Fashion, Frankly

Daniel Radcliffe: Le Geek c'est Chic

2012-01-29T10:00:00.032Z

JustJared

I am really impressed with how much Daniel Radcliffe's style has improved in the last few months. After quite a few mistakes on red carpets and appearances it looks like he's finally found a style that suits him. I understand that this took a while because –and this I know from experience– getting dressed when you're a short man it's not an easy task. It takes years to figure out which exact length of trousers and tops is best for you. Simple things like sleeves have to be just right or you look silly. But Daniel's got this figured out now.
For one of his latest appearances on TV during the press tour for his new film he went for a brilliant all-blue outfit. The smart blue shirt contrasts with the jumper –the highlight of the look– which injects a geek/70's/casual vibe into the outfit. The almost unwashed dark jeans are a perfect fit and because they're really slim the two rolls up the bottom look great and add to the look. The final spot-on touches are the suede shoes that are somewhere in between being Vans and a smart shoe, and the old school haircut.

For a similar look in a different colour palette –perhaps sandy colours– I found this awesome Levi's Vintage wool jumper on Mr Porter. Radcliffe (or I) could rock this with a beige Oxford shirt, a pair of mustardy brown chinos and brick-coloured desert boots.

MrPorter

Prada FW12: Dr. No gets a makeover

2012-01-23T12:00:00.084Z

Style.com

I don't think anyone would disagree with me if I said that one's first ever Prada show is one of life's highlights that are impossible to forget. Well, I am a very lucky guy and I got to experience this first hand last weekend during Milan Fashion Week.
I first got goose pumps (of excitement) as I entered the venue and walked up the stairs with a 20-metre Prada logo staring back at me. The actual show space was a stunning square open space with columns running down its middle and four blocks of seats on each side. The only decoration element and the most striking was the huge red carpet with geometric motifs. It was a simple but very strong setting.
The clothes were quite different from what we've seen over the last couple of seasons. In recent collections Miuccia has looked at the past quite a lot (50's, 60's, 70's) and updated the look to make it "Prada" but also very modern and current. This time she has done a little of that by slightly referencing the 60's but she's done so in a very different way. The feel of the collection is very much futuristic rather than contemporary –"Retro-futuristic", if you will– like a new take on Dr No. The emphasis was on outerwear –double-chested knee-lenght overcoats in either in simple cut wools, printed fabrics with astrakhan collars or even jacquard, which almost looked like dressing gowns.
The collection was all about formal attire but it didn't take itself too seriously. Here's also where the VIP guests came in –Garrett Hedlund, Adrien Brody, Jamie Bell, Emile Hirsch, Gary Oldman, Tim Roth and Willem Dafoe all missed the Golden Globes to wear Miuccia's creations in Milan. Bell, Oldman and Brody were formal and serious, professional. Roth and Hedlund were goofy, they were having fun.
It was definitely one of those shows that people talk about for years and I am so glad I got to be a part of it! Watch below my video of the finale and click here to see Miuccia taking a bow.

Three SS12 must-buys from TopMan

2012-01-20T15:34:00.000Z

carolinesmode.com/modeman

It's a little weird to be writing this post about the best SS12 buys after spending the weekend in Milan looking at the FW collections... And even weirder when you realise that menswear comes out pretty much a year in advance! In any case, I am working on my posts of the collections I got to see first hand but I will also continue to post about my picks for spring/summer, a man's got to be prepared.
TopMan has really moved forward in terms of design over the past few seasons. They're the only high street brand that does trend without copying high fashion designers. Instead, they 'get' the mood of the season or the style and they do it their way. I have bought a handful of their pieces for this winter and I am already excited about next season's items.
My three favourites (of what I've seen for the moment) are the tropical print shorts, which remind me a lot of what Prada did for women a couple of seasons ago. I was then obsessed with the prints and so I am chuffed to know I'll be owning a pair in a few months.
Second on the list is the aztec print denim shirt. I just cannot get enough of this motif on shirts, jumpers and scarves. I think they're great because they inject character into an outfit but they're generally not overpowering and a lot of them work throughout the seasons.
And last, the leopard knit jumper. It's taken me all of winter to realise that there's a particular way of doing leopard motifs that works really well for men. I missed out on a few great pieces over the last few months, which is precisely why I have my eyes on this bad boy that must be mine!
Go to TopMan to see much more!

Valentino introduces the 'Jape' for FW12

2012-01-13T09:00:00.049Z

Style.com

Menswear fashion week kicked off a couple of days ago in Florence with the famous Pitti Uomo trade show, which Scott Schuman and Tommy Ton first made famous because of the brilliant street style of its attendees. Some of the bigger menswear designers such as Jil Sander have chosen to have their show there in the past. This time the Valentino Uomo and Hardy Amies collections have been the ones to walk down the rooms of the Palazzo Pitti.
Sadly, I have missed this event (once again). Fortunately, I am flying to Milan tomorrow to attend some of the FW12 shows there. So stay tuned for all the reports of Ermenegildo Zegna, Burberry Porsum, Emporio Armani and Tod's first hand. I am very excited!

The Valentino show really left me amazed. It's not a brand that I would normally go to for menswear but it seems like Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli have really found a direction for next winter. It was a mostly monochrome collection about subtlety. All the garments were about structure and details that you wouldn't normally find at first glance –zips and pockets perfect placed– because they're intended to be used and not necessarily decorate.
I am usually more keen on having a mix of colours (you will never see me in all black) but this monochromatic take on the tailoring works so well. It's like watching a film in black and white where you pay more attention to the texture and shape of things. I found curious how the trousers were cropped –something that I have always been a fan of for the winter– but even more so I was intrigued by the reason why the models walked sock-less. Chic as it looks, I am not sure of how practical it can be for the cold months. Perhaps it was a mere presentation choice?
My favourite part of the collection were the 'Japes' –a term combining 'jacket' and 'cape' that I have decided to coin to save me time. Men (me included) have worn their jackets and coats simply thrown over their shoulders for decades but it's sometimes hard to keep from sliding off. Maria Grazia and Pier Paolo have solved this by adding a strap of fabric (matching the jacket) that reaches from the left to the right lapel and buttons underneath it. It's early yet to say whether this will become a trend for FW12 but it would be fair to say that we will probably see many men sporting this in a year's time.

The SS12 Build-Up: Introducing Luke Edward Hall

2012-01-04T13:00:00.001Z

Courtesy of Luke Edward Hall

Happy New Year everyone!

I hope you've all had a lovely Christmas and a good start to 2012. Now that we're done with Christmas wish lists it's time to start getting ready for the new season. One must never waste time with fashion. So I have decided to make a start for SS12 compiling all my favourite items –the ones that will make a difference.
At the top of my list is Luke Edward Hall, a London-based menswear designer you must to your list of ones to watch. His tropical print shirt, available at Fox & Flyte (of which he is co-founder), is my latest obsession. The fabric, a limited edition printed semi-sheer cotton, features a bird and fruit design over a duck egg blue background as well as a contrast back collar. I can easily picture myself wearing it to attend Milan Fashion Week paired with a short trouser suit from, say, the Hardy Amies SS12 collection.

Make sure to follow Luke's blog, where he shares what inspires him as well as his enviably chic getaways. If you are a fan of the finer things in life and you have a nostalgic soul you will be hooked.

Dolce & Gabbana takes on Cinema Italiano for the SS12 campaign

2011-12-29T17:24:00.001Z

Courtesy of Dolce & Gabbana

I have been fascinated with Dolce & Gabbana ads for years. I remember I was especially obsessed a while back when I was first getting into fashion. It was right around the time when Steven Klein shot a lot of their campaigns.
It's funny how their aesthetic has evolved over the last few years sort of alongside mine. They started working more and more with Mario Vivanco and Giampaolo Sgura and adopting a more natural style that went back to Domenico and Stefano's Southern Italian roots.
For their SS12 menswear campaign they have once again taken inspiration in Italian cinema, something that they do so well. You might remember their FW10 collection, one of my favourite from the last few years, where they took inspiration from Baarìa, a film about post World War 2 Southern Italy. This time, for the upcoming season, they have focused on a less serious side of cinema. The scenes shot by Mario Vivanco capture moments like a baptism, a Sunday family meal, the courting of the village beauty or a kiss on the docks. The designers have also chosen real actors such as Giuseppe Fiorello, Francesco Sciana, Thomas Trabacchi or Chiara Francini, who Vivanco beautifully shot in Portofino back in October.
I was sad to hear that last season was the last one for D&G and I was even sadder to be invited to the show and not being able to make it but I have a feeling that this choice is only going to make their mainline brand even better. I am all over Dolce & Gabbana trouser shorts for SS12!

Courtesy of Dolce & Gabbana

Michael Pitt for the Prada SS12 Campaign

2011-12-21T14:00:00.007Z

Courtesy of Prada

Today the images from the men's Prada SS12 campaign have been released with Michael Pitt as the front man, shot by David Sims. I did not see this coming in the least, which makes it an absolutely brilliant surprise as I am a huge Michael Pitt fan and I'm currently obsessed with Prada's SS12 collection. Miuccia has managed to bring together a quirkiness and wit to the very trendy 50's theme.
Sims, who has really outdone himself this time, has adopted a 50's portraiture style for the campaign so it's no wonder it works so well! What Prada meant to do and what they achieved so successfully is to get this sense of a blurred line between sportswear and work attire. Exactly the sort of changes that started happening in menswear during the end of the 1950's and the beginning of the 60's.
I normally wouldn't choose to share all the pictures from the campaign but these are stunning pieces of photography! And I just can't wait until this collection is in the shops. I need the printed neckerchiefs and shirts in my life, pronto!

Courtesy of Prada

Christmas Wishlist: Louis Vuitton travel rug

2011-12-14T10:00:00.001Z

LouisVuitton.com

I can't quite remember what I read or watched a few years ago that made me realise how useful a travel blanket could be. Snobbery aside, most aeroplane blankets (unless you're flying First) are too thin and can smell too funky. Which is why an investment on a nice cashmere travel blanket is so worth it.
Cashmere is a lot warmer than normal wool but it's also a lot lighter, which makes it perfect for travelling. What I love about this particular Louis Vuitton one is, firstly, the subtle grey and olive check that adds a stylish note. And secondly, the leather holder that it comes with. This way you don't have to quickly fold your blanket on the way out of your plane, you can just roll it up and carry with as a bag or throw it into yours.
This blanket is a bit of an investment (!) but if you can splurge a little I'd say it's worth it.

Christmas Wishlist: The Montblanc Meisterstück

2011-12-12T10:00:00.046Z

Courtesy of Montblanc

If five years ago someone had come up to me and told me I was going to get a pen for Christmas I would have cursed them inside. A fountain pen is, like whiskey, a thing you can only appreciate with age and wisdom. I don't know if this is normal for a young man getting closer to his mid twenties but I am beginning to want fewer and fewer things but make sure that what I get is excellent.
My dad is the owner of one of these incredible Montblanc pens. I remember my mum bought it for him years and years ago as a (I think) birthday present. Even since then he's taken good care of it. It's the pen with which he signs contracts, important letters and the like. I guess observing this over the years (I was, of course, not allowed to use the pen) contributed to my wanting my own one.
I would have to carefully choose the exact model and design I'd like. My dad's is a black roller pen model with a sort of silver grid –something very similar to this. And so I wonder whether the iconic Meisterstrück fountain pen, which celebrates its 87th anniversary, is the one for me.

Each Meisterstrück has a 18 K hand-ground gold nib with platinum inlay, three gold-plated rings, gold-plated clip and deep black precious resin barrel make this luxurious writing instrument a legend among fountain pens. The white star at the top of the pen represents the snow-covered summit of Europe’s highest mountain, Mont Blanc, which height “4810” is engraved on the pen itself.
Do watch the beautiful video below. I was amazed by the time, care and craftsmanship that go into every single pen. This only makes me want a Montblanc pen even more!

