A vintage Persol ad from 1987.
Year: 2010 (page 32 of 46)
From Popular Science, August 1937.
I was just shown this interesting photography site where users upload pictures of their city environments. Major spots are covered, like Seattle and Chicago, and there are some great sets showing older photos from decades ago (like these for NYC in 1942, part 1 and part 3). Good stuff.
About 2-3 times a year, online discount shoe retailer Grapevinehill will get in shipments of Ralph Lauren branded shoes where you can sometimes find great deals (50% off retail, and better). Skip the made in Italy ones, and go straight for the pairs made in the USA and England. Use the code BIGRL for 15% off until April 13th.
Ralph Lauren Peering Oxfords – made by Edward Green
Ralph Lauren Garran Monkstrap Boots
Ralph Lauren Gifford Ankle Boots – made from shell cordovan
And some made in USA loafers. I’ve got a couple pairs of these and they’re a great value.
South Willard just put up their Spring/Summer 2010 shipments for Margaret Howell and MHL. My favorite pieces are the light blue chambray shirt and tan leather belt.
J.Crew just put up these great looking sun faded oxford shirts on their website and are available in an assortment of pastel colors. I haven’t seen them in store yet, but I’d be interested in how they compare to the vintage oxford shirts that they used to sell (which had gone through an extra washing process and featured frayed edges).
They’re also available in a pen stripe pattern.
Some things from last week that you might have missed if you’re not following me on twitter:
– Hell’s Kitchen interviews Frank Muytjens: Link [translated version]
HK: Un monde plus dynamique, plus attractif ?
FM: Oui, et surtout plus clair, je trouve. Le design des années 1950, 1960, et la façon dont toutes ces choses s’articulaient comme je te le disais. Ce n’est pas seulement l’héritage, c’est bien plus que cela.
Les USA sont plus faciles à saisir, esthétiquement parlant. L’Europe, de ce point de vue, est uniforme. Tu te balades à Paris ou à Londres, et tu ne vois pas vraiment les différences. Et c’est d’autant plus bizarre car la plupart des grands architectes européens du milieu du XXè siècle ont immigré ici. Mais je me compare pas du tout à eux, bien sûr. Il y a plus d’opportunités, c’est plus diversifié.
– Mister Four Eyes interviews Aaron Levine: Link
MFE: You began your career in sales at Joseph Aboud (like many of the top menswear designers, you have no “formal design education”). How did that experience of working the front-end business influence you as a designer when you made the transition?
AL: It was great. Really, it’s such a small industry that in order to be truly successful, I think it’s very important to know as much about as many aspects as you can. My passion is on the product and design end, but without sales, where would that go? As far as how it was influential with regards to product, I can’t say that it was so much.
– Ivy&Navy is now on my daily reading list, thanks to Up North: Link
I just found out about Ivy & Navy on the weekend and spent many an hour going through their archives. Ono Masayuki puts together some killer outfits. He covers all sorts of styles that the Japanese love: Navy, Preppy, Workwear etc. Here are just a few of the looks he’s put together. Lots of inspiration to be taken from him when deciding what items to put together this spring.
– Nepenthes has started blogs for some of their stores in Japan: S2W8, Nepenthes, Lyla (for women). Still waiting on the blog for the Engineered Garments store…
– Heavy Tweed Jacket is back!
– Meet the Centipede. Not only does this collector know his stuff, he’s got some pretty rare shoes including early Alden Fan models from Alden of Carmel.
The most important thing to look for? Quick release straps. When it’s 6:00am on a cold winter morning and you’re standing in the middle of a near freezing river trying to hook a steelhead, the last thing you want to deal with are the buckles on your bag. (Yes, this leaves out Filson’s field bags).
From Field and Stream, 1916.
Almost done with bag posts! During my last stop at the mil surplus store (see previous post), I picked up this vintage aviator’s kit bag for use on the days when I have to pack a ton of gear. According to the markings on it, it’s over 15 years old and was made here in the U.S.
For a slightly smaller version, here’s a repro of a USAAF Type AN 6505-1 aviator kit bag as sold by Oi Polloi as part of the Heritage Research x Eastman Leather pack. It can also be purchased separately (sans Heritage Research branding) straight from History Preservation.
Post inspired by these two pictures:
Michael Bastian holding a duffle bag on the left, and Arik Roper in the Engineered Garments Spring/Summer 2010 lookbook.
On Rakuten. First up, bags from Haversack.
