Get In Line.

Y'all know I'm not exactly one for seasonal posts but I'm making an exception for the holiday that's in it. Halloween Tip 2012 - you could do worse than camo, it's perfectly in line with the heavyweight trend-setters (mind the Fascistic post title there, though), can be interpreted variously as G.I. Joe, Action Man, generic soldier etc, and saves you delving into drag territory, though that could also be arranged...

^ London's YMC has just released this line of hunting camo. ASOS were doing the more ubiquitous US Woodland camo but it seems to be pulled now that stock's are low. Your local Army Surplus calls...

Images from YMC

PS. Esquire's Blogger Showdown addresses the issue of 'dressing up' and its implications. Interesting reading.

The Art of Fashion: Aoife Wasser @ Dublin Contemporary.

I remember distinctly when I first happened upon the name Aoife Wasser. I was about 17, trawling through blogs and it was while perusing former-model-turned-photographer JD Ferguson's, that I came across an unmistakably Irish name. In a blog-post on a Visionaire event. In New York.

^ Linda Brownlee (Left) and Aoife Wasser (Right)

Naturally enough, I decided - based on Wasser's surname, that this wasn't one of our own who had somehow made the move to one of the world's fashion capitals and infiltrated the ranks of arguably the most prestigious arts and fashion publication, but rather the child of parents with a penchant for all things Gaelic. I was wrong. 

Aoife Wasser is, in fact, Irish, and recently returned to her home country to share her thoughts and highly cherished nuggets of wisdom with an audience all ears. Invited by Dublin Contemporary, Ireland's first biennale, to be interviewed by Irish-born, London-based photographer Linda Brownlee (whose own work is worth a perusal, especially her series on Achill Island) for the event The Art of Fashion, Wasser told of her beginnings (studying for a degree in Visual Communication at DIT), moving to New York and her almost incomprehensibly upward career trajectory from that moment on.

^ The Lounge at Dublin Contemporary

Having moved to New York intent on nothing more than securing an internship for the 3 months her visa permitted her to stay, Wasser ended up at David Carson's studio (the "art director of the era" according to Creative Review London) and never returned home (except, of course, for visits). Having had her portfolio ripped to shreds (figuratively, don't worry) by Carson, Wasser was quick to impress. From there, she moved on to Visionaire, the luxury multi-format arts and fashion biannual which channels a specific theme each issue, be it Scent, Taste, Sound or Chic.

Whilst at Visionaire, Wasser worked with a small team on a range of projects (V Magazine, V Man and V's advertising agency), moving from indispensable intern to Junior Designer to a Vis Com grad with that oh-so-holy of grails - a sponsored visa, something every NYC-obsessed Irish grad desires, but rarely procures.

In 2008, Wasser moved to the more commercial arena of Condé Nast publishing, taking up the role of Creative Director at Teen Vogue where it was, according to the woman herself, all about the "smile ratio", and where Wasser encountered a brattish Justin Bieber (what a surprise!), who demanded "an apple pie, a Subway sandwich and a can of Coke" on meeting Wasser who introduced herself as Art Director, not lowest-rung Intern.

Now, having left the world of adolescent apparel, Wasser runs her own consultancy in New York and is currently working with venerable publishing house, Rizzoli.

Not only was Wasser warm, insightful and inspiringly ambitious, but also grounded, hard-working and endearingly modest. It's a combination, she admitted, that's seen her reach the level of success she's enjoying right now.

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See photographer Linda Brownlees' work here. View V and Visionare publications here and here. 

Uniqlo: Apocalypse Ready.

Question: were the apocalypse pretty much imminent, what brand of clothing would you stock up on to brave the chaos to come?

As arbitrary as this question might seem, I think it's perfectly valid when you're faced with scenes like the below 27 seconds of Titanic-esque destruction.

^ One of Dublin's retail meccas, Dundrum Town Centre, bursting at the seams due to severe flooding last night. Several commentators now call to re-dub the shopping centre, Dundrum Drown Centre, though - thankfully - there were no casualties.

It's questions like these that I considered whilst holed up in my apartment, growing gradually more deaf from the smack of torrential rain off the kitchen windows, and despite several potential apocalypse-ready brands, the only really satisfactory answer to the burning question was Uniqlo.

