Monochrome Finery

Website is under construction - 01Jan2010 re-launch.

2009-12-09T16:20:00.000-08:00

Pardon the recent slump in new articles on I Luw Fashion. 2009 has been a remarkable year with many encouraging happenings. Not only is the blog sailing in the right direction, but the speed at which dreams and visions have come true has been overwhelming.

Although success is wholeheartedly welcome, there is a currently a great deficit in time and resources which require some significant management changes. This month I will be inaugurating the new and 2nd member of I Luw Fashion. He’s an bright and spirited being and our mentalities are alike as well as humour. Most importantly we share a vision of what direction consumer media should take in the pivotal year of 2010. We do not subscribe to the initiative of Hearts, Conde Nast, Time.Inc and News Corp. Together with Apple they will next year take a giant leap forward in digital media while taking two steps backwards in how they deliver media.

While the blog will continue to be in recess until the 1st of January, long hours will be spent creating illustrations in Photoshop in addition to coding html text. What I look forward to most is sharing the chore of answering the many appreciated 10-20 daily emails that I often have insufficient time to reply to promptly. Not only will there be a steady update of 2-4 weekly posts but the website will be more friendly to the leading Fortune 500 and luxury companies I have worked with in 2009, as well as those lined up for next year.
The reconstruction of the blog is in progress as we speak and the re-launch is scheduled for 1st of January 2009. Changes include a new name, web-address, a refreshed look and most importantly newsworthy content. Until then, I want to thank you all for the wonderful year that is soon to end. My inbox is open to letters from readers with requests and luxury brands wishing collaborate in the very promising 2010.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

The bizarre and beautifully ugly.

2009-11-18T14:36:00.000-08:00

Throughout my adult years I’ve pride in having an abnormally strong immune system. Headaches come only 2-3 times a year, I have no recollection of the last time I had fever and neither do I have a medicine cabinet – in fact I haven’t even had chickenpox which frightening given the dangerous affects it has on adults. But today reckoning came and brought my feet down on earth as my inflated claim of benevolence has been punctured by the illness I’m currently battling. An intense cold or a mild flu I contracted last week reached its peak today, forcing me to send a mass cancelation text for a meeting that was scheduled. Rarely do I let ill-being hinder my day to day life but this time I had to surrender myself to the misfortunes of human life.
Coming to terms with the despair, I have hospitalised myself in the bedroom and nursed myself with four cups of ginger/lime tea to ease drowsiness and jolt me with energy. More bored than homeschooled infant, the menace inside me has pushed me into pursuing the prospect of becoming quad-lingual. As a speaker of English, German and Swedish the new language adventure doesn’t stem from the Germanic language tree and neither did I image myself ever growing curiosity for it. It’s the language of the country where mouse you’re using to scroll this page with is made from – it’s Chinese. For the sake of correctness the language is Mandarin, the official language of China, as opposed to Cantonese which is the second most spoken language in the country. The language is perplexing and an exercise in stretching the capabilities of your lungs and mouth muscles in ways I will need a year to get accustom to. Mockery should not be made of Mandarin though because it’s the official language of 1.3 billion people. Shockingly, only a futile two readers are accessing this blog from China– a baffling reality which I attribute to the internet censorship imposed by the Chinese government. Neither resentment nor criticism is boiling inside me because acceptance of the contradictory is in my nature.

The extra terrestrial aspects of life can be intriguing, and at times quite humours, like a young lad I encountered wearing an orange jumpsuit and bizarrely a pair a glasses over another pair. Good mannerism tell that one shouldn’t laugh out loud at other people but the outburst that was building up inside me was impossible to contain, and exploded the moment the daring gentleman was out of sight. I do however applaud his efforts in breaking the fixed London template of main style: Navy blue suit, brogues, white shirt, quilted jacket and a Range Rover for transportation. Fashion is brightest and most interesting when it doesn’t follow logic. Italy is probably the piloting country on this front. Roberto Cavalli, Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana, Missoni, Versace and Armani are all based in Milan but share few similarities in design language and execution -- unlike designers in other countries which conform to a comparable outlook on what fashion is. Italian designers are masters of variety and surprises.

Passion and emotions are at the heart of style and logical isn’t a part of the formula. Right and wrong does not always apply, thus the concept of perfection is an illusion. Subjectivity cannot ignore because fashion is not a universal language. Even in city like London, fashion comes in many distinct dialects. Musicians in Shoreditch don’t dress alike socialites in Fulham and neither do they aspire to do so. Strangely the most beautiful objects in life are those that split a room into two opposing sides, and those objects tend to have an element of unattractiveness. Think of them as imperfect angels. Because self-satisfaction triumphs over public acceptance one should be unafraid of adding and abstract piece of clothing to their wardrobe. Even something small as a winter scarf with a mystic pattern can breathe excitement into repetitive and monotonous choices of attire.

Braun Series 3-390cc time saving shaver.

2009-11-09T12:47:00.000-08:00

Shaving can be 15min chore in front of the bathroom mirror or it can be a quick task with the cutting-edge Braun Series 3-390cc shaver.

Precision and performance are key strength thanks to a trio of independent shaving elements which leave the skin smooth as peace skin while keeping skin irritation to a minimum. After shaving, just slot the 3-390cc into the bundled dock and the self-cleaning feature will disinfect the shaver in a lemon-scented alcohol based solution. Now available at a promotional offer of £79.99(down from £159.99) until the 30th December 2009 at select retailers.

Gekko return to the screen in Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps.

2009-11-01T17:30:00.000-08:00

The great depression of year 2009 is officially over as billions of dollars worth of bailouts and quantitative easing yields the ultimate dividend – carrying the world’s largest economy, the United States, out of recession with a 3.5% growth in GDP between July and September. Italians, Frenchmen, Germans and Japanese citizens have reasons to smile too. Their economies have enjoyed positive growth since mid 2009 leaving the lonely Island of Great Britain as only G7 sinking deeper into recession. Although the signs for 2010 are good, the world economy won’t be healthy until major government debts have been cleared and unemployment reduced – and that can take years, if not a few decades. In the mean time we’ll entertain ourselves with the unexpected but much welcomes sequel to the 1987 classic, Wall Street movie.
Throughout October photographical evidence have emerged confirming the production of the sequel. Officially named 'Wall Street: Money never sleeps', the film is set 20 years from where prequel left off, in the not too past 2007. Like any successful cult movie Wall Street had a very memorable character, Gordon Gekko, played by Michael Douglas who earned himself an Oscar for his provocative performance. Gekko is at the height on the pyramid of diabolical stock market personalities; Old, wise, egocentric and at the peak of his career but in pursuit of success beyond his own dreams and imagination – sort of like the Ponzi scheme extraordinaire Bernard Maddof or Kenneth Lay, who cooked the books at Enron until they boiled over and subsequently brought company of 22,000 employees to a bafflingly epic demise that deeply shook the Dow Jones and Nasdaq stock exchange. Both fraudsters, now serving jail time, have left permanent scars reminding us all that the stock market is a remorseless and cold hearted business.
The professional life of a boardroom baron keen on bending the laws of justice is incomplete without accomplice of a grounded and well mannered protégé. Charlie Sheen acted the role of Bud Fox who saw his innocence and law abiding persona get absorbed by the poisonous greed of Gekko and Wall Street’s short-term money making culture. Very fitting, Bud Fox’s father was played by Martin Sheen who is also Charlie Sheen’s father in real life. Directed by Oliver Stone, the movie delivered sublime dynamic between the actors and painted a glamorous portrait of life in the financial sector. The script was excellent with intriguing dialogues well delivered by Michael Douglas and co-actors. To the satisfaction of Wall Street fans Oliver Stone is in charge of directing the anticipated Wall Street 2:Money never sleeps which has impressive roster of actors by the name of Michael Douglas, Charlie Sheen, Carey Mulligan, Frank Langella and Josh Brolin. Much better actors for a movie in the drama genre are hard to find.
Excluding Carey Mulligan, the average age of the actors stated above is very close to 50. These are actors that are irrelevant to lucrative audience of 15-20 year olds accustom to internet piracy and cannot recall ever recording broadcast on a VHS tape, let alone bought a movie on VHS. Given the pressures of movie to smash box office records, popular actors are instrumental to the financial success of motion pictures. To compliment the top class but rather aged actors there is a need for someone young and contemporary to lead the film – a bit of ying in the yang or wise versa. Disappointing for some, Shia Labeouf has been lined up for the lead role in the successor to the sequel to one of the best films of the 80s. As a rising star, Labeouf has yet to act in a movie remotely close to collecting an Oscar for the performance of its actors. Hollywood is grooming him into an action star to replace the financially demanding Tom Cruise and Will Smith who are past their peaks of stardom. Labeouf’s most recent movie appearances have been in money-spinning but highly animated movies such as Transformers and Indiana Jones which are dominated by fast moving scenes and heart pumping story lines. He has yet to feature a ‘serious’ movie in which the central focus is on his acting, but is now being given the chance in Money never sleeps which will be a platform for the 23 year old to assert himself as a multi-sided actor against some well renowned veterans.
Fashion-wise it is evident in the photographs that the 80s a long gone. The characteristic power dressing advocated by Gekko in the first movie is today only celebrated by baby boomers and private banking advisors in Geneva. Suspenders and blue shirts with white collars have been successes by contemporary slim cut suits and European fashion. Inescapable to any fashion conscious reader is the stylish £325 Gucci loafers fronted by a silver horse-bit and the easily recognisable red/green Gucci stripe. Most of the outfits published so far reflect the man of today who has a strong style consciousness and is unafraid of admitting vanity. Money never sleeps will be one of the few movies capitalising on the disaster of the now recovering financial meltdown that unfolded in Europe and North American in fall 2008. We hate when disaster strikes us but harbour a fascination for reading and finding out about it. Every year cinemas host movies about murder, injustice and apocalyptic natural disasters. Neglected is the deep and dark tragedy of man. Visit the business section in any book shop and you’ll be greeted by an abundance of books about success promoted by their author printed proudly on the front cover with crossed arms and a smug facial express.
Male life is very glorified with high social expectations pushing men into making it on Forbes top 200 richest list, winning an Oscar, a Formula One Championship, becoming a prime minister or mastering science. For many, coping with such career demands is challenging and pushes some into breaking the laws. The recession has shed the lives of some undeserving people. A few traders who lost all their wealth or were about to, decided to take their lives as well as those of their wives and kids because they couldn’t stand the shame of failure. This is a suppressed back alley of stock market aspirations which also include ex-investment bankers sitting behind bars for insider trading. Slated for a April 2010 cinematic release, Money never sleep is likely to teach a few hard lessons on last year’s financial crash but will hopefully paint a lee heroic picture of white collar criminals than its 1987 predecessor did.

Buy your darling the gift of daily planning organizing.

2009-10-25T04:58:00.000-07:00

The most uplifting gifts are those that come unexpectedly and positively disrupt the predictable daily patterns. In 2009 the pre-Christmas gift for your beloved counterpart comes in the form of a fashionably correct organiser from Filofax.

Graced with a colourful but yet sober Fresco design, the Filofax is a part of £40 giftbox. Inside the box is a trio of vouchers which entitles the gift receiver to either a free photographic shoot, haircut or a beauty treatment. Further assist the life of a busy career woman the organiser intelligently houses a mirror for discrete facial checks during meetings. Most intelligent is the bundled professional pen that has a refillable perfume canister concealed at the top for the convenience of freshening up while on the move. Available with free delivery at filofax.co.uk.

Tom Ford set sight on the bigger picture -- the Tom Ford empire.

2009-10-11T15:57:00.000-07:00

What can you do with £30,000,000? It’s enough money for an early retirement supporting a jet set gigolo life of glitz, parties, and ostentation for a good three of four decades. Wise savers would exchange the 30 million for roughly 25,500 shares in Apple, and see their investment yield a prosperous annual increase of 25%. Why not spend the money on an ocean front house in Monecito California, complete with a tennis court and backyard the size of a two football fields, or an epic journey to the international space station? For Tom Ford however, capital of that size would be spent on building a women’s brand if the reports are to be true that the Texas born 48 year old is in the process of securing thirty million pounds for his next venture.
Genius ideas stem from great minds. That is why employees should have their profile put forward as a company’s’ most valuable assets as opposed to tangible assets listed on balance sheets such as Xerox photo copiers, filing cabinets and company cars. Characteristic to creative industries, success can in most cases be traced back to one single man sitting up until 02:00am on weekends the polishing rough edges of new ideas. During the early 90s the pivotal individual who changed Gucci was Tom Ford. His injection of quirky use of materials, invigorating designs and provocative advertising campaigns lifted Gucci from financial misery to popularity and global sales success. It’s a success story that mirror that of Apple’s CEO, Steve jobs, who has single handily steered Apple to rise as one of the fastest growing consumer electronics manufacturers. Jobs was one of the founders of Apple but left the company in 1985 to make a comeback 11 years later, in 1996, and subsequently got reinstated as CEO a year after. The direction of the Californian based IT company has been lead under scrutinising detail of Jobs who’s style of corporate rule is not too dissimilar to Tom’s way of dictation. However, the latter did not enjoy the same creative freedom at Gucci as Jobs did at Apple. In 2004 Tom Ford resigned from his post as creative director at the Gucci group due to creative differences and increasing tension with his superiors. Rarely does strong leader last long working for someone else, especially perfectionist who executes everything with utter most diligence.
Maybe it’s the attention to detail that has enable Tom to enjoy early success working the latest occupation added to his CV. Acceptance levels of celebrities migrating from one industry to another tend to be very low and scepticism very high. The entertainment industry is a prism of three corners; fashion, music and film. In today world of globalisation and ease of communication it has become standard practises for stars to capitalise on their names by lending it to any industry willing to sign big checks up from – singers are most notorious for this. Rarely does anyone manage to replicate success across different industries but Tom Ford is one of the most current exceptions. He bravely took on the directing job for film adaptation of the novel “A Single Man” by Christopher Isherwood. Furthermore he fully immersed himself in film making Tom assisting in production as well as writing the script for the movie.
It takes a highly self-aware individual with a high understanding and appreciation for arts from an audience point of view to prevail as a director – it’s an exhaustively challenging task of planning every single frame of a movie. Premiered at the International Venice Filmfestival on the 11th September this year, the film featuring Colin Firth famous for his appearance in Bridget Jones and Love Actually, received standing ovations from both journalists and film critics. The positive reviews even extended to Firth receiving “Best actor” award at the film festival. Such unexpected success is bound to induce Tom into seeking more projects in the world of motion pictures – but not derail him from his more evident ambitions of building a fashion empire.
Sales figures for his highly pricey £3,500/suit men’s label of label are reported to be above expectations while his lines of prescription and sunglasses are now sold worldwide. Tom Ford fragrances have been rigorously promoted through Tom’s global visits to major retailers fortunate to have him signing autographs for his customers. Despite good progression of the current Tom Ford divisions; fragrances, Glasses and men’s wear – there is a vital women’s line missing. Female fashion is a billion dollar industry and all aspiring designer brands want their share of it. Industry sources are indicating that Tom shall have his women’s line ready for 2011 fall debut, and excellence is continued to be pursued Tom Ford might be a legendary American icon in the making with the potential of becoming large as Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger. Tom Ford is a man, fashion designer, visionary and entrepreneur worth his weight in gold.

Mr. Monochrome

2009-09-30T15:25:00.000-07:00

Memories of last week: Burberry Prorsum Women's SS2010

2009-09-30T09:03:00.000-07:00

It’s said that there is no place like home, and for Burberry Prorsum that is certainly true as the fashion house received a big welcome during their comeback to the London Fashion Week this month. During the days leading up to fashion week, anticipation was building up to eventually be satisfied by a climatic and costly fashion show on the 22nd of September.
Though a part of LFW, Burberry Prorsum Women’s SS10 runway show was a startling event by itself with a impressive guest list that many designers wouldn’t dare dream of. From the Secretary of State Lord Mandleson and editor in chief of US vogue Anna Wintour to Gwenth Patrow and even Mathew Williamson, Burberry managed to secure attendance of the country’s most prominent celebrities.
The guest of honour was undoubtedly Burberry’s current campaign face, Emma Watson, who stole the thunder from the ambiguous clouds looming above Rootstein Hopkins Parade Ground where Burberry held the show inside a 1,600 man tent. Watson stunned the handsomely dressed crowd amongst which dark and sober colours dominated. The contrasting golden confetti tailored to fit immaculately on Watson’s body, made her look antagonistically breathtaking as no other dress could have possibly have replicated the same spectacular looks. Fellow guests enjoying complimentary elder flower soda couldn’t stop themselves from passionately admiring the magnetic beauty before their eyes.
Fashionable ladies swayed by the sparkling confetti dressed need to look no further than the Spring Summer 2010 collection itself which comprise of compelling pieces highly alike the golden mini dress worn by the Harry Potter star on the magical evening of September the 22nd. Draped chiffon hugging the thighs and hips of the models with amazingly slender legs paves the way for a summer of sexiness and aesthetic confidence. Burberry is one of the few heritage brands in the UK that have gone to great efforts in making their product offerings relevant in present time epochs. Burberry’s astounding headquarter on Horseferry road, just three blocks away from the Parliament in Westminster, is a principal statement of the company’s evolution in reigning as one of the world’s most innovative fashion brands. Liquid metal pastel colours gracing the signature trench coat featuring curled shoulders is an original and vibrant edition of a classic accented by crafty amulet belts.

