F R E E / M A N

Vanishing Elephant AW 11

noreply@blogger.com (Johnny Ridley) — Sun, 22 May 2011 15:29:00 +0000

I was pleased to receive news of Vanishing Elephant's AW11 collection earlier this week, marking another stride forward for one of our favourite young labels. VE's appeal has grown significantly since their 2009 debut, with such growth propelled by their willingness to defy trend, their consistent embrace of warm tones, and fondness for dynamic patterns throughout their work. This season's inspiration was cited to have came from focus paid to what the VE trio consider to be the three pillars of an infant romance, isolating three key phases that lead to that blissful, ultimate connection. However, upon speaking with one of VE's designers Felix Chan, we soon found there more layers to the concept than first thought.

Felix Chan: "With Autumn/Winter, the original concept wasn't solely based on a relationship or romance. The collection was just really a broad overview on human nature in general, we have our highs, we have our lows, whether they be moods, physically, or inspirations. So what we wanted to do was create three different deliveries that told different stories but could be interwoven together. That's a really important thing, if you're going to break it down solely to clothes, we don't fit into a specific category in terms of how we dress. We could easily wear a floral or batik printed shirt one day, and then just a plain oxford the next, so we wanted to reflect this in the range.

To break down, July's much darker in it's tone both in colour and it's concept, a bit tougher, we used cords, heavy denims, heavy washes. Our second drop is almost in a state of flux, kind of a stationery position, it's very clean, clean lines, uncomplicated. The third drop is almost a celebration, bright colours, looser fitting silhouettes, relaxed, almost joyful. So for our release, we did say it was about three stages of a relationship, which it was, but it was a bit broader than that. It's just about stages in life that people go through regularly."

| Vanishing Elephant

Atlas Edition 029

noreply@blogger.com (Darian Hocking) — Sat, 21 May 2011 18:17:00 +0000

This week is has some great finds from Mr. Jake Davis and his Test Shots Series, to a mix tapes site I stumbled upon recently. Enjoy.

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1] Four Horsemen Supplies
The Fellas at Four Horsemen have made another great piece which was just released this week. A nice lightweight spring/summer cardigan for $115, and made in Canada.\\

| Four Horsemen Supplies Rugby Cardigan

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2] Test Shots: Glenn O'Brien
My favorite test shot from Jake Davis to date.\\

| Glenn O'Brien Test Shot

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3] Cyclists in Amsterdam
Mr. Porter filmed a handful of gentlemen in this incredible city, with a simple discussion on style and bike riding.\\

| Cyclists in Amsterdam

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4] Mixed Tapes
Speaking of Amsterdam, creative agency Strangelove asked various musicians to submit mix tapes to this site. There are lots of options for you to choose from.\\

| Mixed Tapes

Mark McNairy x Bass Weejun Bert Kiltie Shoe

noreply@blogger.com (Johnny Ridley) — Sat, 21 May 2011 17:16:00 +0000

Mark McNairy has again teamed up with Maine shoemakers Bass Weejun for a summer-ready capsule collection, the results of which have filtered to various accounts across the land in recent weeks. One of the most exciting styles from the collection, the Bert shoe, caught my eye this week. Within moments of their introduction to my conscious, they were hastily deposited in my online shopping cart.

The Scotch grain leather Bert features a 360 degree lacing system with tassels providing a suitably smart accent to the lace end. There's also a leather kiltie on which the laces sit, adding an extra layer of interest in keeping with McNairy's distinctive visual tones and eye for detail. The upper of the shoe is terribly soft and as it's coupled with a light rubber sole, I can report they're exceptionally comfortable...and that's on day one of wear. I'm confident they'll enjoy frequent use through the summer, though that is said with hope we enjoy some beautiful sunshine this season. Going sockless might just be an option.

