Just In: Nike Free Run+ 3 & New Balance ML574 Backpack

It has probably been about two months since I bought my last pair of shoes, which is unlike me. So this month I got two new pairs to make up for it.
The first pair – the new Nike Free Run +3 in black – I bought for practical reasons. I made made a promise to myself to start going to the gym in February and I was not about to do so in my old chunky silver-and-neon-green Nike trainers. These ones are a lot more subtle, more comfortable and way lighter. And they look pretty cool with jeans too.
I have been craving this pair of New Balance ML574 in orange for months now. I thought I had missed my chance when I found one last pair available in my size – phew! They are perfect for the Spring and the Summer and great with rolled-up jeans or even a suit.

Daks SS13: A Modern Gentleman

If I am quite honest, which is kind of the premise of this blog, I wasn't very aware of Daks' menswear line until I attended the SS13 last June in Milan. I really like what the brand does for women and their London shows are a welcome shower of simplicity.
The collection brought together traditional tailoring – the double-chested suit, the tuxedo – with a fun contemporary twist. Pops of orange and colourful Prince of Wales checks appeared on the lining of coats, the back pleats of jackets, waist bands and back collars. To me, the most interesting thing was how the line mixed smart elements like the smoking jacket, the bowtie or the cummerbund with English sportswear pieces – bomber jackets, rain coats, shorts.
The colour palette of earthy tones, bright orange and sartorial checks tied together all the pieces, all of which were so beautifully finished with slim fits and cuffed trousers. It was definitely a collection after my own heart that I would wear in a heartbeat.

Sheermag.com, Fashion, Frankly

Z Zegna SS13: Italian Modernism

Style.com

The Z Zegna show always one of the most exciting show to attend in Milan because the brand and their creative director Paul Surridge totally march to the beat of their own drum and stand out from the crowd season after season.
One of Surridge's main inspirations for SS13 was the work of Dan Flavin, famous for his installations of fluorescent lights. In comes a colour palette of fluoro greens, corals and yellows paired with Solaro tailored pieces with micro prints or iridescent finishes that are perfectly light for the summer and add an interesting play on light and texture.
Another strong point of the collection were the elbow-long short sleeves of blazers, jackets and shirts with a 60's flavour.
My favourite part of the collection was the sportswear feel of the line, which has been one of the fixtures on womenswear too during the last two seasons, one that doesn't seem to be going away soon.
It was a intriguing and beautifully finished collection that will work wonders in editorials and look incredibly cool on the streets.

Click on read more below my video of the finale to see more images of the collection after the jump.

Frank Loves: Siviglia SS13

While I was in Milan a few weeks back I had the chance to attend the SS13 Siviglia show. I was quite excited to see the collection because I am always interested in finding out about new brands and designers doing interesting work. And I love the element of surprise of attending a fashion show you don't know what to expect from.
I wasn't disappointed. The SS13 collection was fascinating because it brought together sportswear elements and very sharp modern tailoring in a very unique and innovative way. Classic 3-piece suits were reinvented by introducing new materials such as nylon or jacquard and fencing-inspired waistcoats. The contemporary shapes of the tailoring together with the bold colours and prints struck a perfect balance between the modern and the classic – a total look is bang-on the season's trends but separately, each item is timeless. These are clothes for a modern, fashion-savvy and very practical man.

The trousers were one of my highlights from the show. Siviglia introduced for spring the perfect length of both the cropped suit trouser and the shorts – a man never wants to show too much ankle or expose too much thigh.
I fell completely in love with the exquisite textures of suits. Especially the short numbers in orange and blue you can see above and below. They will be perfect additions to my SS13 wardrobe.

Make sure you check out Siviglia's site to find out more about the brand, including the list of retailers.

All images courtesy of Siviglia

Take a look at my video of the finale below. This is one of those shows where they clothes look amazing in pictures but they blow you away in person. Click here to watch the full show.

Richard Chai SS12: Refined casual wear

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...!

I'm not a plastic bag

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]

Fashion Week essential #2: funky sneakers

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]