The Top 5 Best Dressed Gents at the 71st Golden Globe Awards

I am a big fan of award ceremonies but I am even more keen when they celebrate TV and cinema as they are two of my other passions. Such was the occasion at last night's at 71st edition of the Golden Globes, which I live tweeted through the night.
Award-wise, I was really pleased with most the recipients of the Globes – perhaps only Best Drama could have gone to a different film. Only two of the winners, however, have made it onto this year's best dressed list.
In 5th place, Orlando Bloom in a midnight blue Lanvin number. I give him kudos for not choosing black and for opting for a skinny shawl collar jacket with an unconventional fastening. However, his shirt sleeves should have been altered and, c'mon, Legolas would never wear his hair so messy.
With a fit to perfection Ermenegildo Zegna tux Chris Pine gets 4th place. Only a slightly less traditional choice of tailoring and better grooming (shave your neck, man) would've rated him higher.
Winner of Best Actor in a Drama for 'Dallas Buyers Club', Matthew McConaughey found the perfect balance between classic and fashionable in a three-piece Dolce & Gabbana suit in emerald-green with contrasting lapels.
Almost at the top (believe me, I considered it at length) is Jared Leto, who also won an award for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama. Giving everyone much to talk about with his 'man bun', Leto looked really sophisticated in a slim Saint Laurent tuxedo accessorised with a silk scarf and his spotless beard.
Who else but Bradley Cooper could be number one? Ever since he cut his hair the actor seems to be on a fashion roll. This classic and epically well cut Tom Ford tux is one of those things only a tall broad-shouldered man can pull off and, since it can't be me, I am glad it's Bradley.

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Best Dressed at the British Fashion Awards 2013: Oliver Cheshire, Harry Styles & Tinie Tempah

Getty / Courtesy of Burberry

Last night, the best of the best form British Fashion donned their Sunday best to attend this year's edition of the British Fashion Awards. I was very happy to find out that some of my favourites – Burberry, Christopher Bailey, Agi & Sam, JW Anderson, had won very well-derserved awards.
To me, these type of fashion events are the perfect occasions to fashion fans and insiders to be have a bit more fun but perhaps because we're in December and it's freezing in London no one was too in the mood for this. My favourite looks of the evening were as follows.
Oliver Cheshire, a fashion scene regular, went for a shawl collar tuxedo jacket, which looked very interesting with the angular lines of his waistcoat – all by Marks & Spencer. The proportions were perfect and the hair, as usual, very cool. Harry Styles, who won British Style Icon, looked like a rockstar in a head-to-toe Saint Laurent look with a bit of sheer action happening on the shirt. It's a look we've seen before, especially on him, but it works so why not? Tinie Tempah is always one of my favourites any any kind of event. This time, the rapper wore a charcoal velvet jacket with slightly cropped black trousers and a classic b&w combination of shirt and bow tie, all by Burberry. He finished off the look with a pair of patent leather Jimmy Choo 'Mayfair' Derby shoes.

The Best Dressed Guys at GQ's Men of the Year 2013

This week GQ celebrated their annual 'Men of the Year' awards. If there was ever a chance for celebrities to make an effort and try something more out of the box this is a great chance for it. Funnily enough, the cover guys for the issue of GQ commemorating the Men of the Year were the most boringly dressed at the awards. The younger newcomers (and Pharrell) were the ones who stood out from the crowd, be it for their choice of colour or texture, for the accessorising or for the excellent contemporary fit. These above and below were my favourites from the night – vote for your favourite on the box below.

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Talking Frankly with Mr Ashley Elliott

A couple of weeks ago I met London-based tailor Ashley Elliott at the new slick Hoi Polloi in Shoreditch to learn more about his new contemporary approach to tailoring, his five-star service and to pick his brains on the current state of the menswear fashion panorama.

