Gucci’s Woven Leather Holdall ($4,700) is a stunningly gorgeous bag. And would you expect any different from Gucci? The Italian fashion house always produces elegant and sophisticated accessories that are fashionable without being short sighted.
The Men’s Woven Holdall is styled in rich mahogany leather with knock-out woven detail along the bottom half and double handles. The extremely roomy interior is lined with chocolate brown suede and features a zippered pocket, two opened pockets and fastens with a silver metal hook. Gucci’s Holdall is versatile and could be used for travel, work, or for daily use injecting a bold accent to your outfit. Although marketed for men, the Woven Leather Holdall is so polished and classic that both men and women could easily wear this bag. Dimensions: 25″W x 17″H x 8″D.
One of our favorite new pairs of shoes is from a brand better known for streetwear than the sort of high style we normally go in for, but Royal Elastics‘ Brother Basil range of deconstructed chukka boots in various finishes has enough panache to go from nightclub to country club. A cross between a classic chukka boot and old-school sneakers, the Brother Basil features Royal Elastics’ signature elastic lacing system and plastic toggle for ease of slipping on and off, along with an ultra-lightweight bottom unit and comfortable footbed. Our favorite version is this model finished in dark blue wool felt with a white sole - as elegant as a navy blazer with just the right touch of casual flair. At $85 they’re priced pretty reasonably as well. Other variations come in charcoal wool, olive green leather, brown suede and more. Check them out in the company’s online store.
Dashing designer Duncan Quinn, known for his roguish take on Savile Row style, is hosting the ultimate gentleman’s getaway on Saturday, March 26 for those who appreciate classic cars, fine wine and gourmet meals as much as razor-sharp threads. The Duncan Quinn Appellation Rally features a fleet of wicked wheels from Manhattan’s Classic Car Club - including a 1968 Porsche 911, an AC Cobra, Austin Mini (think The Italian Job), Jaguar E-Type roadster, and Ferrari Dino (above) - leaving the city for an overnight jaunt to a 2,500 acre spread in upstate New York via scenic byways and state parks in one hell of a stylish convoy.
There guests will be treated to cocktails followed by an impressive meal from celebrated chef Neil Ferguson accompanied an amazing selection of vintage wines, retiring afterwards to rustic suites. Following breakfast on Sunday also by Ferguson there will be a spot of skeet shooting before another scenic drive back to town. “Tweeds are an option, but style is a must,” Quinn tells us. There are only 14 spots on the list, and several have already been filled; the price is $2,000 for singles and $3,000 per couple including the cars and everything except gas and speeding tickets. Call the designer’s New York store at 212 226-7030 to reserve.
Did you forget about Mardi Gras? I did. Turns out that Fat Tuesday is right around the corner. You’ll have to supply your own beads but Cufflinks.com has given us a handsome pair of cufflinks to give away to celebrate the annual festival of all things decadent before Lent begins. The bright green enamel Venetian mask cufflinks capture the spirit of Mardi Gras and are the perfect accent for a night at the ball.
Cufflinks.com also sells other Mardi-Gras-themed cufflinks with fleur-de-lis designs, Gothic medallions and more.
Today is a special one day giveaway so we can get these cufflinks to the wearer in time. These cufflinks are valued at $50.00.
* To enter, leave a confirmed comment below.
* The comment must be left and confirmed on March 2, 2011 before 10:00PM Eastern Time.
* You may only enter once.
* One winner will be selected in a random drawing to receive a pair of Mardi Gras cufflinks from cufflinks.com valued at $50.00.
* Open to legal residents of the 50 United States, and the District of Columbia, who are 18 and older.
A remarkable double-barreled elephant gun made by London’s Westley Richards in 1913 that belonged to Ernest Hemingway and was used by the famed author on safari in Africa is being offered for auction on March 14. The impressive .577-caliber Nitro Express, the starring lot at James D. Julia Auctioneers’ Important Firearms sale in Fairfield, Maine, comes with the original case and accessories and is expected to fetch between $150,000 - $200,000. The 16-pound rifle, engraved with rhinos and tigers and designed to bag the biggest game, has its own chapter in the new book Hemingway’s Guns: The Sporting Arms of Ernest Hemingway.
Ralph Lauren is launching its first ever iPad app for the brand’s high-tech RLX line, utilizing some cool new technology. The RLX Ralph Lauren iPad app allows users to interact with world-class athletes on screen by tilting, rotating, flipping and tapping the iPad to manipulate different movements, colors and environments. There are 12 different “chapters” within the app that showcase the athletes wearing items from the new RLX line; each features an interactive key utilizing the iPad’s built-in accelerometer, digital compass, assisted GPS and multi-touch screen capabilities to activate the stylish scenarios.