Best Dressed of the Week: Robert Downey Jr & Jude Law

2011-12-11T10:00:00.042Z

JustJared

I usually don't do a Best Dressed of the Week post on Fashion, Frankly because American GQ does it so much better than I ever could. But this week I could hardly resist posting these pictures of Robert Downey Jr and Jude Law at the London premiere of their newest Sherlock Holmes film "A Game of Shadows".
It's funny because Downey Jr's look is exactly the kind that I would usually hate but this man, who is too cool for words, pulls it off impressively. She fit of the shiny suit is really good –slim enough to feel contemporary but not a skinny fit. I like how the suit fabric contrasts with the black shirt and, hell, I even like the combination of both with the super shiny silver tie. As usual, he wore it all with a pair of snickers (I will never forget this other look) that, in my opinion, make the look. His hair is also looking exceptionally good these days and that, I can tell you, is always a great plus.
Jude Law went for another of his famous I-dress-formal-but-not-quite looks. It's so interesting what he's done here. The almost skinny tuxedo trousers look classic from the front but that changes as soon as you see the dark green stripe along the side of the leg –something we'd easily Christ Martin wearing– this is the first touch of formal but not quite so. The second is the combination of the navy blazer, waistcoat and white shirt with the woollen hat and untrimmed beard. If anything, what makes this outfit are the textures and I love the touch of the silk pocket square.
But of course the best is seeing them together. It's almost like they get dressed together to complement each other because, let's face it, these pictures wouldn't be nearly as cool if they were apart.

Giorgio Armani for Ethan Hunt

2011-12-07T17:00:00.019Z

Courtesy of Armani

If only one could be Tom Cruise... Because being a movie star and married to the lovely Katie Holmes is not enough Tom Cruise is also the lucky one to have Giorgio Armani design an exclusive suit for him. or rather, Ethan Hunt, the Mission Impossible character that he made famous is the lucky one. For the premiere of Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol in Dubai tonight, Tom Cruise will be wearing this super suave midnight blue tuxedo custom made by Giorgio Armani.
I am not only sharing this because I am green with envy or because I absolutely love the design but also because I find Giorgio Armani's way of sharing his sketched in the form of illustrations incredibly cool!

PS. In case you were wondering, Cruise will also be wearing Giorgio Armani to the premieres in London, Paris and New York after today.

Christmas Wishlist: Bally Scribe Made-To-Order Cigar Humidor

2011-12-05T10:00:00.024Z

Courtesy of Karla Otto

Before you think that I've gone bananas, let me tell you that I never kid when it comes to Christmas-present wish-lists. You might think that some of my picks are a bit outrageous for someone my age but I was born a sophisticated (hopefully) middle-aged man in a kid's body.
I am in love with this Bally cigar humidor box. Even though I am not a regular cigar smoker I have been planning to become one for a while. After my initiation in the world of whiskey over a year ago it just feels right to take it to the next level, Mad Men style. And when I do I want to be ready, hence the presence of this item on my list.
The Scribe humidor box is a limited edition (only 100 pieces) item produced by Bally with Sri Lankan Macassar Ebony. It can store up to 300 cigars and, get this, it can also store a pair of shoes like Bally's Scribe made-to-order. So if, like me, you are approaching the cigar-smoking with baby steps, you will know there is a worthy purpose for this absolutely stunning box.

If you are interested, the 100 pieces will be on sale from mid-December at Bally stores.

He's fly: Zac Efron, Part II

2011-12-04T10:00:00.056Z

JustJared

I love following the style progress of celebrities. You might remember how my first ever He's fly post on Fashion, Frankly was about Zac Efron. I was then in awe of his Spring/Summer looks around the time when he attended the Maui Film Festival in 2010. He sticks to the classics but he picks garments that are individually interesting yet still versatile enough to be combined in many ways.
Over a year later, he's stuck to his own rules but stepped it up in terms of sophistication. This time I want to admire the looks he's been wearing for his latest press tour in the UK. He's always at his best when he travels.
He arrived in Heathrow channeling a bit of Ryan Gosling with a slim pair of grey chinos, a printed blue tee and a pair of brown lace-ups. He made these cool with a shearling lined leather jacket, some funky socks and a Louis Vuitton keepall travel bag. For the rest of his time in London he donned similar trousers in light brown a slightly shiny chambray shirt and a pair of dark brown leather brogue boots. He then played around with these, to which he added a burgundy chunky cardigan –a look he later wore too to fly out of Heathrow. My favourite look was the one he wore to his Radio 1 interview –a pair of dark jeans, a brown and blue checked shirt and the super cool leather jacket.

I went on to find similar items from Mr Porter for a 'Zac Efron, get the look' kind of thing. I love all the items I found as they're very much after my own heart.

1. Maison Martin Margiela shearling lined leather jacket @ Mr Porter, 2. Louis Vuitton Keepall 55 bag, 3. Gant Rugger button down chambray shirt @ Mr Porter, 4. Rag & Bone slim leg cotton chinos @ Mr Porter, 5. Mark McNairy full gran leather boots @ Mr Porter.

Christmas Wishlist: Prada tartan wallet

2011-11-27T10:00:00.042Z

GQ.com, Saks.com

I've always found the subject of changing wallets a hard one. I have only ever had two wallets so far (excluding surfing brand ones from my teens) because once you get used to one is hard to let it go.
I remember my first ever 'grown-up' wallet was from Prada –this classic nylon model that's still produced. I bought it at the first Prada store in the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele in Milan when I was about 16 or 17. My mum tried to convinced me not to spend that money on a wallet but I repeated to her how much of a classic it was and so it had to be mine.
I stuck to my Prada wallet, which is in perfect condition even today, for quite a few years until in I decided to get a new one for practical reasons in the summer of 2010. I always find bulky wallets very annoying when I wear shorts or light trousers and so I wanted to get a card case type of wallet to alternate with the other one. I eventually went for a Louis Vuitton one in the classic brown Damier canvas.
This new slim model proved to be so much more practical than, in fact, I kept using it throughout the summer and into the following seasons until today. I won't say that I've made my mind about this yet but yesterday when I was going through GQ's holiday edition of 'Shop like an Editor'. In the list I found these super cool Prada card cases with asymmetric card slots and a tartan print which seemed a cool alternative to what I have now. I want to stick to the format but mix it up a bit. And so I've thought that if someone gave me one of these as a present for Christmas I would have to move on once again, seems like a good idea, no?

Fight the blues with blue

2011-11-25T10:00:00.031Z

Courtesy of Burberry

I'm not one of those people who gets very depressed in winter and just wishes for it to be over and for summer to return. On the contrary, I am a huge fan of winter. It's the time to be cozy and chilled and, most importantly, to wrap up. This means you can actually have a lot more fun getting dressed every day.
Looking at this picture of Eddie Redmayne dressed head to toe in Burberry it occurred to me that I have been wearing a lot of blue, especially navy, so far this season. I try to combine different shades and different textures to keep the looks interesting. It's just such a great colour for the winter because it's dark and it feels cozy but it's not as lacking in any kind of joy as black. Though both colours can look super chic when properly combined! I've also been wearing a lot of black and blue.
And so I've had a look at Mr Porter to see which blue Burberry pieces I'd pair with each other, Redmayne style. I started with the Prorsum wool trousers because I loved the texture and the half formal half informal design. I would wear them with a shirt in a lighter shade of blue –I chose this Prorsum one because the chambray fabric gives it a casual feel but the pleated details at the front keep it smart. I would finish up the look with a navy blazer like this washed cotton Burberry Brit one to go out for dinner or with this quilted bomber jacket for an every day cool ensemble.

Frank Loves: Raf Simons FW11

2011-11-24T10:00:00.000Z

I found this video through Tommy Ton's twitter a couple of days ago. He mentioned how with videos like this we wouldn't really need fashion shows. And, after watching it, you kind of have to agree with him. The shows are a great experience but if we had videos the likes of this one for every collection we could just all stay home for fashion week.
The video also reminded me how much I love Raf Simons. I would say that him, Dries van Noten and Nicolas Ghesquière are my favourite designers. I just love what Simons does with shapes and colours. Watching the video of his FW11 collection I was simply in awe of how he continues to innovate. And I'd say it's a good sign when you can think about more than just buying or wearing clothes.

Christmas Wishlist: Nixon Tortoise Acetate collection

2011-11-23T16:00:00.035Z

nixonnow.com

I inherited my obsession with shoes and watches from my dear father who, funnily enough, has also always been one of the most vocal about my spending through the years (he did fund all these years). It took me a long time to be able to buy shoes at Zara (what was I thinking?!) but I eventually realised it wasn't realistic to have 30 great pairs of shoes.
However, I have struggled a lot more with watches and I still do. Apart from the odd Swatch I can never seem to find something I love and that costs less than 3k. This means I only own six watches: A Swatch, a Michael Kors, an Emporio Armani, a D&G, an Eternamatic and a Baume & Mercier one. But I have finally found a watch that is worthy of joining the family.
I am obsessed with the Nixon 'tortoise acetate collection' because it has a kind of vintage feel but they're all super slick. I am not a fan of really busy spheres so it's no surprise that I chose the one in plain black. Most of my other watches have leather straps so I thought I'd mix it up with an all-acetate model. My favourite model in on sale online at Nordstrom and it is just over £100!! The perfect Christmas present.

Andrew Garfield wears that Rag & Bone varsity jacket...

2011-11-21T11:00:00.019Z

JustJared, Mr Porter

I first fell in love with this Rag & Bone varsity jacket (available at Mr Porter) when I saw it on Mr Porter's Editor-in-Chief Jeremy Langmead during menswear day at London Fashion Week. I loved the smart-meets-casual feel it has and how interesting its mixture of textures –wool front and back, leather sleeves and knit hems, collar and cuffs.
This weekend Andrew Garfield, one of the best dressed guys at the moment, was spotted in New York wearing it with burgundy corduroy trousers (which I have!) and a checked shirt. It would never fit me that well but I am thinking of giving this look another go this week with my April Records trousers, my Zara black and grey varsity jacket and a neutral shirt underneath. I'll keep you posted on my progress.

Nowhere without my blazer

2011-11-20T12:00:00.000Z

Sarah Joynt

Don't you just love it when you buy that one piece every so often and you wondered how you could ever have lived without it? That's what happened to me with the Gant Rugger suit I bought a few weeks ago. I have only worn the blazer so far but it's already proved to be the piece for this winter. You can easily do without a coat and it makes any outfit look ace.
This is how I recently wore it to work. I am wearing: Gant Rugger herringbone tweed blazer from Mr Porter, vintage denim shirt, Uniqlo burgundy v-neck jumper, Acne jeans, Alexander McQueen scarf and Balenciaga bag from Mr Porter.

The boys choose Emporio Armani for the premiere of Braking Dawn

2011-11-18T10:00:00.026Z

Courtesy of Emporio Armani

I really appreciate it when male celebrities get a bit of the spotlight on the red carpet. Just because we wear suits that (to some eyes) look very similar to each other it doesn't mean that they're any less interesting. You just need to look closer.
The Twilight boys are on their press tour around the world for the premieres of Breaking Dawn. Emporio Armani was the lucky brand to dress them for the London event and they were looking sharp! Robert Pattinson went for a dark combo with a charcoal grey suit, a grey shirt and a maroon tie. I'm usually not for all-dark pieces but they really work on him. Plus I am happy to see his great hair is looking good again!
Taylor Lautner went for a more classic look –grey suit, crisp white shirt and checked tie. I'm not a huge fan of the stubble but the tight haircut and slim fit of the suit made him look really elegant.
Jamie Campbell Bower, who plays Caius in the movie, was also looking very cool. He went for a more casual look in a black wool coat and black jeans. It was a really London look. I am loving the laid-back hair and the fact that he's got rid of the man-liner he was sporting for a bit...

