J.PRESS "YORK STREET" BY OVADIA

Ariel & Shimon Ovadia, the brothers behind Ovadia & Sons designed a collection for storied clothier J.Press, a fresher, more updated look for the hundred year old label. The collection has a really cool, young attitude. It's very collegiate, but not stuffy. The fits are slimmed down, and ready for the modern guy. The collection is named after the location of J.Press in New haven, CT. - "York Street". Now we only have to wait till next spring, when it will hit the shelves.....

HIDDEN GEMS

Tricker's

Boglioli

Drake's

Druhmor

An appointment with Nicolas Thys brings me to a suburb of Antwerp, there in a remodeled garage he has his showroom with hidden gems. As a real host he welcomes me when I walk up the driveway, and during a cup of coffee he explains how he got into the business.

He explains how a footwear collection of Tricker's starts, it's really building a shoe. You start with choosing a model then the sole, whether it's leather or a light weight. If you choose light weight you have to choose from different color options, then the upper do you want suede or leather and what color? How you want it sewn to the sole? Which color of eyelets? Type and color of the shoestring and finally you have to choose the color of the inner lining. Okay next model, let's start from scratch again.....But not only it is hard to choose the right shoes, it's also difficult to make a decision about what kind of jackets you want from the Boglioli collection or how many color options in a Druhmor pique shirt and, oh no... how many styles from the Drakes collection.........

With a smile on my face I said to him that it must be great to work everyday with these beautiful brands, and he respond with a sentence I never will forget:

  "It's better to sell shit and eat caviar, then sell caviar and eat shit" 

AMERICAN STYLE THE ITALIAN WAY

Last week I visited the Mason's Clothing showroom in Antwerp. During the 1970's the American Marcatino (Flea market) in Livorno was a piece of America on Italian ground, military garments, and gadgets of all kinds admired by collectors with passion for Americana. It was in this context that the Mason's brand matured: the idea of creating civilian garnets that conserve the aesthetic and characteristics, durability, and functionality of military garments. A style was born Americana the Italian way. For spring/summer 2013 the Mason's collection is not just military styled chino's and camouflage jackets, but also a full range of 5 pockets and chino's in the colors of the rainbow and more. During the Pitti Uomo, Florence they showed a special collection presented with backlight, the idea was just to have a showstopper, but the reaction where so good that they will bring this collection on the market next spring. (for more info D-Lux)

RIDERS ON A STORM

Have you ever seen such a "kinky" down Jacket?

Meet Ai Storm, Created and designed by Giovanni Chicco. This is a super idea. Ai-Storm is a down-jacket, where a ski mask is literally built into the hood, which, when closed leaves you completely and hermetically separated from the external agents. For skiing in extreme temperatures should be quite functional. And sure you are gonna impress your friends. The look is certainly futuristic, they are available for men and women and the lenses are interchangeable depending on the level of brightness required. Distributed via D-Lux Concept, Antwerp

BARK @ OXFORD, ANTWERP

I spotted Bark @ Oxford, Antwerp, they made a great display, of those beautiful Italian heavy knit. learn more about Bark here.

STORE LOCATOR - WOOLRICH MAASTRICHT

Today, the very first Woolrich store opened their doors in Maastricht, The Netherlands. I had the opportunity to shoot the first pictures, with the carpenter and the visual merchandiser from Milan still working to finalize the store for the weekend. On the ground floor you can find the mens collection, the build in wall units are covered with jute and go all the way up to the ceiling. They played with the height to create a "stock feeling" where rolls of fabric and the jackets are used as props. Vintage ads are used on the walls to tell the history of the brand. On the first floor you find the woman and kids collection.

 In the last picture you see the limited edition, the classic Byrd Cloth Arctic Parka, inspired by the personality and charisma of Admiral Evelyn Byrd and his expeditions, is available in 5 special “LIMTED EDITION” colors. The Byrd Cloth Arctic Parka, created in the classic American fabric patented by Admiral Byrd in the ‘30s, is made in 100% cotton which, thanks to its special fabric weave, is also wind and water resistant, features a coyote-trimmed fur hood, 80/20 feather padding and a metal zip, as seen in the original clothing items in the ‘40s.

Whenever you are in Maastricht or in the area, make sure to pay the Woolrich Store a visit, you can find it @ Maastrichter Smedenstraat 19, Maastricht.

PENFIELD @ CAMP WANDAWEGA

Inspired by the Great American outdoors, Massachusetts based Penfield recently traveled to beautiful Wisconsin to shoot their Fall/Winter 2012 Collection Lookbook. Shot on location at the recently restored Camp Wandawega, the lookbook features the brands classics: Down jackets, Mountain Parkas, as well as knitwear, fleece, and flannel shirts rounding out the collection. Also featured is Down Shirt Jackets, which have been gaining in popularity in recent times. (click here for full text)

BELLEROSE FW 2012 / BELGIUM PROUD

Nigel Cabourn Duffle Coat for Bellerose

Bellerose is created in 1989 by Patrick van Heruck, it all started as a menswear collection followed by womans and kids line. Inspired by workwear, military and oldschool clothes, Bellerose has been a pioneer in reinventig timeless pieces and bringing them into the presents. And so does Nigel Cabourn together with Bellerose he created the beautiful white duffle coat. A Duffle coat is a coat made from duffle, a coarse, thick, woollen material. The name derives from Duffel, a town in the province of Antwerp in Belgium where the material originates. The duffle coat owes its popularity to the British Royal Navy, who issued a camel-coloured variant of it as an item of warm clothing during World War I. The design of the coat was modified slightly and widely issued during World War II. In the Navy, it was referred to as a "convoy coat". Field Marshal Montgomery was a famous wearer of the coat, as a means of identifying himself with his troops, leading to another nickname, "Monty coat".