Born out of a desire to provide impeccable quality, wearability and aesthetic simplicity on a large scale, the Japanese brand ticks all the fare-well-in-freak-weather boxes...

Will it keep the elements at bay?

Naturally - with outerwear like this cotton and polyamide jacket from the final +J collection. Face the perils of Winter with mistress of minimalism, Jil Sander, at your figurative side.

^ +J Block Tech Half Coat

Will it keep me warm?

Undoubtedly - with knitwear, down jackets and their in-house technological advancement known as Heattech (whereby clothing fibres convert moisture from the body to heat energy), Uniqlo keeps the biting cold at bay.

^ Heavy Gauge Crewneck Sweater

^ HEATTECH Waffle Camo Long-johns

Will it keep me - despite trawling through flooded streets, bracing violent winds and being pelted by wrath-of-god-like sheets of rain - keep me looking relatively chic? 

Most definitely...

^ Soft Touch V-neck Long-sleeve Tee

^ Synthetic Leather Dress Gloves

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Shop more The Day After Tomorrow-ready styles at Uniqlo. And no, I haven't been reading Cormac McCarthy and watching disaster films without pause.

Topman Grooming: Fragrance Meets Fast Fashion.

I really shouldn't be writing this post without having sampled the goods themselves, but don't consider this so much a review or endorsement, so much as a reflection on one of the world's most successful high-street brands' foray into fragrance.

Back in August of this year, the UK's go-to high-street store for guys, Topman, announced they'd be unveiling a fragrance and grooming range come September 22nd. It's here (in Topman and Boots stores, that is), and although I've not yet had the chance to get so much as a semi-analytical sniff of what the product's actually like, the Topman team have outdone themselves in marketing the new venture, turning what could've been an atrocious experimentation with branding, into a successful extension of the already mammoth and much respected label.

Nose of renown (no LOLs, thank you), Azzi Glasser - who's previously formulated for Nicole Farhi and Agent Provocateur - was hired to oversee the project, which resulted in the production of two fragrances: Parfum No. 16 and Parfum No. 27, the former being the cooler, fresher scent (think bergamot, amber and pepper) more suited to daywear, and the latter being the sexier evening smell (a heady blend of cedarwood, anise and vetiver). Both, according to Topman's retail ethos, come at a mere £16 per 100ml.

Also interesting to note is that it's all been done in-house, rather than outsourced to huge licensing agencies, which are the usual option for most fragrances at the more affordable end of the price-point spectrum.

Design Director Gordon Richardson was perfectly frank on the challenge of diversifying into smellies:

"For Topman to be taken seriously in the toiletries arena it was crucial to make sure that we were able to produce a range of grooming products that were both affordable and luxurious at the same time". 

You've got to hand it to him - it certainly seems it's been pulled off.

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Topman Fragrances and a grooming range consisting of hair putty, body wash, deodorant and body spray are available from Topman, Boots and Selfridges.

Read some wise words from the team at The Grooming Guide on how to wear fragrance here, and read an insightful Q+A with the discerning nose behind it all, Glasser, here.

Image from Ape to Gentleman

Versace for H&M: Identity Crisis Induced.

I can't remember exactly when the news broke that the next designer brand to collaborate with hallowed high-street Swedish retailer H&M was to be Italian purveyor of ever-so-slightly-tacky luxury, Versace, but I do recall exactly what I felt on hearing the announcement - indifference.

Actually, aside from indifference I was generally positive about the whole concept. At least this time 'round it's cheap and cheaper getting together, rather than an attempt to marry two disparate taste-levels of the fashion market, which almost always results in a watered-down (in terms of both quality, and v. often design) version of one of your favourite designers' aesthetics. 

Cut to this morning, I sleepily log on to Twitter and click through someone's link to the look-book. Cue immediate identity crisis...

'cos lo and behold it's actually good and I want pretty much every piece from the collection. To fully understand the weight of this statement, you've got to consider that, generally, H&M collaborations really don't succeed in stirring my loins all that much. Also, my personal aesthetic preferences couldn't get further away from all this brash and colourful excess but hey, people change.