The collection signals attitude and summer romance not seen in the men’s collection which is also dominated by soft shades of yellow, green, blue and purple. Nevertheless, Burberry’s homecoming to London Fashion Week received overwhelming support from invited guests who pledged their allegiance arriving in Burberry Prorsum clothing from both contemporary and past seasons. It was an electric atmosphere inside the tent -- alike a Chelsea FC home game attended by devoted fans wearing the colour of their favourite team. Lindsey’ Buckingham’s acoustic version of ‘Big Love’ was an upbeat soundtrack that kept the audience nodding their heads in excitement while enjoying the multitude of edgy outfits showcased on the runway. Much of the exhilaration was carried over to the after party held at the headquarters on Horseferry road where press mingled with Sir. Philip Green, Victoria Beckham, Liv Tyler, Carine Roitfeld, Dev Patel, Freida Pinto and Mario Testino.

Although Burberry’s annual revenue trump the combined one of fellow LFW designer, exhibiting their latest collection in the home country has proved to be majorly successful. Previously the Milan Fashion Week has been the preferred venue because Gucci, Prada, Versace, Missoni and Dolce & Gabbana are all powerful brand of the same statue. It’s understandable choice, but should be reconsidered after last week’s success and most notable because of the increasing prestige of brand such as Viviane Westwood and Mathew Williamson who have contributed well in bringing attention and glamour to the London fashion scene.

IAA 2009: The Frankfurt Auto show.

2009-09-18T02:40:00.000-07:00

Never mind the London fashion week which opened up its guest lists and runway shows to the media this week, but the news dominating the media the first half of this week come from the IAA 2009 Frankfurt auto show. Several thousands of horse power all under the same roof to satisfy the human hunger for petrol, pistons, stitched leather and carbon fiber.

A mere one hour and ten minutes south east, Frankfurt Am Main is conveniently close to London leaving I Luw Fashion with no legitimate reason not to attend the fair. After all, 70 minutes in economy class is not tedious to the level that one’s legs begin to contract from lack legroom. Neither was it a mission getting to and from the airport in Frankfurt. Whisked away in a taxi, the journey from the impressively large to the city center was no more than a quarter of an hour. Logistically the Frankfurt is well planned with the airport, train station, fair and head quarters of major German banks like Deutsche Bank all within very close proximity of one another. Greeted by gusty showers we bought umbrellas and undertook some light sightseeing and an unsuccessful search of an out of print book which we only managed to find in German and not English. Down town, street performers were playing harmonising classical songs using harps, violins, percussions and chimes that reminded us that we were in the home country of Mozart, Handel and Bach. Impressed by the sound waves that hit our eardrums we purchased two CDs off a group of young performers, and fell asleep to the music as we recharged our batteries for the autoshow.
With the first press conference scheduled at 08:30am on Tuesday morning, waking up at the crack of dawn was mandatory. Armies of journalists, people from press and others working in the auto industry had invaded Frankfurt for the press day that took place on Tuesday the 15th of September. The sheer size of the fair is daunting. Thankfully cars from various manufacturers had kindly been organised to shuttle people between halls – some halls were a tiresome 20-30min walking distance apart. Several exciting launches were lined up for the show such as the Ferrari 458, Mercedes SLS, Bentley Mulsanne, Rolls-Royce Ghost, Audi R8 V10 convertible, Lamborghini Reventon Roadster, BMW X1, Aston Martin Rapide, Jaguar XJ and the facelifted Porsche 911 Turbo. As car enthusiasts there were little else to ask for, the line-up was impressive. Present as well were some of the most influential and powerful heads of the auto industry.
Most powerful at the event was Ferdinand Piech who is one of the largest shareholders of Porsche with a 13% stake. Furthermore, he is the grandson of Ferdinand Porsche who is the founding father of the legendary VW Beetle and subsequently the Porsche 911. Seated down on the front row at the Porsche press conference he and his wife received the treatment of a royalty with press photographer taking endless number of photos. The paparazzi session continued on for 10 minutes as other senior figures from Porsche and VW arrived. One of them notably the newly appointed CEO of Porsche -- Michael Macht -- who replaced Wendelin Wiedeking in July 2009.
Similar to a snake attempting to swallow a cow, Porsche failed to successfully takeover VW and have had to settle for a 51% stake. The proprietor behind the genius but volatile takeover that got hampered by the bank crisis last year was Wiedeking. He turned around the fortunes at Porsche during the late 80s at a time when the company was on the brink of bankruptcy but ironically did a full 360 degree turn back to square one. Loans financed the acquisition of VW shares but the steep decline in car sales strangled Porsche’s ability to repay their astronomical debts. The financial worries were quickly resolved in August this year when Porsche received a multi billion euro injection of fund from Qatar. Judging by the mighty display of affluence at IAA, Porsche is proceeding unharmed by the recession. At the press conference, Porsche branded notepads and pens were given to journalists who at lunchtime enjoyed majestic hospitality at the Porsche stand. Wine, champagne, coffee, tea, juice, hot food and desert were served a temporary restaurant/bar to specifically serve everyone visiting the Porsche stand. All was fine cuisine with Porsche branding on even the smallest things like sugar bags. Accommodating approximately 200 people, the Porsche stand and restaurant can be deemed a success further reinforcing the prestige of the iconic brand.
Elsewhere at the auto show were beautiful promotional girls who had been excavated from all around Germany to work at the auto show. They represented a tiny fraction of the colossal population at the show and not alike the average visitor who was a male above the age of 40. The auto industry is a man’s world. It clearly emerged that cars are for boys as the number of female visitors encountered could be counted on one hand. Ranks and position speak louder than words as inflated male egos filled the halls to the roof. Handshakes were formal and the black chauffeur driven cars were provided for the upper most senior personal that showed no concern for the visiting press. The voices they listen to are those of the market, everything is meaningless vapour.
Individuals under the age of twenty five represented a dreary percentage. Me and my comrade found ourselves mingling with individuals who could well be our fathers. But all was positive since most power figures present were wise and influential men. One of them was Adrian Van Hooydonk who is the newly appointed head of design at BMW. He’s a well spoken industrial designer with an alternative view on what an automobile should represent. Wearing a slim tailored suit he did not conform to the norm of his peers who were dressed not to impress but to demonstrate corporate authority.

Peace & Love.

2009-09-11T13:53:00.000-07:00

Geometrical shapes does math and style well.

2009-09-06T16:14:00.000-07:00

Audi’s design team must have rulers and protractors as favourite drawing tools given the neutral Bauhaus appearance of their cars. Stretching back to the 70s Audis have bared geometrical lines and shapes most commonly found in math books. Rectangular head lights, logo composed of four rings and horizontal lines in the grill are all traits characteristic of an Audi with the exception of the R8 ,which is a rather unconventional Audi with an imposing face dominated by sinister LED projectiles.

The beauty of geometrical lines is the purity in their expression. Although they fall short in stirring joy and emotions like Ferraris, Audis do not lack in impressing the eyes of the beholder similar to the stunning patterns featured in Dries Van Noten’s SS10 collection. Patterns and prints are fields of landmines that can spell for fashion disaster. The line separating success and distasteful failure is thin as sheet of A4 paper, though the greatest challenge is filtering through thousands of different patterns to end up with an expressive one that say a few words as possible. Patterns and prints tend to carry with them a mood, feeling, message, tone or meaning which is what makes them invigorating. Through dark or bright, straight or curve lines, small or large shapes we can dictate the vibes we want to emit. Striking result can do wonders for alleviating a negative mood but the charm can find itself degrading overtime as daring designs fall victims of getting out of fashion.

Dries Van Noten has with eloquence mastered the challenge of designing male patterns tied with visual beauty that also hold a neutral position in what they express. This has been accomplishing with the careful selection of symmetrical Persian, Mayan and mosaic shapes. Deep colour shades makes the patterns hard to decipher from a distance but upon close look they are brought to life -- the silk trousers in particular which have a grandiose presence.

The words sterile and clinical do not apply here because the patterns are vivid and have a personality, and so does the new Audi S5 Sportback. Gracing the sides, the wavy character line contently adds emotion to a car that heavily resembles its more conventional sister -- the Audi A4 sedan. Differentiated using a sloping roofline that creates an illusion of a coupe, Audi have simplified the concept of a four door coupe. This is the opposite path of Aston Martin, Mercedes and Porsche which all three have gone to great lengths in making elaborately designed four door coupes that were developed with headline grabbing designs. Audi on the other hand, decided to use the Audi A4 as a technological and artistic basis for a four door coupe that some perceive as pedestrian. Giving it a few minutes of thought and stare it the purpose of the design comes clear. Handsome and modern, the S5 might not excite but is objectively an alluring design that is attractive without distracting.

Tortoise is refreshingly classic.

2009-08-25T16:05:00.000-07:00

Black is the default option for the most frequently used clothing items such as wallets, shoes, belts, socks and anything that is required to impeccably look right with everything else in our closet. It’s a colour of safety that makes us feel strong and benevolent in situations where we feel most insecure. For certain items, black can be too uniform and lacking in identity for accessories such as sunglasses for which black is dominant choice of colour.
Tortoise can be an assuring but also daring colour option for individuals who want to project a warm personality without resorting to bold primary colours. From near dark brown to semi-transparent, tortoise is available in a wide variety of nuances and graphics suited for different personality types.
Recently I acquired a pair of sunglasses which had to tick all the boxes for my criteria set; the pair had to have a classic shape, suit my face, have a distinguished appearance and look right in both a creative and professional environment . Seeking something different from the standard flavour of black frames my pick became a set of handmade vintage Louis Féraud glasses with inspiration taken from 1970s. Prior to buying them my knowledge of the brand was limited. In fact I knew nothing of the French brand but my lack of knowledge was irrelevant and even fuelled my interest in sealing the deal. The rounded lenses are accented with subtle golden hinges which give the frame aspirational but affirmatively classic look.
Purchasing the sunglasses was a pleasurable experience with a line up of 8-10 different lens colours to choose from. My conservative preference fell for a dark brown lens which washes away the grey and gloomy mood with a warm amber tone. The forgone options were a dizzying tri-coloured lenses fading from green to blue and finally to purple at the bottom. Most tempting of all were the Carl Zeiss option produced by Carl Zeiss, the famous camera lens supplier for Hasselblad, Canon, Sony and other top camera manufacturers. But priced at £40 the Carl Zeiss option classify as a “do I really need it” purchases – unnecessarily luxurious but highly tempting. Nevertheless the freedom to select what coloured lens would be cut and slotted into the frame was personal enough for me to grow a strong bond the second I inaugurated them in the shop as my new head ornament.
The most recent advocate of simpleton frames of tortoise colour is famous women’s wear design Oscar De La Renta. In the highly anticipated documentary giving an insight to the professional life of fashion publishing supremo Anna Wintour, De La Renta can be seen wearing an admirable pair of glasses with prescription lens. Playfully uplifting, they underscore his critically acclaimed talent for designing exquisite and strikingly romantic creations for self-confident women who value discretion. Although his frames make a statement of they do not draw attention to the degree that they distract or compromise the sophistication of the barer.

Adam & Eve are in disagreement over dressing.

2009-08-16T16:08:00.000-07:00

They do shopping, we buy clothes – they dress up, we get dressed. Who are they? Men and women. Clothes serve the same function for both sexes – to preserve heat and protect the body from injury or harm. But there are empirical differences between what t-shirts, jeans, skirts, jackets and shoes mean to the distinguished genders. It’s to the extent that supports the much heard saying “men are from Mars and women from Venus.”

For me to leave a relaxing mind set and journey towards Brompton Road, New Bond Street, Dover Street or Slone Street and elbow through the crowds of shoppers converging on the streets of London every summer, there needs to be a purpose. An example is yesterday’s pick -- a pack of 5 pairs of black socks. Many of the thin socks in my top right drawer are nearing the end of their life span and there has been a need to refresh my sock collection. Well justified in shopping I left home and 1 hour later returned home to be cleared out drawer feeling content about my purchase. The price was right, the socks looked decent and were easily found. The spiritual reward of finding exactly what I want is immeasurable. I had found exactly what I was looking for and the mission was successful. Other individuals, who hold the view that “there is no such thing as too much shopping” get their satisfaction and adrenalin from the quest is self – the shopping experience of lurking and evidently finding something irresistible. They will leave their home just after noon on a Saturday to mosey in random shops ignored in the past or never bothered to step into, in hope of falling in love with a dress they suddenly need to live on for another day in life. Solitary shopping is often avoided. Ideal shopping companion is off course an equally spending-happy friend who acts like a board or advisor enthusiastically giving blessings and justification for irrational materialistic cravings. Shopping of this behaviour is alien in the man’s world were few items other than cars have the ability to awaken the ultimate shopping-self inside a man as well as his best friend who is there to fend off impartial advice from malicious car salesmen.
Lady Gaga is not only a well accredited singer, but she has extended her curriculum vitae to becoming a stylist and a fashion fanatic. Speaking louder than her voice is her choice of sexually provocative and eccentric outfits. Her bathing suits, fishnet stockings and transparent tops have escaped the eyes of few. Speculating about what artistically expressive clothing she’ll wear on next time the 10 paparazzi men ambush her is more interesting than guessing the title of her next album. Gaga is a fashion maverick, the dressing icon of 2009. Rarely walking with her legs covered, one might wonder how she manages not to catch a cold walking trough chilly airport terminals flanked by a body guard ready to wave off photographers as if they were flies. Understandably the photographers don’t want to miss an occasion with such an extrovert showbiz persona, especially when it seems though as her outfits have been puzzled together to produce a certain effect; distaste, confusion, bemusement and discussion. What’s immune from negative criticism is the well taken care of physic of Gaga. Her body is invigorating and inarguably sexy is everything she wears – regardless of how ugly. The excessive exposure of skin and body contours is recognizable from the era of leather and nylon – the wild 1980s. Back then Rick James, Boy George and Prince amongst other pop artists paved the way for an overly decorative fashion styles that were followed by millions. Recording commercially successful tracks was important as coming up with new shocking outfits to daunt the fans with.
One of the most celebrated and still performing artist to emerge out of the 80s boom of pop music is Madonna. At the age of 50s the star has yet to show any signs of fading star quality or desire to leave the lime light. From featuring in million pound advertising campaigns with top designers, kissing Britney Spears on stage to defying adoption laws and wearing compromising stage outfits, Madonna is the great missionary of the 80s; Sexy, revolting, spirited and magical. Ruffled shirt, leather leggings and transparent did not live long into the 90s before hip-hop wear became main stream appeal. The word sexy is nowhere to be found in the glossary for men’s fashion. Only in the context of cross dressing is it acceptable for a man to intent on dressing sexy because the attributes of the word is showing your skin and attempt at arousing the opposite sex. It’s not common man’s nature. From baggy jeans the world has adopted slim or skinny jeans that in combination with a blazer and tie create the defining outfit for this decade.

On one occasion this year I unknowingly had the fortunes of sexiness on my side as I intensely seduced a woman. It was a clear sky, a happy day with slightly brisk May winds that cooled my face while I taking small steps to freedom. My final exam for the second academic year at University had been attended and stood at the entrance of a building which was soon to stand empty over a 4.5 half months summer break. I joyously shook hands with fellow students who had taken the exam, some of which were terrifying discussing questions they had answered incorrectly. While still tightly fused and bonded from working together on challenging group works which had erupted in numerous feuds and emotional outbreaks like in an episode of the apprentice, ten of us decided to conclude the academic year with a round of drinks. A student bar in Camden selling Swedish cider became the venue of choice for a wallet friendly warm up before we crossed central London on the underground for a night’s finale at in the West End. Music was play distortedly from the weak speakers but the modest levels of alcohol streaming through my veins washed away all the worries about University exams, the economy and whether there is any chilled food in my fridge to munch on when I arrive home later during the night.
Huddled closely together we danced casually on the dance floor. Scanning the environment around me I drifted off to a certain female who intensely had her eyes locked on me. The eggshell coloured cardigan made her easy to spot as we drew close to each other with equal determination to engage. Enquiring what the curiosity was about I said hi and caressed her hair and left cheek marking my intentions about accelerating the love episode. After exchanging names she surprisingly complimented me on my shirt which she found to look `amazing´ on me. During our near inaudible conversation dissolved in loud house music she continued to share her fondness of my shirt with some very kind words. Standing intimately close, she hesitantly danced with me and followed up with some bad news. Yelling into my ear she informed me of the whereabouts of her boyfriend, which was were her finger was pointing – across the room. As my eyes focused on the 5 meter distance I saw a tall and athletic guy with his arms crossed. His face had the expression of dismay and anguish as he had me and his suspected not so faithful girlfriend in plain sight. As a demonstration of my praiseworthy gentlemanship I retreated into the darkness of the club, ending the love triangle. It was a cautionary action to avoid a brawl which would result in blood stains on the shirt the lady in eggshell was deeply in love with.
It was a moment of seductive power. The way she clinched on to me drawn by her affection for my shirt was like wearing the mantle of Superman – in her eyes I was sexy but in my view I was quite casual. On a note, I wasn’t wearing just any shirt. The shirt was tailor-made one -- blue/white striped white collar and cuffs. Who would have thought that dressing sexy as a man didn’t take any effort at all? There was no attempt at impressing any way as I had just tucked in the shirt into my jeans, rolled up the sleeves and left one button open. Versatile as a Swiss-army knife, a shirt is the most vital piece in a man’s wardrobe. Attach a tie for a formal appearance, leave buttons open for regulating heat or roll sleeves up for a leisure look. A man can therefore not own to many shirts -- even of a similar kind. Rotation of shirt is important for longevity, though not too important if you’ve invested in more premium priced quality shirts which are cheaper in the long run compared with ´bargain´ alternatives that wear out quality and need to be discarded after 3-6 months of use. Tailored shirts that are designed to look their best on your body make not only a difference to you but also to the eye of the beholder. Yet again, simplicity has triumph overcomplicated outfits in seducing the opposite sex.

