DKNY Exclusive for OC

The OC is bring back the good old days of the 90s with an exclusive collection of archival DKNY pieces. Oversized logo tees, jumpsuits, and hoodies stand out next to sporty leggings and maxi dresses. Below KT Auleta directed and Jay Massacret styled this short film for the exclusive collaboration.

Zana Bayne Collection VI

 

Zana Bayne's (Garage Dress) new collection video directed by Char Alfonzo featuring Alder New York Fall 2013 look book model Jon Zelno (Request).

Frida

Photographer, Luis Carlos Aguayo created this series of images inspired by Frida Kahlo and her work. Models, Gianluca di Sotto, Pol Gerez, and Roger Balduino are clothed by designer Tom Rebl and are styled with Mexican textiles, unibrows, and floral head pieces.
See more shots from the photo story after the break and check out the behind the scenes video below.

Fall 2013: Alder New York

This summer Nina and I moved to a brownstone that sits on the boarder between Bedstuy and Crown Heights in Brooklyn. We live around the corner from a mosque and Halal markets as well as the usual urban haunts like Jimmy Jazz and Cookies. The residents of this mash up effortlessly fuse the unlikely paring in their wardrobe. Men wear oversized bombers and hooded sweatshirts over embellished tunics or a wrap skirts with thermal underwear and Timberlands. These looks, uncommon in most places sparked the beginnings of Alder New York's Fall 2013 collection.

We embellished traditional patterned shirts with neon and metal sequins and created full legged shorts and skirts to mimic the local looks. This season we also work with accessory designer Robin Mollicone to create necklaces, pins, key chains, and rings. As always all of our garments are made in the USA from the best quality fabrics and materials. This season additionally marks our first collection using Woolrich wools made in Woolrich, Pennsylvania. Check out the Alder New York website where you can shop previous collaborations with Robin Mollicone and soon be able to buy pieces from the Spring 2013 collection. 

 

Photography: Colby Blount Model: Jon Zelno (Request) Grooming: Alder New York using Alder Natural Beeswax Pomade

Kenzo SS13 Ad Champaign

I posted the behind the scenes video for the Kenzo Spring 2013 ad campaign and thought it might be a good idea to share the end product. These ads get me so ready for spring I think I'm going to have to own the look directly above. If only I could afford it!

Kenzo SS13

The Natural Man's Grooming Guide II

Bearded Men Paintings by Danny Keith.

About a year ago I posted the first Natural Man's Grooming Guide. Here's another. Below are four products that I love; high quality, chemical-free goods: 

Beekman 1802 Tub of Butter: Just a small dab of Beekman 1802 Tub of Butter is all one needs to hydrated dry & damaged skin. Made with shea butter, goat's milk, and a assortment of natural oils this cream brings cracked hands and heels back to smooth and soothed condition in a matter of only a few applications. Available in 4 seasonal scents: Autumn, Winter, Spring, and Summer. 
0.75 ounce tub for $10.00 available at Beekman1802.com.

Portland General Store Whiskey Old-Fashioned Wet Shave Soap: Made with healing bentonite clay and other soothing oils and butters, PGS's Whiskey Old-Fashion Wet Shave Soap is anything but old. Shaving soap is a great modern way for a man to shave without the harmful chemicals of foaming shaving creams. Use with a shaving brush to get the follicles ready for a trimming and be left with the sophisticated scent of cedar wood. 
240 ml jar for $18.00 available at PortlandGeneralStore.com.

Alder New York Natural Beeswax Pomade: I hate petroleum based pomades that look and feel like a tub of Vaseline. ANY's Natural Beeswax Pomade is a smooth firm pomade great for keeping your hair in place and giving it a sublet sheen without being sticky and gooey. Made from beeswax and other natural oils this pomade has a lovely subtle honey scent.
1.5 ounce jar for $20.00 available at Aldernewyork.com.

Col. Ichabod Conk Pure Badger Travel Brush: I received this brush as a holiday gift and I'm already loving it! Handmade from badger hair in England, this quality brush is perfectly paired with your favorite shaving soap. The best part about this quality brush is that it comes with a screw top container for making traveling a breeze!
brush with screw cap container for $50.00 available at Colconkproducts.com.

