PART 1: MENSWEAR’S TOP 100 FAVOURITE THINGS FOR A/W 09

I’M NOT GOING TO APOLOGISE FOR BEING AWAY. Because I’ve been working *bloody* hard, then watching Come Dine With Me in the evenings.

I’ll leave the news and press releases to Drapers because they do it better than anyone else and instead for the next few days the blog is going to focus on MENSWEAR’S TOP 100 THINGS FOR A/W 09. Inspirations, items, music, people… things that have made me smile, made me not buy crisps in the hope of saving up for, and made me procrastinate whilst doing all that hard work. In no particular order…

1. 3.1 Phillip Lim sneakers

Blimey, Lucas has got a lot to catch up to hasn’t he?
From Odin, via men.style.com

2. UNIQLO cardigans

Which I really just couldn’t do without. I haven’t ever bought a cardie from the highstreet that was such good quality, such good shape, washed and kept so well, did its own little thing humming around in the background making outfits gel together nicely and all for £20. The stripe one MAKES ME DIE:

3. Katie Eary at Digitaria

Katie Eary is just amazing, you don’t need me to tell you that what with that hair and MAN and being in Vogue and the studded jumpers and everything, she’s also incredibly nice and so is DIGITARIA which is a new shop on Berwick Street, the nice end mind you. DIGITARIA is now selling EARY’s work of course which is just wonderful as finally people can finally actually buy it which is exactly what she intends it for. They’re also selling the equally wonderful womenswear designer Gemma Slack too. Below is the exciting window display that Katie did…

4. D.A.F.

Beatles whatever, D.A.F. are surely the greatest band of all time. I mean, just look at them:

If you’ve not heard of them yet then it stands for Deutsch-Amerikanische Freundschaft and this is the cover for their excellent Gold und Liebe album which –despite coming out in 1981– sounds more modern and a million times more amazing on anything on the Little Boots/latest Fabriclive/MSTRKRFT albums. Their leather-clad, sex-obsessed image, stark photography and relentlessly minimal electronic music (augmented with thudding, old fashioned drums) is the soundtrack to a winter of clomping about in severely-cut jackets and Raf Simons gloves. They also has a song called “Sex Unter Wasser” which sadly is one of the weaker tracks on this release. “a 1980 concert in Düsseldorf had to be stormed by the police to bring the crowd under control.” says Wikipedia.

5. Acne’s “Trance” boot

Weird that something so ostensibly “ugly” on paper should work so well, but it’s the chunkiness that balances out the grungy layering up top in Acne’s A/W 09 spread. In other words, the rubbery sole and squared toe provide the metaphorical scaffolding for all the weight up top, the perfect full stop. I love the shearling ones.

6. Raf Simons double jacket

I hated the Raf Simons show. It left me cold, but more than that, offended. It’s because we’re so used to seeing sportswear and tailoring morphed into singular garments (Lanvin‘s jersey suiting, Christopher Shannon‘s impeccably-shouldered zip up jackets, and, naturally, Raf himself) but this time Raf divided the two back up and played them head to head like atoms in the CERN particle accelerator. Think of the deliberately “ugly” sneakers with the generously-proportioned suits; the neon neoprene gloves with banker’s pinstripe shirts and here, the apex; neoprene shrug, traditional tailored car coat. Too often in fashion, what feels odd usually points the way (think of gladiator sandals for women); too often, Raf just beats a path for everyone else to copy.

Available from oki-ni

7. Rockers tees from Goodhood

I’m not sure if these are past seasons or not. Either way I couldn’t resist putting them on here because a. they are AMAZING and b. have you seen the stock in Goodhood recently? They’ve got some blinders from GASIUS too but then what do you expect from him?

8. Jon Klassen’s illustrations

California-based Jon Klassen’s works are some of the most beautiful drawings I have seen in a long, long stretch of David Shrigley inspired hinterland. These were production ideas and concepts for the film Coraline, which I still haven’t seen yet. I don’t really know what Coraline does or who she is, but these warm, dusty and nocturnal images are exactly what I’d want my perfect wintery house to feel like. All tall ceilings, tobacco-coloured printed wallpaper, wooden floorboards and slightly 30s kitchens.

His work is just absolutely amazing and I’d quite like to live inside it:

9. Elizabeth & James A/W 09

Three words– OLSEN TWINS MENSWEAR.

If APC came up with this you’d be queing round the block.

10. Ayame socks

Another classy thing from oki-ni. Apparently John wears his all the time which is a ringing endorsement if ever I needed one…

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