Honey, I shrunk MI6.

2009-08-09T11:49:00.000-07:00

Officine Panerai: Durability meets finesse.

2009-08-06T15:42:00.000-07:00

Officine Panerai is Italy’s most exquisite ambassador in the world of watch making were the country famous for its adoring food culture and influential designs has remarkably dismal presence. The suspected name that would roll of people’s tongues when discussing Italian watches is Armani which has a popular and widely available assortment of luxury/jewellery watches priced at more accessible levels than Cartier’s similarly spirited watches.
Because Armani is a designer brand, a chauvinistic opinion would be that their watches are well decorated faces concealing forgettable and rather primitive technical underpinnings. Whoever holds such negative stance against Armani watches, or designer watches in general, are deemed justified in their judgemental attitude. Removing the back plate of a designer watch using a screw driver will in 9 out of 10 times reveal a battery-powered quartz movement possessing the same complexity and opulence can of sweet corn. Designer watches fulfil their manifest purpose of satisfying the consumer demand for a time keeping instrument produced by a company with a reputable and well respected track record in art and fashion. Isn’t those two the most decisive factors during an elaborate search for the right watch -- attractive looks and the ability to count 24 hours? Only the wealthy and successful can afford to swipe the magnetic strip a heavily used AMX Platinum car in exchange for a mechanical wrist watch that belongs to the cachet of engineering spectacle by the flavours of a Daytona, Royal Oak or Patrimony Contemporaine. But who except Richard Branson and NASA astronauts can admittedly convince us and themselves that their Omega Speedmaster professional has experienced any environment that even remotely emulates the atmospheric pressures in space or zero gravity? Even the hazards of lime scale deter watch collectors from admitting their watches to accompany them into the bathroom for a foamy lavender scenting session in the bathtub. Social status and self rewards ranks amongst the prominent driving forces behind the purchase of a dream watch, though for many true hearted wrist watch devotees it’s a personal matter of affiliation. Loyal customers of fine time piece can sit for hours and passionate exchange information and opinion about the most intricate and tiny details about a watch.

Parallel with story of rival Swiss and French rivals, Officine Panerai(or more commonly known as Panerai) have ancestry in engineering innovation. Founded in Florence in 1860 by Giovanni Panerai it took a long 30 years for the now Richemont Group owned watch manufacturer to attain the excellence that yielded a new direction for the company, to become an office manufacturer of nautical instruments by appointment of the Royal Navy of Italy. This was a pivotal customer for a family business that overnight was attributed an essence for existence and for continuation of watch making pursuits. Not limited to time pieces, Panerai developed a vast array of equipment for the navy ranging from torches, depth measurement devices and telescoping peripherals for weapons and artillery. Despite the widened business activities the core product of devoted time was watches which had a high weight of importance during the first half of the 20th century when the accuracy of watches varied to the same degree as the dreadful British weather has this summer.
The expectations were enormous and the testing of the watches was scrutinising. Not only were Panerai watches expected to deliver invaluable time keeping accuracy sought by the Royal Navy, but they had to embody the durability the treacherous and demanding conditions on board ships hammered by powerful Mediterranean waves. However, the adversary of underwater conditions posed the biggest challenge for Panerai which had to develop watches that could comfortably operate under immense pressure at sea depths even Michael Phelps wouldn’t dream of conquering. Certain Panerai models can be taken to staggering depths of 1000 meters below sea levels. With functionality propelling the watch maker forward in the arms race of the WW1 and WW2, design had to follow the pioneering course of function. Easy to read as instrumental gauge, the praised and visually fetching Luminor watch has a large face decorated with few modest details that sum up to a powerful and distinct appearance that cannot be mistaken for another watch. It’s an incredibly compelling watch available in cases measuring 40mm or 44mm in diameter depending on the model.

Indicative of the name, the dials illuminate in the dark bringing to life the pragmatism of the watch’s usability during dark and cold underwater sea expeditions. Patented just like the chemical alchemy illuminating the dials is the distinguished crown protected by a bridge. Serving as a water sealing protector of the case, the bridge has an incorporated lever for releasing the crown into a position for adjusting time and date. A purposeful and intelligent solution that add an empowering sense of authority to watch originally dedicated to the purpose of assisting brave naval soldier. The Luminor series is a display of masculinity in a package oozing of finesse while devoid of excess in offensive angular lines seized by the increasingly successful Hublot big bang. Panerai has designed a watch of grace and reserved handsomeness powered by Swiss-made in house movements that have aided the Italian navy at sea up until this very day. Contradicting in appearance by blending the commanding impression of a large watch with the tamed round contours and lines, the Luminor and the more formal Radiomir series are masterful displays of watch designs guaranteed to make the barer notable respect in choice of watch.

Keeping up with paper.

2009-07-26T13:43:00.000-07:00

Governments are increasingly ramping up their efforts in reducing CO2 emissions and toxic waste and in the process slowly decrease our impact on nature and the ever so sensitive ozone layer. Recycling has throughout the recent 20 years been the simplest way of showing kind-heartedness towards earth and employing green living by granting every possible piece of material a second life through the process of recycling.

Paper is a pest. I reckon that 70% of the paper that makes it into our hands is insignificant waste such as receipt for a £1.35 bottle of water, monthly bank statements or dismal 5% store voucher handed out on the high street. It’s all rubbish -- literarily. The internet have partially reduced the number of visits we have to pay our local recycling station to get rid ourselves of papers waste that is good for nothing except ferociously fuelling fire if anything was to go wrong in the home. Store catalogues are losing their essence of existence as websites listing the full updated assortment are now a norm in the world of retailing and Google having unofficially emerged as the new yellow pages for search of products, locations and companies. The Jetsons’ prophecy is becoming true, we are moving to a paper-less society and subsequently sparing more trees from getting cut down. Now we just have to wait for the civil aviation association to grant everyone permission to fly alien saucers.

Amazon’s E-Book reader, Kindle, is very close to what the 1970s sci-fi community dreamt of – a thin piece of plastic pulling reading materials from a central data base. E-book readers are as revolutionary as MP3 players which exploded on to the market in 2002-2003. Currently only available in the United States, the Kindle has internet connectivity that allows the user to purchase thousands of books and newspapers from Amazon.com. In the real world it means this means morning papers are downloaded directly to your device regardless of where you are in the country and that travelling with 2-3 novels will be less than paper weight as the Kindle can accommodate hundreds of books. Once Amazon’s success with their E-Book reader has been recognised by other consumer electronics manufacturers, E-Book readers will be in everyone’s bags along with a laptop and a smart phone -- this against the backdrop of the war between print and online media. Carrying confidential document is no longer nervous duty thanks to memory sticks with finger print readers and encryption that makes it impossible for anyone to access secret PDF files – and in the process make suitcases with locks less dependable for protection of back-dated shares or secret voice recordings.
Online media has played a central role in the reporting of the civil unrest triggered by the controversial results of the Iranian presidential election. With the international media suspended from reporting, protesters opposing the results became reporters themselves through the means of uploading photographs and videos on twitter and blogs. Democracy has finally reached its true potential curtsey of the augmentation of freedom of speech by the web 2.0 where everyone’s voice has a platform to be expressed. The speed and instantaneousness of the web makes traditional newspapers obsolete and shed light on the reality that newspapers are old the second they have been printed and even more so when purchased 09:00am in the morning. On the web we can follow a news story as it breaks and even enjoy updates by the minute. Is print media then on the high-road to extinction or is the death proclamation a statement without ground.
Looking beyond physical vs. nonphysical aspects of media there is today a certain definitive difference that favours the existence of print media. It doesn’t take much more than typing a word into the search bar on Google to get a glimpse of how oversaturated the internet is. Every word or name Googled is stringed to abundance of millions of hits of which only a few of them leading to websites baring the sough after information. Only 1 in 50 websites can rival the intellect, depth and enlightenment of a glossy magazine that can keep you crawled up and barefooted in a sofa for hours puzzled over the brilliance of the reading material scanned by your eyes. The internet culture is obsessed with speed and volume, and disregard literature substance and beautiful imagery that entice readers into willingly paying for media. Just a handful of websites have had a success at charging customers for content online. And the websites mastering the art of getting online subscribers are surprisingly those with a printed counterpart such as The Wall Street journal and the Financial Times. Until online media has comes to term with the generally inferior quality of content than print media, the news and magazine-stands in corner shops will remain stocked up. Let’s not forget tangibility. We love to collect things and surround ourselves with them and create a sphere of comfort and security. As much I wish to own Kindle or try one out for a few weeks to read my books on, I would miss the texture of rough paper between my thumb and index finger when I flip a page or the colourful front covers that give books a personality.
The same lack of human touch is a negative attribute that comes with a Blackberry which when replaced with a new model, all previous calendar entries are left behind – unlike with a traditional mole skin covered calendar which is a joy to flick trough years after it’s out of date and mesmerize over the historical of your footprint – your very own handwriting. The ease of pulling a pen and piece of paper out of your hand and scribbling down a few sentences in the matter of seconds is embarrassingly less time consuming and complex than waiting for a laptop to boot up or trying to type on a fiddly touch screen based phone. Needless to say, it wouldn’t be advisable for anyone to buy a pocket calendar if there is not legitimate need for one. Dedicated stationary stores stock a dizzying number of different calendars and organisers. Creatively free people might prefer a manuscript note pad with no lines, page numbers of parameters what so over. Then there are jotter pads for short worded individuals who keep most of thoughts in their heads and only put a few crucial bits of information to paper. It’s quite a personal affiar because stationeries are tools for managing time and thoughts. What notepad size or number of pens you chose to house in your bag is dependent on the needs of your social and professional life. Best of all, stationary keeps your hand writing skills so that your ability to write neatly don’t degrade and dies before print media dies.

Most beautiful car in the world: Bentley Brooklands

2009-07-25T14:23:00.000-07:00

16 pipes of CO2 melodies.

2009-07-22T04:22:00.000-07:00

New-age Britian - Jaguar XJ.

2009-07-19T14:54:00.000-07:00

After endless of increasingly dismissive teaser videos and photos, Jaguar finally took the wraps of their latest cat, the new XJ. Taken place at the underappreciated Saatchi Gallery in Chelsea last week, Jay Leno unveiled the car along with Ellen Mcpherson who stole some lime light with gorgeous legs in a seductive shade of bronze. Moving on to the more important topic of the car, Jaguar taken a giant leap from the pact of other British car manufacturers by going down the path of voluptuous and muscular shapes, as opposed to sticking to the more upright wedge shape Jaguar africandos are used to. Like the slogan states, “The Icon re-imaginated”, Jaguar are reinventing themselves – this under the leadership of Ian Calum, head of design

This year the UK manufacturing industry will face the lowest electricity bills in decades – but all for wrong reasons. Machines in factories across the country are in standby mode, lights have been turned off and staff on a 4 day work week all because customer orders are not coming in fast enough. The unfortunate businesses which have swirled deep into the financial world of red numbers and failed to secure fiscal relief from the government, have had to file for bankruptcy. Even highly successful business that flourished in the highs of the credit bubble, haven’t managed to escape wrath of the deepening recession. If both viable and non-viable business are failing then what is the key to survival?

A common denominator shared by the crème of British luxury companies is their long history. Many have been in business since cavemen first discovered that wood can float on water. Having been operating for 50-300 years companies such as Purdey, Bentley, Harrods and Jaguar are have earned their stripes for surviving through recessions, great depressions and world wars. Against all odds, these companies have retained their business formula, image and appeal, with little or few changes made to business model. Either their management have been on the lazy side on running a business or they got the alchemy for success right from the start. Tradition and heritage has been close to the hearts and has been one of the key ingredients to success including worldwide recognition. When financial constraints are narrow, consumers see value and security in buying their favourite long term tradition brands. It’s back to basics. Caramel flavoured popcorn recommended by a spouse is ignored in favour of tradition salt pop corn while spam and nonsense product face neglect. Life is stripped to its essence and we get a clear picture of the products that define and matter most to us.

One of the biggest benefit in buying a product from a family owned business is that they are less prone to change in product offerings. How many times haven’t you managed to lose or involuntarily damaged personal belonging only to feel gutted knowing that it’s irreplaceable because it’s no longer in production? Only a few luxury companies offer an identical product over a several years long period – the only exception being fragrance companies. However, a great majority of leading luxury British craft companies repetitively supply the same or near identical versions of a product for years. But standing by tradition doesn’t come without risks. Iconic, small niche companies such as Bentley, Purdey and even watch manufacturer are under financial umbilical support from foreign conglomerates or investment firms which have rescued these venerable companies from bankruptcy.

Contrary to the association with high quality and exemplary craftsmanship, Jaguars and British cars have over decades gained an unfavourable reputation for poor reliability and quality of build. Japanese and German auto makers have on the other hand, been at the forefront of industry leading technology. Despite the hearsay about engine breakdowns, gearbox failures and oil leaks, luxury consumers have not been deterred from dreams of speeding in a drop-top racing green E-Type on the Isle of Man. Rationale and Jaguars have never stood side by side. Jaguars have never been bought on the basis of acceleration numbers, torque or built-in seat vibrators. Likewise with Aston Martins, Bentley’s and Rolls-Royces, a Jaguar is an extension of your style and perception of yourself – it’s something you wear and passionately get attached to. That is why no effort or attention to detail have been spared for the development of the new XJ which is a highly sculptured car. Emphasized by the flush relationship between the roof, rear windshield and boot lid which together form a smooth-lined rear-end that resembles the tail of a high speed train, deep thoughts are behind this undoubtedly revolutionary design.

On the opposite end of the car is a recognisable nose design with an empowering grill and sinister head lights easily recognisable as Jaguar traits. Very little else on the car is shared with the outgoing XJ model, as Ian Calum is leading Jaguar away from its past-oriented philosophy to a more new-age identity – Sort of like a change from Gordon Brown to David Cameron. The new direction has the potential to attract a clientele of new customers formerly uninterested in Jaguars, while traditionalist sober over the glamorous interior lit by new age blue-coloured light also deflected by the abundance of glossy surface finishes in the cabin. The highlight of the science fiction theme is the convoluted all digital dashboard. It is a TFT screen displaying visually captivating interface which resembles something one would expect to see in the Starship Enterprise. Unchartered territory has not been entered as the dual aerospace-influenced vents above the center console are nowadays a common decoration in even low-end cars, leaving the Jag cockpit echoing a generic design flaw.

However, the same cannot be said about the magnificent wood work that wraps around the interior in a style only seen in an auditorium like the Royal Prince Albert Hall or on small luxury yacht – a highly inventive design touch that could only have been conceived by a marvellous designer like Ian Calum, BMW’s former Chris Bangle and the Aston Martin DB9 and Vantage designer Henrik Frisker.

The XJ is a defining car of Jaguar’s efforts to turn the page and start a new chapter having been acquired by Indian Tata Motors from Ford’s poor and financially devastating parenting effort. Reviews and opinions on Jaguar’s mid-sized sedan, the XF, have nothing but short of praise and amazement for Jag that is surprisingly both seductively good looking and also offer a competitive driving experience that’s on a par with its German’s rival. Whether or not the new XJ’s shockingly radical appearance is the high road to success will be determined at the end of its life span, 6-7 years from now. It will either be visually outdated or have beautified over the years like its much admired predecessors or a walnut chest drawer.

Everything has a begining and an end.

2009-07-12T14:57:00.000-07:00

I’m forever grateful for your patience in taking your time in visiting the blog despite the abnormally infrequent posting. And it pains me much knowing about the disappointment and frustration that arise from not being greeted with new reading material every time you access I Luw Fashion.

During the first 6 months of 2009 I endured the busiest period of my life. There have been adventures, rewards, challenges and epiphanies. It has come to my discovery that time is a scares and very precious resource with no substitute. Today I wake up wishing there were twenty five and half hours in one day instead of just 24. Previously I have divulged you of my primary occupation which is undergraduate marketing student. In May I successfully completed my second year and good lord has it been intense. In addition to the challenges at the classroom bench, my polygamist approaches to life lead me to take a giant leap into the world of music. Fascinated by production and having grumbled on it for a few months, I headed out against gusty winds in late January and bought a keyboard. My childish logic was that if I can press buttons on my piano, playing keys on a piano cannot be any different. The hypothesis was indeed right, playing the piano is child’s play. Composing the soundtrack for the ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ movie together with Hans Zimmer, is not one of my long term goals but I to purposefully want to make use of my newly acquired skills in the future.
Having read theoretical material and watched instructional videos in the vicinity of my home, I have in 7 months managed to go from finger fatigue and mental frustration, to smiles and harmonising syncing keys with one another, creating what we refer to as music. The path to learning how to play the piano has not been without turbulence. From April-May, my keyboard as well as the blog had to take a backseat in my life as the academic career of mine needed increasingly needed more attention. Contrary to the knowledge of the public, blogging can be very time consuming. From researching and photo editing to writing and publishing, one post can take 6-12 hours to complete depending on the degree of depth and quality of the post. I love media production and enjoy every minute I spend conceiving a post but time has lately not been on my side. Currently I’m enjoying the summer break and spend most of my time working a full time job that leaves me with little time and energy for blogging. On the positive side I have devoted a great deal of time and energy to a vision or more precisely an enterprise I’m trying to bring to life, namely, the successor of I Luw Fashion. Wanting to pursue media production as an occupation I’m striving for progression and aim to endeavour a greater challenge with more resources than this very blog. A compelling and inventive concept has been drafted and even though we are currently in a recession, the prospects are good. This blog is destined to remain active in the foreseeable future but will eventually have to parish or fade away as it reincarnates into another form. Alternatively I have to settle for doing editorial work for someone else.
In the mean time, stay putt. I’ll work my hardest to dampen my summer crush for playing the piano which has been one daily nocturnal activity of mine during the recent weeks. Maybe I’m taking an unconscious break from writing as I’m trying to get over a two and a half year’s blogging hangover of posting 2-3 times every single week? What I can assure you is that media production is my future and that the spirit has not darkening.