The application also allows users to shop the entire collection by creating a direct portal to RalphLauren.com. Created to answer the demand for superior high-performance outfitting, RLX for men and women unites the highest standards of luxury, technology and style. From cutting-edge functional gear for professional athletes to exceptionally luxe lifestyle apparel for modern living, RLX “defines the next evolution of design with a philosophy focused on purity of form, unrivaled construction techniques and the world’s most innovative fabrications.”
While in some parts of the country spring may already have sprung, here on the Eastern Seaboard we’re still months away from cherry blossoms and G&Ts. In some ways this is the toughest time of the year - we’re worn down from a long winter, yet the snow keeps falling - and it requires some tough gear to get through it in style. A key comfort of course is a vehicle that can not only handle the elements but keep them firmly in their place, while keeping you warm, dry and wrapped in luxurious refinement. We’ve yet to experience anything that can turn the worst ice storm of the year into a minor inconvenience with as much impressive panache as the Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen. Not everyone loves its spartan exterior and sheer tonnage - just shutting the doors requires serious effort - but they’re usually the same people who “swear by” their tin can minivans; we saw them stranded on the side of the road as we cruised by in the G550 on our most recent Geländewagen excursion.
Meticulously handcrafted inside and out at a special manufacturing facility in Graz, Austria, the military-derived G-Wagen is the progenitor of every Mercedes-Benz SUV on the road today. Essentially unchanged aside from certain key upgrades since it was first introduced over 30 years ago, it’s done everything from winning the famous Paris-Dakar Rally to making sure the Pope gets to his appointments on time. With a starting sticker of $105,000 it’s definitely something of an indulgence, but that helps maintain a certain exclusivity which is not without an appeal of its own. Only a few thousand models are sold here every year so you don’t often see another one en route; while that means a certain amount of stares directed your way, unless you get one custom-painted bright red - it’s only offered in an understated palette of black, grey, silver, white and dark green - those tend to be minimal as it’s about as subtle as an SUV this size can get.
To help see out the season in style we have assembled a number of items which complement the G-Wagen’s rugged good looks and provide essential assistance before, during and after the journey. For starters we selected a lightweight, trim-fitting down bomber jacket by Ralph Lauren Black Label (above left), made of supple goat suede with a leather throat latch and gunmetal hardware. The most stylish weather defender we’ve seen all season, it’s the G-Wagen of outerwear. On the wrist we sported the new limited edition Breitling Transocean Chronograph (above right), a high-performance, shock-resistant, and damned good-looking watch on a mesh steel strap, while waxed canvas hunting boots from L.L. Bean Signature kept our feet warm and dry.
Galt’s Doctor bag is a great unisex bag for traveling or toting essentials and is especially fetching in this gorgeous limited edition shade of bright red. No worries about missing it at baggage claim! The exterior is 100% fine Italian leather and the interior is fully lined in sandy cotton canvas. Inside it’s a single roomy compartment with a small zippered pocket and outside it has double rolled leather top handles and goldtone hardware. Galt bags are handcrafted in Italy by skilled artisans and feature no external logos or identifiable insignias of any kind as the brand believes that obvious branding only serves as a distraction from their bags’ natural beauty and exquisite quality. $1,675
Esquire Home, a furniture collection that shares the same modern gentlemanly style as the men’s magazine, now has a new shop at New York City’s decor emporium, ABC Carpet & Home. A new ABC Coop Shop is offering a tailored masculine aesthetic created in collaboration with designer Timothy Oulton. The collection evokes a style that is streamlined and devoid of frippery with distressed leathers and neutral twills and tweeds.
French fashion label Façonnable, born from a tailor’s atelier in Nice in the 1950s, has always been one of our favorite men’s style staples. Now the company, which is committed to innovation, quality fabrics, impeccable cuts and singular details, is launching a new line called Façonnable Jeans, adding a contemporary spin to its portfolio. Inspired by the relaxed lifestyle of the Côte d’Azur, Façonnable Jeans offers the best of the world of denim while adhering to the principles of fine tailoring the brand is known for.
Refined stitching; the finest materials such as Japanese chambray; and contemporary fits distinguish the new collection, while prewashing and hand finishing guarantee a soft feel and unique patina. The new collection encompasses more than just jeans to round out the wardrobe, including khakis, washed cotton polos and T-shirts, and various styles of jackets, along with stylish accessories such as pocket squares and handmade ties, shoes, bags, belts, scarves, caps and boxer shorts.
