I have a saying, “it is the details that set the men apart from the boys.” Thomas Pink is known for the details they incorporate in every shirt. This sets them apart from the other shirt makers in their strata. I enjoyed their presentation as usual.
From my first encounter with Diego Vanassibara, I have been an enormous fan of his shoes. Originally from the countryside of South Brazil, he relocated to London as a young man. His eye and processes have been impacted by his early training as an Architect. The form and function in his design evoke true feelings. With this latest collection he stays consistent.
We’re giving you another sneak preview and this time it is Julius, the concept collection winter 15/16 of Tatsuko Horikawa from Japan, which we are pleasantly surprised to find at one of Paris’ fashion agencies during fashion open day – a spring event in Paris to come and see the latest collections and the latest designers, usually in the beginning of April. BDMOTP is allowed to bring our own model and our photographer for a quick-shoot. And we are lucky to give you just a few pictures here which came out nicely, because this is a very special collection, one which clearly on the runway would look like dynamite, but when you are able to approach it in person it immediately grasps and seizes you because of its strong and gripping conceptual dark design.
So what is behind this foreboding sartorial marvel?
Terracotta Warriors of the Kingdom of the New Rising Sun
The Julius collections exist since 2001 in Japan and since 2006 also outside Japan, and were first appropriately launched in a modern art gallery in Tokyo – as this is no club nor lounge wear – but concept and design wear. Trying it on at the fashion agency BDMOTP popped the question as to in which town or city or which location one would be able to find someone wearing Julius. How about during Pink Floyd retro perspective concert titled ‘Dark Side of the Moon’ somewhere in an industrial park in London’s West End?
It so turns out that Tatsuko in his creations is obsessed with shades of black. Scarab. Crow. Ink. Jet. Charcoal. Asphalt. Basalt. And all the other shades of black visible in the collection Tatsuko sees as representing the spiritual colors of the Zen tradition of spirituality while equating the darkness with the feelings of a deep and unknown grief. He calls his creations both metallic and industrial and they are meant to go paired with an ambient sound or noise which would awaken in us the pilgrim – a man who must yet still chose which road he is about to take. A curious and foreboding lifestyle concept of the avant-garde of our times.
Of course this being Paris, France, all this darkness translates seamlessly and perfectly into the French tradition of noire and existentialism. Legions of books have been written about it and it is nice to be able to see such dark ideas being entered and introduced in actual form and shape as a lifestyle concept and design on the runways and in the showrooms around the planet. Indeed the Julius collection would surely qualify under the omen and nomen of dark, brooding, and existentialist. Let’s say as a lifestyle concept of something out of an ominous gnostic nightmare – something like the Wachowski brothers Matrix Reloaded, where different shades of darkness and black are necessary to portray the insidiousness of life’s brooding and often meaningless destiny – night shades not optional.
“Mr Anderson, we need to talk …”
Everyone’s favorite avant-garde existentialist nightmare: the Matrix Reloaded
Everyone’s favorite avant-garde existentialist nightmare: the Matrix Reloaded
Photos by Mous (except of course the pic of Neo next to Olivier), modeling by Olivier & post by Sandro.
Yes, star commander, what are your orders?
BDMOTP was lucky enough to do a private quick-shoot bringing both the model and the photographer to the agency for Little Shilpa AW 15/16 in Paris and we caught the best of her extraordinary headgear collection in 15 minutes time.
Shilpa Chavan is a well-known hat – and headwear designer whose credits include working with major brands and being featured in major magazines, as well as working for national beauty pageants. She mostly designs for women and women like Lady Gaga, Cheryl Crow, and Nicki Minaj, as well as other female celebrities have worn and donned her awesome creations with pride, but today BDMOTP is honored to be able to you the following Primeur – that now men too with pride can wear fantastic creations from the grand old art of millinery and that certainly not all headwear for men will forever be limited to just boring classic caps, gills & cokes, or trilbys and fedoras.
For this is Shilpa Chavan pour Homme!
‘No quarter given, for now, but allow me to reflect’
The motto for this Little Shilpa headgear collection is Feral Nation with the concept and the idea being that wearing extraordinary headgear allows one to tap into your inner feral and wild side and indeed when we tried on the different gem-like pieces so much is becoming clear: That there is nothing just like an incredible piece of headwear or headgear that can change a man into what his destiny would have wanted him to be in the first place – a star commander, a bird-man, or perhaps an emperor of a realm since long forgotten, or yet to be discovered.