Thank you very much.

SpringSummer 2010: Lavin men's.

2009-07-03T04:16:00.000-07:00

Alber Elbaz is in a time bubble of runway fashion extraordinaire. As a designer, his benevolence reaches new heights with each years. It seems as though he cannot fail judging by the recent 4-5 Lanvin collection that graces the catwalk during Paris fashion week – they have all been expressions of high fashion in its purest and most compelling form.

Unlike many prestigious design houses like Louis Vuitton, Giorgio Armani and Prada, Lanvin has little mainstream appeal. The average consumer on the street enjoys status and has a healthy appetite for clothes easily recognised by others. Symbolism is therefore an apparent and important appeal of designer clothes. Well renowned monograms and logos are powerful in triggering spending happiness in consumers who would otherwise not considered parting ways with a few hundred sterling pounds for a Gucci monogram weekend bag if it didn’t have a double G monogram across the canvas. Lanvin stores are houses of no recognisable symbols or labels that would imprint themselves into the heads of consumers wishing for signs that over and over remind them of what designer label they are getting involved with. Discretion is a paramount element of Lanvin’s identity and this is further enforced by the location of Lanvin boutiques. Away from vicinity of comparable brands lined up on famous shopping boulevard destinations like Champ Elysee, Rhodeo Drive, Bond Street and Madison Avenue, London´s Lanvin boutique is cloaked in a residential Mayfair district on Mount street which is incoincidentally where Marc Jacobs set up his London Store, next to a restaurant where Michelle Obama unexpectedly stopped by for meal last month.

New Yorkers similarly face an adventurous quest in finding Marc Jacobs store in London positioned down town in West Village where tourists and non-faithful MJ fans would not bother to explore or find by simply paying a visit to the MJ website. On the other side of the double edged sword MJ has specialty stores selling accessories and memorabilia at prices that would lead to a powerful surge in sales if the whereabouts of the locations got out to the wider population – a valiant concept that would get no support by most premium corporations. Ideally, top designers want to pursue Lanvin’s on-way-street of limited availability and high exclusivity and luxury.

And sure is the Spring Summer 2010 collection luxurious. Soft and silky materials ensure a comforting and tender summer fit. The emphasis on the waistline evokes timorous for those who are embracement over their physical state, but spring 2010 is 8 months away leaving ample time to shave body mass down to a 30-31 size in waist line. Universally accepted designs are regimental ties and double breasted blazers in shiny blue, red and white stripes, which are more masculine than the proposed Marie Antoinette waistlines.

Due to the low presence of logos, eyes are left to focus their attention on the clothes – rather than blindly falling in love with logo embroided using a silk thread. The source of Elbaz’s well deserved respect and admiration is his casual non-pompous approach to designing clothes for men. All his runway presentations have a colourful character with an inviting appeal. Lacking in intimidation to ones financial self-confidence, he’s a non-stereotypical designer with a marvellous vision for what can be described as one of the top three most assuring labels for men. This raises question surrounding the purpose of the fake moustache. Not that it’s taints the splendour of the collection but it is a draft and distracting element which the collection could have done without. Warmly welcomed is the return of the visors which are not only come in alluringly handsome prints but also appearing to be hand-tied. A clever solution compared with a elastic band that has the potential or ruining your hair when putting on and taking off the visor. Much else of what’s seen eke of ease and the collection is bridled with loose fitting pieces made out of soft materials that flow masterfully with wind.

Burberry Prorsum Men's SS2010.

2009-06-22T16:53:00.000-07:00

Welcome to men’s SS10 fashion weeks showcasing next year’s spring and summer wear from Paris and Milan. The former city’s fashion week began on Saturday with some exciting collections which need a few days digestion to come to terms with.

For 2010, Burberry Prorsum has an uncharacteristic and object of attention. Trench straps suspended across the chest is what an individual with a hostile attitude towards fashion would say look right only on a psychiatric arsonist residing a mental health clinic – or what candid designer wear shoppers anticipate to see in a collection of a more inventive design habits like Ann Demeulemeester and Dior Homme. They are the kind of detail that highly distract and impairs the mind ability to funnel a collection into a unified meaning – like a blue band aid floating on the surface of a steaming hot tomato soup. Burberry traditionalist will loathe the straps while the high fashion crowd sitting on the front row with a note pad in hand eagerly awaiting an unexpected phenomenon to comment on.

Splitting crowds and brewing heated debates is a recent experience of Prince Charles of Wales. His latest debacle with the public has lead to bewilderedness and anguish over his involvement in influence on the design that was destined for the property development on the former land of the Chelsea barracks. Owned by the Royal family of Quatar, the land is planned to be harvested by a grand development of residential tower blocks. Prince Charles did not object to the plans as much as he strongly expressed his disapproval of the highly contrasting steel and glass architecture that would be eye piercing in an area of historical and cultural value. Pensioners living in the Royal Hospital nearby, as well as local residents would have their current serene skyline architecturally contaminated with tall modern buildings.

The design for the development have now returned to square one after the Royal family of Qatar avoided an unpleasant diplomatic feud by considerately granting Prince Charles’s request to scrap the design for a more `suitable` theme that would better unify with surrounding buildings of Victorian and Georgian architecture. Not only has his act of exercising his authority infuriated people but so has “old fashioned” view on architecture. But is the heir to the British throne a wise man standing up against corporate scavenging of London soil, or is he a old bloke resistant to change who’s unrighteously invaded another family’s right to fully exploit their precious £1 billion plot of land? The opposition of the proposed architecture have certainly been most grateful in obtaining royal artillery against the Goliath of the Qatar investment firm managing the development. A win-win compromise should make way for mutual satisfaction as there are several architect firms that can commission a design of stronger character than generic 21st century residential blocks of geometrical and sterile characters that has been rejected. Burberry Prorsum’s head of design, Christopher Bailey has set an exemplary balance between tradition and progression in designing the SS10 collection.

Browsing through the multitude of runway shots, the collection is very much a continuation of the previous youthfully spirited collections – especially with the attractive Emma Watson chosen as the main star of the fall/winter 2009 collection shot by Mario Testino. Across the men’s SS10 collection we find the usual forte of puffy tall-waisted trousers with narrow legs dominating the lower bodies of the slim but healthy looking male models. Perplexing materials to look forward to are shower-proof cotton which hints at the theme of the collection which is weather. The primary coloured parkas jackets are not summer clothing that cross people’s minds during the first week of the Wimbledon tennis tournament, but can come in handy for adventurous ocean voyages to the Isle of Man – or for protection at the ever so muddy Galstronbury festival.

Other weather friendly material is the washed cotton which greatly differs from the more pompous ostrich skin materials favoured for designer bags. Heavy use of cotton is unexpected since it’s an non-luxurious common man’s material. But leather bags haven’t totally excluded as slate brown coloured leather with a washed-look had been the preferred choice for projecting weather durability and use – a very subtle colour used for vast accessories in the collection. The prominent palette is pastel colours with a subdued tone trigging memories of melon, strawberry and vanilla favoured ice cream. And the after taste left by the entire range of clothes is contemporary but yet familiar and traditional which should be able to get thumbs up from Prince Charles.

Dreams in the recession.

2009-06-20T03:17:00.000-07:00

Father's Day 2009 gift advice.

2009-06-18T15:58:00.000-07:00

Confusingly, many countries around the globe celebrate Father’s Day but do so on different dates of the year. This Sunday fathers worldwide will be celebrated in a several nations including Canada, the United States and UK.

Gift giving is a central part of Mother’s and Father´s day culture, and in newspapers this week, ads are running in high gear recommending suitable gifts for your old man. This year, gifts should be simple and touch on the core of male interests. Spare your energy from driving your brain to exhaustion by trying too hard in finding an unusual gift – use your intuition and personal taste. Science has long been a male dominated field of research and even non-technically inclined men get upbeat over technology and curious about consumer electronics. Curtsey of the complexity of modern technology, gadgets gets people talking about their products. An advanced product given to your father will be followed by near endless discussions over newly discovered features or in some instances, unexpected late night phone calls for a question and answer time about why the product doesn’t connect to the computer or the internet.
This week Olympus unveiled their latest camera, the impressively well crafted Olympus PEN EP1. At first sight it might come across as an ordinary point-and-shot camera graced with design panache from the past, but the EP1 is more than what’s met the eyes – it is matrimonial marriage of performance and style. Hobby photographers have in recent years have had to own a compact camera in addition to semi-professional DSLR camera for uncompromised satisfaction of photographing needs. As a camera of the cutting edge and newly developed Micro Four Third standard, the EP1 is just a few fractions in size and weight of a DSLR while enclosed in an art-deco metal casing just slightly larger than a compact point-and-shoot camera. Olympus has spared no effort in making the EP1 an eye pleasing piece of technology. Accessories include stylish 1960s inspired leather straps with visible stitching in addition to a modular viewfinder and flash which both add to the personal character of the camera. Kept simple, the EP-1 is devoid of intimidating number of buttons as seen in an airplane cockpit or on DSLR cameras. Therefore the Olympus EP-1 is an exceptional appealing to demanding fathers who want to take stunning photographs using a well engineered camera that’s pocket friendly and comes in a visually stunning package which performs.

The art of networking & its importance today.

2009-06-11T17:05:00.000-07:00

Any prudent adult from a working class background knows the value of money and its origin -- hard work, as opposed to growing on a peach tree on the west coast of Portugal. Money is only commodity that can turn materialistic dreams into a reality of walk-in closets stocked with 20 pairs of shoes and shirts of every shade imaginable. Formal education is the path of correctness that should evidentially lead to a rewarding employment with perks such as a company car and a sound salary well above minimum wage – that is you are a strong believer of social norms.

The journey to the dream profession can be a slow and agonizing on a steam train that may never reach the distant destination of having your name engraved on a brass plate glued screwed to an office door. The train may come to a temporary but long and gruesome halt while our standing on the platform of ambitious works indefinitely awaiting a promotion. Willing and capable of advancing in life, the only candle lit at the end of the tunnel is the notion of being at the ‘right place at the right time’. But when that moment comes, will it be as easy as standing still to miraculously see a jet black helicopter hovering above your with Sir Alan Sugar rolling down a ladder for you to his empire of business? What if there is a more component in the formula for a deal breaking moment in a career, the right person with the right spirit perhaps?

Recovery of the current slump in economic activity may not be happen until another 6-12 months, and then another year may pass until the high economic growth will feed prosperity in housing and manufacturing. In the mean time employers are keeping the doors shut for applications and CV with only the brightest resumés slipping through between the doors and the thresholds. Address books with valuable contacts are worth their weight in gold as organic recruitment is the most successful way of securing a new job in a time when the job market is in despair. Greatest opportunities of a career bump lies in meeting and connecting with individuals of power and influence. An invitation to an industry event is a privilege. Few other ways bring you closer to potential partners or future employers in a casual environment often eased by upbeat house music and bubbly champagne. Loyalty is off course a stapling issue as committing adultery by actively seeking a new employer might not be taken lightly by the boss whom might have granted you admittance to an event. But business is business and courageousness and risk taking are pre-requisites for rapid success.

Here are some advice on how to make the best out of networking opportunities and thus, not leave unnoticed or empty handed:

Dress to amaze and distract

Inferiority complex is a common syndrome to experience at social occasions when nervousness grows are you realise that you are possibly the smallest fish in the pond. The act of convincing other guests that you’re an important guest begins at home, in the wardrobe. If surrounding guests will be millionaires, then dress up like a billionaire and if fellow guests will be fighter pilots, wear an astronaut suit. Fear underdressing rather than overdressing. Strong presence and posture tend to attract curiosity of bored guests lurking for a funny chatter while enjoying themselves with a glass of wine. Be a maverick by wearing a red bow tie to a black tie event, but abstract appearances should be ideally be mitigated with very powerful credentials and merit.

Choose the right chaperone

Never show up to an event alone as there is a risk of the status quo remaining for the rest of the day. As a loner the game play will dismantled your cards will be exposed by individuals who know that anyone of importance generate interests and is therefore never alone at a social event. The perfect chaperone is ideally someone of the opposite sex for the sake of simplicity. A nightmare scenario is having the company of a woman, only to hear the words “I’m bored and want to go home” after she has been 30min spectator of you chatting up a more attractive female. Two brains that think alike work best together and even individually as the companion or side kick can assisting in putting your name out or introducing you to seductive women.

A strong character is everything and more

The inescapable bit of networking is conversing with other people and this is crucial part that will determine whether or not you at the right person -- at the right place--at the right time. Confidence is the barrier that impairs most people’s courage from becoming winners of the day. Impossible to restore or build overnight, bravery or confidence can only be enhanced over times. For those willing to get slightly out of balance a splash of alcohol is a silly but yet efficient temporary fix for shyness and stage freight.

Social events can be rouge and superficial. Many are out on the look up to tie new business relationships, customers or find someone that will usher them to the next step on the ladder. In the first 30 seconds of socialising with a new found mate both parties will have made their mind up on whether to continue exchanging words or to drift away to the next person. The inevitable question of the first moments is “What do you do?”. For those unfazed by their own profession it is a question one wants to avoid, especially if the opposite encounter holds an admirable position in a fortune 500 company. Shedding light any accomplishments made as well as future ambitions is a devious way of coming across as successful in the case that one’s profession does a poor job encapsulating career ambitions. One or two convincing factoids are sufficient but humility should be exercised although you shouldn’t sky away from speaking about yourself. In fact, don’t talk but speak up like a talk-show host and captivate your audience. Speaking from the lungs and diaphragm is important as you’re virtually trying to sell yourself. The art of speaking can be a tricky one to master and involves speaking about topics beyond the weather and the next person to be eliminated on Big Brother. Not to be forgotten in all insincerity to is that you’re dealing with people and can gain valuable contacts my simply making a new friend who might refer you to someone who might potentially hire you. Know when to switch from personality from Rupert Murdoch to Prince Harry of Wales.

Mr.Manhattan from across the Atlantic Ocean.

2009-06-07T11:28:00.001-07:00

Sunshine and Umbreallas at Channel 4.

2009-06-04T12:57:00.000-07:00

Summer: Sun, sweat and short skirts.

2009-06-03T16:58:00.000-07:00

The summer has finally arrived but has temporarily retracted it’s presence from London. Substituting the sweltering heat that drew bikini wearing women to parks for binge tanning, grey skies hovering over the city and chilly winds now makes us leave home with an extra layer of clothing. But one bag item that is certainly not missed is a mandatory 500ml water bottle for topping up the body’s water supply when the heat becomes unbearable.

Summer is a bewildering concept. Without winter it wouldn’t exist the same way glory would be indescribable to someone who have never experienced the opposite – tragedy and tribulation. It’s perplexing how the common man on the street perceive summer as a destination, and keep him running on the treadmill of life in anticipation of reaching the pinnacle summer month of June. And the reasons for dreaming of June are many; parks and gardens are painted in vivid coloured plants, the gloomy mood of winter is washes away with warm ocean waves, days are longer and skirts worn by women are shorter and sexier. Life and joy peaks with few or no threats in sights that can disturb the elevated mood on as one enjoys the rollercoaster ride of sunshine, social gatherings and casual glasses of cider. City workers on the other hand, might think otherwise.

The underground - Eight in the morning - Six in the evening - Crowds of people. No more words need to be spoken for a wave of goose bumps to ripple across London. Swine flu is one of the few organisms that would thrive in the atrociously warm and humid conditions on the London underground. Forget carrying tanning oil. Anti-bacterial gel should be a part of your summer survival kit as close to every handle and pole is sticky or mysteriously greasy. Whoever argues that an automobile is an unnecessary commodity should rethink their viewpoint. Sweating is undeniably the prevalent agony of summer – in particular having to wash clothes after each use.

A straight forward solution to the near unavoidable reality of body perspiration is by keeping the surrounding air cool, and off course the wonderful invention of air-condition is what comes to mind. Most sweating occurs in transit when we rush out in the morning chasing time and when changing from one train to the next. The stress and time pressure makes the heart beat harder, faster and stronger keeping muscles up to task in providing maximum performance. And before you know it, the energising pulse is followed by uncomfortable body temperature that eventually leads to a damp shirt. The grandiose choice of having a chauffeur driven car is a near faultless solution to the problem. Relieving yourself from the worries of monitoring the gas meter, stress of finding a parking spot or beating the next yellow lights, you can comfortably and relaxed sit in the for enjoyable reading of the excellent European edition of the Wall Street Journal. Having time to read the morning papers is a luxury that cannot be indulged by those driving themselves to work.

Women live less sweaty and filthy summer life than men. A female worker with a keen interest in fashion is bound to have an inventory of summer specific clothes. Dressing down is an easy task of simply wearing a light dress, a short skirt or a sleeve less top with a moderate but appetising cleavage. Men are generally dared to challenge their boss’ tempter by shoving up to work in shorts exposing hair legs. The sight would be met with a laughter followed by a grim face signalling an unofficial warning – and possibly a dented relationship. Shorts and other casual summer items such as t-shirt are rarely well received in a corporate environment and are neither suitable to wear at work places where negotiations take place. Changing into more comfortable attire can lead to a compromised stature in a workplace. Luckily for women they don’t suffer the same character loss as they always successes in adapting to warm weather conditions without any of their glamour or visual power diminishing. Creative industries are safe havens for fashion as people’s minds and lifestyles are more liberal and adamant to on nurturing people’s artistic talent by awarding them with more freedom in their choice of clothing. If only more industries adopted the same culture then perhaps summer would become best and dreamy season we’re portraying it to be.

