Rei Kawakubo moving into cartoons?

Rei Kawakubo has done it again!

This time the Comme des Garcons and Dover Street Market creative director managed to surprise the fashion industry by working with comic strip creator of 'The Simpsons',  Matt Groening.

The collaboration which was first showed during Paris Fashion Week at the CDG showroom, is made-up of four t-shirts that feature the iconic PLAY heart with a comic strip illustration of a series entitled 'Binky and Sheba meet Rei'.

The t-shirts are available to buy starting today the 15th of March in all Comme Des Garcons stores!

By Andreas Menelaou Features Assistant

Converse x Comme Des Garcons PLAY: Jack Purcell shoe

Yesterday, Converse Inc. announced its next collaboration with Comme Des Garçons  PLAY, this time giving their own spin on the Jack Purcell shoe.

Building on the notable success of the Spring 2010 collaboration between Converse and Comme des Garçons  PLAY, the two brands have reunited for Spring 2011.

The Jack Purcell shoe is the perfect fit for Comme des Garcons PLAY, the more casual, streetwear-influenced line from the pioneering, avant-garde Japanese label,as the shoe's history is as unconventional as CDG.Born as a badminton shoe ,the Jack Purcell was later adopted by style icons who didn't play by the rules.

The four new styles are engraved with ,the ever so famous, PLAY’s signature heart-with-eyes logo and are available in black and natural canvas colour.

Retailing at £110, the Jack Purcell shoe will be available from March 2011 at Dover Street Market,London.

By Andreas Menelaou Features Assistant

"Tachiagari" at Dover Street Market for S/S'11

Paco Rabanne window of  iconic "le 69" bag re-launch

7thMan Magazine was invited yesterday to Rei Kawakubo's Dover street market,  for their annual "Tachiagari". There is always a calm and peaceful aura in Dover street Market, a respectful silence almost ,  that pays respect to all the exceptional designers that are featured in-house including Givenchy, Lanvin, Celine, Comme des Garcons, Maison Martin Margiela and many more.

Tachiagari means beginning in Japanese and Comme des Garcons creative director Kawakubo, strongly supports the idea of new beginnings almost every season. The store's visual representation and space conceptual realisations has been pivotal for Dover street market's success and inadvertently the  magical alterations is what keeps the unique fashion destination different and exciting.

The bi-annual Tachiagari allows for redeveloped installations,fresh structures and furnishings to be installed, rejuvenates the store with innovative projects, new collections and curated spaces designed personally by the maestros of fashion themselves including Alber Elbaz for Lanvin, Phoebe Philo and Hussein Chalayan.

For Spring/Summer 2011, the makeover includes the re-launch of the iconic "le69" aluminium bag of extraordinary designer Paco Rabanne brought to life in 3 editions by none other than Rei Kawakubo, an exhibition space dedicated to the artwork of the late Tokyo based British fashion designer Christopher Nemeth & Hussein Chalayan Chinese puppetrie installation.

After the jump we take a closer look at most of the amazing installations, products and clothes that are on offer for this seaon at Dover Street Market!

Have a look!

Comme des Garcon holiday exclusive at Dover Street Market

7th Man Magazine was one of the first to preview the new colourful Comme des Garcon 2010 holiday campaign that was launched at Dover Street Market in London today.

As the temperature plummets and we approach the depths of winter where most of the store seem to only stock clothing in sombre monochrome or sparking partywear, it was great to see the explosion of colours and fun quirky items at the renowned London high fashion fashion destination store.

For this latest campaign called "Merry Happy Crazy Colour", Comme des Garcon was inspired by the work of "assume vivid astro focus" (avaf). a visual and performance artist group originally based in Mexico.

This holiday collection consists of various limited edition products in all kinds of mad bright colours, designed and curated by Comme des Garcons - a total of over 16 totally different products are available in this range, each comes in an myriad of different bright colours which will make the most perfect gifts for this festive season.

These products include signature Comme des Garcons pieces in vibrant crazy colours such as the teddy bears in the bright polka dot fabrics, the new perfume contained in a hand made papier mache covered bottles, multicoloured patchwork knits and PLAY T-shirts as well as the green, pink, and yellow cotton shirts and matching sarouels.

Other curated pieces from around the world includes resin jewellery from Thai designer Ek Thongprasert, men's heavy metal chain necklaces from Florian of Austria, a lego block ornament from New York's Nathan Sawaya.

Each item has a hang tag showing the work of avaf, and comes wrapped in a carrier bag featuring the same artwork which comes in pink, blue or yellow.

Today Comme des Garcon also premiered their latest "Super Fluo" wallets at Dover Street Market today. Although not a part of the "Merry Happy Crazy Colour" collection, but with its super bright pieces made in the softest goat leather, it would sit beautifully with the rest of the quirky rainbow coloured items displayed in the various different parts of the store.