McNairy x Bass Weejun 'Bert' Kiltie Shoe are exclusively available at Number Six.

| Number Six

Spring Kit Nº9 - Work or Play

noreply@blogger.com (Darian Hocking) — Fri, 20 May 2011 20:34:00 +0000

I was inspired by Nick's kit earlier this week. One of my favorite layering options is a always the use of a second button up shirt, especially on those days when you don't feel like wearing a blazer or jacket. He nailed the look with his DBL Indigo workshirt, but I wanted to switch up the tone just a bit with this western style, pearl-snap shirt.

TBS x Mark McNairy
Tres Bien and Mark McNairy present these chunky moss green longwings, on a Goodyear welted crepe sole. Say that 5 times fast. Limited availability for this benchmade, terribly handsome shoe.

Burgundy Corduroy Jeans
The functional basics line Workaday from Engineered Garments is responsible for these cords. Straight leg, button fly and the perfect burgundy colour. These fit small so you will need to size up.

White Oxford
Hamilton 1883 is responsible for this simple oxford, which is hand cut and sewn in the USA. This shirt has a nice slim fit which is always necessary.

Leo Chambray
This blue chambray with the western touch of pearl snaps, is from the good folks at Imogene + Willie. This would be the optional piece for this kit, you can layer it over the oxford or skip it altogether.

Aloha Print Tie
The Hill-Side crafted this limited edition Jamaica Aloha print tie, inspired by souvenir shirts of the 60's. The fabric is from Kojima Japan, and is a nice blend of cotton and linen. Most of their floral print ties have sold out this season, so this would be the next best piece in my opinion.

Cotton Ticking Stripe Belt
To round out this kit, I went with a ticking stripe, dual brass ring belt. Upgraded from typical cotton belts, the leather tipped ends elevate this piece.

Custom New Balance 574 - Semi Thuggin'

noreply@blogger.com (Nick Grant) — Fri, 20 May 2011 19:01:00 +0000

About a year ago, I coined this phrase because I felt it was a representation of me, as an individual. I’d like to consider myself a refined gentleman with a rugged side. Sometimes I want to bring the .380 out (thuggin’) with a Hill-Side floral hanky wrapped around it (semi-thuggin’). OK, that’s not true.

Once Darian sent along some ideas for his very own U.S. made custom New Balance 574, I had to swaggerjack. It’s a great idea by New Balance and frankly, my skepticism about the customization quality being sub par were muffled with this video showing their process, top to bottom. So far, love them and I will certainly spread my semi-thuggin’ love around with them, as well.

| Custom 574

Golden Bear Open Bottom Varsity

noreply@blogger.com (Darian Hocking) — Thu, 19 May 2011 20:18:00 +0000

San Francisco and LA shop Unionmade, has a nice selection of Spring/Summer Varsity Jackets. I would have a tough time deciding which one I want more. They've changed it up a touch from a more traditional form the varsity is known for with the open bottom, but it still fits on the slim side. The simple sheep leather details on the zipper pull, the hanger loop and arrows on the welted external pockets are all perfect. Made of cotton duck canvas outer and cotton lined inner, its a great lightweight option for the warmer months.

| Golden Bear

Clinton Hill Classic Menswear

noreply@blogger.com (Darian Hocking) — Wed, 18 May 2011 16:41:00 +0000

Clinton Hill Classic Menswear is better known as CHCM Shop on Bond Street in New York to most. I had the pleasure of meeting Sweetu back in January, he's a great guy, super knowledgeable and maintains a simple yet refined stocklist. This short interview gives a glimpse into some inner workings of his shop. One thing I'm a fan of with CHCM, is the fact that they shoot the product for the online shop on different coloured backgrounds. Its a nice touch. If you live in NYC and haven't already been, I highly suggest you go.

| CHCM

Tantum L.A. Pocket Tees

noreply@blogger.com (Nick Grant) — Wed, 18 May 2011 16:23:00 +0000

I first came across Tantum L.A. by some ramblings of their boonie hats from Adrian, so I decided to do a little investigatory work and I am damn glad I did. Turns out Tantum L.A. was started by a prominent member I used to converse and barter with on some of the streetwear forums by the username T_Z. I had to know more. I contacted him; he greeted me like an old friend and gave me a smidgen of information, which is about as slim as Nicole Ritchie.

