2010 | Mister Crew

June 11, 2010

Orvis U.S. Patent Collection

Josh Peskowitz over on esquire.com posted about a new line that will be released by Orvis this fall called “U.S. Patent” which will consist of hunting and workwear classics. More interestingly, it will all be made in the U.S. by reputable manufactures (except for maybe Frye…). I’m all for this and I hope it goes well for Orvis as well as the other companies involved.

This perfectly crafted PR quote from the designer involved bugs me though: “It’s about American jobs”

Really? Orvis has sold imported goods that were cheaply made overseas for years, and now they suddenly have a change of heart over American jobs? I’d hate to be the guy that explains that one to the shareholders.

Instead, they should be saying this: “It’s about making a profit off of clothing that was proudly made here in the U.S.A.”

June 9, 2010

The Brand That Won’t Die

Psycho Bunny is a brand that continues to confuse me, and it’s one of those head scratchers as to why it’s still in business. Born a few years back before the market collapse, the company sold luxury accessories with a logo that you’d expect to find on something marketed to angsty teenagers (but in this case it was marketed to rich men that had more money than taste). I always expected it wouldn’t be around for long, but here we are several years later and it’s now going to be featured on Gilt tomorrow morning – apparently people are still buying it up.

bunny
My current understanding is that the rabbit thing is more of a joke and that the branding is a play on the ubiquitous logos and themes that we see everyday, examples being the Ralph Lauren polo or even the simpler trad critter ties. The Hickey offshoot brand of Hickey Freeman also does the same thing with a tacky pot leaf logo on their own goods.

psycho_bunny_shirts
Here’s a cashmere beanie with a patch logo that treads on a legally similar look of the well known Moncler patch.

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A $10k belt buckle. There is definitely a joke here and it’s on the sucker who actually buys it.

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An older Psycho Bunny ad from Free & Easy.

psycho_bunny_ad_1
psycho_bunny_ad_2
So many nice items ruined. If a company just wants to do classic with a twist, the twist should be subtle, an odd detail that only the wearer would know about.

June 7, 2010

Hill Side Linen Pocket Squares

New in at Context.

June 6, 2010

Ribbon Belts – Part 1

ribbon_belts_1

June 5, 2010

Review: J.Crew Gingham Utility Shirt

I’ve had J.Crew’s latest utility shirt for about two weeks now and I’m pretty happy with the purchase so far. The gingham fabric is a linen/cotton mix and it’s been great in the warmer weather that Seattle is finally getting.

When I first received the shirt I was also surprised by the detailing that J.Crew put into it, which are comparable to the same details found in work shirts made by companies like Engineered Garments and RRL.

jcrew_utility_shirt_1 Read more

June 5, 2010

eBay Find: 1913 Indian Motorcycle

Here’s a piece of motorcycle history up for auction on eBay. The headlight runs on gas.

For more reading on the background of Indian motorcycles, the Selvedge Yard has a great series of posts that you should check out:
* America’s First Motorcycle – The Early Years of Cool Innovation
* America’s First Motorcycle – The Golden Powerplus Era
* The Golden Age of Icons – The Scout, Chief, and the Big Chief

indian_motorcycle_1913_1
indian_motorcycle_1913_2 Read more

June 4, 2010

Bespoke in the Upper East Side

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In today’s NYTimes there is a profile for Bruce Cameron Clark, a former apprentice of Savile Row tailor Tommy Nutter who went out on his own and opened a custom tailoring business over a decade ago:

“Not to sound egotistical, but there aren’t many people who do what I do,” said Mr. Clark, 58, explaining that what he does is neither tailoring nor fashion, but a sort of style consultancy in which two parts Lord Asquith and one part Austin Powers join forces to create an aesthetic that Mr. Clark refers to as “traditional with a twist.”

“I’m not doing boring Brooks Brothers,” he noted. “It’s much more offbeat and fun. And not to be taken too seriously.”

Continue reading more. Photo by Michael Appleton for The New York Times.

June 3, 2010

Massimo Osti

Found NYC, a CP Company/Stone Island fan site, recently posted a translation of a great article from BRIGHT on Massimo Osti that is worth the read. Massimo really pushed technical fabrics and was a true innovator in his industry.

Ideas from Massimo Osti
By Paul Dezentjé
Originally published in ‘BRIGHT’, APRIL/MAY 2010, VOL 6, NR 33

Five years ago, Massimo Osti – the shy creator of world famous men’s clothing brands such as Stone Island and C.P. Company died. For connoisseurs the garment engineer is an icon because of his unequalled ideas. His heirs are preparing a book about his innovative work and exclusive brands. Bright travelled to Italy and was granted entrance – by high exception – to the Massimo Osti Archive.

Continue reading more.

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An earlier Mille Miglia jacket from CP Company Fall/Winter 2003.

June 3, 2010

Cool Jobs – Tagging Great White Sharks

This morning while in the gym I caught a preview for a new National Geographic show called “Expedition Great White” where they document a crew of men that tag live great white sharks for research. They start by hooking one with a lure, pull it up to the boat and into a special deck which is then slowly pulled out of the water. Then they essentially wrestle it with ropes and their own hands while they attach a tracking device to its dorsal fin. They’ve either got brass balls or they’re slightly crazy. Possibly both, but it’s pretty awesome.

The show starts on the 6th. More info on nationalgeographic.com.

From the behind the scenes journal of Rich Christensen:

December 5, 2007
Today was our first great white. It broke the hook. What kind of power do these sharks have? Looking over the back side of the ship, it made it almost impossible to shoot because these animals are so huge. I just want to stop and stare.

December 6, 2007
I had the camera on my shoulder almost all day and night. All day because they wanted to take the rubber mats off and modify the sling. Catching another shark, then at night heading to the tackle bar and rethinking their methods of catching these sharks. I’m sure they were just as tired as I am. Reefing on sharks is mind blowing.

December 8, 2007
We got our first female shark today. She was much larger than the males we have caught. It may be just like the marlin I have seen over the years. The male marlin are 200 to 300 pounds and the females are all much larger, 500 to 800 pounds. Mother nature at her best.

Insane.

June 3, 2010

Clover Coffee

Over the past two years, Starbucks has been slowly rolling out Clover coffee machines to its stores nationwide. Before they purchased the company that made them, the little machines sold for $11k each, and they produce only one cup of coffee at a time through a fancy vacuum method that’s always fun to watch.

clover_coffee
The coffee it produces is pretty good (it will taste similar to what a french press can produce), and I’ve been enjoying the small specialty batches of roasted beans that Starbucks has been making just for it – if your local Starbucks has it, try the Kona blend.

Further reading: Tasting the Future of Starbucks Coffee From a New Machine

Mister Crew

A collection of things on men's clothing and culture

Year: 2010 (page 26 of 46)

Orvis U.S. Patent Collection

The Brand That Won’t Die

Hill Side Linen Pocket Squares

Ribbon Belts – Part 1

Review: J.Crew Gingham Utility Shirt

eBay Find: 1913 Indian Motorcycle

Bespoke in the Upper East Side

Massimo Osti

Cool Jobs – Tagging Great White Sharks

Clover Coffee

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