This was the coat getting the most attention during the AW20 trade shows. From Florence to Paris, I saw many men’s buyers and press trying this on and oooing and aring with the best of them.
Left & Below - Descente x Gloverall Down Duffle - £1300
Descente Ltd. is a Japanese sports clothing and accessories company, formed in 1935, when Takeo Ishimoto started the company in Osaka as Ishimoto Shoten. The company logo depicts 3 basic skiing techniques - traverse, schuss and side-slip. It’s another one of those under-the-radar Japanese brands producing minimal yet beautiful product.
This tie-up with Gloverall will be for the Japanese market foremost, but we can all enjoy its tech fabrics in the signature, classic Duffle coat style. I’ve gone for Gloverall’s signature ‘stone’, but it also comes in navy with this striking high-vis orange lining.
Made from a uniquely developed CEBONNER® Horns Nylon fabric, it has a natural wool-like feel and features high water repellence. The Parahood system, uniquely developed by Descente, stops the water pooling inside the hood as it is compactly stored. A ‘Para-zip’ is easily accessible ensuring the hood can be released rapidly in one movement plus it features the internal hiking straps first showcased in Gloverall’s SS20 collection.
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He has previously done collections/collaborations with John Smedley, Kurt Geiger, Rowing Blazers, Habitat, Anthropologie, Lucy Folk, Richard Ginori, Stubbs & Wootton, and now GANT is added to the list. The man in question is Luke Edward Hall, a modern day Hockney with the eye for colour to match.
When GANT’s current Global Artistic Director, Christopher Bastin, return last year, the brand was due some quirky direction. I’ve always been a fan of what he did at the now defunct GANT Rugger brand.
"This collection takes its inspiration from my home in the English countryside, and how I spend weekends there with friends. From jumpers and tweed coats for stalking through fields to 1970s-inspired velvet suits and silk shirts for candlelit dinners, it’s ruggedly elegant and very English.” says Edward Hall.
He does the same thing for everybody, but that’s okay, because I like it. It’s the same eclectic rift as Gucci.
The standout piece is this cosy corduroy DB in rich reddy brown with brass buttons. It’s a shame they didn’t include one of Luke Edward Hall’s classical heads as pictured. They could have made it detachable. That aside, this is a classic and lifetime wearable piece.
Just add a pink dahlia!
Left & Below - Luke Edward Hall For GANT - Corduroy Blazer - £400
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British designer, Stefan Cooke, along with partner Jake Burt, has been stealthily building up his menswear business. The Crawley-born Central Saint Martins alum won the H&M designer prize in 2017 and has been on the calendar of LFWM ever since.
He has been producing lots of desirable pieces - see the male peplum trend - including this crafty looking embroidered flower jumper with bold, stylish slashes. Wear with a bright base layer.
It also comes in navy.
Left - Farfetch - Stefan Cooke - Slash Floral-Embroidered Jumper - £645
Below - Stefan Cooke AW20 at LFWM
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British designer, Stefan Cooke, along with partner Jake Burt, has been stealthily building up his menswear business. The Crawley-born Central Saint Martins alum won the H&M designer prize in 2017 and has been on the calendar of LFWM ever since.
He has been producing lots of desirable pieces - see the male peplum trend - including this crafty looking embroidered flower jumper with bold, stylish slashes. Wear with a bright base layer.
It also comes in navy.
Left - Farfetch - Stefan Cooke - Slash Floral-Embroidered Jumper - £645
Below - Stefan Cooke AW20 at LFWM
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Britain recently lost one of its retail and design kings, Sir Terence Conran, who was famed for his love of cobalt blue. From his shirts to his socks, this knight loved his French blue workwear or 'bleu de travail’. He actually has his own blue called Pantone 072 C, aka Conran Blue.
It help you celebrate this giant of British style, Drake’s has a thick suede ‘Chore’ jacket in this striking blue primary. Made in Italy with horn buttons, it also has a touch of the Hockney’s about it, which I’m sure Terence would have appreciated even more. Wearing this will never be a chore.