Where in the UK are you from?
I’m from Chelmsford, in Essex but I have moved all around. I lived in Brighton for years, then in Australia. I’ve been back to London for 15 years.

I would normally ask how you got into the fashion industry but you come from a family of tailors so you were sort of already in the business without even knowing it.
Yes, my grandfather was a tailor and my father was a seamster so it’s my blood. My old man tried to get me to follow his footsteps but back then I wanted to do my own thing. That’s when I started the styling. I never went to university, college, none of that. I came back from Australia and a friend of mine was working with Elaine Constantine at the time. And I thought I wouldn’t mind trying, at the time styling wasn’t even an industry.

That’s when it was nice and fun to start.
It was fantastic! I started just assisting a few people and then ended up working at i-D magazine. I assisted Merryn Leslie, who was Terry Jones assistant at the time. That was also when I got to know Edward Enninful and I assisted Karl Plewka for quite a long time. Then I worked with Corinne Day years and years down the line. And I somehow ended up going to New York to model for the Jil Sander campaign.

You were the face of the Jil Sander campaign?
Yeah, I was the face of Jil Sander. When I was working at i-D and Edward [Enninful] was styling with Manuela Pavesi at the time. They were casting for the Jil Sander campaign with Craig McDean. I went to the casting and they just asked me if I wanted to fly to New York to do the campaign. It was fantastic! From there I came back and start working with Karl Plewka and Anna Coburn. After about 10 months I decided to go on my own because I couldn’t really understand why people assisted for so long.

It’s just the natural evolution.
Yeah, I had all the contacts, you know. You don’t need someone to tell you how to put a pin in someone… What usually happens to people when stay with stylists for too long is they start taking their style. I was really set in what I did. So I did my own thing for quite a few years. I ended up doing shoots for L’Uomo Vogue, Interview magazine and i-D.

So you ended up going more high-end rather than alternative, which was one of big things in London at the time.
Yes, very much so. I was also doing a lot of music. Back then there used to be a divide between the two – you either did fashion or you did music. But I had no affiliation to any camp. I wasn’t part of the i-D family even though I worked for them, I wasn’t part of Dazed & Confused, or of The Face or Arena. I kind of floated in between everyone. And editorial [work] didn’t pay the bills. Music paid the bills. I worked with bands like Kasabian. I also styled some shows like styling PPQ and Pucci and doing look-books. The Internet wasn’t so much of a thing then so everything was hardcopy and the money people spent on look-books was crazy. Such disposable cash, it was great!



When you worked with the bands did you only style them for editorials or for appearances, shows, etc… as well?
For everything. From shows, to videos, promos… This was back in the day when there was a 100,000-pound budget for a promo and I would get a 15-grand clothing budget. Now it’s totally different, the way the industry is going is phenomenal. It was great for me being there right back then. I wasn’t there right at the start but I was pretty much there before things kind of changed.

You also worked in quite a few big films!
A friend of mine was working on feature films and asked if I wanted to help with the costumes. So I did a bit of styling and dressing and consultancy for movies – a bit of everything. I did quite a lot of Ridley Scott films like Robin Hood, the last one that I did was Prometheus, which is fantastic. And also on all the Sherlock Holmes films.

How did that work with you? When I think of a costume designer I think of research and creating clothes from scratch. Unless you work on a contemporary film, the job isn’t quite styling.
Prometheus was completely different because it was more about electronics than everything else. But I also worked on quite a few independent films where you’re the costume designer and because of my menswear background I would be given free rein to trucks and trucks of clothes to literally just style and get the guys ready. And then I found myself lost again because there’s a massive lack of creativity within the costume world because it’s pretty much driven by the brief. You take the jobs as they come along and some of them are just really banal. And you work on them for months! I don’t have a short attention span, but I guess I do to that degree. I also have a son who was very young then. Spending 18 hours a day 4 months of the year working I never got to see him. So it was a lifestyle choice as well.