Leo covers the new Interview Russia

2011-11-17T09:30:00.001Z

TFS

With all the Vogue, Elle and Harper's Bazaar editions all over the world I had never thought whether anyone would take on franchising the Andy Warhol's iconic Interview magazine. It's been one of my favourites since I first discovered –definitely my favourite read– but I've always felt like it was quintessentially American and, hence, could not exist anywhere else.
It looks like the people over in Russia would like to prove me wrong and so they've launched their country's version of the magazine. I am glad that the news went along with the release of the cover because if they hadn't put Leo looking suave on it I wouldn't have felt this happy about the new edition of the mag.
I love the vintage feel of both Brigitte Lacombe's picture of Leo and of the magazine's old logo. I guess you can only drop the "Andy Warhol's" when you've gained enough recognition. But just the fact that such a strong cover covers the first issue says a lot about the country to me. I can't wait to grab a copy and see if the inside lives up to the outside.

Boardwalk Empire: The 10 Best Suits

2011-11-14T16:00:00.021Z

If you read Fashion, Frankly regularly (as regularly as I update it, anyway) it will come as no surprise to you that I am a huge fan of Boardwalk Empire. I caught up with season 1 during the summer and am now keenly following the new episodes every week.
As I watched one of the episodes last night I realised how hard it is for me to remember my favourite looks from the show. Everyone is so exquisitely dressed and to such detail that my mind is not capable of registering everything. So I had this idea of looking for pictures from the show and putting together a little list of my favourite suits so far. This is the result.
1. The olive green flannel with the subtle stripe. Green is my favourite colour and I've been dreaming about owning the perfect green suit for years. I am still saving (or thinking of saving) for one but I reckon this is very close to perfection. I love that tie to go with it too.
2. The micro check dark suit. What I like the most about this pattern and the colour palette of the look in general is how only another man who knows his stuff can appreciate them. It's not bold but it's not boring.

3. The India green suit with a (slight) shine. Call me crazy but I love this colour suit for the evening. I'd wear it with a black shirt and a pair of black suede New Balance sneakers. Another winner for me. But, again, it's green.
4. The double-chested checked suit. Again, call me a mad man but I see this as the perfect lounging jacket. I can see myself wearing this suit with a soft white Oxford shirt and sipping a whiskey from my Chesterfield armchair while I watch Frozen Planet on a Sunday night.
5. The asymmetric 3-button suit. I find red to be the trickiest colour for a man to pull off but I think it's also one of the coolest colours to wear, if you can. What's interesting about this one is the fact that the red check on the jacket is asking for a red shirt but the jacket's grey base helps tone the volume down. One wants to be quirky, not loud.
6. The "wooden effect" striped suit. This is another example of an understated pattern choice. The look itself is a bit boring but I love the grey and brown stripes –they remind me of that fake wooden effect you can decorate cars with. Rightly paired with a shirt and tie this would be a statement look.

HBO.com/boardwalk-empire

7. The never-mind-the-suit coat. It baffles me when, knowing you could buy an über-elegant cobalt blue coat, men go for the *yawn* black coat to wear with their (surprise, surprise) black suit. Especially if you're one of those men who goes from meeting to meeting you need one of these.
8. The my-waiscoat-is-cooler-than-my-jacket look. If you know you will not be wearing your jacket much during the day (i.e. you're flying) make sure your waistcoat can bare the jacket's spotlight on its own. I love this Prince of Wales knit version, which almost goes unnoticed with the tweed blazer on but acquires a personality of its own when the jacket's off.
9. The purple flannel suit. Wearing purple is, for a man, a way of making an effort to look different but not wanted anyone to know that you wanted to look good. I know, though. Purple is also a great colour to pair with other colours –see the pumpkin checks in this one. An orange paisley tie would have made this a knock-out.
10. The wonderfully simple and incredibly elegant tweed suit. I must say after buying mine a couple of weeks ago I cannot see why every man wouldn't want to wear a tweed suit every day of his life, in winter anyway. It's comfortable and warm and it makes you feel so chic. This fine specimen in the picture, though, differs from mine in the double pocket on the chest and the waist band across the back -elements taken from the strictly hunting suits from earlier in the 20's that later became a casual everyday option.

Which one is your favourite?

He's fly: Blaine Anderson/Darren Criss

2011-11-13T10:00:00.051Z

NYmag.com, Fox.com

I know that Glee might seem like the last place where a man would find inspiration to dress but before you close the window shaking your head and thinking that I've gone mad look at the pictures above and honestly ask yourself whether you want to look like that. If the answer is no, I don't know what you're doing here.
I am a big Glee fan ever since it started airing but I must say the styling in the show, while apt for the characters, has never been to interesting or particularly fun. Only from season two Kurt's styling started to include McQueen or Marc Jacobs pieces into the wardrobe. Even then it was a style a bit camp I still could not relate to. And then Blaine came around.
It's funny I should blog about this a couple of weeks after my hair style post. Blaine wears his hair exactly like I wear mine and we also share a certain liking for preppy. The only difference is he's more Ivy League and I'd like to think my influences are more Oxford.
In this week's episode of Glee Blaine really outdid himself in terms of styling. His all-grey look for his visit to his old school couldn't have been more Thom Browne if they tried. I spent a good deal of time looking for the exact same pieces in Browne's collections but wasn't successful, though his are not exactly the kind of clothes you buy online.

Barneys.com

If one brilliant look wasn't enough Blaine later wears some more, this time I can confirm, Thom Browne piece. I absolutely love this cardigan. I first saw it about a year ago when someone I work with walked into the office wearing it. In fact, he was wearing it again yesterday.
The cardigan is slightly big on Blaine, which makes me like the slick first look more but I appreciate a bit of high fashion on a mainstream TV show. Especially because it's not the kind of thing most people would even recognise. I would have worn it with a more neutral polo shirt. The red takes away from what could've been a super cool outfit.

Christopher Shannon SS12: A formal edge

2011-11-06T14:00:00.042Z

Courtesy of Christopher Shannon

I remember how excited I was last season when I got my ticket for the FW11 Christopher Shannon show. When I attend shows of designers so talented that are only going to become bigger I feel like I'm sort of witnessing the making of fashion history. Yes, that is super corny, even wanky but that's the way it is.
So I was ecstatic when I got another invite in September for the SS12 show in London. I must admit that even though I loved the winter collection I couldn't quite see myself wearing it, which doesn't mean it wasn't wearable. In fact, it was way too hip for me to ever pull off. The new collection, however, has that super cool Shannon edge but it felt a lot more grown up. The combination of his signature patchwork of prints and colours seemed to work perfectly with the perfect tailored pieced that were still evidently inspired in sportswear. Some of my favourite pieces were the black shorts with the mother-of-pearl button details, the jumpers and t-shirts printed with photographs and the shoes, which the designer created in partnership with Swear.
Now I just can't wait for his pieces to hit Oki-ni and The Corner. Those sheer half checked, half plain shirts would be the perfect final touch to a smart suit look.

PS. Follow Christopher Shannon on twitter @shannonmenswear especially on a Saturday night. There is no better X-Factor commentary than his.

How to wear your hair for FW11

2011-10-31T10:00:00.060Z

From left: David Beckham, Scott Disick, Ed Westwick, Robert Downey Jr.

Despite my interest in fashion and my keenness on always looking presentable I must admit I have never given much time or thought to grooming. Now, with this I mean anything other than the basics –having regular haircuts, trimming facial hair and moisturising daily. I keep my stubble neat and trim it when it's too long but I would say that my main focus has always been my hair.

I have a crazy amount of hair, which grows in the most peculiar shape. In addition, it's the untameable type so I've always struggled to find the right product to use with it. For the most part of my life I've used classic gel but quite a few years ago I got tired of my classic part-in look and started mixing it up with clays, sprays and whatnot.

However, ever since I joined in the 50's hair trend of keeping the sides and back of my hair considerably shorter than the top front I've progressively started to use hair gel again because not only it's extremely easy to apply but it can also help you grow your hair –it hides imperfections amazingly.

Milo Ventimiglia, Taylor Lautner, Professor Green, Robert Pattinson

Also lately I've started to notice a lot of celebrities whose style I like either adopting this look on a daily basis or alternating it with a more 'relaxed' one. The truth is I think the part it with the hair slightly slicked back makes any outfit a lot more interesting.
In the case of Professor Green (whose style I am really digging lately) or Ed Westwick the gel gives a dash of sophistication to a very casual and chilled look. It just helps you look very put together.
When worn with a suit or something smarter like Milo Ventimiglia, Taylor Lautner or Robert Pattinson it completes the look making you look super neat and very slick. This, I guess, is the most 'textbook' application.
A twist on this last one would be the way David Beckham or Robert Downey Jr wear it. David goes for the really short sides that gives the look a much more contemporary feel. It looks fresh and young. Robert Downey Jr goes for a slight quiff, something that I like to do myself sometimes. This is a bit more retro but the sort of 60's vibe can really make any outfit look super cool.

Pictures: JustJared, Zimbio

Fashion Icon: Nick Carraway

2011-10-30T10:00:00.065Z

1. Gant Rugger herringbone tweed blazer, 2. Gant Rugger herringbone tweed suit trousers, 3. Oliver Spencer Eaton collar shirt,
4. Gant Rugger herringbone tweed tie, 5. Polo Ralph Lauren sleeveless pullover.

I know that I can't technically say that someone is a fashion icon if he never existed. Nick Carraway is the main (fictional) character in one of my favourite books –The Great Gatsby. I could certainly, however, call the interpretations of his character in movies iconic.
I don't know how many times I might have seen the 1974 film version with Sam Waterston playing Nick. Regardless of how true to the book it is, the film really captures the style of the 20's in an exquisite way, which won the film the Oscar for best costume design.

Now I am even more excited to see the Baz Luhrmann version with Tobey Maguire as Mr Carraway. The film is not due out until next year but we've already been seeing a few snaps of the actors on set. I think I stared at this picture of Tobey for about 5 minutes when I first found it last night. It's so cool and slick and it really captures Nick's style.
I instantly congratulated myself for buying this Gant Rugger tweed suit from Mr Porter earlier this week. This is exactly the kind of look I love for the winter so I looked for the other pieces that Mr Porter had to offer to complete my Nick Carraway outfit. I admit that I'd rarely wear those piece together these days but they're a good mix ox classics that, combined with jeans and desert boots, give a great feel to your winter wardrobe.

Frank Loves: Barbour x Grenson shoes

2011-10-13T14:00:00.029+01:00

Courtesy of Grenson

It' fair to say that I have an intense yet under-control obsession with shoes. I own between 30 and 40 pairs (last time I counted...) and people often say that I have "too many pairs of shoes for a straight man", whatever that means.
I usually buy a pair a month –whether they're sneakers, smart shoes or the space in between (desert boots, rubber-soled brogues...). This month I was looking for a pair of brogues with a twist because I feel like all-leather and all-suede ones are e bit too dressed up for every day.
Grenson has just launched their collaboration line with Barbour, which has perfect timing for me. What I love about them is that they bring together the best of both –that hand-made traditional feel of Grenson that reads high quality and the sort of countryside feel Barbour injects into everything they do.
I am really into this vintage countryside vibe this season, as I said before this week, so I love the look of the 'Espresso' model (great name too!). The rough suede contrasts with the leather on the front and back and I'm really keen on the light stitching and the bicolour sole with the boot sole. They're first on my list of things to buy this month!

Click HERE to buy your pair. They just arrived in store today!