Left & Below - Drake’s - Chore Jacket - £1195
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Being a geek, it goes without saying that we like a sandal and sock combo. And, we don’t let cold weather stop us when getting our geek footwear on.
Left & Below - Cheaney X Richard Biedul - Vetri - £325
Part of a new capsule collection with English shoemaker, Joseph Cheaney, and, solicitor/model turned artistic director, Richard Biedul, is this elegant 'Vietri' sandal in black rub off hi shine.
This T-Bar sandal, also known as a Gurkha sandal, has something of the jelly and fisherman sandal too and I’m all over it. The high-shine takes it up a notch.
Biedul is a man of good taste and has become one of the most photographed men during London Fashion Week Men’s both on and off the catwalk. This is a man who knows how to rock a suit or Oxford Bag trouser and further proof of his expert eye for detail is seen this new collaboration. I’m sold.
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We all like the wind in hair, but how about between our toes? Keen is famous for its woven cord sandals which are perfect for summer sports or taking an energetic dip in the sea. Their new 'Uneek' range pushes the classic style into the chunky trainer hybrid territory.
Left & Below - Keen - Men’s Uneek SNK - £99.99
The Uneek's upper is constructed entirely from recycled PET plastic bottles. By using this material in its new line of sandal webbings as well as Uneek sneaker uppers and laces, Keen will keep over 1 million bottles out of waste.
The insoles are infused with probiotic technology that naturally breaks down odour in sweat without heavy metals or hazardous chemicals.
They come up small, so go for a size up.
Disclosure - TheChicGeek was sent a pair for review
Now is the time to invest in gold and PI London is a company creating a refined edit to stop you trawling through eBay and being able to trust what you are buying.
They’re trying to put a rift on gold jewellery being sustainable, but then we already know that. I actually saw a company mention ‘recycled silver’ the other day. Eyeroll.
PI London Founder, Isobel Procter says, “I’m keen to disrupt the current interpretation of ‘antiques’ because, given the chance, I really believe they can answer some of the most timely needs of both the people and the planet.
“My Mother, an antique’s dealer herself, instilled a great appreciation for unique pieces in me from a very young age. But there was always something about the industry that felt a bit inaccessible, often associated with dusty old shops or elitist auction houses.” she says.
Left & Right - PI London - Buckle Keeper Ring - £790
There’s something about antique jewellery that has a depth and life to it. I particularly like this Edwardian belt and buckle ring. Made from 18ct gold, circa 1910 with a diamond, it symbolises protection, authority and victory. And, couldn't we all do with plenty of that right now!
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Below - PI London showing you how to load the rings on
Why should the shirt have all the fun? This is the question the jean is asking this season. A new label on the radar is Casablanca. Designed in Paris and made in Casablanca, it’s a bright and creative contemporary brand bestowed with the rich dual heritage of Casablanca’s French-Moroccan founder, Charaf Tajer. (He was previously associated co-founder of Parisian label Pigalle and is also a collaborator of Mr Virgil Abloh).
His tongue-in-cheek and playful aesthetic, and not so silly prices, makes this a brand to have fun with. This print has something of the sunshine Hockney/Luke Edward Hall vibes about and I love it. Wear these with everything!
Left & Below - Casablanca - Chambre Slim-Fit Printed Denim Jeans - £365 from MRPORTER
Not to be confused with the shoe brand, Casablanca 1942 - Read more here
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Now it is out of bounds, it is the perfect time to celebrate the traditional pub. Welsh designer, Adam Jones’ presentation for his SS20 collection at LFWM in June was a confection of beer mats, beer towels and everything associated with your local boozer. It’s one part tacky, two parts nostalgia. I’m surprised his old enough (28) to remember beer towels at the bar soaking up the excess lager or bitter.
Anyway, I’m loving these beer towel tank tops, particularly the Tetley Bitter. They’re fun, a bit retro and obviously up-recycled.
His stockist is 50m at Eccleston Yards, a short walk from Victoria Station in London.
This is the perfect time to support young British designers and he has a super cool Newcastle Brown Ale scarf for only £60. A steal.
Right - Adam Jones - Gold Cross Beer Towel Vest - £190
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