But what is it exactly that has me enraptured? The unabashed tartiness? The possibility of dressing like a character from Grand Theft Auto: Miami Vice? The model, who frankly would make any old tat look irresistible? Shudder to think what I'd look like in the above Hawaiian long-sleeve tee or below fuschia suit - something along the lines of an extra from My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding no doubt...

Pikey chic or no, see you in the queue...

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Versace for H&M is in stores November 17th.

Barbour x Grenson: Best of Britain².

Inevitably enough, what was to be an afternoon of dissertation research on fashion documentaries, has instead become an afternoon of viewing the original Brideshead Revisited adaptation featuring he of the incredibly enivable cheekbones Jeremy Irons and the equally handsome Anthony Andrews. Living with an English Rose, an occurrence such as this isn't exactly an anomaly either.



^ A sea of soles at the Grenson factory

And as if to cement my West Brit-status even further, there's this collaboration between Barbour and Grenson that begs to be blogged. It really doesn't get more English than this, with two of England's most heritage-steeped brands (Grenson dates back to 1866; Barbour began in 1894) coming together to pool their shared interests in quality, durability and understated yet unmistakable luxury.

^ All handcrafted in the Grenson factory, this limited-edition collection of brogues and boots incorporates waxed fabrics (a nod to Barbour's signature) and the calf-grain leathers Grenson have already made a name for themselves with.

^ Surely the undisputed highlight of the collection. Buy me these and make me the happiest man alive.

^ See a pair go from start (leather-cutting) to finish (shoe-boxing) in this video from Barbour...

And discover the inspiration behind the collaboration below with Tim Little, owner of Grenson, who makes some really commendable points on the contemporary craze for collaboration...

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Available from £350 at select stores around the UK - check Grenson and Barbour for details. Aphrodite have a select edit of the collection online here.

Bally: Celebrating 160 years of a timeless brand.

You'd be forgiven for thinking that after 160 years in existence, a clothing and accessories brand would retain little of the appeal it held throughout the course of its more than lengthy life, but Swiss luxury brand Bally proves such an assertion so very wrong, still providing us all with one-stop solutions to problems arising from a dearth of smart and sporty, yet not too preppy pieces.

Established in Switzerland by Carl Franz Bally way back in 1851, what began as a footwear brand went on to secure both international acclaim and astounding commercial success. Trivia Round - Did you know that Neil Armstrong wore Bally to take his tentative steps as the first man to land on the moon? Me neither...

My only real knowledge of Bally, prior to their collaboration with London design students earlier this year, was gained through identifying a pair of black and battered Bally shoes as the only item(s) in my father's wardrobe that I wouldn't refuse when they reached hand-me-down status. Naturally enough (knowing my luck), I reached a Size 11 and so won't ever quite squeeze into them.

Luckily, on the other hand, and for those as ignorant as myself, this informative video celebrating 160 years of Bally condenses over a century of richly detailed history into one easily digestible video featuring some very desirable shoes and accessories.

^ Celebrating 160 years of Bally

The highlight, for me, comes in the form of the 'Trainspotting' collection, which, no, is not at all related to Irvine Welsh, but rather the distinctive stripes which snake their way attractively around the leather goods and which Franz Bally designed with the Austrian rail network in mind.

^ Bally's 'Trainspotting' collection

And the current men's collection is a far cry from fogyish, too, full of leather lapels, lean knits, British cavalry twill, ponyskin, waxed suede and big f**k-off shimmering leather boots that combine to reinforce that Bally archetype of smart, somewhat sporty and effortlessly elegant...



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To shop Bally, and to learn more of its comprehensive history, go here.

White Ice Watches: Accessories worth incorporating.

Although hearing someone spout puritanical rules related to issues of style is, for me, akin to hearing a clowder of cats being violently strangled, I do think accessories, in the context of men's style, necessitates a little reservation.

For many, necklaces, chains, rings, earrings etc. work well and aid in lifting a look from snooze-filled dreariness to something worth eyeing-up but, generally, unless it's an instant aesthetic marriage I'd advise anyone to err on the side of caution, and personally I kind of avoid it all together. 

