BURBERRY + GQ JAPAN
September editorials are arriving in force this month. GQ Japan includes a beautiful fall portfolio featuring Burberry Prorsum, shot by photographer Luc Coiffait, with model Bryton Munn. “Prorsum” translates to “Forward” in Latin and is the high-end line of the English luxury fashion house. Founded in 1856 by Thomas Burberry, the brand (more…)
MISSONI FOR TARGET
Missoni has partnered with Target on a limited edition collection available in stores from September 18th through October 22nd. Expect long lines and plenty of hype during fashion week as the Italian luxury brand generates exposure for the collection and for Margherita Missoni, the beautiful 28 year old heir (more…)
THE DOLCE & GABBANA FALL CAMPAIGN
Shot by Steven Klein, this season’s Dolce & Gabbana campaign is a bit more gritty, with mud on the ground, chipped, faded walls and a construction site in the background. It does add an air of authenticity to the shoot and the clothes certainly don’t suffer because of it. For more pics: (more…)
THE GUCCI FALL CAMPAIGN
Gucci’s Fall/Winter 2011 campaign shot by Mert Alas & Marcus Piggot, known for their incredible attention to detail and pursuit of perfection. “The difference between us and other photographers is that we care a lot about appearance,” says Alas. “We spend most of the time in the (more…)
BE SMART, READ MONOCLE.
Monocle is unlike any other magazine in that it covers so many subjects on a vast global level. It’s just a really smart read and belongs amongst your collection of books at home. As everyone beats their chest about going digital, Monocle so clearly savors print, and cuts no corners in the production process. The paper quality, photography, illustrations and heft of the book are impressive. And what stands out most? (more…)
ESQUIRE AUGUST 2011
A closer look at the August 2011 issue of Esquire:
Cover: Actor Daniel Craig shot by photographer Nigel Parry, wearing a Ralph Lauren Purple Label shirt and sweater, Scotch & Soda jeans, Ralph Lauren boots and Omega watch. Being on the cover of a major magazine is huge PR for these labels, especially a lesser known like Scotch & Soda. (more…)
DETAILS AUGUST 2011
A closer look at the August 2011 issue of Details:
Cover: Actor Shia LaBeouf shot by photographer Matthias Vriens-McGrath, styled by Matthew Edelstein, wearing Hugo Boss (more…)
THE FALL CAMPAIGNS: BOTTEGA VENETA
Keep an eye out this month as major fashion houses debut their new Fall/Winter 2011 advertising campaigns. It’s always interesting to see how and when each brand chooses to convey their message. Bottega Veneta collaborated with photographer Robert Polidori, who (more…)
THE JULY 2011 MENS COVERS
INTERVIEW June/July 2011
MEN'S JOURNAL July 2011
MEN'S HEALTH July/August 2011
GQ July 2011
ESQUIRE June/July 2011
DETAILS June/July 2011
MAXIM July 2011
July is that time of year when many publishers tighten the belt and do a double issue, so you’ve no doubt seen a few of these covers already. What is curious to note is how Men’s Journal puts out 12 issues a year at (more…)
THE JUNE 2011 COVERS
V MAN Summer 2011
MEN'S JOURNAL June 2011
MEN'S HEALTH June 2011
MAXIM June 2011
GQ June 2011
ESQUIRE June 2011
DETAILS June 2011
Details has finally hit newsstands so we can bring you the June 2011 covers. All went the actor route, with the exception of Men’s Health with Congressman Aaron Shock displaying his abs for his constituents. The rest: Details with Ryan Reynolds for (more…)
TOP MAGAZINE: MONOCLE
If you’d like to be a more well-rounded person with a truly global outlook on life, start reading this magazine. We put Monocle at the very top of our list because it consistently delivers intelligent content, great fashion and retail coverage, and insightful city survey’s each month. The look and feel of the (more…)
ESQUIRE’S BIG (RED) BLACK BOOK
Esquire’s Spring 2011 Big Black Book is a great resource for any guy looking to amp up his style. There’s nothing cheeky or glib about this issue, just straight up fashion, style and tons of helpful advice. It’s refreshing to have (more…)
THE BEST MEN’S CAMPAIGN OF SPRING 2011: BOTTEGA VENETA
Our top men’s ad for the Spring/Summer 2011 season goes to Bottega Veneta for this stunning photograph, shot by Alex Prager with model Santiago Montero. It took a little digging to find it and says a lot about how large fashion houses select which publications to advertise in. We found this in the April 2011 issue of GQ UK and no where else. Images that are a bit more creative and artsy tend to not (more…)
THE MAY COVERS
GQ May 2011
ESQUIRE May 2011
DETAILS May 2011
MAXIM May 2011
MEN'S HEALTH May 2011
MEN'S JOURNAL May 2011
INTERVIEW May 2011
V MAN May 2011
Here’s a quick look at the covers of the May 2011 men’s magazines that recently hit newsstands. Most play is safe, with 6 of 8 featuring actors from newly released films. Esquire with Abbie Cornish for “Sucker Punch,” which has been out forever, GQ with Zach Galifianakis for “Hangover 2,” Details with Mark Ruffalo, Maxim with Jordana Brewster for the franchise that will never end, “Fast 5,” Men’s Health with Chris Hemsworth for “Thor,” and (more…)
WHAT TO LOOK FOR: CLAD.COM
It’s all very hush hush at the moment, but at last weeks WWD Menswear Summit, Esquire’s David Granger boasted about the launch of their new men’s style and e-commerce site, CLAD.com. JCPenney is the major muscle behind the financing but claims you’ll find a wider selection of brands available and their role is strictly financial. We like the name of the site, but this major trend of blending editorial with sales is troubling. The ballyhoo and big roll outs of sites like Gilt Man, Mr. Porter and now Clad have created an environment that editorial purists have successfully avoided for the past century. Editors recoil at the thought of ‘selling out’ or placing products in their magazines because of the huge amount of ad pages coming in from said advertiser.
