This Is Not A Suit Launch

Last night, 7TH MAN attended the launch of A. Sauvage’s This Is Not A Suit collection which was celebrated at the always stylish Matches in Marylebone. The collection, which was co-designed by George Lamb, drew many a familiar face to the event including Lily Allen, Coco Sumner and Britain’s Next Top Model’s Grace Woodward.

This sophisticated collection of suits all feature signature details such as rope shoulders, working horn buttons and double vents, as well as having slimline silhouettes with shorter lengths and comfortable volume in the slightly shorter sleeves.

With a warm palette consisting of midnight blue, plum, forest green and burnt orange; key items from this collection include a three piece country suit in grey Prince of Wales check and a blue City Suit in pin head wool.

The This Is Not A Suit collection will be stocked in both Matches and Harrods and expect to see A. Sauvage staging more exhibitions and separate projects to coincide with each new collection such as this one.

To see the new collection, click here.
To view more of A. Sauvage's This Is Not A Suit portraiture series, click here.

True Suit

All-American suit brand Hickey Freeman has undergone a dramatic image overhaul which sees it shrugging off its traditional “stuffy” image for a decidedly sleeker and younger feel. Gone are the boxy fit and conservative styles of its old suits and in their place are slimmer silhouettes and flat-front trousers plus bolder patterns and fabrics.

Says Hickey Freeman’s newly appointed creative director, Joseph Abboud, “We want to attract the younger and younger-thinking customer. Hickey Freeman was much more traditional under the old regime, it lacked sex appeal”. With a recently launched advertising campaign for A/W 10 shot by Annie Leibovitz and featuring True Blood actor Alexander Skarsgard, this certainly no longer is the case...

For more, click here.

The Townhouse and The Gentleman

While reveling in the fantastical wonderland that is the Jacques Townhouse earlier this week, one man made quite the impression on 7TH MAN. Sporting quintessential dandy attire (complete with top-hat and cane) interiors impressio David Carter looked every inch the dapper gentleman. However, such a look is not uncommon for this man, whose debonair appearance has gained quite the stylish reputation in amongst the London party circuit. “I love it when people are not afraid to express themselves through their clothes, to be individuals’, says David in support of his dandy contemporaries who he claims are “The last of a dying breed”.

Fortunately, David shows no sign of shunning his eccentric gentlemanly apparel in favour of something more reserved. “I’m lucky in that I don’t have to work in an office-I can wear what I want”. Indeed, David’s hectic schedule has left him anything but tied to the mundanities of working in an office block. As an internationally celebrated interior designer, his work has featured in some of the world’s most influential interiors magazines. Working principally on high-end residential projects, he injects just the right levels of glamour, luxury and wit that has led him to be twice short-listed for the highly prestigious Andrew Martin International Designer of the Year in 2001 and 2007. Furthermore, his signature personal style has also prompted coverage in style bibles such as L’Uomo Vogue, Sunday Times Style, and Italian GQ.


When he’s not busy modeling for the glossies , David’s entrepreneurial skills have been put to the test with the much lauded enterprise, 40WINKS. As the world’s first micro-boutique hotel, 40WINKS has received rave reviews , with intriguing soirees such as Bedtime Stories being a firm favourite amongst guests.

It was this particular venture that caught the eye of Exposure PR in the early stages of developing The Jacques Townhouse. Noting that David could provide the right mixture of interior design, content and experience in creating the ultimate boutique hotel, it was a match made in heaven.

From the word go it was all hands on deck, with the weeks in the run up to the redesign of the house used to source the many props and sets which were styled by the very talented Cordelia Weston with David’s creative direction. The actual revamping of the townhouse however, took just three days. “Yes, it was a lot of work in such a relatively short space of time”, says David. A lot of work, which did feature challenges. With a number of restrictions in place at 33 Fitzroy Square, David cleverly worked his way around them, so much so, his guests perhaps wouldn’t even notice in the slightest.

“We weren’t allowed to touch the walls at all. Not even to hang a picture. So everything is free standing: the bar, the trees, even the luggage façade in the foyer is actually a false wall put in place a few inches away from the real wall”.

The result is utterly effective, with the airy townhouse laced with all the wondrous trimmings lending to guests the experience of that of almost walking onto the set of Tim Burton movie. As David said in the run up to the launch of The Townhouse: "I want to make The Jacques Townhouse a very special place for people to visit, a place of whimsy and enchantment where everyone feels that they have just walked on to a fantastical film set”.


And what does he make of Sophie Ellis Bextor, the very stylish lady appointed curator of The Jacques Townhouse? “Well Sophie is the perfect candidate to represent The Townhouse as she truly embodies the characteristics of the Jacques Brand- Fresh, bubbly and fun”.