It's all in the details

2011-10-12T14:00:00.036+01:00

As it happens every year, I've only started to actually think seriously of working on my winter wardrobe now that the weather has already started to get cold... I am determined to stick to a main colour palette (inspiration post to come) and to choose carefully all the new pieces –it's going to be a season of investment pieces and classic ones that I can usually work with.
I have also thought a lot about details. I used to be an avid belt collector but at some point over the last few years I stopped and I am not too keen on my current collection. So goal number one in terms of accessories is to find nice belts that add a different and interesting touch to my looks. My favourites so far have been these Tucker Blair needlepoint ones. There are a lot of different models in different colours and I love all the different motifs. I really really love the duck and lobster ones. They would be such a great touch to a 30's inspired tweed look and also perfect for the summer.
I have also been considering braces, which I haven't worn since I was very young. I haven't bought any in years because I could never find the perfect ones –they're usually too cheap looking or too expensive. I recently found these Steve & Co. bicolour ones and I'm seriously considering buying them. I love the simple but slightly vintagy feel and the fact that each strip is a different colour really makes it interesting for me.

Click here to shop Tucker Blair belts and here for the Steve & Co. braces.

Dolce & Gabbana launches 'The Guatemala'

2011-09-29T10:00:00.033+01:00

Courtesy of Dolce & Gabbana

Today Dolce & Gabbana launches their new sneaker range –The Guatemala shoe. They have redesigned their sneaker collection to appeal both to the brand's fashion-forward fans and to their more classic shoppers. You know how much I love classics with a twist so I couldn't pass on blogging about this.
These new shoes are the first of a find for Dolce & Gabbana. They're inspired on the cupsole derby and feature a calfskin top and lining that is perforated for ventilation. A kind of refined sportswear vibe. Some of their other details are a suede notched collar, some decoration stitching on the side along with a stripe and embossed logo.
It's a brilliant moment for the brand to launch these as we have been seeing so much luxury sportswear on the runways for SS12 so far. The brand sees these new shoes as interchangeable with your favourite pair of brogues, none less! They even suggest making a statement by wearing them to a black tie event. And that, exactly, is my kind of thing!
The shoes come in all-black, all-white and concrete gray will be on sale in December.

Yours truly, by Tommy Ton

2011-09-27T10:00:00.001+01:00

Tommy Ton / GQ.com

Hardy Amies SS12: An Englishman in Venice

2011-09-25T10:00:00.111+01:00

Courtesy of Hardy Amies

"I can't work out what is about Italian men that makes them look both stylish and relaxed. How can I steal a bit of their elegance?" asked The Mr Porter Post on menswear day during LFW. The answer was "Let's remember that many Italian men want to dress like an idealised Englishman". –What if we could find out at Saville Row?, must have asked herself Claire Malcolm, the creative director of Hardy Amies.
Malcolm only joined the famous tailoring house last season for her first collection –f/w 2011– but had already managed to position Hardy Amies at the front of the leading menswear London names. For her SS12 collection Claire took the Englishman on a trip to Venice. Not that of overpriced gelatto, crowds of tourists and clichés but the Venice of enlightenment that was a melting pot of cultures.

It was as if a Saville Row regular had travelled to Italy and there he had adapted his wardrobe to suit the new climate, even the style. He'd cut short his suit trousers for the day and cropped his evening ones to stay fresh. The cuffed hems gave them an elegant touch that makes them apt for meetings and such.
The tops stay more true to the tradition. Two-button blazers accompanied by matching waistcoats or lightweight double-chested jackets. For the evening, jacquard blazers in subtle colourful patterns inspired by Roman mosaics.
When avoiding the tie, the Hardy Amies man opts for a more relaxed neckerchief look that keeps the look interesting and dressed up. The shoes remain classic in shape –Oxfords, brogues and tasselled loafers in a super elegant "gold leaf" leather inspired on the Byzantine influence of Venice. For the evening the Oxford shoes come in patent leather to match the silk shirts that finish the looks.

In only two seasons the House of Hardy Amies has created a line of ready-to-wear that is more than worthy to be shown at the Pitti trade show and the Milan catwalks alongside Trussardi, Ferragamo and the rest of the houses we worship. It's young and cool but extremely refined and well made. If I could only choose one house to dress myself next summer, this would be it.

Richard Chai SS12: Refined casual wear

2011-09-12T10:00:00.027+01:00

Style.com

Even though it's time for womenswear to steal the lime light it's nice for some designers to show their menswear collections during New York Fashion Week.
Richard Chai has been one of my favourite NY menswear designers for a while. His SS12 collection was full of brilliantly made pieces for cool people. But there's no room for pretentiousness.
The jackets were some of my favourites. The cropped three-button blazers have been made for casual days. They look tailored but relaxed. The same goes for the shorts –they're a perfect three-quarter length and fitted but not straining.
I loved the smart classic shoes with blue and orange soles, which we had already seen at Jil Sander but in this case they feel a lot more approachable and wearable day-to-day.
The prints and colours were interesting but not overpowering. Even the flower prints seemed really relaxed and masculine. Now it's just painful I have to wait so long to wear these...!

La vie en... the colour that you please

2011-09-08T09:00:00.019+01:00

Courtesy of Armani

Emporio Armani is celebrating their 30th year anniversary this year and for it they have created a new line of sunglasses. My favourite out of the two models they have created for this is the round one.
They come in quite a few colours and they're pretty out there, perfect for people who like to make a statement. I am q pretty classic guy so I couldn't see myself wearing the red, orange or green but I think the black ones are awesome. I feel like Iris Apfel would wear something like this, no?

You'll be able to buy the collection from September and Armani is also launching a mini-website in mid-October where you'll be able to choose the mixes of temples, lenses and logos. So there's endless possibilities!

Watch & learn: Justin Timberlake wears khaki trousers

2011-09-04T09:00:00.038+01:00

JustJared

I have been a massive fan of Justin Timberlake ever since he left N'Sync and got rid of his curls. And then 'Future Sex / Love Sounds' came out and I also became a fan of his music. His venture into fashion with his brand William Rast wasn't too much of my taste but I appreciate a guy who cares about his style.
His personal style, though, is a lot better than what you'd expect looking at his brand. He's one of the very few people who can get away with the old low-jeans-and-tucked-in-shirt-look. He has also been making a lot of right choices over the last few years.

One of his last looks that I loved was this one above. I find it so hard to find the right pair of khaki trousers. If they're not high-waisted, which I can't wear, they're just cargo pants or they're slim with cargo pockets. I am also very particular about the shade of green. Justin's are a perfect fit –straight and tapered.
he paired them up with a plaid blue shirt –another spot-on choice for me. Navy and khaki together is one of my favourite colour combinations. You can just trow pieces like Justin's on and look effortlessly cool. I would have only changed Timberlake's leather boots with a nice pair of black suede high-tops like the Jimmy Choo ones below.

Get the JT look: khaki trousers by B Store, plaid blue shirt by J. Crew, suede high-top sneakers by Jimmy Choo. All from Mr Porter.

Getting ready for FW11: Henri LLoyd jackets

2011-08-29T09:00:00.033+01:00

Courtesy of Henri Lloyd

I already posted about Henri Lloyd's jacket a few months ago. I am still in desperate need for a hooded jacket and the brand seems to have some pretty brilliant pieces in their FW11 collection.
My favourite one is the Blakely jacket. The jackets are part of their 'Hybrid City looks' –sportswear turned urban. They have that feeling of bringing the mountain to the city. Afeeling that, as I've said many times before, I love in the winter.

You can still get the summer jacket I posted about here, only if you're a big guy as only big sizes are left –I, of course, am gutted about this. But the new season pieces will be on sale on their website shortly.

Frank Loves: Edward Green for Hardy Amies brogues

2011-08-28T09:00:00.035+01:00

MatchesFashion

I have been looking for the pair of brogues all my life. I once thought I found them in a pair from Alexander McQueen but I made the mistake of buying the wrong size when they were on sale...
But now I think I've finally found the ones. A few months ago when I previewed the FW11 Hardy Amies collection before the catwalk show I knew it was full of hits. Hits like these hand-crafted Falkirk brogues Edward Green has made for Hardy Amies.
The details are exquisite and extremely classic bit the two tones of bluish grey give it a very cool and contemporary feel. They look like a piece of art –like a one-off car design you can't wait to try because you know how brilliant it will feel.
The shoes retail for a price that's not for everyone but, well, a piece like this shouldn't be. You can get a pair at Matches here –also check out the Shannon brogue boots. But if you want the full experience I recommend you get down to Hardy Amies at 14 Saville Row and enjoy the amazing ambiance and the rest of the hit-filled collection.

The Emporio Armani Super Meccanico watch

2011-08-26T16:00:00.022+01:00

Courtesy of Armani

I still remember how excited when I bought my first "grown-up" watch quite few years ago. I went to the Emporio Armani shop in Madrid with my parents so I could choose the watch for my birthday.
I ended up choosing a really avant-garde (for the time and my age anyway) watch –it had a wide leather strap that almost seemed like a bracelet and it had a small metallic rectangular box in the middle that was the digital watch. I couldn't have been happier and I got so many compliments about it in school.
A couple of years after both my dad and I bought a second watch there, that one was more grown up and classic, of course. And now I feel like it's time to bring another Emporio Armani watch into my life.
The brand is now launching a limited edition watch –only 999 pieces of the Super Meccanico watch have been produced and they have all been individually engraved with their number. How cool would it be if you could pick the one with your lucky number engraved on it?
I love the design because it's elegant but not too formal –the screw details make it tough but the flexible strap give it a sporty touch. I would love to have it in the black (with an 8 engraved) but I also feel like the metallic sphere would be a great buy for people who want a watch to go with a suit during the week and jeans and a cardigan on the weekend.

The watches will be available in Emporio Armani stores in September.

An All-American (and stylish) Summer celebration

2011-08-25T09:10:00.002+01:00

Courtesy of Net-a-Porter & Mr Porter

If I told you about an event hosted by Band of Outsiders, Net-a-Porter and Mr Porter what would you think? –Exactly, a super stylish event. Well, all three of them came together last night to present a screening of the 1979 Bill Murray Classic, Meatballs at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in LA.
Amongst the attendees were Andrew Garfield, Scott Sternberg –Band of Outsiders creative director, Jeremy Langmead –Editor-in-Chief of Mr Porter, and Holli Rogers –Buying director of Net-a-Porter. They all enjoyed very apt meatball sandwiches and old-school cola from their personalised picnic baskets.
Band of Outsiders always brings out the coolest people in town for their events and people always seem so chill in the pictures. Not to mention how ridiculously stylish Sternberg is, huh?

Take a look at the meatballs trailer below if you haven't seen it before.

Wishlist: FW11 Shoes

2011-08-21T15:07:00.000+01:00

1. Prada, 2. Church's @ Mr. Porter, 3. Creative Recreation @ Revolve Clothing, 4. Stubbs & Wootton, 5. Balenciaga @ Macthes, 6. Alden @ Browns, 7. Stubbs & Wootton.

I find funny how my taste and fixations vary from one winter season to the next. For f/w10 my obsession were desert boots and suede shoes. That is pretty much all I wore for the whole winter and so I bought quite a few of them. Now that f/w11 is approaching I need to think of what I need and want to buy. Last year's boots are classics I will keep using until they fall apart so I'm now looking for shoes with character. I have been going back to the Balenciaga sneakers over and over again and decided I will buy them this season they look comfy and cool and I love them in the powder greys. I am also obsessed with buying a pair of burgundy patent leather brogues.

Prada's take for winter tempts me because I so wanted to buy a pair of their summer brogues and these tricolour ones seem perfect for winter –quirky yet classic. On the other hand, Church's ones are also hard to resist. They're the epitome of English brogues and they'd look so cool with jeans in the winter. They're also much cheaper than Prada's. So it seems I'm very much into leather this season, which is why I am in love with the Alden boots. They are so effortlessly elegant and would work so well with a suit, jeans, corduroy trousers and pretty much anything I already own.

I've realised high-top sneakers are getting a lot more of my attention than usually. The Creative Recreation ones have a great mixture of colours and fabrics for the winter. And the laces add a kind of hiking-shoe touch to it I love for winter. And finally, the velvet slip-ons. I recently discovered Stubbs & Wootton, this Palm Beach-based shoe-makers who specialise in slip-ons. They're über cool "Screw You" model is no longer on sale but I am quite keen on their "Kings Court V" model. Velvet and Medieval motifs go hand in hand for me.

