Wiggo Shows Us How to Wear Flared Velvet!
Judging by the suit, the best man won. The winner of BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2012, Olympic cyclist Bradley Wiggins, collected his prize in a flared, double-breasted blue velvet suit. Like something a compere from a 1970s episode of The Generation Game would wear, the Soho tailor Mark Powell, in last night's Evening Standard, was taking full credit.
Wiggins has his own style and is true testament to the mantra of 'It's not what you wear, it's how your wear it'. His Mod aesthetic may not be to everybody's taste, but he carries it off because he gives it 100%. It's about confidence and whether you had this made, like Wiggins did, or simply found it in a vintage shop it's all about the swagger and details like the pocket square and tie pin.
Eddie Redmayne gave us another way to wear velvet in Burberry Prorsum.
TOMS Launches Experiential GIVE Shop
Christmas is a time for giving and not just to family and friends. TOMS opens the doors to its GIVE Shop; an experiential event held at The Old Truman Brewery where guests are taken on a journey of Giving. With TOMS core message being GIVE, this is the perfect union to showcase to guests the true meaning of their motto this time of year.
The space includes five major areas, all with an interactive and fun element throughout. These include:
GIVE Craft: A DIY craft area where visitors can create homemade Christmas cards and visit the wrapping station to add a personal touch to those much anticipated gifts.
GIVE Smiles: This particular space lets you hold onto those fond memories we all cherish. Jump into the photo booth where you can take pictures with your loved ones and share them with your friends and family via social media, email or text.
GIVE Knowledge: Books help us to build our spirit, use our imagination and most importantly, GIVE information. This space is created entirely from recycled books and includes a lounge where guests can sit and read, plus the opportunity to bring an old book and exchange it for another.
GIVE Creativity: A hub of talent, the GIVE Creativity area will showcase live music on stage with up and coming artists, including holding creative workshops that help GIVE back.
GIVE Market: A retail area hosted by Jaguar Shoes Collective. This space allows customers to support local artisans: three local craftspeople with a similar ethos to TOMS with be selling their work alongside the TOMS' GIVE Sight and GIVE Shoes ranges.
The GIVE Shop is open to the public from Friday 14th to Sunday 16th December.
Daily Schedule
Friday 14 th December - Jigsaw Piece Workshop with Sarah Corbett 11am-3pm, Damon Valentine performs at 4.30pm.
Saturday 15th December - Pop-up Christmas Card Workshop with Helen Friel 11am-3pm, Being There perform at 4.30pm.
Sunday 16th December - Comic-Style Printing Workshop with Joe Kessler 11am-3pm, Flight Brigade perform at 3pm and Rufio Summers performs at 4.30pm.
Manhattan Portage & Defected
There was a time in the 90s when house music was in its dominance and record bags were a reflection of your dance music allegiances. Taking us back is Defected, the No.1 house music brand and New York messenger and DJ bag originators, Manhattan Portage, who have teamed up to produce a range of bags.
Manhattan Portage was an original pioneer of the authentic messenger bags designed for urban life and adopted by the DJs of New York’s East Village. The range includes three varying sizes and a selection of colours. Because today's DJ carries more than just vinyl, this bag is the natural heir to the iconic 80s original ‘messenger-style’ DJ bag. The Defected/Manhattan Portage DJ Computer Bag is a completely practical update to a classic design and features a superbly constructed, built-in padded laptop sleeve and is the perfect piece of travel apparel for Traktor or Serato users. It’s perfect for carrying your control vinyl or CDs, soundcard, cables, mix controller as well as a laptop computer. But don’t think it’s just for DJs, this bag is perfect for the day-to-day urban commute and ideal for cycling as it’s waterproof too.
Above - DJ Computer DJ Bag Deluxe - £75
Eddie Shows Us How to Wear Velvet Now
Here's actor Eddie Redmayne at the London premiere for the new Les Miserables film last night, showing us how to wear velvet.
A full-on, jacket and trousers, velvet suit can be difficult. It can look a little try-hard or dated depending on the colour and whether the velvet is cotton or silk. Because this has a metallic sheen and is in a rich jewel colour it works. The skinny fit makes it younger, more contemporary and adds a richness, especially with the paparazzi's flashbulbs. This is how to wear velvet right now.
Burberry Prorsum - Skinny Fit Velvet Jacket - £995
For more ideas about wearing velvet - See TheChicGeek's Velvet Mix
Other X Nothing but Navy Pop-Up
Diana Vreeland once famously said "Pink is the navy of India". So that makes navy the fuschia pink of Britain then? Right?!
Well, whatever the logic, navy looks great in our climate and to prove this, OTHER has teamed up with Nothing but Navy. Started in December 2011 by Gemma Kay Waggett in her hometown of Stroud, Gloucestershire, Nothing but Navy's love for all things blue has brought these two parties together for this exclusive one-off project. Nothing but Navy is a store that sells exclusively navy products from homewares to acessories. "I recognise OTHER as a brand who are passionate about blue. Many of my navy wares have originated from them. I am super excited to work with OTHER on this collaboration and hope that together we can create a navy landscape that will enhance the Christmas stockings of London and beyond!" says Gemma Kay Waggett - Founder of Nothing But Navy.