It’s great. You experienced fashion in different contexts and you went back to tailoring.
Exactly. And I always had a passion for menswear, especially coming from that background. I felt much more comfortable in it and it was a niche. I set the business up and I’m here today. Because I have such a foot into fashion and the media world that’s my main client base. Now I am trying to move into corporate a bit to cover the whole spectrum. You can’t live on guys who only wear suits 3 times a year. The prices start between 12 to 15 hundred pounds a suit. You need to set yourself into that higher market. I’ve recently done a few wedding suits for Harvey Goldsmith’s son, Jon and for Aiden Shaw. Then there are some corporate people who’s name wouldn’t really ring a bell. I’m moving more into that industry.

Which is great because they also have their own little circle and they talk to each other.
Absolutely. You need the bread and butter to fuel the creative side. And that’s what they are. I can have more of a creative conversation with the guys from the creative side. It’s always about the conversation between the tailor and the client. You can never push your view on anyone, you’re there to advise.

It’s also interesting because you don’t have a shop, you don’t do ready-to-wear at all. In a way, you’re quite an old-school traditional tailor –everything is made to measure – but then you have this modern website. You have a cool the mix of the really old and the really new.
It’s slightly schizophrenic, I suppose! The website was a starting point because of the economic climate, obviously. I don’t want to get into debt initially. I would rather build this up slowly and not have to owe huge amounts of money and gamble it straight away because this [venture] is for the long haul. I did styling for 10 years and left it, film for 6 years and left it. I can’t keep leaving stuff. So I want to build this business very gradually.



As well as a high-end totally bespoke product you offer a very luxurious service.
The service I offer makes customers feel instantly comfortable because it’s in their domain – I go for appointments at their home, their hotel suite, their office space. It’s about the experience, not just buying something. It is like trying to build a very subtle friendship with someone. And I think especially in menswear you want a relationship where it’s not too friendly but not too dry so you’re not walking into Harrods and talking to someone who doesn’t have a soul. It does make you feel really good when you feel like you’ve connected with someone at a certain level. It’s also about the after-sale care. I do believe in that almost heraldic approach to menswear – that classic feel. In Britain you don’t get much of a service. But it’s important to make your clients feel special when they’ve bought something. I do this 7 days a week and 24 hours a day. Though I would prefer someone didn’t call me up at 3am. But if someone did ring me at 3am because they were leaving the country and they are on a tight schedule I would be there because I believe in taking that step further. It’s about fitting in with other people’s schedules. People aren’t just working in one place anymore, people move around the country and between countries.

That’s also what makes it such a luxury – the client is saving time.
It adds a different angle to my work. I find that fun. I wouldn’t offer the service if I didn’t want to do it because it wouldn’t be organic.

What’s the next step for Ashley Elliott?
I would like to do a small ready-to-wear range. I do made-to-measure shirts as well as the suits. But at the moment I’m focusing on the bespoke business. Ironically, after not doing womenswear for so long I am thinking of moving into women’s tailoring. It’s a huge untapped market.

When it comes to fabrics, do you have a set range? Or can people ask for whatever they want?
Yeah, they can. I can gage… because there’s only so much I can take to a fitting with me. I would have hundreds and hundreds of books. I’d say that 90% of the fabric I use is British and 10% is Italian. Once you have a conversation with the client and you know what it’s for you can cut down the options. You understand the type of weight they want, the different weave… And then some people want specific things. A guy the other day wanted linen mohair. Because the mohair makes the linen spring back out and not wrinkle. So I’ve had to source that for him because there are few places that do it. You have to keep up with what’s going on by going to fabric fairs.
What I always say to clients is that just because I go visit them, there’s no obligation to purchase because I don't have a shop. If I did, you could look at the product and walk out. It’s the same thing.