With The Townhouse in full swing and 40WINKS still going strong, it’s hard to believe David still has time for the numerous ventures he has lined up in the future. But shall a dalliance in fashion design be just one of them? After all, not only does a strong relationship lie between interior design and fashion, this man certainly knows how to dress.

“About two or three years ago I was on a shoot for Harvey Nichols and I was approached by the buyer of menswear to possibly design a collection for the store. I said no at the time as I was quite busy, but it would be something I’d like to do. Can you imagine if a whole host of interior designers launched collections at Fashion Week? We’d show them in a beautifully designed pavilion, complete with all the embellishments! It would be fantastic!”.

Now that’s something we’d like to see this Autumn/Winter at London Fashion Week!

Simon Carter Celebrates 25 Years in Business

For a business that has now become somewhat of a British institution, it’s hard to believe the humble beginnings of Simon Carter Menswear and Accessories.

Having shunned a career in medicine in favour of working in fashion and design, Simon found himself working in a vintage clothing store on the King’s Road back in 1983. One day, a customer brought in a 1930s motorcyclist brooch to sell, and with this came that all-important light-bulb moment that would denote the path his future would take…

“They gave it to me instead of a day’s wages. I wore it. This was the early 1980s, the New Romantics. Blokes wore brooches!”.

Following this revelation,  Simon went and sourced a manufacture in Cornwall to make up a hundred of the design and loading up a Gladstone bag, Simon hit the streets.  And so, the label was born.

Roll on twenty five years and Simon Carter Menswear and Accessories is now an incredibly successful business with the brand being stocked in stores in forty countries worldwide. In celebration of this expanding empire and  his twenty fifth year in business, Simon Carter invited 7TH MAN down to his store in London’s historic Shepherd Market for a preview of his new collection.


Practically bursting at the sartorial seams, the Autumn/Winter 2010 collection features an eye-catching range of shirts, classic watches, informal bags and of course, Simon’s iconic signature cufflinks.

Never one to shy away from embellishment, Simon’s range of cufflinks take luxury to the next level. With whimsical designs from turtles to frogs, 7TH MAN’s ultimate pick is perhaps the the Swarovski Jewel encrusted mother-of-pearl Union Jack cufflinks:




The Union Jack most definitely is a common theme for this season, with Simon Carter’s Union Jack paint effect tote most definitely injecting a certain “Best of British” spirit into the collection. Available in three colourways, the bags are finished with equestrian grade leather straps and the iconic Simon Carter comic strip lining:

So what have we to look forward to from Simon Carter in the future? Well, building on the success of the Shepherd Market store, Simon intends on launching four more of these stores over the next three years. Meanwhile, Simon’s limited edition range of gentlemen’s accessories marking his Silver Jubilee celebration will no doubt be a hot favourite this upcoming season.

For more about Simon Carter, click here.

Pop-Down To The Pop-Up

Today, 7TH MAN was lucky enough to receive a sneak preview of The Jacques Townhouse, located in the heart of central London. This pop-up boutique hotel will be home to the Jacques Soirees, a Jacques twist on the quintessential English tea party which will be curated by the super-stylish songstress, Sophie Ellis Bextor.

The evenings shall take place from tonight for ten nights within the walls of this eccentric wonderland, where guests can enjoy a tipple of Jacques, munch on bespoke cupcakes courtesy of Vintage Patisseries or, if they are so inclined, receive a BeneFit make-over in the downstairs powder room before sampling the delights of a theatrical DJ performance every night.

This über stylish townhouse, which appears as though it was conceived as the love child of Tim Walker and Tim Burton; was in fact transformed by the ever so charming David Carter, creator of East London mirco boutique hotel 40WINKS. Designed to be the ultimate urban orchard, this whimsical world features surprises around every corner, from a theatrical concierge, to dramatic tarot readers to spectacular indoor trees adorned with beautiful vintage trinkets:

If you wish to indulge in a bit of shameless fantasy this summer, make sure to check out www.facebook.com/jacques for more details.

JUMP To It

In the past 10 years, Taiwanese brand JUMP’s footwear has jumped (excuse the pun) into the western style radar. With its sensibility for luxury mixed with a style conscious homage to retro street fashion, the brand offers the highest quality of footwear without sacrificing comfort. The newly released Poseidon Sneaker is a perfect example. Inspired by the timeless boat shoe, the design merges its traditional structure into your typical rubber soled lace up sneaker. Available in black or white, the outcome is an anomalous footwear option that is perfect for Summer and the coming of Autumn.