Parabellum, makers of hand-crafted leather goods with a military flair in California, have come out with a new tote bag that’s as tough as it is stylish. The Archer Tote is reinforced with Kevlar and finished in deep textured bison hide with a removable / washable brushed cotton liner. Made entirely by hand in Los Angeles it features a removable shape-holding leather base, zippered pocket, adjustable straps and a hand-stitched brushed cotton case to protect it when not in use. Priced at $1,800, it’s available at Union and Maxfield in Los Angeles as well as Colette in Paris. Parabellum’s deep textured Bison hide comes from free-range American ranches, and is tanned domestically in small batches using age old techniques.
Boots are special by dint of numerical minority: most people don’t wear them, so we tend to notice them. As well, they present a larger palette for expression and are often expressive far beyond mere size. Yet the statements most boots make concern their wearers: the bella donna in an intoxicating pair of thigh-high Cavallis will probably have you wondering what other influences she might be able to exert on you.
But there is no archetypical wearer, no marble goddess eternally posing in an ur-Cavalli-thigh-high to which all subsequent thigh highs can pray for inspiration. (And yes, we do think that is a shame…)
Cowboy boots, on the other hand, speak to origins and a certain history in a way that few other boots do. Wellington wearers aren’t trying to channel Napoleon’s nemesis, nor are those in postilions likely to be anywhere near a coach - whereas the very point of a cowboy boot is to recall the men of the prairie. They are the Grecian urns of the American West, but instead of wine, their 10-inch, stitched and inlaid and tanned leather tops are portage for the overflowing, canteen-stained aura of “selfless, honest, independent, and self-reliant” loners.
And when you put them on, those are the waters in which you choose to dip your feet.
The problem, as with most cult relics, is that they are poorly understood. So Luxist spoke to custom boot maker Lisa Sorrell of Sorrell’s Custom Boots - whose average boot runs $6,000 - to learn more about how the West was worn. One of the first things she told us: “I tell my customers that cowboy boots are a way for men to wear high heels and bright colors.”
If you like Barker Black shoes but your accountant doesn’t like the cost of donning them, then the brand’s Spring/Summer 2011 collection might be the appropriate middle ground. There are eight slippes in washed linen and woven silk wool, four suede moccasins and three high-top sneakers.
The slippers can be had in black, natural, navy, charcoal or purple and all will be embroidered with “Death” on one foot and “Glory” on the other, in a contrasting color. The sued mocs range from cobalt to green to snuff brown, adorned with a silver crossbone. And the silk-striped high-top sneakers will come in deerskin or calf depending on your choice of orange, green, grey, black or white hue.
Instead of the the $775 entry to Barker Black’s standard line, this new collection begins at $425 for the moccasins, $495 for the slippers and $550 for the sneakers. Well, except for the Hartwell slip-on wingtip loafer (pictured) in antique honey calf, which takes you back up to $775. You can get those for your accountant - we have a feeling he’ll let that expense slide. They’ll be available from March at Barker Black stores and online.
The line between commerce and editorial continues to blur as more and more shopping websites are beefing up their coverage. Net-A-Porter, the ecommerce site founded by Natalie Massenet, has used the Google TV platform to create a new video portal, Net-A-Porter TV, that includes runway shows, designer interviews and other content. What makes this intriguing is the combination with of content with commerce. Consumers can shop as they browse and comment and share content. Products will appear on screen and buying is nearly seamless. There are four different channels: Runway, Who’s Who, Trends 101 and Flashbacks.
Luxury Daily questioned whether or not or not producing this content is cost efficient given that Net-A-Porter’s primary initiative is selling fashion not editorial coverage. I wonder if fashion shoppers are becoming more accustomed to having their chocolate mixed in with their peanut butter. Once editorial and advertising were kept fairly separate but over time with the rise of advertorial content in print, online and television it has been less and less clear where the lines are drawn. What remains to be seen is whether or not those who come to a website to shop are really interested in getting their editorial there as well. Barneys made a similar move this week launching its new site, The Window which features slideshows, video and articles related to designers, fashions and other products sold in Barneys stores.
So far the content on Net-A-Porter TV seems aimed at the fashion-centric female shopper but that may change. The brand also recently launched Mr. Porter, its new mens shopping site. Mr. Porter has a very different style, a black-and-white retro aesthetic with a no-frills approach. The Wall Street Journal did a long write up of that site’s launch and found that the look of the site is meant to appeal to men who tend to prefer less glitz and more information.
Alexander West, a Manhattan-based clothier specializing in the finest custom-tailored shirts, ties and cufflinks for stylish swells, has debuted an ultra-luxurious new cashmere blend collection. With an extremely soft hand, the weight of the luxe fabric transitions perfectly from winter to spring. The bespoke shirts, available in three colors - stone (above), granite, and solid eggshell - feature a button-down collar and flap pocket, and retail for $295 apiece. Other West designs, available online and by appointment in New York City, are woven from premium cottons and feature luxe mother of pearl buttons, personal monogramming, and precise, detail-conscious craftsmanship. The company also offers a “Send Your Shirt” program, in which they will replicate the fit of a favorite worn-out shirt in the fabric of your choice.