Which music – album, song, artist – are you listening to at the moment?
I’ve an eclectic taste in music, it’s right across the board from reggae to rock, soul, disco, funk, punk, 80’s boogie or even a little bit of jazz so I don’t ever really listen to one particular artist or album I’m always flitting in between different artists and styles. Something off the Downlow Radio or SoundCloud is generally what’s playing in the background while I’m working.

What’s your fashion essential – a classic piece you always have to have?
It would have to be my John Lobb double monk shoes and an AE-LONDON tab collar shirt for day wear with a suit, and my burgundy Larkin tassel loafers with an AE-LONDON button down oxford for a more casual evening look. Also a good-looking umbrella is definitely needed this time of year! I’ve gone for a cane handled folding umbrella from London Undercover this time around.

Which are your favourite eating and/or drinking places in London?
There’s so many good places to eat and drink in London really, but a few places that spring to mind would definitely for breakfast be either E Pellicci on Bethnal Green road for a proper East End fry up and breakfast banter or the Woolsey for the hangover haggis special with a glass of champagne, lunch at Scotts and then back Eastside for drinks at either the Royal Oak on Columbia road or Wiltons Music Hall in Shadwell, a hidden gem and favourite for a Friday night drink and then if still feeling peckish (more than likely!)I’d head over to Mangal Ocakbasi in Stoke Newington for the best Turkish food in town.

Click here to visit the AE-LONDON website, learn more about the services, and make an appointment with Ashley.

Introducing... Burberry Travel Tailoring

Today sees the launch of Burberry's latest menswear line 'Travel Tailoring'. Continuing on the brand's perfect marriage of tradition and innovation, the new collection proposes classic tailored silhouettes created in a lightweight and comfortable fabric which follows the movement of the body allowing for increased flexibility.
All of the new tailoring is made from a new cloth, 100% Merino wool, developed in Biella, Italy. The long yarn of the material woven in a 'spring-like' structure on an extra large loom, which increases flexibility and reduces the creasing while maintaining its structure – hence why it's perfect for travelling.

Travel Tailoring is available in a slim fit in the traditional navy, mid grey, dark grey melange and, my favourite, the mid grey melange palette. It is also available in a number of petters such as Herringbone and Price of Wales Check (!) and it starts off at £1,195, which is actually a very competitive price for a designer two-piece suit. The new style is already available to buy online at Burberry.com




The most notable innovation is the motion canvas construction with fewer internal components. The chest canvas and shoulders contains no wadding and fewer layers while traditionally "while traditionally used horsehair canvassing extends to the shoulder, anchoring the jackets' shape and creating a sharp silhouette."

Courtesy of Burberry

Most Stylish of the Week: Josh Duhamel in Dolce & Gabbana and Jamie Campbell-Bower in Alexander McQueen

After all the crazy One Direction-related action happening this week I am actually quite disappointed that none of the boys have made it onto this week's Most Stylish of the Week – apart form Harry's Burberry moment, which I won't repost. It has been a pretty quiet week otherwise.
Josh Duhamel, which appears on the blog for the first time, looked great in his burgeondark-merlot Dolce & Gabbana one-button notched-lapel suit. He wore it with a teal-blue shirt, blue-and-merlot pocket square and black lace-up shoes. It's the unusual colour combination that keeps it modern.
Even though I feel like this amazing wool double-chested suit belongs in the Fall/Winter season I really liked how it looked on Aaron Paul. Even the baggy fit works for me. I love the casual leather shoes and the micro-print blue tie.
It seems like Jamie Campbell Bower wearing Alexander McQueen is always a recipe for success. The actor wore the super classic black and white tailoring combo in his usual edgy way – this way also with a neck piece instead of a tie and his awesome hair.

