Alex Turner in A. Sauvage, Live at Finsbury Park

Ever since the release of AM last September, the Arctic Monkeys adopted quite a literal 50's rock aesthetic as their new look. The black skinny jeans and biker jackets mostly signed by Saint Laurent and slicked-back quiffs gradually gave way to an injection of mid-60's Mod style, which has made the band's front man, Alex Turner, a great contemporary fashion reference.
My favourite of Turner's getups so far was the look the singer chose for this week's Arctic Monkeys gig at Finsbury Park in London. He paired his signature gelled hair and skinny jeans with a (very trendy) Cubavera black shirt and an A. Sauvage monogram kimono jacket from the FW14 collection – the cherry on top. It's brilliant to see guys out there having fun with fashion and trying new things without being gimmicky or over the top. This is a perfectly balance, chic, cool and edgy look I'd gladly rock any summer night.

You can check out the rest of the A. Sauvage FW14 collection here, where you can also buy the designer's current collection.

An Exclusive Preview of the A. Sauvage SS14 Collection

It is so nice when designers decide to release their collections after the fashion week madness as it gives us the time to have a better look and really process what we see. Such is the case of A. Sauvage and his SS14 collection.
A few months back, I had the chance to meet Adrien Sauvage himself at his studio downstairs from his Maddox Street Store. Having been a fan of his line for a while, I was interested what he would be like in the flesh. As you might expect from his clothes, he is a down-to-earth guy, very cool, very relaxed. He's not one of those designers who can go on for hours telling you bs about his collection. Everything he told me about the choice of fabrics, colours or the cuts was said in a matter-of-fact kind of way.

For his SS14 collection, Sauvage continues to explore his personal heritage, which brings together his family's Nigerian roots but also their British upbringing during the 50's and 60's. It was in the early 50's that his father travelled from Nigeria to Scotland, where he was raised and took his studies in law.
This 'meeting of cultures' appears in the shape of British heritage cloths worn with sportswear-inspired jersey tops printed with scenes from the African Savannah.

These prints are one of the highlights of the collection. They are the work of German artist Nelson Crespo, who in his 'Eden' series manipulates different images to create surreal cut-and-paste imagery.
In contrast, Sauvage has developed his first tartan pattern, designed in-house. It brings together his signature 'Kente' print and his personal connection with Scotland.

SS14 is also the season when A. Sauvage is fully getting into the accessories arena with a full range of leather pieces from rucksacks (printed with Crespo's work), tote bags and card holders. But also with the debut of their first eyewear collection inspired in styles from the 50's.

If, like me, you're a fan you would also like to know that signature pieces such as Sauvage's biker and bomber jackets are still a part of the new collection in shades of the Scottish landscape-inspired colour palette applied on suede.

Courtesy of A. Sauvage, NelsonCrespo.com

6 Items You Can't Miss Currently on Sale at MatchesFashion.com

In my book, there are two strategies when buying sale items. The first is to just go for classic pieces that don't follow any trends and you will be able to wear forever. The second, to pick items from the season past that work in the current one. Following both of them, I have picked the best 6 buys you can currently get a hold of at Matches Fashion taking advantage of their great sale discounts.

1. Acne Wall Street jacket, 2. A. Sauvage Asafo-print shorts, 3. A. Sauvage Gainsborough tie in mustard and orange, 4. Pierre Hardy cube-print luggage tag, 5. Rake Lounge Waffle-weave jacket,

6. Pierre Hardy high-shine leather lace-up shoes. 

Justin O'Shea for A. Sauvage

I couldn't tell you how excited I was when I checked my email inbox to find these stunning pictures of Justin O'Shea. This legend of a man is the Buying Director of MyTheresa, one of the leading online fashion retailers based in Germany. O'Shea has gained quite the following over the past years thanks to his very unique sartorial choices, which have been duly documented season after season on street style blogs. Who better than Justin, then, to wear Sauvage's classic tailoring collection – they both take the sharp and classic elements of traditional tailoring and spin them their own way with a new fit and silhouette. The designer shot O'Shea in a selection of clothing picked by both and modelled around the streets of Mayfair for Sauvage's popular Tumblr page 'This is Not a Suit'.

Courtesy of A. Sauvage

11 things I can't live without this winter

I have been doing some window shopping lately (in the real world and on the internet) and have come up with the list of the ultimate things I just must have in my wardrobe this winter so I can be happy (aka: look exactly the way I want). You have to know, if you don't already, that I am a very classic chap. But one that also appreciates modern takes on classic pieces be it in the shape of innovation in fabrics, cuts or colour. I have also devised the list in a way that it adds character but also utility to my closet. I don't quite believe in seasonal items, which is why I like selecting characteristic garments from different designer collections and turning them into my personal classics.

[Pictures: thecorner.com, matchesfashion.com, yoox.com, apc.fr, tomford.com, style.com]

The art of DE

The film below was part of A. Sauvage's SS11 collection presentation during last London Fashion Week. Not only the film's style is fantastic but the collection pieces are stunning. It seems to be all about classic wardrobe staples with a slight twist to always abide to the "art of DE", the Dress Easy.