Please don't steal my dinner set.

2009-05-30T15:11:00.000-07:00

Socialism creeps into River Island HQ.

2009-05-28T16:38:00.000-07:00

A letter from a loyal reader tumbled into the email inbox with a humble request for articles on fashion that’s more in touch with what normal wallets can afford. Given that the financial markets are still going through a gloomy period bleeding helplessly as the people are clinging tightly on to their jobs and their every penny they’ve got. Although this blog strictly cover high-fashion, nothing is written in stone and there is always room for rational exceptions.

In the month of April I was invited to preview the Fall/Winter collection of a brand that might not ring a bell for anyone reading this article outside the borders of Great Britain, but the brand certainly a familiarity to UK shopper. The River Island. A people’s brand like H&M, Zara, Topshop and GAP, serving as an interim choice for dreamers hoping to one day have a £1,700 Dolce & Gabbana jacket hugging their upper body. Off course, the distance between an extravagant Italian jacket and a £25 River Island shirt is large with only a lucky few managing to close it. That is why brand like River Island play an important role in society. In touch with reality, give the public a life sustaining dosage of fashion at prices that are within arm’s reach for the majority of the population.

Not only does River Island serve affordable fashion, but their pre-view event had attractive brunette ladies kindly serving canapés of world class standard. The last time I encountered outstanding canapés like these, were at Jaguar’s luxurious press hospitality area at the London Motor Show in 2008. Grabbed with my fiddly right thumb and index finger, I indulged in mini hamburgers, seafood and deserts of all various delicious forms. To my lion appetite I enjoyed the sound track of two trendy DJs spinning upbeat tunes from the 80s which, along with the alcoholic beverages served at the bar, kept everyone on their toes across the room. Far in one of the corners were two arcade machines for anyone feeling to temporarily zoning out of the world of fashion for some classic Pac-Man game play. And yes, the machines were indeed popular.

Excitement reverberated through the entire room with a colourful palette of clothes and accessories hung on racks against the walls. Rather than fulfilling the prophecy of low-end retailers which is to provide basic wardrobe necessities with a neutral appearance, River Island orchestrated a collection of much diversity and personality. From thick cardigans and dark jackets to light fabrics for warm evening, no month of the second half of this year was unaccounted for. Different styles were thoughtfully considered too as the accessories ranged from gloomy and grungy boots to handsome loafers. In other words there were unexpectedly well designed fall 2009 offerings with some element of liking for everyone. Quality was admirable too with most pieces giving a premium feel when touched.

It was a day of tropical temperatures with the sun stinging on my shiny forehead like a floodlight. I probably shouldn’t have resorted to the vodka and lime drinks for killing my thirst because after tree glasses delusion kicked it. Staring across the room an illusion emerged of Christopher Bailey, Burberry’s chief designer, waving me in for a bottle of mountain spring water. With an empty glass of melting crushed ice in my left hand I walked towards the illusion of Bailey which was fading as I approached, and evidently vanished as I tried to grab him only to be left with a grey River Island blazer in my right hand. How brainless of me to be drawn into stupid mind games. But I swear, Bailey was in the room. Perhaps not in physical form but in spirit he was. Reflecting over the tomfoolery that had taken place a few seconds ago I clanged on to the blazer which abruptly triggered an express journey down the memory lane taking me back 5 months to the very day I posted an article on Burberry Prorsum FW09. That’s when all pieces magically locked into place. Even under intoxication I was able to experience a Robert Langdon moment while my eyes were rolling across the rail of clothes carrying heavy resemblance from Christopher Bailey’s most recent Burberry collection.

How devastating. Burberry Prorsum’s AW09 had been robbed of its virginity by River Island -- this before the Burberry garments even reach a single customer. Imitations were predominantly depicting AW09 but some familiar cues from SS09 were visible in a few pieces hung on the unofficial Burberry rack. They say imitation is the biggest form of flattery, but what if it’s the worst act of disrespect for creativity, talent and respect for art -- not to mention other people. Sadly the theme of imitation was a reoccurring theme that crippled across the entire collection as other familiar AW09 designs by the likes of Jil Sander’s must distinguished multi-colour scheme that signified his SS09 collection. DSquared also have a fair share of clothes to raise their eye brows over. Several shirts and sweaters that mimicked the Canadian duos playful knitwear prints and designs.

The amount of high fashion replication was unparalleled by anything I’ve seen produced by a respected corporation. The sight of the grand replication before my eyes was near level headed with the acts of certain Chinese car manufacturers which have enjoyed themselves developing cars heavily inspired by Rolls-Royce and BMW designs. German justice system righteously deemed a BMW X5 replica illegal in with the car manufacturer hungry to further display their fury and disgust by pursuing further legal action. That is not to say that River Island raise a red union jack on the roof of their head quarter and commence development of nuclear missiles. Much of what they presented at the preview is adequate for urban men in the market for thrilling designs at prices that don’t break the bank. Originality most crucial ingredient lacking in certain parts of the range unlike the canapés which they have all the reasons to be proud of.

Man's best friend.

2009-05-27T13:32:00.000-07:00

Riviéra Special: Excess living.

2009-05-24T15:55:00.000-07:00

Today, Sunday the 24th of March, marks the finale of one and a half weeks of glamorous festivities on the sunny French Riviera. Warm up began with the Cannes Film Festivals where A-list Hollywood stars, directors and producers converged on European soil and put their latest motion pictures up for critique and scrutiny of top film pundits. Drifting east of Cannes along the coast of France, the road eventually leads to the small but dreamy principality of Monaco. If Cancun is the sin city for American university students and Las Vegas the city of gambling and prostitutes for soon to be married bachelors, then Monaco is the playground of obscenely wealthy billionaires. And for racing drivers the Monaco Grand Prix is the most prestigious race, if not the most prestigious sporting event to win, and today British racing driver Jenson Button commemorated for his magnificent triumph at the urban circuit.

20 minutes away from the country 33,000 inhabitants is Nice airport where private Cessna and Gulfstream aircrafts have swarmed the landing grounds like seagulls on an abandoned pier. Equally astonishing is overcrowded beach pier where yachts the size of family homes are docked to let the jet set playboys spectate the race close to the roaring engines of 20 Formula 1 cars while their female chaperones are working on their tans on the upper decks. This year’s Moby Dick is Indian billionaire Vijay Malay’s mega yatch which was the largest one at the Formula 1 spectacle this weekend. With traditions stretching back to the 1920 the Monaco Grand Prix is equally as enchanting every year. Here the wealthy and famous George Lucas get to spend a weekend in a utopia of rosé champagne and Mediterranean extravaganza. It’s the one time and one place during the year when money can be spent guilt-free. In Monaco the word recession is an alien word that is nowhere to be found in the dictionaries, but tax evasion is a highly familiar terms as many racing drivers and business owners relocate their residence to this land of no income tax. A flock of British high income earners are bound to pack their Dunhill brief cases and Richard James shirt, and move to lavish Monaco now when UK income tax for the rich has been increased to distressing 50%.

Consumption in the capital city, Monte Carlo, is beyond the levels of premium and luxury and is the stratosphere of excess where buying a Ferrari F430 Scuderia or a hillside mansion on impulse is not considered to be beyond reason. Even focused racing teams are drawn into the flaunting and self indulgence by hosting lavish parties for VIP guests, Sponsors and team members. Mclaren Mercedes takes it a bit further by giving their drivers a healthy dose of diamond Monaco every year. Reigning world champion and Monaco 2008 winner, Lewis Hamilton, had the number “1” studded on to his bright yellow helmet this weekend. Other endorsed merchandise worn by driver such as Hublot, Tag Heuer and Certina wrist watches were admirably kept clear of precious stones. One of the ten commandments of men’s fashion says that “thou shall not twinkle like a little star”. Men shall therefore keep diamonds and pearls to a minimum and devoid of sparkling wrist watches and bracelets excessively studded with diamonds.

Envy and hatred lurk like snakes in the grass and diamonds have a tendency to attract unwanted looks and be social frowned upon. Notably heated, is the discussion regarding the origin of diamonds and social responsibility should be at the forefront when buying diamonds to ensure that greedy middle men in Antwerp have obtained the very diamonds you want to buy, in the most ethical and morally correct way possible. If diamonds don’t have a dark cloud and a history of blood covered hands, then proceed with buying a watch with diamond dials. Despite their better suitability for women, diamonds are beautiful and the Rolex watches pictured are a respectable of carrying beautiful stones without compromising your image or social status.

Capitalism vs Socialism

2009-05-23T16:22:00.000-07:00

New website: Monochrome Finery.

2009-05-22T15:22:00.000-07:00

Monochrome Finery

While revising hard for my final exams I’ve leaned on the shoulders of piano and photography for comfort and work balance. Piano play and photography are excellent hobbies for escaping reality because they don’t involve any heavy thought processing or written words. Silence is golden, in fact, most things in life are best enjoyed when no words are spoken like eating, having sex, swimming. Therefore the new supplement this website, Monochrome Finery, will comprise of just black & white photographs and no more words beyond the title of each post. No elaborate planning or high ambitions are pillar supporting the photo blog. It will merely serve as a way for me to exhibit my premature work as an amateur photographer, sort of like a diary to follow my own progress.

Enjoy

London Traffic.

2009-05-22T12:57:00.000-07:00

Facial care in the fast lane.

2009-05-19T16:59:00.000-07:00

The morning and night grooming rituals are overlooked and are positioned far down, right above removing dust behind the TV, on the priority list for chores. Given that man is the fastest gender on earth it is forgiveable to not give the body a vain and lengthy Patrick Bateman spa treatment every morning. Guys are obliterating quick and can get ready for an emergency invitation to party within minutes while the opposite gender don’t even wouldn’t even consider 2 hours to be ample preparation time.

Scarcity of time isn’t not much of a problem as the Orcs of capitalism standing in cosmetic booths in shopping departments. Their bright red seductive lipstick can be spotted from a far. Young and attractive they seek your attention with a charming and flirtatious smile of an aircraft stewardess, but are best defeated by not engaging eye contact and avoiding getting lured in to try the latest coconut hand lotion they want you to try(and buy thereafter). Consequences can be financial manslaughter as these deceivingly pretty sales assistant always aim to sell you every single cosmetic product stocked on the shelves behind the counter. All the fancy adjectives like exfoliating, nurturing, ph balance used describe the products makes the head spin like the London Eye. The number one unanswered question in every guys head is ‘What products do I really need that won’t require me to wake up 1 hour earlier than necessary?’, because although all most products are essentially good for us, there is only so many product a person can use without them cancelling each other out.

The essentials: Cleanser and moisturiser
Regardless of interest in body and facial care there are two products that should be in the cabinets behind every foggy bathroom mirror, and those are a facial cleanser and a facial moisturiser. Under no circumstance should any product baring the word soap be used on the face because soap is made using chemicals and chemicals corrode the skin. Cutting corners by using hand soap lead to nasty skin irritation, dryness or even a rash. The benefit is using cleaners composed of natural ingredients is minimal damage made to the skin. Look for names like ginseng, avocado, menthol and juniper on labels for both cleansers and moisturisers. Both products can be used before going to sleep at night and right after waking up in the morning. The latter being more important than the former as water to the face makes the body alert and ready for a good day.

The extras: Facial scrub
Deep cleaning is revitalizing whatever object is receiving the treatment. The sensation afterwards is refreshing newness and joyous rebirth. Persian marble floors receive a scrub every now and then and so should the face too, and that is done using a facial scrub. What distinguish a scrub from a facial cleanser is near microscopic fragment of crushed apricot or walnut seeds working down clogged pores and oily skin layers, increasing the breathability of the skin. Given a scrub contain tiny hard particles one monthly deep cleaning is enough to maintain a fresh and well nurtured skin.

The luxury: Natural shaving crème and anti-ageing crème
Self inflicted cuts with a poor shaving blade or simply poor shaving is one of the reasons why shaving is one of the most harmful treatment given to the skin. Therefore no expenses should be spared for a nurturing shaving crème and friendly shaving blades. Bumps, cuts and bruised skin are common penalties awarded to those who compromise their shaving. The more natural the product is, the less likely it is that it will irritate the skin, and to break your reality, natural shaving crèmes do not come in aluminium cans and neither do they foam. But it’s worth mentioning that synthetic and above mid-range products available in supermarkets do suffice in protecting the skin during a close shave.

When the adult land marking age of 20 is reached, ageing is not an inevitability but a current and an accelerating process. No one likes being called old and by default, buying anti-ageing products is a self proclamation of being old. Ironing out wrinkles and lines that show signs of ageing, a crème of this type is quite a dazzling experience. After application to the face there is a few magical seconds of the face heating and tightening up, but is sadly not followed by the reverse ageing affect of Benjamin Button.

Products from
Osmium
http://www.osmiumformen.com

Can we survive without wearing fashion?

2009-05-14T16:06:00.000-07:00

Fashion carries a different meaning for everyone. For some fashion is signing up to Hermes mailing list to get notified of the latest Hermés Birkin bag before Victoria Beckham gets hold of it while fashion for a student at Central Saint Martin is awaiting a reply from Matthew Williamson for an internship at his accessory department. Pragmatically fashion is what’s attached to the body and the essence is therefore to wear fashion. But is wearing fashion a prerequisite for being fashionable or is the clothes just the tip of the iceberg with a stronger essence beneath the water surface.

A chef at the Michelin starred restaurant ‘Le Gavroche’ gladly cooks for his guests and smile at their satisfaction, and at home he prepare meals for himself, tasting the fruit of his own labour. That is only the righteous path in life, right? Preach what you speak and embrace what you do and create. Yet, Milano and Paris runway designers couldn’t be any more distant from their own runway collections. Is it that their interest in designing has trailed off into the whelm of business eroding the driving force force or design that made them become a designer in the first place? Or are they distancing their everyday attire away from high fashion in order to laser precision focus on designing as opposed to dressing up for the press? Notorious drug lord, Pablo Escobar couldn’t have dreamt of more success as his career peaked in 1989 when he was listed by Forbes Magazine to be worth $25 billion, making him the 7th richest man during that year. If he had habitually sniffed the toxic powder he was in control of, Escobar's genius but insane mind would have been off balance in the epic cocaine empire he's famous for. The health authorities have yet be classify Italian cashmere as a hazards, giving Dean and Dan Canten no reason to voluntarily stick to wearing white shirts and black ties paired with denim jeans.

Highly animated in interviews Tom Ford is one of the most invigorating personalities in the fashion world. The sheer intensity of the sexuality seen in the ads for his Tom Ford men’s line makes Pope Benedict XVI wish all humans were monogamists. Contrary to Ford’s extrovert, his choice of outfit is the expected and highly pedestrian navy blue suit and white shirt. Rarely is the New York based designer seen wearing anything more upstaging. Maybe there is calmness is a sedated appearance. Wearing the same outfit of neutral colours comes with the reward of people focusing on you rather than what you're wearing. For Karl Lagerfeld, his sterile sense of style has become fashion itself but he’s a one of a kind who doesn’t share clothing style with anyone. Regardless of the pure canvas-like image projected by these designer they breath fashion, they sleep fashion and think fashion. To individuals like Tom Ford the love lay in the art form and he’s a true testament that that one doesn’t have to wear fashion to be fashion. Some things in life are best enjoyed from a distance, through visual admiration.

Renault & I Luw Fashion: Pure Pleasure Feature Film

2009-05-09T17:09:00.000-07:00

Although Gordon Brown and President Nicolas Sarkozy might be in disagreement over how to tackle the global financial apocalypse, Anglo-French collaboration have formed on other fronts – namely between iluwfashion and French car maker Renault. Divided by language and currency France and Great Britain have shared united by the language of art.

Click to see the film

Renault consulted me to be one of the scriptwriters for a feature film under the campaign, ‘Pure Pleasure’, supporting the Renault Leguna Coupe that was unveiled last year. ‘Pure Please’ is very fitting for a masculine sports coupe with romantic contours like the Leguna Coupe. Emotions feeds irrational decisions but irrationality can feel fantastic at times, and is the reason one would buy a sports coupe, not because it’s needed but because it’s wanted, craved and desired. How a car makes you feel is equally as important as how quickly it takes you from A to B.

The film is what the pleasures of London look like from my window of my life. Under tight time constraints I scribbled down on a paper the first thought when the name London comes to mind. And what came to mind was....chance. It’s one of the uncontrollable factors of life and should remain under the control of anyone. Unpredictability is what keeps life under energising suspense that makes life worth living. This week I had the chance to meet with Daniel Radcliffe but missed out because I unfortunately decline an invitation to the event he attended, but never did it ever cross my mind that me and Harry Potter would ever be in the same room. On the thought of chance I layered various artistic ideas that I perceived would empower my message. Simply by reading my script the production team did an outstanding and highly accurate adaptation of my vision I had written down on a paper. Art is an extraordinarily beautiful language and in this instance it has been harmonizing been transferred from one person to a group of individuals on the other side of the English Channel.

Star Quality & Branding.