Dunhill launched its Day 8 platform for curated content just a couple of months ago, and now the British maker of fineries has undertaken another digital foray: this one is called Voice. Alfred Dunhill’s Global Marketing Director, Jason Beckley describes Day 8 as “a communication device [that] exists to express our point of view. Day 8 is our creative research, the things that inspire us.”
Voice, on the other hand, is the collected tales of inspiring men attired in Dunhill. Sir David Frost - yes, he of Frost/Nixon - artist Harland Miller, and violinist Charlie Siem take a solitary seat in front of the camera and explain some of the whats, whys, and wherefores of their lives and passions. And the stark lighting and desaturated colors help the viewer focus on what Dunhill hopes is revealed: “culture, intelligence, creativity, travel and elegance.”
There are nine videos now, with more to follow, including the back stories of some of the “cast” of Voice. If nothing else, they are already intriguing snapshots of The Lives of Famous Men and great ads for Dunhill, but who knows - Voice could help you “see Dunhill as a vehicle for [your] own individuality and self expression.” At the very least, it could give you some excellent wardrobe ideas.
Woolly mammoth ivory is huge these days and here we have an elegant option for men looking to indulge. Derrick Cruz, the talent behind Black Sheep & Prodigal Sons, has created a beautiful and one-of-a-kind handmade Mammoth Straight Razor. The razor features a sheath made of 10,000-year-old woolly mammoth ivory, a fully restored vintage stainless steel blade, and a 19th century quartz Stanhope lens containing vintage micro-photography. The razor can be personalized with your own custom image on the lens and Scrimshaw engravings on the sheath for an even more unique gift.
The Mammoth Straight Razor comes packaged in a laser-engraved salvaged wood case with a black linen drawstring sleeve and a quarter ounce of Renaissance Wax for keeping the ivory looking its best. $3,500
Jean-Claude Killy won all three ski events at the 1968 Winter Olympics, worked as a stuntman in James Bond films, appeared in Rolex ads, raced sports cars and was tapped as one of GQ’s 50 most stylish men of the last 50 years. Until now we didn’t know that he also has an eponymous line of luxe ski wear. Born in the French Alps, elegance, comfort and performance are the key focuses of the Killy brand. French designers, cutting edge fabrics, sporty laser cuts and color hits adorn what are otherwise very practical weatherproof garments for both men and women. The quality and style of each Killy ski piece is designed to “embody the exacting demands and spirit of Killy, the man himself.” Recently merged with the leading French outdoor group Lafuma, which also owns the famed Le Chameau boot brand, look for Killy to make even more of an impression in the future.
Dunhill launched its Day 8 platform for curated content just a couple of months ago, and now the British maker of fineries has undertaken another digital foray: this one is called Voices. Dunhill’s head of digital describes Day 8 as “a communication device [that] exists to express our point of view. Day 8 is our creative research, the things that inspire us.”
Voices, on the other hand, is the collected tales of inspiring men attired in Dunhill. Sir David Frost - yes, he of Frost/Nixon - artist Harland Miller, and violinist Charlie Siem take a solitary seat in front of the camera and explain some of the whats, whys, and wherefores of their lives and passions. And the stark lighting and desaturated colors help the viewer focus on what Dunhill hopes is revealed: “culture, intelligence, creativity, travel and elegance.”
There are nine videos now, with more to follow, including the back stories of some of the “cast” of Voices. If nothing else, they are already intriguing snapshots of The Lives of Famous Men and great ads for Dunhill, but who knows - Voices could help you “see Dunhill as a vehicle for [your] own individuality and self expression.” At the very least, it could give you some excellent wardrobe ideas.
London luxury goods firm Dunhill has come out with the ultimate gentleman sports car enthusiast’s accessory, a carbon fiber games compendium for $4,000. A masterpiece of understated, elegant design, at first glance its merely a sleek black box made of carbon fiber, resembling a type used in the latest supercars. The compendium is handmade by expert artisans exclusively for Alfred Dunhill and is inspired by some of the finest pieces in the firm’s archive, originally made of saddle leather. Inside the box you’ll find all the requisites for playing two traditional and well loved games: chess and backgammon. A folding two-sided playing board is also finished in carbon fiber, with stainless steel playing surfaces, a steel dice cup and anodized aluminum counters and pieces.
Gucci’s Men Woven Leather Holdall originally appeared on Luxist on Fri, 04 Mar 2011 17:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