Christopher Shannon FW11: Luxury Sportswear

2011-08-17T17:00:00.000+01:00

Christopher Shannon's was one of the menswear shows I was most excited to see last season during London Fashion Week. I really loved their SS11 collection and I couldn't have been happier to have been able to attend the show.
The sort of blanket fabrics and the patterns across jumpers and shirts were my favourite part. It was as if a sporty guy from London had been travelling around Peru and incorporated the elements he found there to what he was originally wearing. I found the ruffled trousers incredibly cool, if only I had the balls to actually wear them...
There was also a lot of patchwork, be it more as we usually see it –various fabrics mixed to form a garment– or in shirts jackets or trousers made up by two wool and quilted nylon, printed and plain silk.
I will definitely treat myself to one or two of the pieces from the collection and I can't wait to see what walks the catwalk in September for the SS12 show.

You can see the full collection here.

Tod's f/w11: What not to miss

2011-08-08T09:00:00.045+01:00

Last June, while I was in Milan for menswear fashion week, I attended the Tod's presentation. For the last few seasons they have been showing their collections at Villa Necchi, this stunning 1930's villa with a beautiful front garden and a dark wooden interior, which was the first villa in Milan to have its own pool.

Courtesy of Tod's

There is a lot of suede in the new Tod's collection, which I love because it's one of the best ways of introducing texture in a look. My absolute favourites were the Chelsea boots. They're going to be my first FW11 footwear buy and I can't wait until they hit the store. It's going to be incredibly hard to choose only one colour, though!
I also fell in love with the croc pieces. The Moleskin-esque notebooks and diaries are incredibly chic, as is the watch case.
The ready-to-wear pieces like the double-chested blazer make it hard to only focus on the loafers, of which Tod's is launching a new model this season. The Vadim shoe is a new take on their signature "gomini". They have a more elongated body and a suede bow detail at the front. They are also seasonless and, hence, a great classic buy.
To top it all off, the weather in Milan was amazing and the Tod's team treated us like royalty. Who could want anything else?

Iñaki C.

Frank Musts: Summer 2011

2011-08-04T09:30:00.000+01:00

I am finally going on a proper summer holiday next Monday after almost two year of not stepping on a beach (not while it's hot anyway).
I have been quite excited for a couple of weeks and so I have been planning my wardrobe carefully. I also treated myself to a couple of things I could simply not do without by the seaside. I either already own or have bought all of the below (with exception of the Proenza towel). I don't want anyone to think I'm doing an advertorial.

Anchor belt @ ASOS, A.P.C. shorts @ My-Wardrobe, Superga shoes, Proenza towel, Balenciaga bag @ Mr Porter, Missoni towel @ Heal's

Frank Loves: Burberry Prosrum FW11 Moccasins

2011-08-03T18:26:00.000+01:00

Even though summer has finally arrived to London (about time!) and I am carefully planning my holiday wardrobe for my trip to the beach next week I can't resist to start looking at FW11 items I can't wait to get my hands on.

Burberry always has the ability to reinvent classic pieces and give them a touch of coolness and uniqueness. And yet they're season-less pieces you can wear for the rest of your life.

This is the case of these moccasins from their FW11 collection. If the incredible structured coats weren't enough they also had to create brilliant shoes like these. I love how they've used very smooth leather and a very tough sole to make such an old-fashioned shoe a current item. They could work with suits and jeans and even in the rain, something us Londoners have to think about. Can't wait to get my hands on a pair!

Courtesy of Burberry

How to bring it in the summer

2011-07-27T09:00:00.000+01:00

1. A.P.C. anchor logo t-shirt, 2. PS by Paul Smith plaid shirt, 3. Steve McQueen Person sunglasses, 4. ASOS anchor buckle belt.

Let's face it, it's hard for a man to dress in the summer. Keeping cool is key but that, in therms of male clothing, reduces garment options down to two pieces: trousers and top. It's quite a challenge to look fashionable everyday when all you have to play with are two pieces.
Ryan Kwanten's, Ryan Gosling's and Ed Westwick's looks are great examples of how to do this. It's a good idea to add a pattern —stripes, plaid, maritime, even florals— that has to be subtle. Be careful with vests (or wife-beaters) because only men with guns (i.e. Gosling) can pull those off and not look like twats.
Trousers, if not shorts, should be light chinos, slightly looser than you'd wear them in the winter and rolled up (this keeps you cool in more than one way).
Sunglasses and belts are a lot more important in the summer because they say something about who you are. Ray-Ban's are always a safe bet but I personally recommend a classic pair or Persol's or Oliver Peoples'. They have to be a classic shape that goes well with everything but they must have an edge as well, not to be boring.

[JustJared, as credited]

Meet Mr Joe Jonas

2011-07-26T09:30:00.000+01:00

Courtesy of Mr Porter

I never would have thought Mr Porter would choose Joe Jonas to be a part of their 'Journal' series. I guess it's that unexpected factor that makes it work. Joe is probably the most fashion savvy of the Jonas' and even though his casual style tends to be a little too flashy LA for my taste he does mostly look quite slick on the red carpet.
The shoot, shot by Angelo Pennetta, follows Mr Porter simple elegant aesthetic and the and styling, by Dan May, is spot-on! I love the Gucci pea coat with the YSL turtle neck underneath and the Burberry velvet blazer with a plain A.P.C. tee.
I was a big fan of Mr Porter (and customer) until now but this story has started to also turn it into a reference point of coolness.

A tough classic

2011-07-03T12:01:00.000+01:00

Raf Simons, one of my favourites season after season, excited editors buyers and fans once again with his SS12 collection a couple of weeks ago during menswear fashion week.
As well as the hard to pull off but super interesting kaleidoscopic shapes and bright colours, which he mixed with lots of black, my favourite thing about the collection were the shoes.
Simons reinterpreted the classic smart lace-up shoe in polished and granulated leather. He included a gold chain sometimes around the entire shoe, just above the sole, or around the perimeter of the point of the shoe.
I initially thought this was very Givenchy and as much as I loved it I could never wear them but looking closer I realised these would make excellent tuxedo shoes. It's always hard as a guy to add that touch of distinction when you have to dress black tie and this seems like the perfect option.
Thoughts?

[GQ.com]

I want a striped Prada wash bag

2011-06-25T11:16:00.012+01:00

Having a look at some of the sales of online retailers I came across these two Prada wash bags. If I'm totally honest I don't care much about where I put my toothbrush when I travel. However, it never hurts to keep every single detail in your life a little stylish, right?
I'm especially keen on the second one because I guess I could also use it as a pencil case or to keep whatever I need to take anywhere. The first one in the pictures is sold out at Far Fetch but the second one has a 50% discount, which is pretty good!

[FarFetch]

Pink chinos and espadrilles for Milano

2011-06-23T09:00:00.017+01:00

As much as I wanted to wear some well thought-out looks during my weekend in Milan I had to sort of improvise once I got there due to the heat. Yes, I knew that it wouldn't be as miserable as in London but you'll agree with me in that packing for hot weather is not as efficient when you're not feeling the temperatures in situ.
So on Saturday for the Burberry show I wore my favourite +J beige blazer because it's very light and a good fit, together with my Uniqlo white Oxford shirt. I paired them with a pair of pale pink Acne chinos I've had for a while and my brand new brick red Zara lace-up espadrilles. I accessorised with my favourite leopard YSL belt and a navy polka dot green pocket square from a shop in Madrid.

[Iñaki C.]

A companion for life: Balenciaga Overnight bag

2011-06-22T09:00:00.030+01:00

Last week, to celebrate some good personal news, I logged onto Mr Porter just in time for the beginning of their sale and bought myself a present. My new Balenciaga Overnight bag arrived the following day in the biggest bag you could ever image, which only added on to the anticipation.
In just under a week it's proved to be a really clever buy. I carry it every day to the office as I can fit my laptop (15 inch MacBook) as well as my glasses, moleskin, iPod and anything else you'd like to put it. It is also a brilliant traveling bag. It came with me to Milan this weekend and, even though I took a trolley as well, it easily fit a couple of trousers and shirts and a pair of shoes and washing bag.
Once in Milan I used it as a regular bag as it's a perfect size to carry my camera and all the notes and press releases and invites you don't want to have ruined.
It is definitely on my top 5 list of best buys ever.

[Mr Porter]

Milan Fashion Week: Burberry Prorsum SS12

2011-06-21T09:00:00.010+01:00

The Burberry collections are mostly every time at the top of my list of fashion week highlights. This time even more so as Giulia and I attended our first Burberry show in Milan, which was the main reason why my trip to the city actually took place. And what a collection we saw!

Christopher Bailey got a little whimsical for SS12 with a lot of colours, prints, appliques although, in fact, I would say that the play on materials and textures made the collection. The were, of course, the expected trench coats and macs but they came out in jacquard and suede and finished with wooden beads on the collars. I loved this combination of Burberry's heritage with the innovation in materials and the almost ethnic graphics.

Courtesy of Burberry, Iñaki C.

If I had to choose the peaks of the show I would have to mention the raffia and leather shoes (I want!), the geometric-appliqued jumpers and t-shirts and the exquisitely chic prints on shirts and trousers (which will be in my wardrobe as soon as the collection is out).

I also paid a lot of attention to the knits and trousers as they're always two of my favourite items from burberry collections. Bailey has kept the lines of trousers slim and the hemlines almost unnoticeably cropped —so that they're fresh in the summer but still smart— and has made of knitwear more of statement. I remember especially well a blazer-shaped cardigan that would be so handy for chilly summer parties by the sea.

It was, in my opinion, one of the best collections for men Bailey has delivered in seasons and I can't possibly tell you how happy I was to have seen it with my own eyes.

A big thank you to the Burberry team!

You can see my video of the finale here.

So ready for fashion week!

2011-06-16T13:30:00.000+01:00

Pitti Uomo, the famous Florentine event that kicks off fashion week, opened yesterday. After only a day we have seen, yet again, plenty of proof of why Italians are the masters of tailoring and why they always will.
The sunshine and the bright colours only add to my excitement. I will be in Milan over the weekend to attend the Burberry menswear show and pay a visit to Tod's to see what's in store for SS12. Remember to follow me on twitter for updates, twitpics and other various shenanigans.

[StreetFSN]

Haider Ackermann in Haider Ackermann

2011-06-08T15:50:00.001+01:00

Have you realised we've been given an understated exclusive look at Haider Ackermann's latest collection? He debuted his menswear about a year ago at Pitti. It was very ethnic and extremely manly, very Haider. If I'm right and what the designer himself wore to this week's CFDA awards is a taste of what we'll be seeing in a few weeks it's going to be an excellent collection!
I have always been against shiny suit fabrics but these somehow work, no? The striped trousers look very classic but have a luxurious and different touch that I love. I love Haider's take on tailoring because the fits look so comfortable and modern. And I'm particularly keen on the colour mix he's chosen here.

[Zimbio, Style.com, GQ.com]

Brad Pitt in MMM & Tom Ford

2011-05-19T09:00:00.000+01:00

When a man gets Tom Ford freebies you know he's got style. And Brad Pitt's got plenty of both. He was one of the other male stars who received much attention at Cannes.
I've always been unsure of whether I like white suits or not because it seems a lot easier to get it wrong. But when you're Brad Pitt and you're wearing a Martin Margiela suit, slicked back hair and a half grey goatee a white suit is not something to worry your thoughts. He looked ridiculously cool during his arrival at the festival despite the tacky golden chain on his neck and the too long trousers. My favourite item, no wonder, were the Tom Ford sunglasses, which I went crazy trying to find online but could never find. I guess he gets to preview items as well...