2009-05-04T15:37:00.000-07:00

I have a weakness for watches, I adore them, I want to own them and admire them while falling asleep after a long day of typing. The psychological symptoms of this everlasting obsession is that I can’t help myself from gazing at people’s wrists, playing a solitary guessing game with myself trying to identify the any watch my curious eyes have locked on to. One time there was a sociable gentleman from the United Arab Emirates sharing the same oxygen in a room as me and was using a Swizz watch to keep track of time. The masculine watch in this that instance was neither a SWATCH and nor was it a Rolex. A golden octagon shaped bezel with exposed rods keeping it locked to the watch case, made the timepiece easily identifiable as an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak.

Enchanted by the honourable gentleman’s choice of watch I complimented him. With a thick Arabic accent he enthusiastically replied by saying “Thank you, I have five more at home.” and on we went exchanging some happy words for a minute or two. A few moments after the conversation ended he returned to me with a big smile and said “Now when you notice my watch, I like it more”, followed by some chuckles and friendly handshakes on both sides. One would think as he would with humble and shyness whiff off any compliments about his £8,000 jewel but no, he was ecstatic to meet someone who noticed the delicate piece of stainless steel resting on his left wrist. Had the Abu Dhabi citizen bought a watch that’s too discrete or was his experience a true testament of how rarely recognition comes by in London?

The capital of Great Britain is not just a city, it’s a kingdom of adventurous people from all over the world. Like tall lamp posts flashing by in your peripheral view while driving on the motorway at night, people in London share they insignificance – you known that they are around but you don’t acknowledge the existence of each individual. A crème coloured cashmere cardigan by Ralph Lauren has the opulence to sway crowds at a rooftop garden tea party, but how strong if that effect at the Cannes during the festival when Armani suits and Tom Ford sunshades are worn by every other guy? There is more than a silk “Made in Italy” on the inside your summer loafers.

Imagine having a captivating aura that steals the attention of people without you having to speak a single word. Think curiosity and respect rather than admiration and astonishment, almost holding an environment on siege with everyone aware of your majestic presence. The ability to entice strangers work wonders for networking events where the brightest shining star will be most successful at exchanging business cards. Chief executive of Mercedes-Benz, Dr. Dieter Zetsche, has a spectacularly cwell crafted moustache that makes him unforgettable figure. Long as a cell phone Dr. Zetsche moustache can be classified as the 1st wonder of Germany and can probably be seen from the international space station. Grooming such an ostentatious moustache is a chore that can be challenging for men with undergrowth of facial hair. A more attainable style can be seen on the two time Formula 1 Champion Graham Hill who was signified by a sophisticated strip of hair above his upper lip.

The key to star quality is building a brand around the person you are although blatant adoptions of funky hair styles can backfire if friends whom you haven’t been in a while begin to ridicule you for having a goatee. Any attribute of the brand need to be melt with of one’s personality and demeanour for the effect to work as confidence is a very important ingredient. Bob cuts are synonymous with the editor in chief of US Vogue, Anna Wintour. And when Bobcuts are spoken off, Anna Wintour is what comes to mind. Thanks to maintaining the same look for several decades, she is one of the most recognisable people in the fashion industry. Therefore whatever gimmicks chosen need to be permanent to the point that you cannot part with them without feeling that you’re taking away something from your personality.

If you fancy testing how eye catchy your charisma is then Smirnoff Black might have something to facilitate just that. Chancellor Alistar Darling increased alcohol taxation by 2% last month, but that has not deterred Smirnoff Black from uniting metropolitan men by running a venue by the name of “Smirnoff Black Modern Gentleman Masterclass”. Hosted at fashionable Sketch in London, the venue offer men classes in cocktail making, an exhilarating shave by professional barbers and the opportunity to converse with a bespoke tailor. Under the roof of a dazzling interior and decor Smirnoff Black Modern Gentleman Masterclasse offers you an opportunity to socialise with fellow sartorialist men and potentially increase your star quality after an immaculate shave.

The next event will take place on the 19th of May 2009 and 07951 483589 is the number to call for booking a free attendance to the venue.

Old world fashion and blue dreams.

2009-04-25T17:35:00.000-07:00

This month the styling wizards at CondeNast gave Zac Efron a lavish Cinderella treatment for a magazine front cover. Getting a break from wearing Californian shorts and half beaten Converse All Star shoes is what Efron needed. Indeed does he looks revealingly handsome in the mid-night blue Dolce & Gabbana suit – and no, the pillars of society will collapse because I used to sacred “H” word to describe a fellow man. If female red carpet fanatics can droll over Gwyneth Paltrow’s slender legs exposed at the London premier of Iron Man movie last year, then I can sure put a small golden star on mans shoulder for a conveying outfit without coming across as one of his adolescent fans.

Creating a gradient of blue shades, the deep finishing of the suit with visible stitching and the chequered Thom Browne shirt melt the outfit into an exfoliating but sober appearance that stands out in a non-obtrusive manner. The black woollen tie from Ralph Lauren crates a character balance between power dressing and spring wear by projecting boardroom power giving the blue and white a bold accent. Once again it is proven that blue and white have a strong superiority over other colour combination in painting an animated but sensual portrayal of contemporary thinking man.

Audrey Hepburn is one of the most distinguished movie icons of all times. Naive and lost, Hepburn’s character Holly Golighty, in the movie “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” has detesting personality traits. But cute voice, glamorous pearls and petite body makes her sweeter than cinnamon swirl. The wide open eyes and charming demeanour are dreamy as a group of ballerinas moving swiftly across a mahogany floor stage. All the precious pearls worn on the ear lobes and around the neck are good for no inspiration in man’s world where pearls have yet to rise to the surface. A welcomed Audrey Hepburn signature is her sophisticated hats.

Kevin Federline, Ne-Yo and Justin Timberlake are all equally accountable for the hat mania that rippled across the western world in 2004-2005 but I was not fazed by their overpopulated trend of wearing a hat, west, white t-shirt, suit pants and sneakers. Dunhill has promised to restore classy hats from old world of luxury by making them available this fall – in 3-4 months that is. Add a touch of casualness to the appearance using a brooch or a flower and birds shall twit beautifully to your ears.

Safari Fashion.

2009-04-20T17:05:00.000-07:00

The animal kingdom has struck the fashion world with leopard prints while chickenpox blemishes are doomed to ever be part of the runway. An accidental visit to the lingerie section in a Roberto Cavalli store is a trap into a retail jungle infested with more leopard prints than Steve Irvin could have seen in his wildest safari dreams. Then there are the ever pretty store assistants spreading delightful oestrogen in the air that makes the Mufasa inside want to jump on top of the building and roar for the all homeless kittens in universe.

A flamboyant ladies man with a bit too much disposable income, see a leopard flees blanket resting over a living room sofa as the winning way of showing who’s the Fred Flintstone of the 21th century. Not to be forgotten is an ostentatious 18k Rolex Datejust dangling on the left wrist since it’s an essential playboy must-have and so is the unforgivable light blue shirt with the collar popped so high it almost blocks the guy’s peripheral view. What won’t temporarily impair your vision is leopard/tiger printed sunshades from Burberry’s Spring Summer 2009 eyewear collection. Splendid option for shy animal loving trendsetters who’s wants to use sunshades as safe guard from a potentially slimy bucket of green paint poured at them by a notorious PETA hooligan.

Spring Summer 2009 Safari Fashion

Unnecessary necessities.

2009-04-15T16:59:00.000-07:00

Certain things in life are great to have, to eat, to do or take part of but come with a web of strings attached. Salad goes well with 13 inch porcelain dinner plate holding a sizable dinner of fettuccine pasta and oven baked salmon covered in Carbonara sauce. Anyone suffering from chronic laziness is advised to build a tree house than taking on the challenge of making a salad.

The long and slow mission begins at home - - grabbing hold of a piece of paper destined for recycling, and scribbling down the thoughts of mouth watering mushrooms, black olives and sundried tomatoes. Level 2 of the mission takes place in the supermarkets where the head begins to spin from the eyes scanning different prices for avocados that all look the same! Imported or domestic farmers, organic or “regular”, cheap or premium? Choice is the problem and so is chopping the vegetables into appetising pieces. Suddenly a container of 200 vitamin pills is turning out to be an easy fix for a 5 a day. But the purity in the soul felt after eating a salad is worth the trouble of sling tomatoes and swiping a olive oil remains from the kitchen counter. Here is a list of disregarded but useful accessories worth owning.

Umbrella.
A mini umbrella is in most people’s possessions but few care to buy a full sized umbrella that can shield the entire body from a single drop of rain. Full sized ones a perfect for stormy days with heavy showers or for providing shelter for two people.

Watch & Cufflink box.
Sexism should not have a place in this world but the reality is that men are inferior to women when it comes to keeping things in order. To ease the male disability of administrating ones wardrobe, there are boxes with neat slots for cuff links and a watch. Excellent for storage and travel purposes.

Travel Wallet.
Having a hand on every travel documents during international travel can be difficult while fighting the strong forces of fatigue, stress and security check frustration. Avoiding digging through a million pockets in search of a misplaced boarding pass or sim-card can be done by storing everything in a travel wallet.

Hedi Slimane for Prada.

2009-04-10T14:17:00.000-07:00

Easter is here and in Hedi Slimane’s world everyone hunts for black and white eggs in their backyards. Don’t to be misled by the title written in true tabloid spirit, Prada have not consulted Slimane to design a collection for the Italian designer house. What the two parties have joined brains for is Prada’s SS09 campaign ad.

Ex-designer at day and photographer at night Slimane’s gloomy work of art in keeping him busy during his time away from needles, textiles and drawing boards. High contrast and deep shadows is what Prada wanted for their campaign photos and that’s exactly what they got. Artistic but punchy every single frame has what it takes to look right in an art gallery exhibiting modern photography. There is always some Yin and Yang, and for this French-Italian project the undesired package that came with putting Slime in charge of this mesmerising campaign is Dior Homme.

Miley Cyrus cannot inappropriately be used to advertise a Natalie Portman movie, it defy common sense -- the same way pouring curry sauce on vanilla ice cream would result in an unthinkable explosion of flavour in your mouth. Regardless of how powerful and handsome the photography is, Prada’s collection available in the stores is not what comes to mind at first sight. Most of the pieces advertised are in fact dark blue, and the image projected couldn’t be more different from the authoritarian runway presentation. Not much of the clothes are visible in the shots either. Dominated by head and shoulder it wouldn’t be too farfetched to assume the campaign is designed for an anti-dandruff shampoo. What Hedi and Prada have created is a fake fantasy -- but one that I wish was true.

From runway to retail.

2009-04-06T07:03:00.000-07:00

Belgium design Dries Van Noten Spring Summer 2009 collection had mercury shooting out of every fashion meter when he presented during the summer last year. With cuts delicate as fine Belgium chocolate the pieces were very handsome in the sensual blue hues dominating the collection.

Caramel coloured accessories used as a supplement to the beautiful array of blue colours added a visual punch to what can be described as a post-70s designer collection with the simplicity of the 60s. Striking of all accessories were the formal shoes with a strap of contrasting colour. Men’s shoes tend to command high price tags, creating a preference for shoes with simple appearance for all around usability with every ironed piece of clothing in the wardrobe. These are excellent shoes for anyone interested in classic but yet unique pair out shoes without excessive visual decoration.

Trendsetters IV: Greed.

2009-04-02T14:48:00.000-07:00

Satan has multiplied, and he has done so successfully. Satan is your car mechanic, your bank account manager, Mr Andersen, your neighbour and maybe even me. Wise philosophers with the same predictability powers as Nostradamus would expect the end of world to be brought by a meteoroid smashing down the Atlantic Ocean. But recent happenings in the world have showed that we are our biggest threat.

In mid 2007 the earth was the brightest planet in the universe with stock markets and property prices peaking high as Mount Everest. Logic made so much sense, house prices only went one direction, more was more and less was less. Under the soil of the beautiful grass was a very seed called greed. Bernand Madoff was an early spring bloomer in February where his rotten roots were exposed. The short trial and favourable ruling of his judge served justice right, but a big hole of emptiness was left in the hearts of his victims who are helplessly asking questions about where their invested money went. Capitalism can be a dangerous game, and if engaged in one has to play by the rule “play at your own risk”. Therefore the US government has no obligation in reimbursing any of the $65 billion Madoff mysteriously disposed off.

After high school my mother tired talking me into pursuing the academic path of becoming a doctor or reading for a finance degree. Her advice must have originated from other parents who care for their children’s education and future. Parents love saying the words “My son works for a bank.” or “My son is a doctor”. The fascination over doctors and bankers is the power that comes with those two professions. One job involves managing money while chilled gold bricks and bank notes are in a vault beneath the marble floor of the office, the other job is all about healing people. What could possibly be as or more important than life and money?? Integrity perhaps, decency, humility and other qualities that govern social morale. All those qualities don’t exist within the glass facade of AIG head quarters or the executive office that belonged to the former RBS CEO Sir Fred Goodwin.

Honour has become an alien word amongst top financial leaders of the world. Senior staff taking out obscene bonuses funded by tax money coming citizen’s who just lost their jobs, have completely tainted reputation of bankers. Only terrorists rank lower in public admiration. Disgraced AIG executives showed no curtsey and respect towards the family fathers who committed suicide over losing their jobs. One family father who’s fully alive and breathing is Michael Jackson. It has long been known that his finances are disintegrating at a faster rate than some of the cosmetic surgery that has been carried out on his face. His loyal fans are to gift him a £100 million bailout in exchange for 50 concerts in the 02 arena. In that way he will be the Jedi Knight to rescue Neverland from its imminent. But who will rescue me and you?

My appointed savour Gordon Brown held a several hours long meeting with some of the world’s most powerful men today. Although the meeting resulted in an announcement of a stimulus package for the more underdeveloped nations of the world, there was no words mentioned about a plan that would ease life for UK citizens who will be funding a considerable percentage of the stimulus package. The G20 summit has been the most expensive pre-Easter party rather than a meeting bringing about a solid action plan for turning the economy around. All the unnecessary glitz of installing Jamie Oliver as the chef for Wednesday’s dinner at No.10, inviting Naomi Campbell and JK.Rolling warrants a new description for the G20 summit because has looked more like Gordon Brown inviting 19 guys for a bloody awesome time in London.

Mr. Brown and President Obama are in fact the Easter bunnies of the moment. Maybe only they and dolphins can see the rainbows in each others’ eyes because Obama and Brown light up the minute they see each other. Other leaders at the summit don’t share the same sparkling relationship and two people who clearly not jealous are Nicholas Sarkozy and Angela Merkel who both having kept their heads sharp during the festivities leading up to today’s meeting. Blushing and getting cuddly in front of cameras will certainly not stimulate banks into start lending again.

Fine Tailoring.

2009-03-29T14:16:00.000-07:00

A common perception of made-to-measure customers a tripled chinned Citibank Hedge Fund managers sitting at his executive desk with elbows rested on a goat skin desk mat while passionately caressing his Marquis Jet card that grants them access to a Gulfstream 450. Given the colossal salaries, hedge fund managers buy tailored clothes simply because they can.

What if tailored clothes are not a luxury indulgence but a necessity for getting maximum value for your money? Finding a shirt that fits the body so perfect that you want a blow kiss to whoever made it, is like encountering Amy Winehouse zero levels of toxicity or illegal substances in her blood stream. A shirt size 38 is available in a million different configuration and colours. One shirt might have sleeves that are slight short, another shirt might be too wide in the waist while other shirt don’t have the desired cuff or collar style. Trying shirts on in shops is not for the vain or lazy as it requires removing all layers of clothing that are on the upper body and might potentially ruin ones hair style in the process. Faced with countless of ill-fitting shirts shirt, a common solution is to settle for the best of the worst.

This is where tailoring is the saviour supporting the saying “If you want something done then get it done yourself”. A tailored shirt is not just a shirt, it’s a dream turned into reality. The genie needed to turn a visionary outfit into a reality is a tailor paying attention to your every need ranging from cuff design and neck width to fabric thickness and choice of breast pocket. I had my first tailored experience at Imparali Custom Tailors on 5th Avenue in New York two months ago. In a relaxed environment I got to flick through hundreds of fabric sample and chose from a buffet of different components that make up a shirt. Forget standing on your toes trying to reach of your shirt size laying on a rack too high up in a store. In the world of tailoring all you do is stand with your arms out and let the tailor do his magic with a tape measure.

The other side of the coin of tailoring is the cost, fine tailoring is expensive. For the money conscious there is way of meeting a tailor in the middle and that’s through alterations. This is a forgotten world that shoppers often ignore. Light alterations rarely total to more than 20% of the purchase price for the shirt or suit, but the satisfaction can be worth the world. An understandable fear is that the tailor lacks craft skills to produce the desired result. Practice makes perfect and means that more experienced tailors are better than new comers on the market. Most crucial is communication, and the same principle is applied as when visiting a hairdresser. Rather than expecting the potentially big headed craftsman to magically understand your vision, make sure to emphasize several times what you want done. A dissatisfactory work is both bad for the customer and craftsman. The customer shed a tear for his ruined shirt and the tailor lose out on a customer spreading good publicity and returning for business.

Party theatrics.

2009-03-25T16:08:00.000-07:00

Anxious about an event it can be depressing realising that what’s in the closet have already been worn a million times, and the thought of chopping through crowded jungles of shop in search for something to wear makes the head spin. Women on the other hand will happily designate an entire Friday afternoon for retail hunting, forcing themselves to buy new heels although a dozen of barely used pairs are at home collecting more dust than a vacuum cleaner.