The only lesson to learn from this evolution, is that where there is money, the magazines are sure to follow. Mr. Granger so conveniently labels this move as part of “becoming a 21st Century medium.”
LOUIS VUITTON SS11 MENS CAMPAIGN
Impeccably shot by photographer Cedric Buchet. We’ll take the sunglasses and the bag.
VERSACE GETS ITS SWAGGER BACK
Good news coming out of Milan’s slickest fashion house, as Versace posts an operating profit for the first time after heavy restructuring. You can tell there is a decidedly different direction just by looking at the Spring/Summer 2011 campaign shot by Mario Testino. Dare we say it even has a note of seriousness to it? Gone are the bright neon blues, 80′s hair and non-commercial silhouettes that even a Hollywood rocker would consider risque. The Journal gives the full picture, including this choice quote from Versace boss Gian Giacomo Ferraris on the positive news: “We are building muscle for the future.” [WSJ]
REVIEW: T MAGAZINE MENS SPRING FASHION
THE DETAILS
Cover: Shot by Richard Burbridge, Tim Lincecum of the San Francisco Giants, wearing his own hat and tee shirt. Why you wouldn’t put him in something great, is a mystery.
Total Ad Pages: 74
Opening Spreads (in order): Louise Vuitton, Hermes, Calvin Klein Collection, Giorgio Armani, Bloomingdale’s, Tommy Hilfiger, Canali, Bergdorf Goodman, Jack Victor, Tallia Orange.
Biggest Category After Fashion: Watches (6)
Back Cover: Chanel
Best Section: “Remix” – A great blend of photography and short pieces, although we could do without the “Leopard Lace” trend.
Biggest Obsession: Rock Stars – From the “Face” grooming piece featuring The Strokes to the “Ballad of a Thin Man” story featuring skinny, (and wrinkled) “Godfathers of Glam:” Iggy Pop, Lou Reed, Nick Cave, Dave Gahan, Ray Davies, Brian Ferry and Michael Stipe. Going black and white on this shoot was a good call. The issue ends with a piece on Lil B titled “Back to Cali.”
Late to the Game: “Model Fight Club” – this story has been around forever. New York Magazine reported on it way back in May of 2009.
Best Fashion:“Gangs of New York” – fashion you can relate to, shot on great looking guys. The graphics and fonts could be spruced up a bit.
Worst Fashion: “Leaping Lapels” – Four guys described as “Laid Back Dudes” – jump around LA looking anything but. The jumping in the air thing should be reserved for an in-studio shoot for Vogue, and even then it can be painful. Whether they’re hopped up on energy drinks, taking part in a Ken Kesey’s acid test reunion or just high on life, the fashion and clothing gets lost.
Best Article: “Expatriate Games” – fascinating story on Josh Winters by Josh Winters.
Overall Thoughts: The issue speaks to a narrow group of men, we’re unsure who they are. Fashion insiders? Rockers? West coast surfers? Quite possibly editors, wanting to be edgy. You can only wonder what Miuccia Prada’s reaction would be upon seeing Iggy Pop twisted up in one of her incredible suits. Probably appreciation, as she is a patron of the art world and gets it, but you still have to wonder.
STORE REPORT: BARNEY’S BROOKLYN
The new Barney’s CO-OP outpost in Brooklyn feels like a men’s-only shop at first glance. All three of it’s massive windows feature racks of well edited, hip brands from Shipley & Halmos to Rag & Bone & Alexander Wang. Placing menswear front and center is now an expected strategy for building a smart retail environment. It’s the opposite of nature; women will hunt for clothes, while men casually forage.
The design of the store is clean & minimal, allowing the clothing to shine. “Back to the Start” by Lily Allen played from speakers on the ceiling, exposed lighting reflected off the floor painted a high gloss gray acrylic. There is no stroller friendly ramp, underestimating Brooklyn’s well deserved label as “The Baby Borough.”
The big question will be how men react to the higher prices and thinner silhouettes. Will they pay $160 for an Alexander Wang hooded sweatshirt when a similar looking one sells for $46 at American Apparel around the corner? A Shipley & Halmos gray suit jacket ($550) & matching trouser ($325) & beautiful charcoal gray top coat ($795) were all well priced. While a Thom Browne rugby shirt for $325 may be a bit too high for the neighborhood. The downstairs features an impressive denim shop with top brand Raleigh ($295), and an imposing winter parka from Spiewak Golden Fleece ($495).
Rounding out the mix is a rather small collection of accessories – there are only two watch brands sold, the gigantic Nixon and slightly smaller Eleven Eleven. A pair of Nixon leather headphones look good from afar but when tested they sit uncomfortably high and aren’t as snug as high-end expensive DJ headphones should be.
The final verdict: great clothes and lots of buzz; a few blocks down, a woman in her 80′s in a wheel chair asked “Do you know where Barney’s is?”