These pocket tees look to be the absolute Mecca of casual. Your lazy Sunday outfit has been perfected if you can add a couple of these to your repertoire. As a huge proponent of Supreme and Visvim, you can see it in the design aesthetic, but you are still getting something very special, very unique with these shirts. Between the Navajo, Mexican blanket, Tiger Camo, and various otherworldly designs he has come up with, Tantum L.A. is looking to master the contrast pocket t-shirt. And with good reason, contrast pocket tees are some of my favorite items, and with these, I’m sure they’re soon to be yours, too. Their Tumblr has been blowing up over the last week or so, and I am guessing supplies are limited. Pricing is between $42-48, so you have no excuses. The catch? He only accepts Money Orders right now. Now it’s your turn to find out how to contact them.

Tantum L.A.

Four Horsemen Supplies: Rugby Cardigan

noreply@blogger.com (Darian Hocking) — Tue, 17 May 2011 19:50:00 +0000

This lightweight Rugby Cardigan is a seasonal addition to the Four Horsemen Supplies offerings from Victoria Shop, Four Horsemen. They teamed up with fellow Canadian label, Barbarian Rugby Wear, to produce a limited run with a few subtle collegiate details. The tonal number 4 on the left side of the chest and the fact that its made from a 12 ounce jersey fabric, are part of the appeal to me. I also don't mind the gradient stripes on the sleeve, as it adds the perfect amount of colour to this cardigan. The price is also a steal at $115 CAD.

| Four Horsemen Supplies

The Hill-Side "Wa" Pocket Squares

noreply@blogger.com (Darian Hocking) — Tue, 17 May 2011 18:18:00 +0000

This is an excellent video discussing the decision and process behind making these handkerchiefs for Japan relief efforts. Emil narrates the story about The Hill-Side and their dedication to details, as well as the decision to use woodblock printing for this special edition.

"It's made with a pride and attention to detail that is true to that idea of Wa, we owe everything to that."

| The Hill-Side

Nigel Cabourn x Eddie Bauer F/W 11

noreply@blogger.com (Darian Hocking) — Mon, 16 May 2011 18:42:00 +0000

Iconic outdoor outfitter Eddie Bauer teamed up with one of my personal favorites Mr. Nigel Cabourn, for a special Fall/Winter 11, 7-piece capsule collection. This is actually the first American partnership for Cabourn, so you can understand the degree of epic associated with this project. Together they went back through the archives, which of course were not entirely new to Cabourn, as he owns a few original pieces from Eddie Bauer in his massive vintage collection.

Throughout this capsule you'll find classic design touches used by Cabourn, from the US Military clip closures on the jackets to the panels of contrasting colour. In true appreciation of the great outdoors, the colours aptly reflect the wide open wilderness, from the browns and greens to the oranges and copper tones you see as the seasons shift from summer to fall. Available September 2011.

| Nigel Cabourn x Eddie Bauer F/W 11

Cold Splinters Campfire Shorts

noreply@blogger.com (Darian Hocking) — Mon, 16 May 2011 17:41:00 +0000

Damn. Cold Splinters crafted a solid pair of shorts for your summer camping excursions. In fact, they were exclusively created as such. I've talked about Cold Splinters before, their site is a source of inspiration when it comes to images of outdoor adventures. They really kicked it up a notch when they designed and produced these limited supply campfire shorts in Portland. Made of a durable poly/cotton blend, there are two colourways available; khaki/oatmeal and navy/midnight. These slim straight shorts are also a steal at $79 USD.

| Cold Splinters Campfire Shorts

The Great Divide

noreply@blogger.com (Johnny Ridley) — Sun, 15 May 2011 19:11:00 +0000

The Great Divide store made its online debut this week; a UK venture looking to establish itself alongside a merry band of will-be peers that currently populate Europe's premier retail landscape. The store stocks some well known labels such as Our Legacy, Edwin and Dickies, yet also houses some lesser known articles by the likes of Cro'Jack, Percival and Suit. Thus far I can only commend their inaugural stock list which sees attention paid to the pillars of a modern wardrobe, which I'm sure can only progress as time passes.

| The Great Divide

Atlas Edition 028

noreply@blogger.com (Darian Hocking) — Sat, 14 May 2011 18:34:00 +0000

Welcome to week 28 in this series. I hope you enjoy.

