Just In: Folk Cubavera Shirts from Mr Porter

The London Collections: Men and the British summer are almost upon us – or at least the former is. This year I promised myself I wouldn't let either take me by surprise so I have been adding some SS14 pieces little by little to my wardrobe over the past few weeks.
The latest addition are the two Folk Cubavera shirts I bought from Mr Porter this week. The first style, a lightweight printed cotton, is a perfect piece for the hot seasons as it's a chic option to stay fresh. It's work appropriate, suitable for weekend fun and so light you barely know you're wearing anything. The second option, also in cotton, comes in a patterned, textured cloth that feels soft and is also very fresh. This one has also more of a 50's vibe, which I love.
They both work really well under light summer blazers or with jeans and shorts and sneakers. I am just so happy I have found pieces that while being subtle and useful also stand out from your regular summer wardrobe.
Stay tuned for my looks of the day during the upcoming London, Milan and Paris menswear fashion weeks.

Frank Loves: Jack Spade's Eyewear Collection

A few months ago I posted about the latest Jack Spade campaign for the SS14 season, which conveyed perfectly the style and feel I like to go for the Spring/Summer time. Already then, some of the pieces that really stood out were the sunglasses, which the brand has launched for the first time this season and which arrived in store earlier this month.
The line is all about classic shapes made super relevant by playing with frame and lens colours, all in perfect combinations to really make you feel like summer. The campaign that accompanies the collection brings a personal angle, with shots of NYC street vendors wearing the different models proving they are also quite versatile. To celebrate the launch in London, the brand had their very own Big Apple Hot Dogs stand outside their Soho store in Brewer Street.
The collection is available at their stores worldwide and via the Jack Spade website.

Courtesy of Jack Spade

A close look inside Karl Lagerfeld's new London flagship store

Just over a week ago, on my 26th birthday to be precise, I stopped by the newly opened Karl Lagerfeld store in London to see what the Kaiser had done for the latest outpost of his empire. As you would expect, black and white reign over the space with the odd shimmer of gold and silver. Every single angle and display is polished and designed for a store that couldn't have got any closer to the spirit of the designer.
Lagerfeld's SS14 namesake collection shares the space with a capsule collection especially designed for the London shop – an anglified version of the designer's staple wardrobe. Accessories, books and Legerfeld paraphernalia all come together as a sort of commercial shrine to the most iconic fashion wunderkind of our generation.
As well as browsing in the usual fashion customers are able to flick through the latest collections on the collection of iPads spread around the store making it very easy to find what you are looking for. The highlight of the store, however, has to be interactive service you find in the changing rooms, where you can immortalise your outfit changes in Lagerfeld-branded selfies taken with a wall-incrusted iPad. You are then able to share it across your social media – "hey Bobby, should I buy this?" – or email it to yourself for review later.
I indulged in the art of modern self-portraiture wearing some of my favourite pieces from the SS14 collection, which you can buy already in store and online at a price that will actually surprise you.

Introducing... Notch London and its Perfect Spring Essentials

I will never tire of saying how important attention to detail is when it comes to menswear. And it's twice as important when talking about contemporary brands. Creating quality classics isn't just about choosing the right materials and fits but about being meticulous about elements only the wearer knows about. I buy special pieces for myself, not to show off.
It's precisely these principles that newly-launched brand Notch London lives by. Their debut collection includes a perfect mix of wardrobe staples, including easy to wear shirts, soft jersey pieces, denim and outerwear. Their slim silhouettes and modern details such as the reduced collar sizes make Notch London a fantastic go-to label to prepare you for the spring.
My favourite pieces from the brand are three spring essentials I believe every guy should always have in his wardrobe. The first is a slick parka to throw over any outfit, be it to go to the office or out on the weekend. The second is the chambray shirt, much lighter than denim, chic and a perfect match with any shorts, chinos and even jeans. And the third is the work jacket, a casual and young alternative to the blazer which looks just as good on its own as it does layered under another outerwear piece.

You can buy Notch London here on the brand's website.