Words by Alexander Bishon Rowland

Pocket Essentials

Complementing their luxurious A/W 10 garment collection, Lanvin has provided a decedent selection of must-have accessories this season. From knitted tie-pins to silk patchwork ties, one of the key pieces out of this vast range is the signature python pouch. Perfect for housing all your pesky loose change, the pouch is also the exact right size for holding the python card-holder and python wallets. Never have your credit cards and cash been able to look so stylish!

www.lanvin.com

Ghosts in Architecture

Last week amongst hectic schedule of Berlin Fashion Week, Damir Doma found time to present his new S/S11 “Silent” collection. In conjunction with this launch, a rooftop extravaganza took place in Germany’s capital, where Doma revealed a collaborative piece entitled “Ghost’s in Architecture” where he worked alongside such industry greats as electronic music pioneer, DJ Hell and image maker, Malcolm Pate.

This exclusive video installation explores the essence and core of the Damir Doma’s universe, further enhancing his quest to fuse mind, body and spirit:



For S/S 11, Doma’s avant-garde casual collection “Silent” is a sleek fusion of soft flowing jerseys, denim, leather bags and accessories in a palette of neutral hues with bold splashes of mustard. The result is a line of beautiful, effortless garments which are not only truly wearable but will work either alone or as part of a complete sophisticated look:



www.damirdoma.com

Roberto Cavalli 40th Anniversary Special Projects

It’s been forty years since Florentine designer Roberto Cavalli first made his mark on the world of fashion, and in celebration of this illustrious anniversary, the maison is launching a series of special projects during the second half of 2010.


Perhaps the most pivotal of these projects is a new section of the Roberto Cavalli website which is dedicated to the maison’s 40th anniverary. Features within this section include; a timeline which depicts, decade by decade, the career of Robert Cavalli and how he revolutionized fashion; a virtual museum offering a 360° panorama view of the maison’s twelve most significant dresses and lastly, a gallery of images revealing the vast amount of coverage the anniversary has received in some of the world’s most prestigious magazines. Furthermore, the site includes an in-depth section revolving around the anniversary’s Celebratory Book as well as a nod towards the evolution of the Roberto Cavalli corporate logo. This revamped logo is a graphic interpretation of forty years of fashion and is an emblem of the Cavalli Style and Spirit. The heraldic RC logo set inside the number zero is representative of a number of things, one being that of Venus, who is mythology represents Aphrodite, goddess of beauty and love. She celebrates Roberto Cavalli’s love of women and all the passion that this designer has dedicated to them in forty years, enhancing their femininity and sensuality.



In conjunction with the launch of the anniversary section of the website, the maison has also created a number of limited edition products in honor of their incredible milestone.

The first out of this iconic range is the Roberto Cavalli Eyewear “Dea” Collection. These elegant eyewear feature an innovative etched mask front complete with signature artisan design with two edges revealed in snakeskin print leather. Available in two colour variations, the eyewear comes either in "warm" with pink gold and ivory snakeskin print leather or in a cooler shade of light blue paired with exclusive azure flash mirror lenses:

The second signature piece from the limited edition collection is the new 'Anniversary' watch. Characterized by fine materials, this watch is destined to become a benchmark on the panorama of ‘haute de gamme’ timepieces. The dial has a python-effect ‘guilloche’ engraving, while the strap is in real python skin with ‘deployant’ buckle. The ‘Anniversary’ model comes in a limited edition of 999 pieces, and it’s available in black and brown colors. Ultimately, this is a watch that meets the needs of clients looking for perfection in details:


Without question, the tipple of choice this season is the Roberto Cavalli Vodka. Concealed within a beautiful hand-decorated bottle, some may be more tempted by the outside rather than the contents within! Featuring the maison’s symbolic snake wrapped around the bottle, it is embellished in pure gold. What’s more, the bottle top becomes a precious seal in pure gold galvanised brass and bears the word ‘Anniversary’:

 

To find out more about Roberto Cavalli and to check out the Anniversary site, click here.

Marc Newson-Complementing Denim

Having made a name for itself as an innovator of cutting-edge denim design, Dutch label G-Star Raw has once again succeeded in the line of high-tech garment construction.

For Autumn/Winter 2010, designer Marc Newson has added to the G-Star line-up with a luxury-leisure range of casual sweats and jackets. Signature pieces from the three-part collection include a worker jacket and jeans in Japanese selvedge denim from the range’s base program of sweats; The Transformer Puffer Jacket from the vibrant, graphic intensive program; and from Marc’s Limited collection, the Cloud Jacket.