All that a man needs for an ample dose of theatrics is a bow tie. Cute as pulling the Olsen twins out of a hat, bow ties evoke exceptional smiles amongst mortals nearby. It’s very hard to go unnoticed with one tied around the neck which makes it a very powerful party prop. Add further artillery like a puppy and the result in an invisible dome of joy and peace stretching 20 meters around you. One would naturally the magic of bow ties to have has zero effect at Nobel Prize banquet or other festivities where there will be more bows than Cupid held in his entire life.

Bow ties are great feel-good-day when the sun is shining, no elements of stress are in the body and the soul is in an unjustifiable good spirit. Being mistaken for a confused individual wearing a bow tie at a wrong occasion is easily avoided by diffusing the tie in upper wear of various texture, patterns or colours. A relaxed appearance will only be achieved by wearing the right type of bow tie. Formal ties tend to have very defined cuts and hold a stiffer posture than casual bow ties which tend to be softer around the corners.

Devaluating yourself.

2009-03-22T15:04:00.000-07:00

As always fame has a tendency of trickling into overexposure. Brilliant artist and amazing music producer Kanye West dipped his toe into the deep sea of fashion a few years ago. Having occasionally demonstrated good taste in clothes, hiss addiction to fashion stardom and aspirations to influence got out of hand early this year. Bunny-hopping from show to show like a teen window shopping in every single store in a mall, Kanye excessively exhausted paparazzi photographers who had to endure him during fashion week.

Great minds think alike and so does irrational minds. The maximum publicity philosophy shared between Louis Vuitton and Kanye West suggests the two phenomenons were once conjoined twins. Having allowed the singer to use the Louis Vuitton store on 5th Avenue as a venue for his birthday, LV further devalued their brand by conceiving sneakers with Kanye. Resembling bulky sneakers an astronaut would wear playing space squash inside the International space station, slapping ones palm on the forehead followed by a disappoint head shake is the only logical reaction.

Spring is here.

2009-03-19T15:13:00.000-07:00

Blessed by not having any allergies my mood thrives on the sight of daffodils making their spring entry in this month. Ginger hair is lovely too. It reminds me of all the delights in life such as Hermes gift boxes, cinnamon and mango. Two weeks ago I had an encounter with a highly distinctive ginger haired person. The skin was pale contrasting the hair hanging long and straight like delicate violin strings. With makeup nowhere too be seen on the face this was a certified natural beauty. Fully distracted by angel face before me it didn’t take long until a cold thrill travelled from my head down my spine, informing me that this particular individual was a young man and not a woman.

Was he an alien? A drag queen maybe? Or was he an androginist? The answer is the latter. Amusingly the feminine beauties in his face rivalled that of the pretty female who accompanied him. Attracting him, it and her, the appearance of an androginist is very powerful in the way it blurs the notion of gender. Our behaviour is partially governed by the people we interact with and in most scenarios we behave differently around women than we do on a Saturday night with male comrades. Time is on a standstill when you encounter an androginist as the brain face a complex struggle between what the mind wants to see and the reality that the individual is a man. British designer Gareth Pugh advocated for the androgyny lifestyle in this latest fashion collection.

Eco-Luxury.

2009-03-14T17:00:00.000-07:00

Publically displaying concern for the state mother earth is no longer synonymous with driving out at sea on a small raft intending to hang big Greenpeace banner on oil tankers. Modern day environmental patrons responsibly pull up alongside a curb on Rodeo Drive for a few slurps of Vitamin Water while enthusiastically exchanging words with a friend using a bluetooth headset. This is all done to the sound track of a silent whine from the electric starter engine in their Prius, promising them a place in heaven for not realising any emissions at while idle.

Never before has it been so politically correct to be self-righteous about ones carbon footprint and environmental contribution to a better planet. Various segments of the luxury market have recently been infiltrated with corporate socially responsible ideas ranging from packaging made from recycled phone bills to diamonds with no traces of blood. Here are two true environmentally friendly products that are free from pompous eco marketing but full of luxury and innovation.

Ulysse Nardin Chairman

Some smile at the sight of a sun rising on the horizon early in the morning and others lighten up when they see the swinging pendulum on the back of their Patek Philippe laying pretty on the bedside table. In a few weeks 1846 lucky buyers will have an additional pendulum in their lives, but this one in an unexpected device.

Prestigious wrist watch manufacturer Ulysse Nardin will in a few weeks launch a mobile phone partially powered by a pendulum movement. More details will emerge as we get closer to the Basel watch exhibition taking place on the 26th of Mars. Named “Chairman”, corporate board members and chairmen around the world will increase their productivity generating electricity while doing embarrassing attempts in dancing at nightclubs abroad.
In the present time of phones with media playback and twittering, it would be vain to expect kinetic regeneration of this minor magnitude to possess the capabilities of powering a phone throughout a day. Due to the prematurity of the technology, only a few percentage of daily used electricity would at most come from the swinging pendulum. In spite of that, energy regeneration in cell phones is a giant pioneering leap for mankind.

Porsche Panamera

The Porsche Cayenne have been a major success selling in volumes exceeding 250 000 units but is most certainly not the four door Porsche enthusiasts have been craving for. Wives married to wealthy couldn’t be happier as the Cayenne is a bulky metal object of status with golden practically that allow transporting children to and from school. A considerable portion of the profits generated by the SUV have been used to develop the new Porsche Panamera.
Low, wide, long, muscular and with a face like a predator the Panamera has the stance of a 500kg alligator. And sure does it share the appearances of an alligator too, a discussion over the design can end in a brawl with everybody in a boardroom throwing chairs at each other. The question puzzling your head right now might be how on earth a big and brash car like this can be environmental friendly. Porsche engineers have amazingly defied common logical and made a car that’s highly efficient.

Accelerating from 0-100km/h in 4.0sec the top of the range Panamera Turbo accelerates faster than a Lamborghini Gallardo that has 520hp versus the Panamera’s 500 horse powers. Add the fact that Panamera has an interior cabin taken from a science fiction movie with space for four tall adults, there is little negativity to say of the car’s technical achievements in serving as a sports car and long distance cruiser at the same time. The capabilities of fully taking advantage of every single horse power while offering the same luxury and spaciousness as Mercedes S-Class, makes the Panamera a certified frenemy of global warming.

Outdoor protection.

2009-03-11T17:05:00.000-07:00

”Wearing it like you stole it” should be the motto written on plaques and glued to the wardrobes of sartorialist men. It’s time to stop saving clothes for so called special days, everyday you wake up alive and pour one table spoon of sugar into a bowl of cornflakes is a special day. Residing in world capitals of consumption like London, Paris, Tokyo and NY, open gates to limitless imaginations for daily wear. Small cities tend of be confined bubbles of homogenous fashion replicated by thousands of people, who’s local shopping mall offer Boss Orange and their most exclusive range of clothing. In London shyness on the same level as Pinocchio is quickly transformed into obscene level of confidence that drive women to wear skirts that are so low that escalator rides on the underground can be an arousing experience for men.

It’s a beautiful thing to see hot ashes carried by the wind from an irresponsible smoker’s cigarette, burn through your own clothes. There is not a more honourable way for clothes to die than during combat with outdoor forces. That’s after all the purpose of clothes right, to serve and protect? But what if death could have been postponed and a precious cardigan made out of Italian wool didn’t have to sustain permanent stains caused by the bearer restring his arms on sticky tables at Starbucks? Sometimes we need to think beyond what our clothes can do for us and consider what we can do for our clothes. Ryanair aircrafts are major hazards and if you’re wearing anything more precious than a sweatshirt from GAP then you should refrain from sitting next to the alley way. With Ryanair contemplating charging £1 for toilets, their services are becoming more alike travel on a cattle truck in Kazakhstan. Onboard their aircrafts fighting over the arms rests will be your least concern as you will be dodging objects in order to protect your clothes from damage like potential alkaline streaks created by stewards pushing food trolleys through the very narrow alley scraping your shoulder in the process. Simple measures like wearing a coat can protect any fine wear from unnecessary damage, especially when Ryanair most certainly wouldn’t reimburse you if your cashmere cardigan fell victim of a chain suspended on the hip of an androgynist Goth guy.

Any man reading this post in a country with distinct seasons, have faced the complication of wearing a jacket over a blazer. The three most common outcomes are 1) You feel stuffed as a Turkey, 2) The blazer gets wrinkled, 3) You look like a fool. Sherlock Holmes is a man of admirable sense who shields his suit from stains by wearing a coat. Cotton is the best choice of material, especially without any padding since it allows for all year around versatility. Such a piece allow you to sit on park benches, lean on stripper poles and other spots where suit should not get in contact with. In simple terms it gives you the peace of mind of not having to baby sit your suit in fear of smudging it down with kebab dressing. Of course not everybody need protection, hedge fund managers driven around in racing green Bentley Arnage feel safe and relaxed resting against beige leather from cows breed in Sweden.

Lanvin & Paris.

2009-03-01T17:51:00.000-08:00

In today’s world of fast media it’s easier than ever to become a hero. Upload an amusing stunt on Youtube and with luck one can become a hailed entertainer by millions of people for one week. Some clips are of such funny nature that they even earn a small blurb in foreign media and in rare cases the stunt might make it to prime time news. Back in the colonial days of the 1700s making foot prints in history was challenge to say the least.

Napoleon Bonaparte engraved his name in foundation of European history by achieving leadership excellence in his mid 20s. Using swift warfare techniques and strategies Napoleon is at the top row on the hall of fame wall for greatest military commanders of all times. Courageously proclaiming himself the emperor of France, there is no denying that only an individual of grand influence could successfully encapsulate such a position. 200 years later, Paris where he placed the crown on his head came under attack from one unexpected American. Searching on the keyword “Paris” at Google images reveal beautiful photos of the capital of France, but in the mix of all the Eifel tower photography are skimpy pictures of the one and only Paris Hilton.

How extraordinary isn’t that? An insignificant individual almost fully taking possession of a name belonging to a city that has existed for several centuries. Despite the justified despise for Paris Hilton, we should give her 7 seconds of standing ovations for the profound she has reached the highest level of celebrity status in a short time frame without any empirical talent. Maybe the heiress does deserve an ounce of respect for her peak status reached in the mid 20 just like Napoleon. Shall we proclaim the obscenely selfish brat empress of fame? With ease the conquered American tabloids and launched an invasion on the UK January this year by allying with television network ITV producing a reality TV show called “Paris Hilton's British Best Friend”.

For every 30 minutes you watch that show, 2 grams of brain cells die. ITV were utterly idiotic for producing the show with her as it’s the biggest insult to human intelligence in the history of TV broadcasting. Not even Simon Cowell, Jeremy Clarkson and Piers Morgan combined could express how disastrous the show is. Napoleons invasion to Russia was a major disaster too. He was outmanoeuvred by Alexander I, who retreated his troops while depleting Russian cities and villages of food supplies. French and allied troops continued to trout deeper into the massive landscape of Russia until cold weather and starvation began taking lives by the hour. Confused and desperate, blood thirsty Napoleon had to retreat as Russians were nowhere to be seen. His colossal army of over half a million soldiers had been reduced to less than 100 000 undernourished, ill and tired men there by marking the end of his dynasty. If prophecy is true that Paris and Napoleon are highly alike, the unsuccessful invasion of Britain will mark the end of her career forcing a retreat to exile on Hawaii.

Despite sharing name with Miss. Hilton, France’s capital is still THE Paris of the universe and a little over a week ago I was invited on the behalf of Nissan to experience the beautiful city as well as getting a previous of purposeful and cool Nissan Cube. Travelling on the Eurostar star is a dream, in a mere 2 hours and 20 minutes the train usher you from the city center of London to the city center of Paris without having to deal with a agony of air flight stress and security control. France is one of the three pillars of high-fashion and that fact was emphasized by the French passengers who travelled in first class. Forget Samsonite, arriving in Paris there were countless of gentlemen stepping out of the first class section with Damier canvas Louis Vuitton luggage. Slender female legs on the platform were covered in black stocking following the mono colour schemes which was black and more black with subtle golden details for sophisticated glamour. Editor in chief of French Vogue Carine Roitfeld is a prominent ambassador of street fashion.

Lanvin strengthened the image of French style when they showcased a highly patriotic fall/winter 2009 collection for men. Neck length accentuated in a feminine manner using feather light scarves cannot be mistaken for Italian, American or English, and neither can the boxy avant-garde cuts of clothes. Captivating deep colours like plum purple and silky materials have blended together to create the most romantic men’s collection since Valentino spring/summer2008. The originality and the purity of the designs make this the best AW 2009 collection by a large margin.

French people are polygamists as food isn’t their only love of their lives. Enjoying a delightful salmon at a restaurant, I experienced service that doesn’t exist in London restaurants except restaurant averaging £80 per customer. The respect from the waiters and the quality for the food is of that kind that earns 30% tip. Unfortunately I couldn’t return the favour properly since I slammed into wall of language barrier the second step my right foot into the restaurant and could only reply to a two sentence long welcome phrase, with a simple “Hi”. More stupidly I also got lost in an underground subway station because I had no clue what French word for exit is. My ignorance was of of that level that I almost deserved a night in jail like a revolting French man who has set to Renault Clio’s on fire. On my future visits to France I’ll have an English-French dictionary squeezed down my left jeans pocket. Until then, au revoir!

Male wellbeing.

2009-02-26T12:36:00.000-08:00

Are you tired of carrying them too, the twin Petronas towers attached to your shoulder blades? 451.62 meter of solid steel and reinforced concrete slowly sinking your spirit down to hell’s piggy bank of dimishing souls. February is the month when reality hits shoppers who forgot about the lag time from when a credit card is swiped during the January sales to the day when the first rectangular letter containing a payment request slip into the mail box. The mood is further hammered by the increasing number of redundancies on the morning papers.

Toyota was riding on the high horse last year as they surpassed GM in production, taking the throne as the largest car manufacturer in the world. Sales were climbing to new heights by ever month, shining a bright beacon of promising future for what can be described as one of the main pillars of the Japanese economy. What the crystal ball failed to tell analysts was that the happily ever period would come to an abrupt end. The senior management at Toyota have predicted bad omens for 2009 and announced that fiscal year 2008 would end in the company’s first profit in over 50 years. Many other previously highly profitable corporations have presented the financial world with red numbers in their annual reports that were issued earlier this month. Downsizing is happening across the board, from normal mom and pop stores near bankruptcy to giant multinational firms with dented profits. Suddenly buying a gift to your boss on his/her names day might be the way of securing a future at the company when it’s time for a bird to be shoved out of the nest.

This cloud of tension calls for a pause, a moment of relief and energy regeneration. Regular workouts at the gym or 2 kilometre sprint at the crack of dawn aren’t activities that fit suit everyone’s lifestyles, but an occasional visit to a health club can achieve the same euphoric climax as a weekend in a countryside spa. Some 10 minute warm-up on the treadmill followed by 30-40min of weight lifting will temporarily clear any negative thoughts on the head. Jumping into a pool afterwards for some Michael Phelps action is an excellent way of pausing time by floating a couple lengths across the pool. Best way of topping the day off is spending time in Jacuzzi for a therapeutic body treatment. The effects of these activities will leave you with the sensation of rebirth and will last for several days.

Hands are generally overlooked by men unlike women who paint their nails and store a small emergency type of lotion in their purses. Soft hands leave a memorable impression since men tend to have rough palms. With use of a hand lotion any palms can be improved to be closer to the skin of a baby’s feet. Comrades shaking your hands will feel signal of safety rushing through their bloodstream as soft hands project an image good wellbeing. Top that with a non-pretentious wrist watch like a vintage Omega watch rather than a brash Breitling Chronometer, Think more Hong Kong and less Monaco.

Some mornings are alike of a fireman hearing the alarm siren in the middle of the night, you jump out of the bed and leave at light speed without having grooming the face. A thorough facial treatment is a necessity of a fresh appearance and cannot be compensated for by compiling a smart outfit. Equally as important is a herbal facial lotion that gives a feel-good-Hollywood-glow, because happiness must prevail and for that to happen we must make an attempt in looking healthy and project a positive spirit.

Does sex still sell.

2009-02-22T15:12:00.000-08:00

Bond Street, a long corridor of fine shopping with black Mercedes S-Classes lined up across the pavement reminiscent of stranded killer whales. Inside the beach coloured interiors of the cars are patient chauffeurs awaiting their employer to return with small bags containing goods the likes of Smythsson, TOD’s and Cartier.

Opposite the well renowned Cartier store is Ralph Lauren’s flagship store that brings warmth to the world luxury retail where an ordinary experience is hearing the echo of your shoes clapping against marble floors, while sales assistant with poor attitudes are visually scanning you in search of evidence that a potential customer is standing before their eyes. A slight hint wood and amber in the air soothes the mind as the mahogany walls and greenery indoors replicates the feel of a Berkeley Square town house. Even the security guards fit in thanks to sharp and dapper outfits different from the usual security guards wearing in near disposable £45 suit from Primemark. The store assistants need no introduction as their highly inviting outfits made up of Ralph Lauren’s own clothes, makes for a worthy source for inspiration.

A few footsteps around the corner of building is a peculiar clothing retailer in a gorgeous building, which interior suggest that it previously was a bank or a governmental building. The purity and simplicity of an official governmental building has preserved on the outside, where there is nothing to suggest that it’s worth while taking a step into the open doors revealing a very dim interior. Surviving solely on word-of-mouth discovering the store happen either through the retailers website or a mention from a stoked customers. It’s the same principle as a big black birthmark on the back, fully visible it is all out in the open but until someone points it out to you, you have no idea that it’s in fact a cancer tumour. The mystery retailer is Abercrombie & Fitch.

