Item of the Week: Burberry Prorsum Polo Shirt with Leopard Badge

I knew from the first moment I saw these polo shirts at the Burberry showroom in Milan last January that this was going to be one of the pieces to own from the Burberry FW13 commercial collection.
This week the first of the models in black has been released online at Mr Porter. The classic polo features a three-button closure at the neck, which goes down a little lower than your average polo shirt. But the key feature other than the great fit is the leopard print pony skin heart badge on the chest, which ties in with Burberry's FW13 collection influences.
Click here to check it out at Mr Porter and to make sure it doesn't sell out before you own one!

The Jimmy Choo SS14 Collection

I could have easily spent my whole afternoon at the Jimmy Choo SS14 presentation during the latest LC:M. The brand had taken over a space on King Street in Covent Garden, which they had turned into a chic cabana full of colour, green foliage and, of course, shoes.
All the different lines stood out from the crowd thanks to the super cool stalls, which had been decorated according to their style. What tied them all together was the inspiration drawn from the 'Sapeurs' – a group of dandies from Brazzaville, the capital of the Republic of Congo. These gentlemen, who are treated as celebrities in their home town, are known for their bold sartorial choices. They admire the classic Parisian tailoring, which they wear in the most garish ways using striking colours and patterns.
Sandra Choi, Jimmy Choo's creative director, has translated these daring spirit into a collection that mixes dashes of bright colours on the soles, laces and stitching of otherwise classic sneakers and dessert boots. Degradé snakeskin or leather contrasting with python and camouflage do it for the smarter pieces.
Their signature 'Belgravia' models adopt this style for SS14 but the brand continues their start-studded offering in powder shades of pink, beige and black for next summer.
I loved some of the new introductions like the slip-on shoe, which comes in a modern velvet leopard print. And the new take on their chic urban espadrilles in soft suedes and classic hues.
From among the smart options I loved the monk strap shoes both in classic monotones and in contrasting two-tone options like the super cool camouflage-detailed or the python skin ones.
Whatever you end up going for during SS14 it is clear that, like the 'Sapeurs', classic shapes are a must but so is individuality and that's why every single Jimmy Choo piece has a character that will make you stand out from the crowd.

Fashion, Frankly and Courtesy of Jimmy Choo

Kenzo x Vans Spring/Summer 2013

Earlier this week Kenzo launched their 4th sneaker in collaboration with Vans for Spring/Summer 2013. You know I have been a great fan since their first ever collection almost a year ago. My SS12 Kenzo x Vans proved to be amazing quality and an injection of fun to any outfit. After making a mistake in size with my desired FW12 pair and missing out on the whole line I feel like I should treat myself to one of the new models.
The new collection – Tiger Fever – is all about slightly abstract 'cloudy' leopard print. And for the first time the collaboration offers not only the Vans Authentic but the classic slip-on model too. I'm more of a lace-up fan myself and, after much consideration, I will be going for the orange and green model – my two favourite colours. Keep an eye out, the SS13 collection will be dropping any moment on Kenzo.com!

Burberry Porsum F/W13: We ♥ Burberry Classics

The FW13 Burberry Prorsum collection was one of my favourites, together with SS09 and FW10. A viral email from Christopher Bailey sent before the show with subject 'I ♥ Classics' announced the new collection would be a celebration of Burberry classics and heritage outerwear.
Some critics have labelled the collection as predictable. The way I see it, Burberry has had such purpose and direction over the last few years that the last thing I expected was a turn to its most essential, and successful, roots. My favourite were, in fact, these allegedly more commercial pieces. The trench coats, overcoats and duffle coats were impeccable and strong – pieces to keep forever.
Bailey's twist for FW13 was the (unexpected) introduction of animal prints as full leopard printed pony skin overcoats but also quieter collar details I found elegant and humorous.
Having opened their first menswear-only store late last year Burberry put great strength in the tailoring. The silhouettes, slim and easy to wear and much after my own heart, were very in touch with the times and with the type of guy the Burberry customer should be.
The heart prints that closed the show were my personal favourite. There was something so modern and masculine about the suit shirts and v-neck jumpers. They will be, I'm sure, an instant hit.

Just as they have been doing lately, Burberry streamed their FW13 show online and on iPhones and iPads and held a special screening at their new Regent Street flagship store. Users around the world were also given the chance to purchase online pieces right off the runway for a week after the show.
Back in Milan, Greg James, Harry and Luke Treadaway were amongst the famous faces to grace the front row. They were joined by the dapper Tinie Tempah, who had his big London 2012 moment at the Olympics wearing Burberry.

Stay tuned for a closer look at the Burberry FW13 collection from the brand's Milan showroom.
You can watch my video of the finale below and see the entire show here.

Courtesy of Burberry

Emporio Armani SS13: Trends with personality

Courtesy of Armani

Very few menswear designers are able to marry sportswear and tailoring as well as Giorgio Armani. That's probably the reason why he was trusted with the task of dressing the Italian Olympic team this summer. What could give more pleasure than saying "I'm wearing Armani" when you're decked down in activewear? Exactly.
I personally loved how this influence was introduced in the SS13 Emporio Armani collection because it was subtle and elegantly done. The eclectic textiles used in the collection not only helped the symbiosis of the sporty and the smart but added value to all the looks because of the play of textures they created. I especially loved the outerwear and how it was styled with comfy shorts and shoes as smart as they were tough.
But perhaps what I appreciated the most about the show was the fact that we even saw some seasonal trends, which is something rare at Armani because the designer marches to the beat of his own drum. I loved seeing parkas, quite a bit of khaki and even a dash of leopard reinvented by Mr Armani as a sort of enamel monk shoe.
This was one of the best EA shows of the last few seasons and a personal favourite. You can watch the video of the runway show below.

Thinking FW12: MSGM

MSGM.it

And so my pursuit for the perfect FW12 wardrobe continues. I have been quite obsessed with MSGM ever since I discovered it back in February when Viviana Volpicella turned up in a total MSGM look during fashion week. The Italian brand has, since then, become quite the cult thing.
Their FW12 collection, which you can see in full here, is full of great floral, animal and graphic prints that, contrary to what you may think, look so masculine and cool. The brand has the quality and the cuts of brands like A.P.C. and the edgy style of what we're currently seeing from Kenzo. Though, in terms of clothing, I like MSGM much better than the latter.
I am really going to try to get my hands on some of the FW12 pieces, which would actually work through seasons. I never thought I'd like to wear leopard print until I found this jumper, which I love paired with the matching shirt as a sort of set only broken up by the grey. Same goes for the flower sweatshirt. It can be worn in so many interesting ways. My third pick is the fluffy grey coat. It's very much on-trend this season and, while more daring, I'm sure it's ultra warm and so soft ladies can't take their hands off you. It's a win-win.

Three SS12 must-buys from TopMan

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!