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1] Countdown to Gentlemen's Reserve
Yes, it's coming. Get excited.\\

| Countdown to Gentlemen's Reserve

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2] Emerald Son
This simple blog site has a varied amount of imagery which I appreciate. He blends together a little bit of style, life and architecture.\\

| Emerald Son

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3] The Burning House
Foster Huntington of A Restless Transplant, launched a new site recently with a great direction. The concept is is simple: If your house was burning, what would you bring with you? Needless to say, I've been on this site daily.\\

| The Burning House

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4] Antler & Co
My girlfriend and I are preparing for a move at the end of the month. That means, its time to get rid of some things and maybe collect something new for our new home. Antler & Co makes the perfect housewarming gift.\\

| Antler & Co.

Being | Equal Entwined Jacket

noreply@blogger.com (Johnny Ridley) — Sat, 14 May 2011 18:27:00 +0000

I was introduced to Rory and Josh Kilbride's Being | Equal earlier this week, a small label recently launched in London. I was pleased to find two young brothers at the helm, taking tandem strides to help establish their name amongst a crowded but sprightly scene in the capital. One of their standout pieces from a delightfully eclectic first season has to be the Entwined jacket, a military inspired piece that is sure indication of their potential, fusing style and functionality in light of the warmer seasons ahead. Josh, the collection's designer, was kind enough to share some of his thoughts on the piece below.

"The Entwined jacket has subtle influences of a standard issue 1988 military jacket; the design concept was to have an outerwear jacket that is lightweight and practical. Our desire to make the jacket adjustable in form is created with the placement of drawstrings along the bottom half of the garment, the user to make the jacket more personal and better suited to the environment they may be in at any time.

The zip vents below the armhole on the side seam, allow for ventilation and also add to the user-friendly aspect on the warmer days, along with the adjustable cuffs to give it a more of a utilitarian feel overall. The placement of concealed buttonholes on the lower half of the jacket opening, add to a more contemporary experience, with the oversized shoulders giving a relaxed, casual feel.

The base fabric for the jacket is a lightweight brushed cotton twill, this ensures that the strength is there, yet is more favourable option for the summer months. The buttons are a moss green acrylic marle, a subtle choice that is exceptionally strong. In addition to that, the unlined interior features binding and pocketing in a lightweight black cotton canvas which we feel contributes to the durability of the whole piece.

Overall the garment is technically sound yet withholds the subtle values of an understated overcoat; the drawstrings can be used to manipulate the jacket and create a form that is personal, comfortable and desirable for the user which is ultimately what we want to accomplish."

| Being | Equal

Spring Kit Nº8: Simple Spring layers

noreply@blogger.com (Darian Hocking) — Fri, 13 May 2011 23:55:00 +0000

I enjoyed these rugby crew neck sweatshirts from Neighbour so much that I decided to build this weeks kit around the red and navy option. These basic crews would make a great layering piece in the warmer months, in lieu of a lightweight jacket. Layers are not particularly a spring time topic of conversation, but they should be. Whether yours are in the form of a jacket and button down, or a more casual look like this, its good to have options.

Red/Navy Rugby Crew
Neighbour, in Vancouver's Gastown District, opened a beautiful space which I can't wait to visit. Part of the shops fantastic stocklist, included the specially made Columbiaknit Rugby Crew Neck Sweatshirts. This is my favorite colourway of the bunch, finishing it off nicely with a single chest pocket.

The Reed - California
Baldwin Denim makes this classic straight fit is from a washed 13oz, cone mills Sanforized denim. Its absolutely perfect for wearing in the warm weather.