[JustJared]

Jude Law: Cannes style

2011-05-18T16:37:00.000+01:00

Men often don't get too much attention when it comes to red carpet events. Thankfully some names are so big they don't go unnoticed, especially at Cannes. Jude Law was one of those lucky few. I'm always very curious about his style, not so much what he wears but how he wears it.
I was especially confused about a specific pair of sunglasses he wore in Cannes. They were almost square, with round edges, and with very light black degrade lenses. They immediately made me think of this Mary Kate Olsen picture. I would normally say he can get away with it but these glasses are a tad too feminine for him, which is a shame because a good pair or classic way-farers would have made a very sharp look.
His other look, more casual, was a lot cooler. He is actually wearing a two-piece suit but the trousers are loose and tucked into his sneakers and the blazer has a silk rimming but he wears it with a low-neck tee. It's a great balance of formal and informal and he tops it off with a pair of those Grey Goose trainers I spoke about months ago.

[JustJared]

Wishlist: Giuseppe Zanotti sneaks

2011-05-11T12:46:00.000+01:00

I have been craving a pair of really cool high-top sneakers ever since my birthday in March. I was then undecided between a Balenciaga or a Louboutin pair. To complicate things I have added a new pair to the equation. This Giuseppe Zanotti design shoes are one of the first pairs the brand has created for men (although they claim they've unisex). I love the mixture of fabrics, which makes the textures really interesting and the metallic bits give it a futuristic touch. They would look incredibly chic with a black suit. If only...!

[GiuseppeZanottidesign.com]

Spring dressing

2011-05-08T16:53:00.001+01:00

I love the weather in London at the moment. It's warm enough to not wear more than two layers if you so wish but it's also chilly enough to not discard leather jackets just yet. And so I've been having a lot of fun (yes, a lot) getting dressed everyday. I am especially proud of my sepia/mustard trousers I bought at Top Man last summer. They just go with everything. I have also been wearing a lot my fluor Acne jumper, which reminds me a lot of one of my favourite Davidelfin collections.
I am also starting to take out my horde of espadrilles. So there's plenty of looks coming up. In the picture I'm also wearing my favourite All Saints leather jacket and low-top Converse.

[Iñaki C.]

Channeling some Jil Sander

2011-05-04T13:53:00.000+01:00

Not so long ago I posted about the Jil Sander spring11 pieces I really needed to have. The flower t-shirt was number one on my list of things to buy until I payed a visit to Uniqlo last week and came across this one below. The prints are both photographs from Noboru Morikawa and their style and feel reminded me a lot of the original one I wanted.
I had to 'create' the images you see below because I couldn't find the t-shirt online. The actual one is pretty close to what I've managed to make. I just left out one detail. Underneath the picture on the back it reads 'flower' in a big font. I'm not too keen on this but I will try to ignore it, as it is on the back.

Kanye West wears Céline at Coachella

2011-04-18T09:00:00.000+01:00

Coachella festival wrapped last night with The Strokes and Kanye West. When I woke up this morning all people were tweeting about was how Kanye West was in one of Céline's SS11 tops on stage. I didn't know what to make of it because I find Kanye's style a bit hit and miss despite everyone's love for him. Once I saw the pictures I had to admit he looked quite cool. The print of the shirt is not really feminine and the loose fit and skinny jeans actually made a really contemporary hippy look. It was just right for Coachella.

[Zimbio.com, Style.com]

Frank loves: Jil Sander

2011-04-15T08:00:00.012+01:00

I can't get enough of Jil Sander this season. Their SS11 collection was genius and their colours, stripes and prints are exactly what I need for a perfect summer wardrobe. I love Mr Porter's selection of the brand because they've picked a handful of pieces with "character" and a selection of more classic clothes so that whatever you buy the Jil Sander garments don't overpower the rest. My favourite, by far, is the flower printed t-shirt. I would exchange my soul for it in a heartbeat. If only someone could actually strike these deals...

Jean Louis de Castelbajac

2011-04-14T12:41:00.002+01:00

I've always envied men like Jude Law or Ed Westwick who can get away with proudly showing their hairy chests. Jean Louis de Castelbajac, Jean-Charles' youngest son, is also one of those. I've been sort of following his style choices since he started dating Dita von Teese. His more formal looks are always very classic but his attitude gives everything a contemporary air. But it's his latest more casual look that has me fascinated. He's clearly mastered the British art of pulling off the greasy hair look and how a battered leather jacket makes everything look better. However, I am not impressed by the big wine (?) stain on his jeans!

[JustJared.com]

X-Men: First Class

2011-04-11T13:53:00.003+01:00

I cannot wait to see the new X-Men film in June... It seems like they've finally got it right. And, yes, the fact that January Jones is part of the cast does help!

Waiting for the summer

2011-04-05T11:44:00.000+01:00

It's hard to think of summer clothes already. Or at least it is for me living in London. We seem to have brilliant weather one minute and pouring rain or cold wind the next, which makes it not only frustrating but also difficult to choose what to wear. Even so I keep thinking of the shorts I'm going to buy for the new season and how I'm going to wear them, far as that moment may seem now. As much as I like the bold colour blocking trend of the season I doubt I will be mixing a lot of really bright colours. I much prefer going for a slightly more restrained version in more muted colours and picking nice tailored pieces to contrast with shorts. I am also a faithful supporter of khakis and baiges for summer because they look so chic. So my parka is staying close to me together with my bright apple green and my anchor-printed shorts.

[Pictures: TheFashionisto.com]

The Gregory Specs

2011-04-03T09:00:00.033+01:00

I wouldn't be lying if I said that Oliver Peoples do the best sun and optical glasses in the market. They have managed to beat Persol and Ray Ban at bringing vintage designs into the present without lowering the quality, under-doing the design or forgetting the coolness. Their latest model celebrates the 50th anniversary of the release of Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird in 1960. The 'Gregory Peck' glasses come in four colours and are inspired by the model that the actor wore as Atticus Finch in the 1962 film of the novel.
And this might be a little silly but the new model is not unlike my pair (also Oliver Peoples from two seasons ago), which, coincidentally, I used to read the book for the first time a couple of weeks ago.

[Pictures: OliverPeoples.com]

Sailing in the city

2011-03-29T08:00:00.015+01:00

Ever since FW10 I have been obsessed with parkas. I only have one by Spanish brand U de Adolfo Domínguez, which I love as was a surprise to find but I am constantly looking for new ones because there're trends that I adapt into my wardrobe and they quickly become personal classics. After looking for two or three seasons I have only found one or two models that come close to what I want. Until now, that is. The people from Henri Lloyd emailed me last week or so about a jacket they were promoting then. Their "Elwick Jacket" is not technically a parka but it's close enough. And it's navy, which makes is a brilliant choice for Spring and Autumn. What I like most about it is that it introduces colour with the detailing. The drawstring fastening the hood (lined with gingham) and hemline is bright red and it's held out by pieces of tan leather, which is the same colour of the buttons. The nautical references are evident and go in line with a lot of things we see in the Summer —breton stripes, rope belts, white-wash jeans— and very much in line with Dolce & Gabbana's SS11 campaign and plenty of editorials. If you live in a place like London where Spring and Summer nights are still chilly this is the perfect jacket to pair up with shorts and espadrilles. I need one now!

[Pictures: Courtesy of Henri Lloyd, TheFashionisto.com, jbquiltingfabrics.co.uk]

How to wear fur

2011-03-10T08:00:00.001Z

It's so easy for fashion editors to be ahead at wearing trends. They see the first of them in New York and London and by the time they get to Milan and Paris half of them have managed to dust off old jewels or get themselves some off-the-runway samples. Fur is the fw11 trend I am most excited to wear after the summer (I think ahead) because it's something I've wanted to wear for many years but that no one ever had made young. While still tricky, designers (and not Kanye West and his ridiculousness) have proven that it can be cool and young. And so does Godfrey Deeny, European editor of Fashion Wire Daily. He wore a 50's style fur lapelled coat over a fitted chalk-stripe double-breasted blazer, a white tee and jeans. It's manly but still makes a statement. Take notes, Kanye.

[Picture: Style.com]

The birthday dilemma

2011-03-04T08:00:00.000Z

I go through this every year. Weeks before my birthday I go through endless lists of e-shops trying to find what I want the most for my birthday. This year I have shortlisted two pairs of shoes or rather, two pairs of sneakers as my preferred choices for birthday present. The first, the studded "Louis" Christian Louboutin high tops and the second, Balenciaga's multi-colour high-tops. I know that it seems like a classic vs. trendy piece but not to me. I have a tendency of getting seemingly seasonal pieces and turning them into personal classics, which is why this is a big dilemma. I can see myself wearing both on a daily basis and, to me, they're both extremely versatile. What's your advice?

[Pictures: Luisaviaroma.com, MatchesFashion.com]

I'm not Frank: LFW edition

2011-03-01T08:00:00.002Z

This picture was snapped by fashion156.com as I walked into the Top Man Design show last week. I rushed a lot that morning and wasn't looking my best but as you might have guessed from my post about the LFWdaily I get over excited about having my picture online. Yes, I will calm down. Eventually.

[Picture: fashion156.com]

Top Man Design fw11

2011-02-28T08:00:00.000Z

Top Man's fw11 collection was right up my alley. I loved all the wool and tweed grey suits and coats. I loved how they played with understated patterns the likes of herringbone and Prince of Wales check to give the greys a certain dynamism. As could be expected from what we saw in Milan and Paris, there was quite a lot of (faux) fur, which I also loved. The scarves and stoles looked somewhat battered but it somehow made them more desirable and, well, cool. They have gone to the top of my fw11 must-haves already. As have the cropped cuffed trousers, the very 70's beige suede jacket and the red coat. I very much enjoyed how the brand has focused a lot more on details this season, which give the looks soul. Take the socks, which are just about a different colour than the trousers to contract but not draw attention. The opposite effect of the printed neckerchiefs that substitute ties —very Stefano Tonchi.

The shoes also caught my attention because they seemed chunky yet light and because they were extremely contemporary but had been design based on the blueprint of the most classic lace-ups. I am particularly keen on the red-ish pair with the slightly far back buckle.
Have a look at my video of the finale below. If the collection wasn't awesome enough, the show took place at the bar room of the National Opera House, which, funnily enough, I had envisioned hosting a show.

[Pictures: GQ-magazine.co.uk, Iñaki C.]

I'm not a plastic bag

2011-02-27T15:30:00.000Z

In fact, it isn't. It's made of acetate. A lot of people may argue that it's a stupid idea to pay good money (or not so much, it's only £90) for something you might've got at the supermarket but I am really keen on Jil Sander's "market" bag. I think it looks extremely cool because it's only a little see-through and because somehow everyone's agreed upon carrying it from just one handle so it stays closed. I also really like the leather tag. My birthday is coming up so if anyway has some cash to spare, buy me one? You can do it at Net-a-Porter here.

[Pictures: Net-a-Porter.com, teampeterstigter.com]

Hardy Amies FW11 - the preview

2011-02-24T08:00:00.000Z

I would be lying if I said that Hardy Amies wasn't the house showing at London Fashion Week I was most excited about. Funnily enough, it was also the show I was meant to miss because I had been anticipating it for such a long time. The turn up was so great not everyone could be welcomed to the upstairs salon. Luckily for me, I had visited Saville Row two weeks before for a preview of the full FW11 collection. I would like firstly to thank Don for being so welcoming. This post wouldn't have been possible without his kindness.
After last season's debut at ready-to-wear, Hardy Amies surely had something big coming. Not only the speed but the quality in which the house has been brought into contemporary menswear are astounding. You can see the fingerprint of the finest tailors in every piece —from the classic blazers to the down jackets. And it is precisely that marriage between tradition and modernity that I find most genius about HA. Take, for instance, the impeccably cut single-breasted blazers but add to them a fine wool and an ombré checked print and you get both a classic piece a seasonal must have.