Harry Styles wears Burberry to the Premiere of "One Direction: This is Us"

Yesterday evening London saw mobs of hysterical teenage (and slightly older) girls in pilgrimage to Leicester Square, where the premiere of the "One Direction: This is Us" film was going to take place. I must confess even I got a little excited when I heard the boys rehearse at the downstairs studio from my office. It's no secret that I am a big fan of Harry Styles' style – or Harry's Style, it's so confusing. And I knew that for such an occasion the signer would look his best.
For the premiere Harry donned a Burberry Prorsum heart-print shirt. You might remember we already saw Styles rocking this shirt back in February for his 19th birthday. This time he opted for the black version, which he paired with a slim tailored jacket also from Burberry. His signature black skinny jeans, battered leather belt and suede boots completed his look. And it looks like he's finally learnt that moving on from your 16-year-old hair style is the most important step a man takes growing up.

Shop the Burberry Prorsum heart print:

Burberry heart-print t-shirt, Woodland cashmere-blend jumper, Heart print linen tie, Slim fit cotton-poplin shirt.

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Most Stylish of the Week: Ashton Kutcher's & Jason Sudeikis Double Hit

After last week's great week in style I was afraid this past one would be much slower. But I couldn't have been more wrong.
I am yet to be convinced of Ashton Kutcher's skills in his portrayal of Steve Jobs but if there's one thing the actor's got down is his style. My favourite of his two best looks this week is a navy Rag & Bone suit, which he wore with a Pickwick & Weller white t-shirt half tucked in. These alone would have been a great call so when you add a printed pocket square, orange belt and tan lace-ups the result is what is (possibly) the best look of the week. A few days earlier Ashton had rung the New York Stock Exchange bell in a Burberry number. I loved the maroon suit, which looked classic but very much stylish paired with a lavender shirt and a striped tie that tied together both colours perfectly.
I hope I can be as sharp and cool as Jason Sudeikis when I grow up. This week the actor made a few appearances around NYC. The first, in a great casual-and-smart look I couldn't identify more with. He gave it his own personal spin with a pair of baby blue 'Do The Right Thing' Air Jordan 3 retro sneakers. Day later he dropped by the Jay Leno show and nailed a more classic tailored look. I am specially keen on the tie clip and the socks.
James Marsden seems to be on a roll. This week he wore a Dolce & Gabbana brown suit with a micro print contrast shirt. I think the fit of the trousers is simply perfect, though I wish he would have gone for more interesting accessories.
Debuting this week on the Most Stylish of the Week is Liev Schreiber. The actor attended the premiere of 'The Butler' in a navy suit cut with absolute precision for his shape. I like the fact that he avoided wearing a tie and how he used tan leather accessories. If you are going to go for such a classic look you better make sure everything fits like a glove.
Gabriel Mann always dresses well for his public appearances and, what's most important, he tries different things. I wouldn't say this look is a go-to for anyone but it works great on him. The key to pulling off a bow-tie in a subtle way is to make sure the colour isn't loud and the shape never reaches your jacket's lapels.

JustJared, Getty

Most Stylish of the Week: Armie Hammer's Double Hit

It might all be thanks to his stylist but Armie Hammer is one of the few men in the spotlight who seems to care about fashion. He always looks occasion-approriate, elegant and manly and he does so without being repetitive and abusing the classic combo of dark suit and light shirt. This week he started out strong in a custom-made red Gucci suit, which he wore with a white shirt and brown tie. He could have only been more unorthodox had he worn light shoes. It's hard to pull of a colour like this and it's undeniable that Armie absolutely rocked it. Later on in the week he went for a more subtle choice in a navy Ralph Lauren Black Label suit paired with a light blue shirt featuring a white collar, a striped green tie and a polka dot pocket square. This was a lesson on how to do classic tailoring using accessories to give it personality.
If, like me, you're a fan of 'Falling Skies' you will recognise Drew Roy from playing Hal Mason in the TV show. The actor attended an event this week in a blue suit worn with an oxford blue shirt and grey suede brogues. Other than the great fit, this look works because it's smart but relaxed, mostly thanks to the undone shirt and unexpected shoe choice.
It's nice to see Joe Jonas ditching the jeans and t-shirt LA look for a much more elegant and cooler outfit to take his girlfriend for dinner. The singer donned a dark chambray suit worn with a classic black shirt and black sneakers, for a casual touch.
Logan Lerman is currently promoting his latest film. For his stop at Giffoni Film Festival the actor wore a lightweight striped knit jumper with navy chinos and deck shoes. He always looks on-point without a trace of effort.
In abstract, tattooed arms, a grown un-groomed beard and a shirt-sleeved shirt is no one's go-to look for the summer. And somehow all of these elements combined look pretty damn cool on Adam Levine. I am especially loving the printed shirt – cuban shirt, anyone? – which mainly works thanks to the scruffy facial hair that adds a tough vibe.