.... the real question is..... how did they get that massive white elephant into the shop window at 5am this morning???

The Merry Happy Crazy Colour collection is available till end of January 2011.

www.doverstreetmarket.com

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.

Broken Record

I hate to sound as the title implies: but here is another heritage footwear brand worth buying into. what with the slight craze for good old Americanisms recently, I feel that an authentic American cobbler is perhaps the best thing to purchase this season.

Yuketen are an industry renowned brand, stocked in premium boutiques and websites. Yuki Matsuda is the designer behind this atmoshperic brand: emulating the techniques of traditional American methods, a product of his own primary research observing the footwear worn by remote locales from the Appalachians all the way to the high Sierras.

Just be seeing the product a smooth traditinal warmth hits you, the Chukka boots are particularly fabulous, made from slouchy, soft leather and available in an array of wholesome colours, anything from orchid to ivy, with a mismatching patchwork for good, stylish measure.

London stockists include Dover Street Market and Present on Shoreditch Highstreet, get down there and buy into a brilliant brand.

http://www.yuketen.com

Make way for Murdock.

Next time you find your self clipping along the clean streets of Dover Street, Mayfair, take a turn down Stafford Street and you are sure to meet a treat. Nestled just around the corner from one of London's most infamous boutiques you will find 'Murdock', a far cry from the usual clinical barbers of modern London.

Murdock is a barbers and gentlemen's grooming salon offering a cocktail of services, just under the price you would expect.

The Murdock barbers are a subtle yet tangible force within the men's grooming market. The Liberty's branch is famed for it's shaving service and the original Shoreditch branch is almost an organic development carved from it's surroundings, it is also responsible for trimming the trendiest barnets in East London.

Yet, the Mayfair branch, [the newest egg to stroll out of the Murdock nest], holds a certain prestige in my mind. Situated in amongst the most exquisite boutiques of Mayfair, it infiltrates your senses with a with a warm, spiced musk as you enter, whilst the soft warbling of great singers from the past dispell of any dubious thoughts you had before entering.

It truly takes you back to a time when men were immaculate, women were exquisite and manners were essential. It seems more like the home of a British eccentric than that of a ,modern barbers.

Trinkets and treasures, haphazardly placed around the room bombard your eyes with nostalgic imagery and foreign uses. Images of enviable facial hair - photographed by the staff of Murdock, for the clients of Murdock - lead you up the polished, spiralling wooden staircase, where an imposing stags head greets you nonchalantly.

Bottles of shaving foam, cologne and aftershave from established and thoroughly English brands such as: Dr Harris & Co, line the dust free shelves. Photography books spill out over several surfaces, each with a Murdock bookmark stating a price, as yes, they are for sale. But try before you buy.

The employees are professional, efficient and enthusiastic: a forties style vixen and and a quirkily dandy fox, both knowledgable in the trade and passionate about their business. Conversation throughout your treatment is sure to delve into deeper depths than where you are holidaying this summer!

Although this time long tradition of visiting the barbers is perhaps a tad archaic in the present climate, it's places like Murdock that remind us all that the heritage of a well groomed male lies in the capable hands of others.

Let 2010 be a year of indulgence, make way for Murdock in your routine.


Prices start at about £34, Call Helen on 07875946704
www.murdocklondon.com

All images by James Pinkie Terry

For Jean-Michel Basquiat

The Inoue Brothers, along with Nicholas Taylor bring us a collaboration in honor of the late NYC artist Jean-Michel Basquiat. Jean and Nicholas had a extraordinary creative relationship that developed during the 1980’s. Both created the band ‘GRAY” also consisting of Michael Holman, and Vincent Gallo, which was declared at the time by Andy Warhol’s Interview Magazine as “possibly the best band on the planet.”

Taylor and The Inoue Brothers wanted to show a new perspective for that time. They wanted to capture the essence of the late 70’s and early 1980s downtown art scene.

And they did, in three creative ways.

The Exhibition:

As Jean-Michel’s confidante, Nicholas Taylor brings together a collection of photographs that depict’ both growing relationships, in a time where their talent was flourishing.

At the St. Martins Lane Hotel, Front Room. Now until November 1st, 2009

The Collection:

Together with the exhibition, the Inoue brothers have designed an exclusive collection which will be at Dover St Market from 10th of October - 7th November 2009. Employing discharge printing technique, using as canvas, the collection incorporates classic styles from well known labels such as Lacoste, Ralph Lauren, Pendleton Woolen Mills and 1969 vintage Levi’s.

Each item is unique and limited edition.

The Book:

Bringing Nicholas sentiments in a unique collection of essays and images.

"Jean-Michel Basquiat Through Nicholas Taylor" will be available for £35 at both St. Martins Lane Hotel and Dover St. Market.

To find out more, please visit:

www.theinouebrothers.net

www.stmartinslane.com

www.doverstreetmarket.com

-Online Contributing Editor -NJD