Courtesy of Notch London

Frank's SS14 Picks: Converse Jack Purcell x Hancock

From the age of 11 until I was about 20 the only footwear I'd ever have on would be Converse Chuck Taylor's. I still own at least 10 different pairs of them as I believe they will never go out of fashion. However, I wear them a lot less these days party because they are a bit dressed down for most places I have to go. And so I was thrilled to see this new collection Converse Jack Purcell is launching this season in collaboration with Hancock Vulcanised Articles. The shoes combine rubber-bonded, waterproof materials with Purcell's classic mid-top sneaker.
They are the perfect balance between a casual and timeless spring shoe and a luxury everyday essential I can wear to the office with my jeans or chinos. They are available as a limited edition in indigo, mastic grey and summer yellow. You can get your hands on them for the very reasonable price of £170 a pair from March 14th. Click here from tomorrow to buy your pair.

Courtesy of Converse

Clarks SS14: The Styles to Look Out For

A few months back, I popped by the Clarks SS14 presentation to have a look at the new propositions from the British brand for the upcoming season. Before I rave about my favourite styles, you must know that I am a shoe-junkie, more specifically, I am hooked to desert boots – you can't simply have enough. And it's precisely desert boots that Clarks have mastered through the years. My personal choices from the SS14 line are the brown Beeswax leather (1) and the suede Sand Multi (2), which will look great with your Spring light blue jeans, and the Wolf Suede (3) and the Denim suede (4) models – perfect with your beige, camel and khaki chinos.

I am also loving their Desert London Beeswax (5), which is the perfect hybrid of dress and casual with an aged effect great for the new season. Something similar happens with the Fulham Limit (9), which combines a casual scalloped sole with the smart brogue detailing injecting a bit of fun with the contrast laces.

From their sportswear propositions my favourite is the Tanner Surf (7), which combines embroidered leather, suede and a cork sole to keep it comfortable and light.
And finally, my absolute favourite style of the season – the Grimsby Craft (6 and 8) in tan leather and black. It has this vintage flair that reminds me of the Italian coast (think Jude Law in The Talented Mr Ripley). As the proud owner of a pair, I can say they are as well made as they are light and comfortable, which makes them the perfect multi-ocassion Spring shoe.

Frank's SS14 Picks: Carhartt Michigan Coat in Camo Island & Metro Blue

Three posts in three days, something must be wrong with me! I have had a very very busy return to work after Christmas and only just caught up with everything. Now I need a huge Fashion, Frankly catch-up as SS14 is slowly but surely approaching and there are so many brilliant pieces already coming out.
Today, to kick off my list of the new season's picks, I want to rave about the new Carhartt Michigan Coat. The brand has been at the top of their (camo) game for the last couple of seasons and they are still going at full steam. The new style comes in the shape of their iconic work jacket – 100% cotton, unlined – featuring an injection of blue to their staple camouflage design. It is the perfect transitional jacket as it looks just as cool layered under your winter coat as it does worn with a plain Oxford shirt in the spring. Get it here.

The SS14 Jack Spade Campaign Featuring Mikey DeTemple

Today American-born brand Jack Spade launches its SS14 campaign featuring Mikey DeTemple, a professional east-coast (they're always cooler) surfer who also often rides the waves of filmmaking. After winning is first pro competition at the age of 16, De Temple branched out into the world of short films, which he combined with his love for online platform Vimeo, where you can see some examples of his work. The beautiful cinematography and brilliant music have a vintage flavour that reminds half of the world-famous 'Ivy League' preppy style and of the 70's, when a handful of wave lovers kick-started the modern surf industry.
It makes sense, then, that Jack Spade would choose Mikey as the face of their SS14 campaign. Very few people embody the spirit of the effortless east-coast style as well as he does. As you might imagine, the campaign is accompanied by a short film created by the surfer for the brand – watch it below.
You might know Jack Spade for their super cool bags – see their latest range here – but for the last two or three years the brand has been pushing their easy-going Brooklyn-meets-Montauk clothing collection, which I have been a huge fan of ever since I first stepped into their Bleecker Street store in New York. If you are a Londoner, you're now in luck – head to 83 Brewer Street in Soho and wander around the low-key cool world of Jack Spade.
The new collection starts dropping in stores from today so look out for some of their stand-out pieces: the Bingham Shell jacket, Hayes Hopsack blazer, suede bomber jacket (!!) and their iconic bags such as the Dipped Carpenter or the Bureau brief.