JustJared

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

Dolce & Gabbana presents their SS14 Tailoring collection during their new Store Opening in London

Before I even mention the clothes, I must say how incredibly stunning, elegant and serene the new Dolce & Gabbana space on New Bond Street is. The furniture and decoration bring together traditional English elements, mostly linked to tailoring, and an Italian flavour that has the designer's last names written all over.
The store opening on Saturday evening marked the kick off of the latest edition of London Collections: Men so it was interesting that an Italian brand was the protagonist. Funnily enough, everything from the space to the collection and the atmosphere felt like a perfectly balanced mixture between Sicily and London.
The models wearing the SS14 tailoring collection had been prepped and groomed at Claridge's, from where they marched down Brook Street and onto New Bond Street inside the shop. The whole idea made me think of those old beautiful salon shows like Chanel or Christian Dior used to do at their ateliers. They were intimate and special and so was this.
The collection also had a fantastic combination of a southern Italian and an English point of view. Three-button double-chested blazers reminded me of the Mods and three-piece suits with micro checks or polka dots made you think of understated British elegance. But with a few injections of dark but bolder prints and patchwork and the always modern fit that Dolce & Gabbana is known for these British influences became their own.
As it could be expected, the event also brought out a lot of familiar faces – Kylie Minogue, Jeremy Irvine, the LC:M ambassador David Gandy, Sir Paul Smith and Oliver Cheshire and Thom Evans, who also participated on the catwalk.

The new store, which also includes a stunning barber shop, is going to be my new hairdresser's address so you can expect plenty of Instagram pictures from my monthly visits.

Courtesy of Dolce & Gabbana

Still thinking about... Prada FW13

The FW13 Prada advertising campaign, which was released earlier this week, reminded me of how much I liked the collection. Even though it is meant for the next cold season I find it to be very much adaptable to SS13 – if you take out the coats and wool jumpers you're left with punchy tailoring, classic shirts and a lot of character. My favourite touch form the collection was the slight stylish detail with half of the collar shirts popping out of the jumper as if they were school boys.

Check out the video above, which I made last January in Milan at the show.

Courtesy of Prada

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

Burberry opens its first menswear store on London's Brompton Road

Little over a month after opening their biggest and most stunning flagship store on London's Regent Street Burberry continues to raise the bar with their new menswear-only store. The new space takes over the great corner of Brompton Road and Knightsbridge that the brand was already occupying only now it has been fully redone inside following the Regent St model.
Today sees not only the opening of the store but the launch of the new Burberry Tailoring service, which offers a wider selection of suits made to measure and delivered within 48 hours. Pretty amazing. Amongst the choice you will find three main silhouettes – slim, modern and classic – and over 40 choices of fabric that will see addition every season.
Also in-keeping with the Burberry idiosyncrasy the brand has over 50 speakers and 100 screens installed around the store so that us sartorial guys get to experience the great world of Burberry.
You can pay them a visit at 16-18 Brompton Road and maybe even enjoy a spot of tailoring shopping. It's not only these guys that get to look sharp now.

Courtesy of Burberry

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

Hardy Amies FW11 - the preview

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.]

He's Fly: Dermot O'Leary in Hardy Amies

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]