My absolute favourite from the collection, in addition to the blazers, was the outerwear. From a trench lined with fur to a classic peacoat to a two-piece tailored down jacket to a sportswear take on the blazer made of raw wool, everything is extremely desirable. One puts on these jackets and instantly feels like a 21st-century dandy, a Chuck Bass. There is quality and design but most importantly, coolness, which is something the Row had been lacking for a while and that has not been injected in big doses by Hardy Amies. Claire Malcom, the house's creative director, has shown an incredibly profound knowledge of tailoring and has brought that young and hip element (Kanye West has been played a lot in the studio) that will take Amies back into its golden age.

[Pictures: Iñaki C.]

Fashion, Frankly at LFW

2011-02-22T08:00:00.025Z

We have to still have to wait for the last day of LFW to deliver its men's gems on Wednesday. I will be reporting from Top Man, CSM x Bally, Cassette Playa, Christopher Shannon and Hardy Amies. So follow me on twitter from twitpics on-the-go. In the meantime, rejoice with me as I was featured on today's LFWDaily paper. I am probably more excited than I should be but I don't care. I am enjoying my 0.2 minutes of fame. The snap is from Friday, when I was wearing my beige Uniqlo trousers, aubergine Massimo Dutti desert boots, H&M grey blazer and lilac gingham shirt, Uniqlo knitted tie, vintage tie clip, Massimo Dutti paisley scarf, YSL leopard belt, All Saints leather jacket and Louis Vuitton folder.

[Pictures: LFWdaily.com]

Thinking SS11: D&G's gingham

2011-02-17T08:00:00.000Z

While I gear up for London Fashion Week I'm trying to think ahead and start making a mental list of all my favourite bits from the SS11 shows to create my ultimate shopping list for the new season. D&G and I don't always get along but when we do we're the best of friends. The brand's elegant pastel colours, soft floral prints and colourful gingham prints made one of the best collections for the coming season, one that I will be looking at when I buy my spring clothes.

[Pictures: Style.com]

Fashion Week essential #4: the biker jacket

2011-02-15T08:00:00.017Z

Yes, I already did my essential jacket. But this is technically different because it's made of leather. Biker jackets have become anyone's wardrobe basic and mine is no different. This season I am really keen on following Christopher Bailey's lead and layering my biker jacket over other jackets and, especially, blazers. So it should come as no surprise that my first choice for the best of these jackets to buy is Burberry Prorsum's SS11 design. I saw it on the windows of the brand's New Bond Street's shop last Friday and I can't get it out of my head. If I had a paycheck to spend I'd most definitely spend it on this. Talk about investment pieces, this is the epitome.

[Picture: MatchesFashion.com]

Fashion Week essential #3: the classic-with-an-edge shades

2011-02-14T08:00:00.028Z

My second most important item in an outfit, after the shoes, are the sunglasses. The right shades can completely make a look, which is why I am a firm believer in having, at least, five or six different pairs in a variety of shapes, materials and colours. I am also a believer in investing on quality timeless pieces but with character. This season I am really into rectangular shapes. I love Oliver Peoples' model below (left), which reminded me of the Versace pair I bought about four years ago. Oliver Peoples' are my absolute go-to brand for both prescription (which you must consider investing on too if you have to wear them to watch the shows) and sunglasses because they have that classic-with-a-twist air. In any case, this coming LFW I will be sporting these ones below together with my collection of Ray-Bans, Hugo Boss, Ralph Lauren and Armani.

[Pictures: OliverPeoples.com, celebrity-sunglasses-finder.com]

Fashion Week essential #2: funky sneakers

2011-02-11T08:00:00.000Z

I'd like to pick up where I left it on yesterday's post to continue with what I consider the most important piece in a man's outfit —they say a lot about its wearer. I grew up listening to my mum say how she could never like, let alone marry, a man who wore dirty shoes. And so I always wore the most pristine shoes to school. But personal anecdotes aside, one must choose his footwear carefully. For fashion week I like to mix it up and not wear smart shoes every day. In fact, I am a big fan of wearing quite a formal outfit with a very casual sneaker. Which leads me to this awesome specimen below. Balenciaga is making great sportswear luxurious pieces this season. I love the mixture of colours (including the bang-on trend orange) and how sophisticated yet urban they look. Pay a visit to Matches if you fancy a pair.

[Pictures: MatchesFashion.com]

Fashion Week essential #1: THE jacket

2011-02-10T08:00:00.002Z

Fashion Month officially starts today in New York, which means us Londoners have to start prepping for London Fashion Week. It's merely days away so it's about time to start putting outfits together and buying last-minute items to complete our looks. My first essential is a good jacket with character. I have been becoming fonder of camouflage (well styled) and this option from Miharayasuhiro perfectly combines the trend with a romantic flowery twist. I might seem a little risqué but, were I able to afford it, it'd most definitely be part of my SS11 wardrobe. Take a closer look at the jacket at the Browns website, where you can also buy it.

[Pictures: Brownsfashion.com]

Hardy Amies SS11 campaign

2011-02-07T08:00:00.024Z

It's hard to come by inspired advertorial campaigns for menswear these days. Thankfully, Hardy Amies is here to change that. Their SS11 ad story features British model George Barnett wearing the house's sartorial wonders for Spring having fun in the surroundings of one of those wonderful British country houses. I can't help but think of 'Brideshead Revisited'. Sebastian Flyte's sense of style was as exquisite and immaculate as it was fun and quirky and even cool. I love the house's new fashion focus for their ready-to-wear line, perfectly portrayed on their campaign.

[Pictures: TheFashinisto.com]

The Dylan Jones

2011-02-03T10:00:00.033Z

Today Dylan Jones joins an exclusive club of names, the likes of Jane Birkin, Grace Kelly and Alexa Chung. The one thing they all have in common is they have bags named after them. But in this case, Dylan Jones did more than just wear a bag —he helped design it. And he has done so in collaboration with Anya Hindmarch, who is launching her line of bespoke men's items. The editor of British GQ had the inside pockets especially designed to fit your Blackberry (or iPhone, but I am team BB), your business cards, keys and MacBook/iPad (I only do Mac laptops). Its exterior is made with the finest brown leather and the inside lines with jacquard and bound with a grosgrain ribbon. I haven't wanted a briefcase this much in my whole life. It's so slick and timeless but also very cool! Its price, £1,095, doesn't match its Hermès cousins and yet, I could hardly call it affordable. One thing is for certain, if I had the money I would buy one in a heartbeat.

[Pictures: WWD.com]

One of those issues...

2011-01-26T09:00:00.000Z

If you follow me here at Fashion, Frankly and at soVIPzone you will know how big a fan of Tom Ford and Interview magazine I am. Put one and one together and imagine how excited I was last night when I first saw the latest Interview cover. It feels great to have an entire issue devoted to menswear. Apart from the Tom Ford piece I am dying to read the Haider Ackermann interview by Tilda Swinton and the Baptiste Giabiconi (I wonder what he's got to say) by Karl Lagerfeld himself!

[Picture: RDuJour.com]

Kylie wants to be Frank

2011-01-25T08:00:00.000Z

I never thought I would ever make a post in which Kylie Minogue and I were wearing the same bag. It even feels a little wrong to write it. I jest, of course. But only partly. It is true that Kylie has been spotted carrying the same YSL tote bag I bought a few years ago. And she must've bought hers around the same time because the French house never did the exact same design after that season. In any case, I was seen with the bag before Kylie and it's from the menswear line so I win. Not at what but I do.

[Pictures: Iñaki C., Zimbio.com]

FW11: Micro-trends to laugh at

2011-01-24T08:00:00.007Z

I have been quite bad at keeping up with FW10 shows on Fashion, Frankly. But I have every intention of making up for my big absence during the men's fashion weeks. First up is my compilation of the funniest micro-trends from the season. I will be back with more posts about my favourite looks, the collections I loved the most and, of course, a list of the trends that will dictate fashion rules next winter.

[Pictures: Style.com]

Milano round 1: fur is manly and shearling stays

2011-01-16T09:00:00.000Z

In case you haven't heard, fashion week is upon us. As it usually does, it opened at Pitti a few days ago, which gave way to Milan yesterday. I was lucky (not) enough to miss the streaming of Ermenegildo Zegna in the morning and Dolce & Gabbana's later on. Which was very upsetting because I was looking forward to a streaming-loaded day. I did have a chance to watch Burberry (incredible) but I'll post about that tomorrow.
Ermenegildo Zegna has done an admirable job re-establishing itself as one of Italy's power houses. They have done so in only a few seasons' time. For FW11 they have done what I like to call "an Armani". If you look at the collection you'll find very traditional Italian tailoring of slimmer silhouettes and lower waist lines. The Armani reference came in through a window to the Orient, which was more evident in the formal night attire. Shiny materials in bright reds and off-golds were mixed with velvet reminiscing of the ancient oriental empires. Otherwise, it was a very textured collection. It was also styled in a way that enhanced this making the looks more homogenous rather than the usual mix of textures, which is usually more common in menswear.

Trussardi celebrated its 100th anniversary this year at Pitti. Its main attraction was leather, which made up anything from jackets and parkas (my favourite) to trousers, coats and shirts. They also showed a considerable amount of suede, which often looked like corduroy, lined with shearling very much á la Burberry. We also saw quite a bit of fur (a trend followed by Ermenegildo and Burberry), which also lined suede blazers and leather long coats.

I'm off.

[Pictures: CouteQueCoute.blogspot.com, Style.com]

With great power comes great responsibility

2011-01-14T08:00:00.017Z

After months of waiting and heaps of anticipation the first preview of Andrew Garfield as Spidey was finally released yesterday. I am not a massive superhero fanatic but you could say I am quite keen on Spider-man and Batman despite not being a comic book reader. The fact is I hated Tobey McGuire as the arachnid and I thought his three films went from mediocre to full-on w*nk (forgive my frankness). Garfield, on the other hand, has all the right amounts of geeky and slightly awkward cool the comic book character has to have. On top of that, he dresses way cooler in real life and he as was brilliant on "The Social Network" as I think he'll be on "Never Let Me Go" opposite Carey and Keira.

PS. I will be back with my (ir)regular updates very soon, I promise.

[Picture: Celebrity-Gossip.net]

Picture perfect

2011-01-11T08:00:00.002Z

Patrick Petitjean

by Papo

Artistic direction: Chabela García

[Picture: TheFashionisto.com]

Shearling & checks

2011-01-10T08:00:00.000Z

I am finally back to business on Fashion, Frankly and soVIPzone from this week! I thought I'd start with one of my outfits with some of my new items. I got the black Zara shearling jacket as part of my Christmas presents and it's one of the best coats I've ever had. It's super warm, very soft and light and, while being kind of on trend, it's not as obvious as a brown and beige one could be. The scarf, a present I got from the lovely people of DAY Birger et Mikkelsen at their press day, is also very light but extremely warm and I like how it adds colour in a settled way. I wore them with my vintage denim shirt, my Acne raw jeans and my Tom Ford sunglasses.

[Picture: Iñaki C.]

Frank loves: Paisley scarves

2010-12-27T17:58:00.000Z

While I was away in Granada for Christmas these past few days I mentally analysed my current style (yes, I'm that sad) and quickly came to the conclusion that I have cycles of very intense obsessions, which slowly turn into personal staples. And what I mean by this is I get fixated on a particular item, colour or fabric and buy as much of it as I possibly can for several weeks until I almost reach boredom. I then stop wearing the item for about the same time as I was focused on it to then retake it again, more calmly. It happened exactly like this whit single and double-chested blazers, bow-ties, heavy-knit scarves, corduroy, tartan, burgundy... the list goes on. My current personal craze is paisley scarves. I have recently bought my third one from Zara (Christmas presents post to come) and I simply can't stop wearing it. I have to confess that seeing Ryan Gosling wear his obviously had its effect (more than I'll ever admit).