Viberg Boots for Superdenim
Personally, I think the 145 Oxford from Viberg is one of my favorite models. The combination of Brown suede, Vibram sole, copper eyelets, and leather laces combine to become a great looking piece of footwear. These were made especially for English Shop Superdenim.

Strawfoot Handmade x Seavees Supply Tote
Seavees asked our good friend Garrett of Strawfoot Handmade, to make a special bag for their spring collection. This is the result. Beautiful. Hand set copper rivets, grey waxed canvas upper and SH's signature double layer canvas bottom in the perfect dark brown.

Crew Neck T-Shirt
Crate makes one hell of a garment, in the USA and at a very decent price point. Simple, cotton, comfortable.

The Wallet
Ok, another Baldwin piece. But can you blame me? These folks are creating great pieces with purpose and function. Enough said. Subsequently, they are available for pre-order as they've already sold out of their first run.

SEH Kelly Raglan Shirt

noreply@blogger.com (Darian Hocking) — Fri, 13 May 2011 18:18:00 +0000

SEH Kelly has been busy behind the scenes lately, carefully creating the nexus between spring and summer for their young line. This half-hidden placket, pinpoint cotton oxford, takes it to the next level with the inclusion of raglan sleeves– a feature not typically seen on a shirt in this material. Specifically made with a club collar, it references the silhouettes in their already solid line-up. I asked Paul about their decision to go with this fabric for the shirt.
"It's a simple garment, really. We had access to the cotton pinpoint from a mill we've wanted to work with for a long time. It is traditionally a more formal shirting fabric, so we thought using it for a more casual garment and deciding to wash it, to soften it around the edges, would shed a different light on the fabric -- and produce an interesting shirt as well."

"Not for nothing do raglan shirts fit so well with better weather — scrap the yoke and the shoulder seams and things get immediately airier. This raglan shirt is made from a fine Cumbria-woven cotton pinpoint, the discipline of a good wash softening up its characteristic crispiness."

| SEH Kelly Raglan Shirt

The Countdown is on...

noreply@blogger.com (Darian Hocking) — Thu, 12 May 2011 17:02:00 +0000

We are now sitting at a cool 45 days until Gentlemen's Reserve. For our Canadian readers, make sure you head out west to Vancouver June 25th & 26th. For our non-Canadian friends, Vancouver is an incredible city and well worth your trip, as there is a lot to see and do. It's going to be a great weekend. We have a nice mix of brands, as well as some exclusive pieces that will only be available at Gentlemen's Reserve.
See you there.

Neighbour Online Shop

noreply@blogger.com (Darian Hocking) — Thu, 12 May 2011 13:54:00 +0000

Neighbour opened its doors in the Gastown district of Vancouver BC, not too long ago. They have an excellent assortment of clothing and accessories from various brands and labels. I am particularly fond of their in-house label, which at the moment includes a mix of ties and rugby crew neck sweatshirts. They teamed up with Portland's Columbiaknit, diving back into the companies archives for inspiration and fabric selection.

The sweatshirts come in six colourways, three of the options have a chest pocket. All of the sweats have ribbed cuffs and collar, and an open non ribbed bottom. As they suggest for a slimmer fit, you should size down when picking one up.

| Neighbour

Norse Projects x Mark McNairy

noreply@blogger.com (Darian Hocking) — Wed, 11 May 2011 17:53:00 +0000

What do you get when you mix pebble grain leather, British Millerain fabric and Ridgeway soles? You get an epic brogue. Mark McNairy made yet another solid pair of shoes for the good folks at Norse Projects. No matter which way you decide to wear these; be it with a plain white t-shirt and chinos, to full summer appropriate garb for your friends wedding, they are easily translatable. Though my preference is typically longwings, these are definitely handsome.