Tap in-to, your inner cockatoo
Whereas the headgear and wear is the feature and signature of the collection, the apparel comes along with it and has the overtones of military camouflage, military green, hunting green, and gold so as to give a fierce, subdued but determined look when people and the public will inevitably give you that look & stare as when they intensely try to assess your intentions or your social status. But this is grand of course, for who am I, if not but a man, if I cannot be sauvage, and wild or feral in my vain ambitions. L’etat, c’est moi, and it is good to be the king after all, and in my Kingdom sauvage, there shall be no venality allowed.
Headgear sauvage for men
Thus this grand collection fantastic by Shilpa Chavan for headgear sauvage will bring out the very best and very worst in both a brave as well as a reckless men who would be king or commander (or bird).
We have learned from ‘littleshilpa’ that there is a difference between hat-making and millinery in that not all headgear or headwear is limited to hat-making. And that headgear can change a man. Even in feral ways. But for men we like to call it sauvage.
Come to think of it, perhaps sunglasses are out-modeled and outdated these days. Who really needs sunglasses to hide yourself when you can have people publicly worship and fear your wildest dreams or ambitions? A feeling perhaps once exclusively known to women, now, thanks to Shilpa Chavan, also available to men.
La retour de l’Empereur
Photos by Mous
Modeling by Olivier
Posted by Sandro
This is hot stuff folks. The hottest models. The hottest colors. The hottest patterns & designs. The hottest fabrics. And it oozes class because it is all Italian made. In fact, the brand is so edgy that you cannot deny it to have a definite wow factor. We’ll explain it as it is still not too late to discuss summer 2015 for one collection that you really do not want to miss out on. We’re introducing Etro from Puglia in Italy: The masters of cashmere design and wild, wild colors.
These pictures should speak for themselves as you notice the plain variety of Mediterranean bright colors but there is much more than meets the eyes here because these colors are created by Etro according to what BDMOTP will call the uncertainty principle – each color or dye is created in organic fashion – the Etro colors are all grown. Which means that each color ends up being unique and cannot be framed or cast into stone or words. This is uncertainty principle number one. For example: As for whites some of the following materials are used: Bamboo, Hemp, Nettle, and yes, even regular organic Milk. The concept here is that each fabric worn is also a luxury good, or precisely, and if you so wish – a jewel of its very own kind.
Etro owns a collection of 150 cashmere shawls dating back to the time period of 1810 / 1880 and the cashmere patterns that can be found in the collection have become the DNA and signature of the luxury brand. Yes Etro makes accessories and perfumes as well — they have a lifestyle concept — but any brand that makes jewelry out of its fabrics will be remembered first and foremost for how things dressed & worn will look and shine. Thus Etro has adopted the Paisley symbol as a universal mark of excellence. Widely adopted around the world in many different cultures around the globe the origin of the famous pattern harks back to the original form and shape of the date fruit. There is an element of inscrutability to its shape. And from this vague and ambiguous form Etro creates and finds a thousand other shapes for its patterns and its design. None of them really meant to be known or cast in stone. A large and dense fog of shapes and forms, unsettled, yet various, but infinite in its inclusions. The idea is to create exclusivity of product by in-determination of form and shape. Uncertainty principle number II.
By now you are probably thinking ‘what the heck’, but it gets worse. Because the veritable jewel-like summer collection is based upon the following motto: ‘We are what we eat’ – all Etro style for summer 2015 is measured according to the kitchen by the culinary arts. Yeah not kidding! Spaghetti Vongole in the form of what you wear and how you dress, ravioli & meatballs with Bolognese sauce in the designs on your trousers, perhaps Chicken Marsala with mushrooms à la citron in the picture below. And yes it is not coincidental that a world food expo in Milan coming up very soon. The hottest Italian dishes served on the hottest clothes worn on the runway by the hottest models. This will be a long hot summer. A myriad of variety of dishes. You are what you eat. Uncertainty principle number three.
Ultimately though the incredible Etro summer 2015 collection oozes class. Simple Italian class and style. It’s the finishing. The handwork. The remarkable cut for gentlemen that one can only find in Italia. It carries and wears so loosely and yet so beautifully. When you enter the flagship store (we went to the one in Paris on Boulevard St Germain where there was an evening hosted by GQ recently others are located in Milan, New York, and London) the ambiance is quite immediately one of high class as an environment for exceptional sartorial items – one of a kind shining sartorial gems. And it is highly remarkable that this effect actually also shows from the vitrine and showroom windows on the outside. Because the Etro Paris flagship is located right next to Ralph Lauren, and opposite from Lagerfeld and Sonia Rykiel.These are all excellent brands. But from the outside in comparison Etro stands out and has an edge. And now we understand why this is. Because Etro has the X-factor. And it is called the uncertainty principle.
