film about the history of the boot (link below) in which it describes how like now Doc Martens are about change. They are aggressive, unapologetic, eye catching, and comfortable. Fashion shows present them constantly as a symbol of style and idea while celebrity's and society use Doc Martens as a tool to individualize and trend themselves.

As a brand its unmatched in the UK for what it presents, there are no other types of footwear out there that have remained so consistent on the UK streets. Quality as its said always lasts.

The New Era Cap & Katie Eary

2011-08-19T14:24:00.000-07:00

Everywhere I look men employing the use of Flat Caps as a necessary accessory. Designers such as Katie Eary as well as the dominant head-wear and apparel brand New Era have given a conventional type of head wear a new lease of life. Its funny to think that only a few years ago 'caps' were just sports products, or a sun blocker as my gran would say. But these days everyone has them on, chav,indi, emo, and the catwalk, are all expressing themselves via the cap as more of a statement than ever before.

Katie Eary's designs are different and interesting and when launched some seasons back they highlighted a growth and a fresh take on something that that was mainly associated with or around sport. Copying animal prints such as snake skin Eary's creations added a bit of bite to something old. Fashionably it became loved once more and so every one else grabbed onto it socially.

More important than Eary perhaps is New Era's ability to evolve from just making NY Yankies Hats and instead identifying more of a uniqueness to there products themselves. The company just passed its 90th birthday as producer of the globally famed NY Cap, as a business dealing with fashion its survival has to have been down to diversifying its products and gaining wider appeal. The company uses the likes of musician Pharrel as one of its ambassadors today compared to when originally just NY baseball players promoted the cap. While true, Eary brought it to the catwalk in a revamped image, it was New Era who brought it to the street once more. Recently collaborating with Marvel comics to produce superhero themed hats the company is keen to diversify. While some call the hats cheep and tacky the fact remains that in the last few years they have risen to become one of the most successful accessory's on the market for younger men.

A hat that's different but still holds the same style and look it originally had is in a way what fashion is about. As a society were always using the old and making it into something new. Why would this be any different? Its become a statement peace that isn't just linked to gangs but is more about the fun and creativity that fashion is about for those who are non-cynical.

70s Summer

2011-08-19T14:09:00.000-07:00

Being a mecca for fashion, London's population has emerged as a canvas for the industries most current influences. Perhaps its the freedom of London that allows its citizens to take more risks, or simply were all on the ball that little bit more than others. Either way its producing some interesting results.

Fashion is about individuality and the recent protests/riots this year show were not all conformists to one image or style. Currently the summer is bringing back around some much needed colour. 70's inspired colourings and styles are creeping back into the mainstream with slim fitted suits and primary colourings leading the way on the latest catwalks. Depressingly this has also lead to some shameful disco inspired 'costumes' which we can blame Vivian Westwood for! Although we at CLOTH might be late to seeing their greatness.

The influx of colour and a more loose casual style are a stark contrast to the thick dark leathers and fur linings that dominated winter. Everything seems to be about movement which people on the high street are picking up. Be it Japanese inspired or just chav love the heat has once more become an enemy.

High street store Topman presented in its latest range some exaggerated tribal prints, a generous amount of frills, and put more skin on display.

The kipper tie will soon be the regular standard wear with a suit being one of the many come backs cropping up. On many of the catwalks shirts were tight fitting with big collars and were brightly patterned. There was also a trend towards unisex clothes that is proving to be popular.