For those readers of ours that may not live in the land of brown leather footwear just yet, they've also made a pair of black on black just for you.

| Mark McNairy for Norse Projects

Inside the Shop

noreply@blogger.com (Darian Hocking) — Wed, 11 May 2011 16:14:00 +0000

My good friend Garrett Kautz, sent me this short film on the inner workings of his humble company, Strawfoot Handmade. We will be carrying some of his specially made pieces in our shop, but in the meantime have a look at his hand made process which is equally as interesting. I have to say that one of my favorite elements, is his use of hand set copper rivets.

| Strawfoot Handmade

UNIS Spring/Summer Collection

noreply@blogger.com (Darian Hocking) — Tue, 10 May 2011 18:35:00 +0000

The very talented Eunice Lee is the woman behind the ten year old label, UNIS of New York. Her vision and direction is to craft American sportswear, in America. Season after season, she continues to present specially made options that have the best fit and fabrics she can find. Chances are you may be familiar with a few of her pieces like her perfect fitting Gio khakis or signature Felix shirt.

Rooney Shop brought in a few pieces for this season, including a couple of Gio khakis, shorts and of course- some shirting. The Felix shirt, with its rounded button down collar, comes in a variety of seasonal cotton Japanese plaids, exclusively woven for UNIS. The standards in her well-built line, are focused on a slim fit, which is the perfect aesthetic to affiliate your wardrobe with year round. What I like about the Harley shirt in particular, is the fact that it has a hidden button down collar. Awesome. I would have to say its definitely a toss up for me, between the Felix and Harley shirts.

Now available at Rooney.

| UNIS

Bleu de Paname x Trés Bien Shop Styling

noreply@blogger.com (Nick Grant) — Tue, 10 May 2011 16:29:00 +0000

When I am looking at products online, the first thing I want to see is how an item fits. You often find yourself staring at mundane photos of sloppy styling, turning you completely off from wanting it at all (in many a case for me, at least). I prefer to see the desired item put together with a whole ensemble so you get a feel for its services to the greater good. Basically, I don’t want to be sung a song, I want the whole damn album.
When I came across the styling for Trés Bien Shop’s latest shipment of Bleu de Paname, I wept a little. Trés Bien Shop has a keen eye for how items should be worn and how the customer wants to see them worn. The beautiful use of different hues of blue, including those crazy New Balance M1500s, to how each item is intricately placed on the model, and the tailored fit. The fit is key. Everything looks like it was made specifically for the model, and isn’t that what we’re all looking for when we’re spending a small fortune on our wardrobe? Needless to say, Bleu de Paname did a hell of a job with their SS11 collection and Trés Bien Shop topped it off with stellar styling.

| Bleu de Paname

FSC J4 Featherweight Suit

noreply@blogger.com (Nick Grant) — Mon, 09 May 2011 21:07:00 +0000

The Kentucky Derby has come and gone again this year, giving us a glimpse of how dapper one needs to be during the festivities. It’s always good to have a summer suit in your closet, as you never know when the occasion will call for it. No, a suit is not the ideal outfit for the heat, but sometimes you have no choice, so why not at least be comfortable? Freeman Sporting Club has put together a limited run of their J4 suit called the Featherweight and it is as light and comfortable as it gets.

The 14oz jacket uses an ultra-lightweight 5 oz. wool blend from Loro Piana in Italy, the lightest they make, that is 90% Super 150’s wool and 10% Super 600’s silk. They’ve also reduced the lining and removed the shoulder pads to add to its airy feel, but added peak lapels and patch pockets (instead of more formal) flap pockets.

Basically, they’ve taken out the unnecessary and added in the awesome to make this as comfortable as possible. With only 12 made, these won’t be around long because Freeman Sporting Club is the place to go for your ultimate summer suit.

| Freemans Sporting Club

The Wallet by Baldwin Denim

noreply@blogger.com (Darian Hocking) — Mon, 09 May 2011 17:21:00 +0000

Now this is the definition of a catch-all wallet. I appreciate when you're able to look at a particular design and understand what the creator was thinking when conceptualizing it. In this case, Baldwin was able to make what most guys want; a wallet that keeps your cards, phone and shades together neatly while in the depths of your bag. Made in the US.

• Made of 14 oz Japanese Dry Kurabo Denim
• Hand stitched leather pocket

| The Wallet