Bridge & Burn Alda Jacket
March 17, 2010 // Clothing



I got an email from the folks over at Bridge & Burn (such a rad name) letting me know that they’d released a new collection of men’s and women’s jackets, and one in particular definitely caught my eye. It’s called the Alda and has a nice cropped fit as well as a great red gingham lining.

I’ve been looking for a khaki jacket lately and this is pretty much everything I want. I also really like the price, which is only $135, much easier to swallow than that awesome Oliver Spencer jacket.

Bobby

Oliver Spencer Waxed Cotton Pole Jacket
March 15, 2010 // Clothing

I had a fellow write me yesterday saying he enjoyed more of the style related posts, that he wasn’t so hot at dressing himself, so I thought I might start including a few more clothing related posts throughout the week. Though for the best style advice you should visit my friends at A Continuous Lean, Valet, Inventory Magazine and Selectism.

What I have today is a pole jacket by Oliver Spencer, a British brand that reminds me a lot of J.Crew, in that they make really solid, timeless looking pieces that you can wear forever and with anything. Both of those ideas are key. The jacket is a waxed cotton so it’s a bit lighter than a winter coat and has a zipper and buttons, which make for a nice detail on the front of the coat. I’m digging the pockets as well, I’d totally stash my iPhone in one of those top ones.

The jacket, painfully, is priced upwards of $400. But the way to think about pieces like this is that they’re extremely well made with great materials. So instead of buying four $100 dollar jackets over four years you can buy one that will last you 10 to 20 years. And it’s got such a timeless look to it that unless we start wearing some sort of future clothing, you’ll always be in style.

Bobby

Andy Spade Interview by David Coggins for A Continuous Lean
March 11, 2010 // Accessories + Clothing + Design

Andy Spade: At the Bar by David Coggins

I posted this about this Andy Spade interview on my Twitter but there are a couple of gems that I wanted to point out:

DC: It seems like it’s not enough to design something—it has to have a place in the world, and be used in the world and responded to. It’s not enough to be self-referential or clever for its own sake.

AS: Exactly.

DC: It seems that there’s a lot of that these days.

AS: There is a lot that. It’s one thing if it’s a conceptual art piece, but another if it’s an object to be used. My friend Rich Silverstein, who’s in advertising, said this great thing: ‘Everyone borrows from the past. Just don’t steal from other advertising agencies. Look to the history of art or bridge design there are so many great places and put them together in a new way.’ Putting a piano in a bar at the Carlyle is a lot different than putting one in our store on Great Jones Street. It’s how you do it.

I’ve felt this way for a long time. Being clever for clevers sake just doesn’t work for me and it never will. This is especially true when it comes to the popular tren of “Star Wars posters that look like cereal boxes” or “TV shows in the style of German propaganda” or whatever. Sure, you smirk at them, but no one is going to remember what you did two weeks from now.

I also liked this gem:

DC: There’s something depressing about seeing the same store with the same window design uptown and downtown. It’s only a step away from seeing it in the duty free store in the airport. I would go into Jack Spade just to see what’s on the wall.

AS: Right, that’s why I go in to a store, too. I was totally influenced by Agnes B and Paul Smith. I wanted to make everything personal to be sure it felt honest. Don’t make it look like it’s been styled. I would say to Mordechai and Matt Singer, do what you like. It doesn’t have to be duplicated. It’s like organic farming. This is our little community store, it reflects the neighborhood. How big can you get before you get bad? I need that detail to be exactly right or exactly wrong. It’s like a living breathing creature—don’t you like your friend more when he makes a mistake or falls down? That’s what brands need to be.

Making mistakes as a brand, the right mistakes that is, is essential to anyone. But thinking about making mistakes as a brand and learning from them is such a great concept. Andy Spade is kind of my new design/life hero. I’d suggest taking the time to read the rest of this article.

Bobby

Vanessa Bruno Spring/Summer 2010 Video
February 25, 2010 // Clothing

Continuing the fashion trend started by the previous video I give you the cinematic version of Vanessa Bruno’s spring/summer 2010 collection. Ms. Bruno is a French fashion designer and this video is amazing, and most of all, very French feeling. You’ve got the oddly beautiful girl dancing around in an old apartment, then you’ve got the sad, middle part with the Serge Gainsbourg/Jane Birkin sort of vibe and then ending with a really fun Ryan McGinley feeling piece. I can’t say I’m a very good judge of whether or not the clothes are cute, but the video definitely works as a great promotional piece.

Bobby

Johansson/Heidi Nilausen Promo Video
February 24, 2010 // Clothing + Music + Music Video + Video

It’s Thursday so I’m gonna be throwing a ton of video content your way for the majority of the day, but we’re gonna start off with a music video/fashion showcase. The music is by a Swedish artist named Johansson while the clothing was created by Heidi Nilausen and combined they’ve got something really great going on.

The video was directed by Philippe Tempelman and Kian Zubicky and it’s beautifully shot
by photographer Axel Lindahl, who definitely gives it it’s overall mood. To me the video looks like something Karin Andersson of The Knife would do if she made a clothing line. IT’s mysterious and moody and to be honest totally fun. I think not only is the video beautiful but the song is pretty rad as well, I hope I get to hear more from this Johansson fella’.

Bobby