^ White Chronograph style

What I have been hankering after though is a good watch. And yet deciding between classic and sporty/contemporary is proving more difficult than expected, though the white ice watch range available at online retailer of all things ticking - Tic Watches, goes some way in finding a balance between the two poles.

^ Black and white Chronograph style

Featuring sunray dials, water resistance, a two year manufacturer's warranty and priced from €92 to €162, it's  an accessible blend of old and new schools.

^ White-blue Ice White Unisex style

^ White Classic Solid style

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See more from Ice Watches here.

To Francesco Cominelli.

Writing an obituary on someone you've only ever marvelled at through Google Images and with whom you once struck up a v. brief email correspondence is, well, nigh on impossible. The late Francesco Cominelli was reputed to be one of the warmest, most industrious stylists enlivening what can often times be perceived as the lacklustre world of men's fashion and his reply to my somewhat presumptuous request to interview him months ago (which is all I've really got to go on...) goes some way in confirming such claims about his character.

I never did get the chance to ask Cominelli the questions I'd been labouring over but various biographies inform to an extent...

Born in Brescia, Italy, Cominelli first studied Photography at Milan's prestigious European Institute of Design before upping sticks to NYC to intern at V Magazine, where he discovered his penchant for styling. Moving back across the pond, Cominelli began an internship at Vogue Hommes International in Paris, where - after a brief stint in design (customisation of vintage pieces, technically) back home in his native Italy - he remained, working in close collaboration with Anastasia Barbieri.

Cominelli was named Fashion Editor of Vogue Hommes International in 2009 and continued to contribute to other publications up to his death.

Although anything I write here regarding this fashion great's personality is speculative, what's not debatable is his inimitable approach to dressing the male form, his own being no exception. Cominelli was a master at pairing up-market labels with vintage and thrift-store finds. He possessed an incomparable awareness for the perfect combination of textures, and his acute observation to detail made sure some of the more elaborate patterns he wore, never wore him.

Exceptional in his channelling of every style from military wear to sharp tailoring harking back to his own Italian roots, Cominelli appeared every inch a devotee to clothing itself, rather than the various other trappings of fashion - be it wealth, or fame -  which lure countless others into an industry founded upon unparalleled fickleness and fastness.

Although this is not intended as a news report of any kind, those more informed have confirmed that Cominelli was found in his Paris apartment on October 7th 2011. The coroner has confirmed that illicit substances were not responsible for Cominelli's death and the most likely cause was a pulmonary embolism.

My sincere and heartfelt condolences go to Cominelli's family, friends and all those who witnessed, and will forever miss watching, his genius.



R.I.P. Francesco.


See the legacy Cominelli leaves behind him at his homepage here.


Images from Stylish Minds, Mauverthomme, Douban, GQ Fashion, Neoretro, In Vogue, GlamboyEmman, Manlife, Front Row View, Double D Cherry, Needle Exchange and Kaidi Thinctank and mostly shot by Tommy Ton.

55DSL: Live At Least 55 Seconds Per Day.

Heads up marketing types - it seems this AW season, "inspiration" is the buzzword to throw around. From Dunhill to ASOS, Edun to 55DSL, brands seems to think we're thirsting for some well-styled role models to simultaneously inspire ambition and educate on all issues sartorial, too.

Denim brand Diesel's Italian offshoot 55DSL has jumped on the bandwagon/blazed a trail (depending on how pioneering you deem this one...) with a mini-series comprising two videos featuring three creatives (one photographer, two DJs) and their artistic activities in Italia.

^ Lele Saveri travels to the Sicilian town of San Fratello to document costumed participants of a traditional festival, all the while making 55DSL look exceptionally good.

First up is photographer Lele Saveri who's shot for NME, Rolling Stone and VICE and splits his time between Brooklyn, NYC and Milan. It's a fairly straightforward concept - Saveri does his thing, whilst showing off 55DSL at all the right angles.

Here's another few shots of Saveri sporting the AW11 collection...

Not to slight Saveri (and this is just personal taste) but wouldn't this all be a little more inspiring sans hipster 'tache?

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Shop 55DSL here, follow the campaign as it develops on Facebook here, and see more of Saveri's work here, which is inspiring and definitely worth a few minutes of your time.