Teki Latex’s Phenomenon Capsule Line
We’ve written about Teki Latex’s impeccable style before, and apparently we’re not the only ones who’ve noticed his propensity for colorful prep and confident quirks. Japanese men’s label Phenomenon, whose most recent line consisted of Warriors-inspired street style with a touch of pagan apocalypse, has enlisted Teki to create a capsule collection based on his personal aesthetic. He graciously sent us an exclusive sneak peek at the lookbook full of crisp polos with dandyish elements like top hats and canes combined with Pac-Man-y pop art, a characteristic blend of playful and classic. But the piece that really turned us out was this crazy Cosby-invoking cardigan with all the pieces of the line combined in one pop: what appears to be a shark (dinosaur?) polar bear (thanks dudes!) in a top hat with a cane and a monocle. Touché, Teki, touché.
The Mishka X New Era Collection is Thoroughly Warm
- story Chioma Nnadi
There are a few silhouettes in the new crop of Mishka X New Era caps and all of these toppers have been designed with style and Siberian wind chill factors in mind. There’s the MiG Aviator (a sturdy Soviet Air Force staple, with traditional fuzzy earflaps), the Gein Hunter cap (a quilted Elmer Fudd fave), both of which are tried and true body heat conservers. Even the breezy boy racer-inspired Cyrillic gets a winter update in melton wool.
Lessons in French Dressing From Bérangère Claire
- story Chioma Nnadi
Last week, a member of the style department who shall remain nameless showed up dressed as a French lady to a Halloween party hosted by two Parisians. Needless to say, in a roomful of bona fide French folks, the irony was not hitting. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what keeps us running back to designer Bérangère Claire every season, but it definitely has something to do with that deceptively simple je ne sais quoi of French dressing. She manages to reinvent the classics, adding sweet exchange student staples to the line—an easy plaid mini here, a crisp white button-down there—with every season. And her fall 2009 lookbook of crazily nonchalant French kids is enough to inspire some of us to practice our best French face and re-up for next year.
Walter Van Beirendonck’s Crass Communication
- story Alex Frank
Walter Van Beirendonck is a designer whose work speaks for itself, so it’s no problem that we can’t understand the Flemish text in his new book. His collections are always an amazing and often tongue-in-cheek refutation of good taste, a seasonal reminder that menswear can move beyond peacoats and navy blazers. It’s his sense of humor that makes us love him so, and that funny bone is definitely front-and-center here. There’s cartoonish quilts on one page, men wearing Mary Janes and sheer masks on another, and good vibes enhancing bright color everywhere. Pictures from the book after the jump.
Reality Studio Designs Clothes For Ancient Igloos
- story Chioma Nnadi
Set in the eastern arctic wilderness about 1000 years ago, Inuit movie Atanarjuat the Fast Runner is said to be a work of icy supernatural wonder. Reality Studio, women’s wear line out of Berlin, based its entire fall collection on the action thriller, and the clothes—huge hooded coats and tons of cozy draped wool over gorgeous wintry prints—are enough to make us update our Netflix queue immediately. In the meantime, we’re working on a fashion legend of our very own, a tale that involves a super-powered canoe and an epic journey across the seas to the Henrik Vibskov store in Copenhagen, where choice pieces from the collection just went on sale.
Nerd Boyfriend is Our Main Squeeze
- story Siri Thorson
Everyone knows that nerds make the best companions. They’re shy, sensitive, and they can show you how to download a ton of free games for your DS. Sadly, the misconception that nerds don’t know how to dress themselves (without mom’s help) still seems to linger in the cultural subconscious. If ever you needed proof that fashion and nerdiness can—and do—walk hand in hand, then take a look at Nerd Boyfriend. Featuring a regularly updated, impeccably curated selection of vintage photographs of everyone’s favorite fashionable nerds, from Art Garfunkel to Robert Crumb to Tennessee Williams, the site offers up a shopping guide for how to capture each look for yourself or your significantly nerdy other. Seriously helpful styling tips whether you are a nerd boyfriend, have a nerd boyfriend, or just wish you did.
Looking For Margiela in His New Book
- story Chioma Nnadi
When the new Maison Martin Margiela book showed up on our desk last week, we weren’t surprised that the cover was plain ol’ white-on-white. Margiela has been fashion’s most famous phantom for over 20 years now, and the last place he’s going to leave clues for his identity is on the cover. Just like his clothes, nothing about the book is straightforward—he eschews the traditional foreword format, sprinkling black and white photocopied letters and essays in-between the pages instead. There’s a handwritten letter from Jean Paul Gaultier who talks about the time day he hired Margiela as his assistant, and another from French Vogue EIC, Carin Roitfeld who attaches an adorable pic of her and stylist Emmauelle Alt lounging backstage at a Margiela show in 1992 to her note. All the seminal MMM moments are in there too, like the crazy pointed-shoulder trend he kicked started in 2007, or the supersized jeans from his “life-size” fall 2000 collection, where everything is blow up by 150% to 600% from the original dimensions. For conceptual eye candy value, there’s even a page of mugshots featuring rugged Margiela male models past and present—we’re putting our money on the blond bearded dude (bottom row, fourth picture in from the left) being the real Margiela.
Big In Japan: New North Face Purple Label
- story Alex Frank
How many times a day must we bemoan our inability to convert dollars to yen? High Snobiety brings us images from The North Face’s Purple Label, sold exclusively in Japan. It’s just the latest in a string of American labels (Levi’s, Woolrich, among others) that give their best off-shoot lines to the Japanese market and keep us Yankees in the dark. Japanese store Nanamica has the entire line, which includes essentials like color-block velour backpacks and floral duffles.
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posted on Nov 2, 2009 in STYLE NEWS tags high snobiety, Levi's, nanamica, north face, North Face Japan, purple label, Woolrich Woolen Mills
A Continuous Goldberg Presents: The Pop Up Flea
- story Alex Frank
After conquering the internet with A Continuous Lean, a blog dedicated to the greatest in American menswear, Michael Williams’ next step seems to be eliminating the middle man altogether. For a few days in November, you won’t just have to stare through a computer screen at all the gorgeous sweaters and shoes, you’ll be able to buy them at the Pop Up Flea, a style bazaar that he’s co-hosting on Mulberry Street from November 20-22. There will be plenty of opportunities to compare Barbour coats and wool knits with fellow New York gentlemen and purchase some new pieces to boot. You might even be able to get some in-person shopping advice from Mr. Williams, which would make it a hell of a lot easier deciding which plaid goes best with your Red Wings.
Edun x Jo Ratcliffe for War Child
- story Chioma Nnadi
It’s been a bit of a wild thing week for us, starting with Beast Mark and now rounding out with Edun’s T-shirt and T-dress series with artist Jo Ratcliffe. The white-on-black images are pretty terrifying and amazing, and what’s more, a percentage of the proceeds go towards the charity War Child. The limited series is available here starting today, for one-month only.