"At OTHER we have not been shy to make people aware of our navy obsession, so when the opportunity arose to partner our friend Gemma and her ingenious pop-up shop concept NBN, we jumped at the chance and what better time to celebrate everything navy but Christmas! Tasteful christmas wish lists should be full of navy gifts." says Matthew Murphy of OTHER.
40 Berwick Street, Soho, London
Until 24th December 2012
Oliver Sweeney's Chelsea Pop-Up
Oliver Sweeney is back in Chelsea. The original Kings Road store was opened in 2003 as the second ever Sweeney store. Now, they are delighted to be back, albeit temporarily, with a Pop-Up store showcasing the latest footwear styles, jackets and accessories that proved so popular the first time round.
104 Kings Road
Pop You! by Hentsch Man
Hentsch Man have opened a shop just in time for Christmas. The Pop You! Christmas Pop-Up Shop is on Covent Garden's Monmouth Street, features all of the AW 12 collection and accessories and is open until Christmas Eve.
53 Monmouth Street, Covent Garden
Buyer's Guide - Northern Threads - AW 12
Buyer's Guide, Northern Threads
"We’re all firmly acquainted with Fred Perry’s classic polo shirts. They’re so perfect that they only require minor tweaks each season to add a freshness and excitement. Ever since this trim polo arrived with its paisley inside we’ve been drooling over it (not literally, you understand!)"
Fred Perry - Paisley Trim White Polo Shirt - £60
"There really are no better traditional men’s shoes, period. They’re made in England – the home of chivalry and gentlemanly conduct –and they’re still being manufactured now using the same original process as back in 1866 – in the same building! We’re mad about these shoes. Every man needs at least one pair of dress shoes in their wardrobe for those special occasions and you’d be hard pressed to find any better than those from the chaps at Grenson."
Grenson - Stanley Calf Full Brogue - £190
"Laptop speakers suck, mobile phone speakers are even worse and carrying an iPod dock around isn’t exactly practical. That’s why we’re so glad Carhartt have made mini pro speakers that promise to “turn the music playback of any digital device into a perfect delight.”It’s lightweight, fits in your pocket and can be recharged with a USB. Handy. The best part? If you or a mate owns more than one, you can link them up to rig up your own little sound system."
Carhartt X Boomball - Portable Mini Speakers - £39
"A classic Fair Isle Crew Neck is a wardrobe essential for any man and with winter autumn/winter upon us it’s only a matter of time for those crew necks to make an appearance. This season it’s all about colours and patterns so it seems that this Caister Fair Isle Crew from Barbour is perfect – warm, multicoloured with a pattern. It’s on trend and a must have as the weather begins to change, throw on a sharp white shirt underneath, those Grenson shoes and what can I say? You’re fit for any occasion!"
Barbour - Caister Fair Isle Crew - £80
"So we’ve established that it’s the time to layer up but one thing we’ve missed is a stylish jacket. Don’t worry; we’ve got you “covered” with the Hugo Boss Jullius jacket – it’s windproof, waterproof and not only is it the most functional jacket that Hugo Boss have produced but it’s incredibly stylish too."
Hugo Boss Green - Jullius Jacket - £400
Crazy About - Wooyoungmi & Alfred Sargent Boots
Here at TheChicGeek we are massive fans of the kilt and not necessarily the commando Scottish variety. Korean men's brand Wooyoungmi has asked British shoe institution Alfred Sargent to produce a range of shoes and boots for them this season.
Still proudly hand-made in Northampton in the same factory for over 100 years, these Alfred Sargent boots are a combination of Harris Tweed and leather in a traditional brogued style. The Dainite soles are all made in England.
The specially-made fringe or kilt on the front is optional and can be taken off and inside each shoe is an oval bearing the size, pattern number, and last number which all sit within a cut-out lined with Harris Tweed which is not visible, for a special touch.
Wooyoungmi - Tasselled Harris Tweed and Leather Boots - £565
Label to Know - Bee Line
Pharrell Williams' Billionaire Boys Club has collaborated with fashion designer Mark McNairy for a new luxury line called Bee Line. McNairy is known for his creative roles with J Press, Woolrich Woolen Mills and his current label New Amsterdam. He first hooked up with Pharrell to discuss collaborating on a pair of boots, the partnership flourished and Bee Line was born.
"From day one, working with Pharrell and the Billionaire Boys Club team has been perhaps one of the most fun and creatively inspiring projects of my career." says McNairy.
"To me, everything is in the details and that makes working with Mark such a pleasure. I'm extremely happy with the way our Fall collection turned out and I'm looking forward to the rest of the world seeing it as well." says Williams.
Bee Line M-42 Camo Jacket - £345