I have been looking around for my future purchases in the field and have found that both Zara and Massimo Dutti (pictured above on the left on a Harper's Bazaar España editorial) have a really nice range of both different paisley patterns, colours and fabrics. My personal favourite if one can splurge is most undoubtedly Etro, the best pattern maker (maybe Missoni too) in the world.

[Pictures: Zimbio.com, TheFashionisto.com, Barneys.com, Liberty.co.uk]

Burberry gets Pre-Fall

2010-12-18T09:00:00.014Z

I often spend a lot of time on blog posts complaining about how pointless I find "pre" collections. However, this is not one of those moments. For the first time I feel like someone has got it. Burberry's Pre-Fall11 collection hits all the right notes. And it does because it includes heavy winter-looking clothes made in lightweight materials, which is the perfect combination to satisfy our needs at the beginning of the autumn season while keeping us happy. We're, then, anticipating the winter season but we can't wear full-on winter wear yet. Burberry proposes an autumnal colour palette that mirrors the colours of the leaves while mixing it up with their staple pieces such as the mac and the trench in bold hues like tangerine or made with new materials.

[Pictures: Coute que Coute]

Hardy Amies has the X Factor

2010-12-16T14:26:00.000Z

If any of you have been following the X Factor this last season you must have surely noticed how its host, Dermot O'Leary, has really taken an incredibly stylish turn in terms of wardrobe. He has worn a suit for every Saturday and Sunday episode and managed to keep the outfits very interesting thanks to the colour combinations and the diversity of spotless cuts. His two suits for the two finale shows, however, caught my attention even more than normal. Something that seemed only obvious once I learnt both of them were by my favourite Saville Row house —Hardy Amies. For the Saturday show Dermot donned one of the blue suits from the house's SS11 collection (which I was lucky to see live during LFW and which will become a must in its entirety). The outfit screamed contemporary and cool through the clean lines of the Row's staple tailor. On Sunday, Dermot went for a more black tie choice from the FW10 collection. This was a more classic choice yet the shorter and thiner lapels made the tuxedo jacket more current. I fell head over heels for the stunning bow tie and the perfect pocket square. Take a look at Hardy Amies' collection on their website and stay tuned for their SS11 look book!

[Pictures: xfactor.itv.com screen caps, Hardy Amies]

Take some time

2010-12-07T08:00:00.034Z

I know it's almost Christmas and presents are coming but it's always nice to receive early presents to keep the merry spirit alive. Which is why I'm giving away, in collaboration with the lovely people from Time2, this awesome watch by LTD. This particular model is the result of a watch design competition that took place back in April. Jake Garner's cool design was the winner with nearly 15,000 public votes! The limited edition watch will be available at Selfridges and online at Time2 but you can win one at Fashion, Frankly! All you need to do is follow the blog (which you can do on the left side bar) and leave a comment on this post with your email address. You have until Friday 10th of December at 12am (GMT) to enter.

[Picture: Time2.co.uk]

Frank Loves: cable knit

2010-12-02T08:30:00.003Z

Yes, I am still going to rant about the ridiculous weather we have to face everyday... I'm not too sure about the rest of the world but London is getting colder by the day! Which is why I am desperately trying to find ways of getting dressed every day to stay warm and look good. The good news is this weather is perfect for cable knit jumpers! I got myself a vintage cable knit cardigan a couple of weeks ago and now I need to get my hands on a turtle neck jumper, for full coverture. This one below, by Henri Lloyd, is absolutely perfect.

[Picture:Henri Lloyd]

Dressing for Christmas

2010-11-28T09:00:00.001Z

If you haven't heard yet, Christmas is coming. This year will be a little more different for me because I'm spending it with my family but we're taking it to a new scenario in the south of Spain, in a city called Granada. While I am unaware of the temperature there, I am guessing it'll be quite different from Madrid's icy Christmas so I am preparing nice outfits that either don't require a coat or in which the coat need not be accompanied by much layer underneath. I've put together a little inspiration post of what would make my perfect holiday wardrobe with photos from menswear editorials from the last couple of months to pay a bit of attention to FW10 trends.

My staple outfits for Christmas always include velvet at some point and some well-combined green and red. This year I will be taking my red-wine and my black velvet blazers with a selection of colourful shirts and bow ties for dinner. I will also give the "Tom Ford for Gucci" a go —aka: turtle neck jumper with a blazer (preferably velvet). I have thought of this for such a long time that my black velvet blazer and my tweed trousers are already getting refitted for a polished Christmas look.

My ultimate favourite casual look this winter, stereotypical as it may be, is the denim shirt and heavy knit combo. Especially if the latter includes a cozy neck and winter motifs. Over the years I've realised how having the back of my neck well protected makes me feel at easy no matter where I am, which is why I love those kind of jumpers or coats with fluffy lapels. I love the touch of the denim shirt in winter because it plays with the idea of a country look but it still looks put together.

I will also be packing my tuxedo shirt, which I'll probably wear with a cardigan or a normal blazer. I love traditional men's tailoring with all my life but I feel like it makes more of a statement if you wear it when it's unexpected rather than to a black tie event. My only two wardrobe regrets to date are not owning a plaid suit (best by Band of Outsiders or John Varvatos) and one of Prada's fw10 knits, which, to me, are simply a must-have this season.

[Pictures: Coute que Coute, The Fashionisto]

Can I wear this outside?

2010-11-25T18:44:00.000Z

Over the last couple of seasons we've seen how menswear collections have been introducing to the catwalks garments that verge on home wear. I was first unsure about the idea of wearing to class or work what looked, then, like a very cool pyjamas. I have been growing fonder of the new interpretations to the point where I'd happily wear my own pyjamas and slippers outdoors. I think I found a good compromise with my merino wool bottoms from the H&M x Lanvin collection. I will make sure to include them in an upcoming "I'm not Frank" post. In the meantime, I came across a very cool brand called Agi & Sam. They have a very fun, almost ironic, point of view and the execution seems spotless (right down my street). I love the idea of a two piece outfit you can wear together as a new contemporary take on a suit (?) or as cool separates. I could wear the fish pyjama/suit anytime and the sort of chic tracksuit would also be a statement I'd love to make.

[Pictures: Coute que Coute]

H&M x Lanvin: Mission Accomplished

2010-11-23T12:22:00.000Z

After all the anticipation and a couple hours of waiting in the cold I finally got what I wanted from the H&M x Lanvin collection! If you remember my post from a few days you'll know I didn't really want to get many things. I was happy to find the merino wool trousers in dark grey and brown. I am already creating outfits including them in my mind. Did you get what you were wishing for?
I'm wearing my beloved A.P.C. coat, Alexander McQueen scarf and a Lanvin wool hat.

[Picture: Iñaki C.]

Put the goose in the corner

2010-11-22T16:27:00.000Z

It's that special time of the year when we start (or keep on) adding things to the list of what we want for Christmas. And it's also the time for capsule collections to be launched. One of the most exciting ones around is the one that Golden Goose has created exclusively for theCorner.com. “Journey around the Corners” includes two very cool printed scarves, two t-shirts and a special edition of their "Francy" and "Superstar" sneakers. It's the latter ones that I am in love with. The aged suede and the worn out black of the laces gives them such a brilliant vintage look. I also love the thecorner.com logo on the inside together with the zip, which makes the shoes quite versatile as you can wear them as normal high-tops of as sort of slip-ons.
Check out the rest of the collection at their website and also take a look at the rest of the FW10 collection, the knitwear is not to be missed!

[Pictures: thecorner.com]

How to wear a bow tie

2010-11-18T11:54:00.002Z

This post is dedicated to everyone who things only buff men can pull off a suit appropriately. Andrew Garfield was recently doing some extra press appearances for 'The Social Network' (which, if you haven't seen, you must!) and he gifted us with this great look. The oversized velvet bow tie (he'd definitely pull off the Lanxin x H&M ones) gives the suit an air od old school and the cool kind of careless hair brings it to 2010. It's a brilliant idea for a new year's eve outfit!

And just in case you need it... here's how to do it.

[Picture: JustJared.buzznet.com]

Lanvin x H&M: My picks

2010-11-15T15:24:00.000Z

Most of you reading this will have probably seen the entire Lanvin x H&M collection by now. But I though I'd make a little post about it telling you about what I am dying to own and what left me unimpressed.
First of all, I have to say how amazed I still am about the range of suits, jackets and separates that Alber Elbaz and Lucas Ossendrijver have managed to pull off. This said, I will also say how the bow ties are, by far, the biggest disappointment for me. My favourite bow tie is from Lanvin and I was hoping this would be the time to stock up on cheaper versions. The pictures might be deceiving but the H&M translations seem not only too big (even for oversized) but also incredibly cheap-looking.
My favourite item is, by far, the jersey trousers. I will buy (if they are forgiving) as many as I can afford because I can't think of a more versatile and cool men's garment than this one. It's a great piece for travelling, achieving the perfect casual/chic middle ground and to generally play with. I am also really keen on owning the kind of parka/overcoat in khaki and, possibly, some of the tailored pieces. But all of this depends on how they look up close. I am, however, quite uncertain about the shoes. They don't look too appealing on the pictures but if the price goes in relation to the quality I might get myself a pair of copper ones to mix my winter wardrobe up a bit.

[Pictures: carolinesmode.com/modeman]

deers & khaki

2010-11-12T14:32:00.001Z

I am very much feeling colour this winter season, which is extremely odd in me. Dark purple and light denim used to be the closes shades to bold colours I'd sport all the way through the autumn and winter. I strongly believe that the way you dress is linked to your mood. But this winter I'm not sure if I dress colourfully because I am happy or if I wear bright hues to give myself joy. In any case, I am really enjoying playing with musky colours and different textures. I wore this outfit yesterday on a little trip to "Little Venice" for a preview. It consisted of my new favourite shirt (a vintage denim find from Beyond Retro), my parka and my burgundy corduroy trousers. But the star of the ensemble was clearly my deer jumper. I bought it from Pepe Jeans some five years ago and it literally brightens my day up. I used to be requested to wear it at school because people loved it so much. It's incredibly soft, light and warm so it makes the perfect garment for this cold weather. It's also warm enough so that I don't have to wear a coat and I can play around with the colour of different jackets.

[Pictures: Iñaki C.]

Aaron by Alasdair - Man about Town

2010-11-07T10:10:00.006Z

I don't like posting things with too little text but sometimes certain things need no explanation. I'll just say Aaron Johnson had such an exceptional style, which has been wonderfully captured in this video for Man about Town magazine. No wonder he got the "Nowhere Boy" gig. Take a look.

Lacoste x Peanuts

2010-11-05T10:46:00.000Z

I don't know about you but Lacoste polo shirts have always been present throughout my life. I'd wear them every summer when I was younger, so they kind of meant fun and holiday. As I grew up I still wore them but they had become a comfortable and stylish piece of clothing by then. I feel like the Lacoste x Peanuts collection brings back that element of fun that polo shirts used to have for me. The two designs on top are, by far my favourites because one (left) stays true to the traditional logo but adds a twist and the other one (right) completely messes up the composition. They are sold exclusively at Dover Street Market since October. So run for your life!

[Pictures: highsnobiety.com]

Corduroy lover

2010-11-03T10:51:00.000Z

I remember, as a kid, I used to wear lots of corduroy in the shape of trousers, jackets and coats. I don't know why but I went off it for a while and it was only last winter that we reconciled. That's when I bought this pair of April 77 burgundy corduroy trousers. I love the thick type that some designer like Ralph Lauren use but it feels old to me, so I always go for the tiniest one I can find. I am also very keen on this fabric because it slightly changes the shade of the colour depending on the light, so it's a great way to play with texture. I wore the trousers with my suede COS desert boots, my Uniqlo nude jumper, a tan leather vintage belt and a grey jacket (not pictured). What do you think of corduroy?

[Pictures: Iñaki C.]