( …and the winner of the X – factor contest is … MILK WHITE)
Posted by Sandro Joo and photos from Etro.
It’s a sunny and warm Sunday in New York, and I can’t think of a better way to enjoy the end of the weekend than heading up to the trendiest and most hipster borough: Williamsburg. In the 70 North 7th Brooklyn, ready to be discovered lays one of Brooklyn best Flea Markets: Artists & Fleas. A funny and eye-catching sign welcomes all visitors to cross the tiny door located in the front of what it seemed to be an old storage building now turned into a full-packed vintage market which can only be described with one sentence: creativity is exploding here!
After wandering around the stalls and having browsed all the handmade jewelry, accessories, clothes and several forms of art, two stands grab my attention. In the middle of the artistic forest that surrounds us, there it is. Gentlemen, please prepare yourselves to welcome a new version of style: “fashion and crafts”.
It is believed by some that a man without a tie is no man at all. I take one step further and say that “a man without a bow tie is not a real man”. Dap Kitsch does not create just bow ties, they create small pieces of wearable art. They reinvent the classic accessory adding a twist: it is not about polka dots or stripes anymore, say hello to new prints which include whales, tigers, beetles, paisley and anything you can’t imagine (including a Dexter inspired one). Not a fan of bow ties because you find them hard to tie? Then you don’t have an excuse, because they also come in pre-tied and upcycled styles as well.
Some steps away and with a smile on his face, you can find one of the men behind Curated Basics, a brand that offers a collection of accessories that are indispensable for those who dare calling themselves gentlemen. From some essentials, such as handkerchiefs, cufflinks or leather belts, to others more controversial like anchor male bracelets or steel flasks, they all have something in common: color. And not just pale and light colors, but those that make strong statements, those that stand out from the crowd. To make clothing more appealing they decorate cotton handkerchiefs and silk or wool ties with houndstooth and flowery prints, and fishtanks and other animal motifs. And last but not least, they offer a wide range of colors in shoe laces so the most adventurous can add some contrast to their working outfit.
Photos and post by Paloma Canseco.
Vanishing Elephant was probably one of the trendiest collections to walk the menswear Melbourne runways, and had a distinct Brooklyn hipster vibe.
Chunky glasses and hats topped off oversize sweaters and denim shirts layered skinny, cuffed pants over boots, for a casual weekend look. The youthful designs are perfect weekend-wear for a young gentleman wanting to look good, but not fussy. A sexy, tousled kind of style for men who want to look as if they don’t care (except they do).
The clothing is made from soft and stylish materials, for added and extra comfort. These are clothes you love to wear.
The Vanishing Elephant motto is “Honest clothing for everyone, everyday.” And really, that’s exactly what it is.
Posted by Lori Zaino and photos by Natalie Rap.
Layering was the name of the game for M.J. Bale at Melbourne Fashion Week. Suits expertly tailored, covered by dandy scarves and professional trench coats, topped off with just the perfect touch, like a quirky bowtie.
Again, we see some of that London inspiration here, in the form of that Savile Row tailoring and suiting up. Suits in various plaids, window panes and pinstripes made for a traditional yet stylish collection.
If it all just seems all little to poised for you, don’t worry–M.J. Bale is the official clothier partner of the Australian Soccer team, Australian cricket team, Australian polo team and local Super rugby sides, the NSW Waratahs, ACT Brumbies and Western Force.
Looks like M.J. Bale is more than just suits, and can appeal to a sporty, more casual man as well.
Posted by Lori Zaino and photos by Natalie Rap.
Calibre showed a concise menswear collection at Melbourne Fashion Week reminiscent of London’s Savile Row. Expert tailoring and casual yet elegant suits and blazers are the Calibre signature style. The collection that walked the runway seemed to be inspired by the 1970’s–plaid suits and slim, stylish silhouettes.
Despite the 70’s influence, the collection was very much “in the now” with trendy color oxblood and layered pieces.
The brand itself is considered to be a pioneer in the Australia fashion world, showing its first collection 25 years back. The dandy, debonair looks take sharp suiting to a whole new level. Any made who wants a stylish suit would be smart to select Calibre.
Posted by Lori Zaino and photos by Natalie Rap.