On a personal note, if you are a fan of the surf scene (especially its beginning) I recommend you watch Australian film 'Drift'.

Courtesy of Jack Spade

Frank Loves: Louis W. for A.P.C. SS14 Collection

It is a little crazy that Louis W.'s latest collection for A.P.C. is only he's fourth for the French icon. And I say crazy because it's so quickly gained its own cult following that one might think it's been quite a few more years than that.
This month sees the launch of this fourth collection for SS14. An exercise on the reinvention of the Teddy jacket, which was inspired by the looks of American mobsters – its most obvious illustration is the pinstripe wool jacket. The rest of the line sticks to dark colours – black, navy, brown – with the exception with the so-called 'desert-boot' beige suede (my favourite). Suede, wool and leather are all present either individually or used as a play on texture.
You can already buy the entire Louis W. for A.P.C. collection online from this week here.

Burberry unveils the 'English Rose' SS14 Campaign

Today Burberry unveils their latest global campaign following their stunning SS14 collections entitled 'English Rose'. "There is a distinctly English mood this season", says Christopher Bailey – "a gentle, effortless, romantic quality brought to life by a cast of bright young British talent". And I couldn't agree more. The new collection is full of beautiful iconic pieces made young and contemporary by means of the striking soft colour palette and unstructured designs.
The new campaign takes us back a few years to when Burberry sky-rocketed to become the leading fashion house in the UK. it does so with a new cast featuring Jamie Campbell Bower, Leo Dobson, Malaika Firth, Matilda Lowther, Neelam Johanl, Callum Ball and Jean Campbell. If you still hadn't go crazy over the SS14 collection, this should do it for you.

Click here to check out my review and closer look of the SS14 collection.
Click here to see the SS14 video campaign, which is beautifully shot and

Courtesy of Burberry

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

Hardy Amies SS14: The Perfect Wardrobe

I first fell in love with Hardy Amies when I attended their super elegant SS11 presentation at Simpson's-in-the-Strand a few years ago. Since then, they haven't just grown into a prominent ready-to-wear menswear brand but they've become one of the best shows in town during the new London Collections: Men.
Their latest collection for Spring/Summer 2014 is my favourite yet and definitely one of the highlights of the season, and not just in London. The collection notes describe the line as the "complete summer wardrobe for a modern London lifestyle". And very rightfully so. Unlike to many designers and brands, Amies really proposes a full wardrobe which perfectly mixes the two biggest influences of London style that have driven it through time – tailoring and street style.
The 50's influence comes from Saul Bass, an American graphic designer known for his work in advertising (a real-life Don Draper) who also created posters for Hitchcock films such as Vertigo and The Shining and who still influences graphic design now. In come the graphic motifs by means of striped jackets, trousers and knitwear. The colour palette, which combines the house's signature French navy and bone grey with reds and oranges, the blocks of colour and the shapes also reference Bass.
The accessories, which most are not able to match with a strong collection, are equally on point at Hardy Amies. Created in collaboration with British brands, the totes and holdalls are made by Chapman, the canvas based formal shoes by Grenson and the superb monk straps by Alfred Sargent – my favourites.

Top top it all off, the brand chose the top of the iconic Gherkin building to present their collection. Now all we can do is carefully build our wish lists and rush (in an orderly manner) to number 14 Saville Row in six months to complete our wardrobes and be happy men.

Courtesy of Hardy Amies

Clothes I Want to Wear: Looks from my Favourite PFW SS14 Collections (II)

Dries Van Noten 

Costume National

Haider Ackermann

Hermès

Junya Watanabe

Style.com

Clothes I Want to Wear: Looks from my Favourite PFW SS14 Collections (I)

With the SS14 menswear collections now finished I can honestly says this has been one of the best seasons of the last few years. Streamlined is probably the word which describes the most part of the proposals of the designers from London, Milan and Paris. A certain simplicity and understated elegance make room for lines and silhouettes to become protagonists. The colour palette includes a great range of hues – interesting but also understated, as were the many prints we saw everywhere. These are some of my favourite looks from my favourite collections shown in Paris. Part II is coming up later today.

Valentino

Louis Vuitton

Kris Van Assche

Berluti

Lanvin

Style.com