Uncle Grumpy

It's been quite a while since I've posted. The past few weeks have kept me extremely busy working 7 days a weeks with 12+ hour days. But It has come to an end and hopefully I won't have to work like that again, or at least not until next season.
Some how between working and sleeping I discovered an artist called Uncle Grumpy. Grumpy's work is obvious queer to say the least. But that has little to do with what draws me to his illustrations. There is a quality to the distortion of his figures, the yellowy tint of the paper, the gestural energy of the lines, and the transparency of the colors that feel familiar. Like illustrations from childhood books. I can't nail down the reference, but I want to say I know this already. I thought maybe they feel like Andy Warhol's early illustrations of cats and shoes, but that's not it. Whatever it is, I like it!
See more of Uncle Grumpy's work here and his inspiration here, Warning, it can get a little 'x' rated, so this isn't the best thing to check out at work. Also check out my Tumblr, here, for my inspiration.

Time to Grow

From left to right: Ilias Petrakis, Philippe Malouin, Ricki Hall, Tarek Halaby, Fabian Schweizer, and Christopher Camplin

Men, it's that time of year again. That time when men set down their razors and shaving cream to let things go wild. November has been claimed as No-Shave-November or Movember a month dedicated to men's health awareness. Clean shaved gentlemen stop shaving, growing out moustaches and beards in support of the cause. However, true men of style, like myself, already don a full beard, because we know that a face with a beard is at the height of fashion. Take it from these dozen handsome bearded models, facial hair isn't just for November.

From left to Right: Tom Bull, Benjamin Dukhan, Dimitris Alexandrou, Jose Satorre, Sasha Marini, and Henrik Fallenius

KENZO MEN

The Gap & GQ

GQ and the Gap have paired up for a collaboration that I would have never expected. I've never expected much from the Gap after all, I grew up wearing Gap clothes, they were simple, basic, and, well, bland. GQ's 6 best new menswear designers have created capsule collections for the American brand. Of the six I'm most looking forward to Mark Mcnairy's collection. [On a slightly unrelated note, I gave (initially unbeknownst to me) Mark Mcnairy the worst stink face after his adorable son nearly ran me off the sidewalk last week with his scooter.] Anyway, I'm not letting my hopes get too high. After all it's for the Gap!

Ivy Style

Image via WWD

This past Friday a new exhibit opened at the FIT Museum called Ivy Style. The show curated by Patricia Mears is filled with garments that define the east coast collegiate style known as Ivy Style. Featured designers included J. Press, Brooks Brothers, Jeffery Banks, Thom Browne, Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger and many more. Personal highlights inculde a tweed Norfolk jacket with matching knickers dating from the 1920's and a pair of football pants from the 1900's. What's most interesting about the exhibit is that Ivy Style has virtually remained unchanged for over 100 years.

Ivy Style at the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology 7th Avenue New York, NY 10001
September 14th 2012 to January 5th 2013 fitnyc.edu

NYFW Spring 2013: Carlos Campos

2011 CFDA/ Vogue Fashion Fund finalist, Carlos Campos presented several monochromatic looks in shades of blue, yellow, white, and green for his Spring Summer 2013 collection at Milk Studios. Simple basics seem to be Campos' calling card, presenting another season with all the elements of a man's wardrobe.

 

 

NYFW Spring 2013: Public School NYC

Public School NYC has a goal to make men feel tough. I'm not sure if I would call the looks from the Spring Summer 2013 collection tough, but I'll definitely give them classically stylish. 

NYFW Spring 2013: Rochambeau & Holst + Lee

Some labels have a flare for the dramatic when it comes to presenting their work; Rochambeau is one of those labels. At the mystic water inspired Spring Summer 2013 presentation the room was lit green with models burning incense and filling the room with a haze. Not only did this make seeing the clothing difficult but made it near in possible to get a good photo. One thing that did stand out from the haze was the brightly colored jewelry by Holst + Lee adoring the models necks.