With bold colours and distinctive block graphic prints, the designs are simple yet sophisticated and in all, offer a  fresh approach to luxurious yet functional street wear:

For more, click here.

Capsule New York - Spring 2011 Previews

On tuesday morning, Seventh Man stopped by the Capsule Show in New York! Catching up with all the designers was great, but this season all the items speak by themselves. Here are some previews of our favorites!

The patterns but especially the fabrics make the collection at Timo Weiland.

Below, designer-partner Alan Eckstein models one of his favorites.

Which is almost a tie-dye yet restrained enough to be casual.

And, this backpack is perfect for spring.

Swear continues to create new shapes each season.

A lightweight matt leather Spurr cardigan-top.

What joy to get a preview at Bstore for Liberty Of London.

The prints incorporated with the classic tee

and button down.

Still creating the coolest tees around, and this one's a must.

Stolen Girlfriends Club.

A Henrik Vibskov backpack!

(capsule) isn't just about clothing. And we're more than the words trade and show imply.

We're a group of comrades and likeminded creators, gathering each season to share the

fruits of our labor. Style is our medium; the sum of our parts (designers, retailers, editors,

admirers, bloggers, stylists, fans, writers, peacocks, art directors, and hangers on) is

simply amazing. Season after season, the results of our whole are never like always

at all, at all.

Thank you Designers, Capsule.

Can't wait to see all these in action during NY fashion week!

CFDA Fashion Fund Finalists!

New York - The CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund have been set.

The Designers are:

-Robert Geller - Menswear

-Pamela Love - Jewelry

-Eddie Borgo - Jewelry

-Oliver Helden and Paul Marlow of Loden Dager - Menswear

- Billy Reid - Menswear

The fund's selection committee will now meet each of the 10 finalists and visit their individual studios. Each nominee is being asked to complete a design project and to take part in a fashion show held at the Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles. The winner will be announced at a gala on November 15.

The fashion fund now on its seventh year was created by American Vogue and the CFDA to help promote emerging designers with both a cash prize and a mentoring program by industry leaders.

Congratulations!

Image by NJD - Robert Geller and models backstage at Robert Geller AW2010 - February 2010

Dover Street Market Autumn/Winter 2010

Today, Seventh Man was lucky enough to escape the searing London heat for an exclusive tour of the Autumn/Winter 2010 designer collections and brand new store concepts at the ever so stylish Dover Street Market:

On entering the store, we were greeted by a retro-styled booth displaying the new season’s Comme Des Garçons Play collection, which features a range of quirky t-shirts bearing the brand’s signature heart design. As DSM was created by Comme Des Garçons founder Rei Kawakubo, the label is a consistent presence throughout the store with signature pieces such as these exquisite brooches and classic wallets just waiting to be snapped up:

Within the store, the presentation of the various labels is visually stunning with concepts such as the Burnt Down Ballroom and the Celine Space bringing the luxurious designs to an entirely different level:




A particular favourite of Seventh Man was The World Archive area of the store courtesy of legendary fashion impresario and past Comme Des Garçons model, Michael Costiff. This airy Aladdin’s Cave contains spectacular treasures from various lands that Costiff brought together to create a beautiful assorted collection. From definitive cultural pieces such as the authentic Indian head-dresses, to reworked necklaces of African and Chinese descent; this collection is a cultural fusion that certainly pays attention to the finer details:


Exclusives to Dover Street Market alongside designer collaborations also feature throughout the store, such as the below YSL bag and a modern redesign of a footwear staple with the Comme Des Garçons Homme Deux and Doc Martins collaboration. Meanwhile downstairs in the basement (which has a decidedly youthful edge) is home to collaborations such as the slick Moncler and Pharell Williams outerwear range:

DSM’s own label also resides in the basement with these exclusive Spring Court shoe colourways being a must-have for the new season:


Wandering through the multi-level store, definite trends for Autumn/Winter became increasingly apparent, with technical fabrics and contemporary tailoring making a number of appearances, while bold pattern clashes such as plaid and stripes work surprisingly well together throughout various different collections:

As mentioned, the whole concept and direction of DSM was conceived Rei Kawakubo who says:

“I want to create a kind of market where various creators from various fields gather together and encounter each other in an ongoing atmosphere of beautiful chaos: the mixing up and coming together of different kindred souls who all share a strong personal vision”

Indeed, with its eclectic mix of designers, refreshing new store concept and style advisers who are not only friendly but really know their stuff when it comes to fashion; Dover Street Market no doubt offers the ultimate shopping experience.

For more click here.

A special thanks to Emelie at Purple PR.