Without the support of local advertising A&F have managed to make a name for themselves by dazzling European shoppers with a unique experience not available elsewhere. And sure is the experience unique, as their London store is a terrific place to get your wallet drained in the most rouge. The irony is that the prices in store makes RL look like a bargain. Unlike in the US where Ralph Lauren is the more expensive brand, A&F have simply switched out Dollar sign for the Sterling Pound one on the price tags. An overwhelming majority of their clothes are therefore more expensive than similar products at Ralph Lauren. Sweaters priced at £250 certainly puts the brand in the same price spectrum as Armani Exchange. Astonishingly the severely inflated price tags don’t deter customers from shopping base as the shop is crowded with spending happy tourists during summer, some days with excruciatingly long queues inside.

The popularity is well called for, how can you not want to be in a store where female store assistants are all pretty wearing low cut jeans and greet you with a cute smile, it’s heaven in there. An Olympic is advised to bring along because the darkness is beyond imaginable. Don’t kid yourselves, this store is darker than any pub or bar on earth. The darkness is so deep that what might be a green polo might surprisingly turn out to be cyan when you get to inspect it in natural light. The thumping music is blasted loudly through speakers in all areas of the shop either makes you feel good or tear your eardrums into pieces. In other words it’s a club that sell clothes instead of pint glasses with coke and Jack Daniels.

The overwhelming percentage of blond female store assistants for eye candy do encourage shopping, at the cost of their own well being. Working in near darkness with loud rock and house music that might not even be of your liking, must be very distressing. Add the lack of windows and the unbearable noise level for having a discussion with a customer or co-worker, and the store must be hells pit for the staff unless they enjoy working in such atrocious conditions. The store manger could probably not ask for more as there were an unprecedented amount of eager shoppers lined up outside the store during the first days of the Christmas sale. In fact the queue stretched well into Savile Row that’s around the bend. No other retailer in London can rival such hysteria except for Louis Vuitton which had their inventory of women’s designer bags cleared out by hundreds of East Asian visitors who were unconsciously helping the struggling London retail sector. It’s now proven that sexy sales assistants make men with big wallets shell out money as even men in their 30s feel cool and proud walking around in a T-shirt with the letters A and F on the chest. Evidently the world is a better place if retailers wouldn’t replicate the same store concept as Abercrombie & Fitch. People should be hired on the basis of their personality and experience rather than getting called in for an interview thanks to a pretty Facebook profile picture or getting a job because the human resource manager love tight their bum looks in Miss Sixy jeans.

I Luw Fashion will morph into a Pulishing corporation.

2009-02-17T13:45:00.000-08:00

Hello ladies and gents. Gratitude to you all for sticking with this blog for the period that it has existed. Before this post begins sounding like bad news I can already assure you that I will not stop writing.

Life is a long journey with heights of joy and lows of challenges, and throughout this roller-coaster chapters close and new pages are turned. From crawling we move on to walking, riding a tricycle, sliding with a mountain bike and eventually get a ticket for speeding in a VW Golf. The blog has been a mind blowing project and has expanded my horizons while giving me a purpose in life. Unfortunately I was born with only two hands and two brains and have crippled capabilities in running a growing enterprise all by myself.

Time has come to escalate things to new levels in order to keep progression in motion. With insufficient time to accomplish the day to day tasks required to sustain the momentum the blog has gained lately, I see no other option then to convert the blog into a media/publishing corporation. I have some grand and highly innovative ideas I’m working on that I hope will please those who enjoy reading this blog. In fact, the successor of I Luw Fall is already in development stage as I’m scouting for talent that will be a part of my editorial team. Expect pleasurable video content such as car reviews, not to suspect that I’m planning on challenging BBC’s Top Gear. Lots more exciting content which I cannot disclose at this moment in time. The website will be the number one stop for saratorialist men and will be launched later this year, so bare with me as blog posting might not be as frequent while I’m working on the next big thing.

Many thanks

Editor in chief

Mayor of New York Tailoring: Thom Browne.

2009-02-15T17:33:00.000-08:00

What an eventful weekend it has been, sweaty and fearful nightmares on Friday the 13th and hours of snuggling and pillow talk on Valentine ’s Day. If ‘eternal failure of boredom’ are four words that perfectly describe your weekend, whining should end at this very moment since initiative and courage can end in mind blowing ejaculation of concepts and ideas.

Abstract tailor, Thom Browne must have “life is what you make it” written on his bathroom towels as he is increasing the pulse of tailor to exciting highs. Instead of presenting his Fall Winter 2009 collection on the runway, he chose to exhibit his latest designs with captivating military cues. Those of you who’ve served the army should mentally engage reverse gear and take a drive down memory lane to the tough days of spending 24 hours a day in a regiment with coloured tooth brush as the only way of distinguish oneself from the rest.

The sleek narrow ties and asphalt grey suits are derived from 1960s New York Wall Street trader. On top is a typical cadet jacket made out of cotton with no padding, making perfect weather protection for wearing over a suit. Due to terrorism threats, the stellar attach cases are in today’s society of atrociously strict airport security control a nightmare to travel with due to their suspect appearance. Scanning through the horde of models in the hall, it doesn’t take long to realise that they are all wearing the exact same outfit, but thanks to the multiplication Thome Browne has managed to make a memorable impression.

Italian inventors.

2009-02-11T16:38:00.000-08:00

The number one Italian fashion duo has lately been very playful thinking outside the box when creating their men’s fashion lines. SS09 daunted with suit pants held to the waist using strings, mimicking what men might wear at the gym, and that sport effect was highlighted even more as the eyes roll down to the bottom where there are legs are cuffed. Experimental clothing like that ought to score the bearer major kudos at high-end health clubs in Kensington where women spend more time getting tanned and applying make-up to their faces before arriving to the health clubs than exercising.

Trendy playboys around the world have a reason to launch a countdown for autumn as Dolce & Gabbana’s flagship piece in their FW09 is kilted blazers. A few slurps of Jack Daniels followed by 5 cartwheels won’t stop the mind from rejecting what can be described as atrociously bizarre creations. When one has passed the stages of denial and acceptance, the blazer start to look interesting and become worth taking a second look at. The full circus with trousers is a bit too much for the stomach to digest but as sports coats they blazers can actually work in real life. With some slight padding, a double breasted one wouldn’t be too crazy as a summer jacket. But as formal wear there is more desire since the kilt pattern result in a heavy-duty appearance preventing the blazers from looking right at a cocktail party where everyone is dressed in sleek and glamour figure shaped tuxedos.

Keeping love locked down.

2009-02-10T11:22:00.000-08:00

Valentine ’s Day is around the corner and a secret admirer has yet to send Cupid to shot you at while you’re a sleep then it’s time to tune in the frequency of love. Dedicate this weekend to the precious Mary Jane of your life, enlighten her with a romantic and quiet bath while her heart beat echo throughout the tailed bathroom creating water ripples that rock 101 rose pedals in the bathtub. If your heart is bleeding out of love incapable of keeping you strong in the jungle of Valentine shopping frenzy of plastic roses, overpriced cards and heartbreakingly childish Hello Kitty gifts, let this list guide you to the heart of the love of your life.

Jewellery.

Diamonds are a girl’s best friend but can also be a girl’s worst kryptonite. In theory a ring with a diamond the size of Yao Ming’s right fist is the ultimate Valentine’s gift but it can be overwhelming if given to someone who love for you is equal to the size of a peanut. A customisable charm bracelet from Thomas Sabo is safe way of expressing the three magic words without going overboard.

Chocolate.

Never overlook the sense of taste. Chocolate is delicious but luxury chocolate is a threesome of intensity, flavour and pleasure. If you are in a love/hate relationship then eat the entire bottom layer before your partner has discovered that there is one.

Small items.

Marc Jacobs has publically displayed his unorthodox sexual orientation but has nonetheless managed to keep his head straight in the times of economic turbulence, and offered recession relief in the form of exceptionally well designed designer goods at humane prices. Jacobs by Marc Jacobs is the brand to look out for when shopping for affordable designer goods.

The Oscars/Working Wardrobe.

2009-02-05T10:17:00.000-08:00

Hopes of an early spring entry was shattered this Monday when angry heaven let heavy snow fall down on the UK which is already taken heavy punches in the rumble against the economic slowdown. Keeping the mood positive can’t be done by eating Cadbury’s chocolate, as adjustment of clocks for summer time isn’t scheduled until the end of March. Before then there is an important pit stop, the Academy awards.

The Oscar’s is the mount Everest of red carpet events with valleys or glamour, A-list stars and a mountain tip of goodie bags worth more than a luxury car. Leading up to award ceremony on the 22nd of February, the public is joining the circus by watching the nominated movies. Unexpectedly an overwhelming majority of the nominated pictures fall into the category of drama making an Oscar movies marathon a potentially life threatening downhill ride of boredom. IMDB has categorized Frost/Nixon as drama but in reality it is nothing alike slow paced “Revolutionary Road” that offer a melodramatic storyline curtsey of Kate Winslet and Leonardo Dicaprio who both put on powerful performances. Action movies don’t necessarily have to incorporate all the components of a Mission Impossible flick, the same way many find poker to be thrilling as American Football despite the absence of any body contact. Frost/Nixon deliver an enticing story evolving around the ego’s of two men and there’s exhilarating intellectual stimulus as seen in heist movie, that will keep you at the edge of your seat. Simplified to one sentence, it’s a man’s movie that will please those with an appetite for purposeful movie with 2 hours of 100% pleasure.

Hollywood movies are like a class trip originating from the mind of a 12 year old. Proceeding through the tunnel of approval the teacher has to give it green light before it reaches the headmaster who will require that trip is of an educational nature. Lastly there will be a parent and teachers meeting where all the grownups will get to add input and finally mould the activity to what’s “best for the children”. Sadly 12 year of Nicolas, his dream trip has been reduced to a museum visit in a city 3 hours away. Although different to some extent, most tinsel town flicks are similar in spirit and that is the reason why most movies fall short of astonishment against “Slumdog Millionaire”. The movie is a breath of fresh air in a world of over-fine tuned and constrained movies developed to entertain rather than simply tell a story. For that exact reason, some prefer reading books as they are storytelling in a pure form. Slumdog Millionaire is a captivating love story in like Romeo and Juliet packaged into a raw, simple and fee package. See it as your mother’s food that doesn’t sparkle as a meal at a top Michelin rated restaurant, but manage to accomplish the essence of food which is taste well and fill you up while maintaining high degree affordability. Try only eating out for an entire week and before you realise it, the scent of a home cooked meal smell like heaven.

Although the Slumdog Millionaire will continue to will millions of awards, Frost/Nixon is a movie to make note of as the costume design is utterly marvellous. David Frost brilliantly portrayed by Michael Sheen, presents what a brilliant work wardrobe should look like. Smart but punchy, almost every outfit worn by Frost is edgy while leaving out any pompous playboy appearance or “screw you I’m rich”-look worn by Michael Douglas in Wall Street.

Someone who’s profession demand constant wearing of shirts and suits should build up a wardrobe of 5-8 shirt. Priority number one is a pair of white shirts, one with French cuffs and the other with normal cuffs for occasions that require a comfortable or relaxed look. A light blue shirt is always a safe shirt when meeting clients and a white/blue striped shirt with white collar and cuffs is the heavy artillery to be used for demanding negotiations. The remaining shirts can be of various colours like yellow, white/green striped or even a polka dot shirt.

What women are good at is to never be satisfied. Regardless if they returned home on a Friday evening with shopping bags, they will somehow still managed to fall in love with some other new items the next week. Men don’t have the genetic love for shopping like women do, and thus they a very comfortable not buying new clothes for months if they are content with what’s in the closet. It’s not unusual to see a man wearing the same outfit for two days straight while a women who loves clothes more than husband, will rarely be seen wearing the exact same outfit two days in a row. Variety in daily attire evokes curiosity and Victoria Beckham damn sure knows a thing or two about that. A wardrobe should be like a fruit basket, every spoon put in the mouth should have a different combination of fruits compared with the previous one. First some pineapple and grape or how about banana together with papaya and strawberry, that’s delicious right?

Although most men don’t like the idea of pro-actively browsing the store for hours for something to buy for no reason at all, ties are great impulse purchases. They are affordable, easy to combine with what you existing shirts and suits but best of all ties are fun to show off. People do make note of them and the same applies to pocket squares.

The nearly dead: Gucci & Dior Homme.

2009-02-01T09:15:00.000-08:00

Dior Homme FW09

Kris Van Accshe has just recently completed his fourth collection for Dior Homme, which calls for a situation analysis of where the brand stands. One can’t down play the immense challenges and expectations a designer face when they take on the commanding role in a fashion house. With a martyr for a predecessor like Hedi Slimane, acceptance was Van Acche’s biggest obstacle as by default, everything that would bear his name would be scrutinised while Slimane received cheers and standing ovations by fans adoring his designs, photography, soul and existence.

While hustling under his own name trying to get his line off the ground the last thing Van Assche needed was another chief designer role. Only the most confident and experienced designer would successfully be able to lead two fashion houses. At a relatively young age of 32, Van Assche is quite some years short of Karl Lagerfeld’s majestic 75 years of age that have built a bank of fashion knowledge, enabling him to run his own line as well as cater to board members of Channel.

The high sophistication of his debut collection, Spring summer 2008, promised a new dawn with Dior Homme joining Dior for women on the front line of avant-garde glamour. Inexperience struck Van Assche’s spinal cord as the collections that came after, have been a big pot of insecurity, lack of creativity and Slimane heritage. Swinging between formal and punk rock appearance, it has been highly unclear in what direction Van Assche is trying to steer DH. Most eye piercing has been the sight of him casting the same models of both his own line and DH as well as featuring highly similar clothing like parachute pants for both lines. The inability to distinguish DH from his own line has been the biggest weakness which begs the questions what the CEO’s at Dior are feeling as they most likely can’t be too happy about Van Assche’s cannibalism. Fall/Winter 2009 is the most coherent DH collection in a few years which better mark a turning point as DH as the line on the EKG indicate that death is imminent.

Grade 5.5/10: Better than expected but not 100% convincing.

Gucci FW 2009

If you fancy clothes sold at ASOS, Ben Sherman or Topman then you are who Gucci’s chief designer Frida Giannini is unintentionally targeting. Her inconsistency is laughably painful with only one appealing men’s collection making its way out of her office every two years. A sexist and lazy man who can’t work the stove can probably make past meals most consistent than Giannini’s collections for men. When every she presents her male audience with an appealing collection it’s always the same old nouvéau Russian Tsar inspired designs with models wearing black eye shadow, over flimsy accessories and messy hair.

The usual dish served by her is now days are unimaginative designs that don’t speak the language of Italian high fashion. Uncoordinated colours with high familiar clothes one can find in any off the rack men’s shop. Originality is a big issue as the clothes lack originality when seen in the shops and can very easily be mistaken for clothes made by brand with zero run way presence. There is nothing Gucci about what she designs for men and will probably do a better job solely focusing on women’s wear.

Grade 2.7/10: Overly predictable mainstream designs at overly inflated price.

Fashion week rebellions.

2009-01-27T17:21:00.000-08:00

Having been painted as a potential bisexual porn star by the press last week, one would expected Kanye West to keep his head low while the swirling rumours cools off but no. Instead, he showed up at the Paris fashion week in a manner less discrete than a golden double headed dildo rolling out of a nun's pocket.

Accompanied by Mr. Bentley, the former associate and umbrella holder for P.Diddy and color combination expert, Kanye West made little or no effort sneaking into LV and Lanvin fashion show unnoticed. With an entourage of 5 brightly dressed Louis Vuitton fanboys painting the streets of Paris in eccentric crayon-like primary colours, the super star left little for imagination when it comes to high profile appearance. Farnsworth Bentley emerged as the most sensible dresser wearing a grey suit topped with a purple tie and an Hermes-cognac coloured brief case. The Golden globe for worst outfit goes to Mr. Leopard pant who terrorised street style photographers like the Sartorialist with a brash Kermit-green leather jacket. Prepare your eyes for epileptic annihilation that held Paris fashion under siege for 24 hours.

Royal dressing.

2009-01-25T13:21:00.000-08:00

Whether you are a designer, musician or a gardener you’re an artist in one way or another. The human body is a handsome canvas open to expression using body paint or the conventional matter, clothes. Used not only to shield our bodies from cold weather and harm, but what we choose to wear tell a story about ourselves or what associations we would like to carry.

Royalty posses the highest rank in manners and social behaviour, and spike admiration in many who aspire to follow in the footsteps of those who rule and conquer. Stand on the coastline and far away on the horizon you shall two shades of blue meeting and those two forces are the sea and the sky. Blue is overwhelmingly prominent colour in the grand wardrobe of a prince or King. Contrary to black that symbolise the supreme power of evil, blue project emotions of dominance and triumph. Highlights such as ties, handkerchiefs and cufflinks does a best job complimenting the outfit in burgundy or red.

Cartier Rotonde Central Chronograph

Brooks Brothers

Having served messengers, knights and lords, the horse is the animal treated with most respect. Muscular, versatile and fast it’s undeniably a valuable entity from many aspects. Standing pretty with a long tail which hair is used as strings for violin criticism is difficult to fabricate while the elegance and grace leaves plenty to admire. Safari cargo pants are common amongst tourists during the summer which makes jockey fashion acceptable.

Tom Ford

Big is beautiful and the Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupe is big, beautiful and magnificent. Much larger than pictures can tell the car is more like a land vessel than a car, due to the commanding size it’s guided through the traffic rather than driven. Complete with a full leather interior that can be specified to more colour than a blind dog can dream off, the Roller is an extraordinary as a luxury car can be.

Fall/Winter collections 2009 are dominated by thrilling double breasted suits unlike previous season where double breasted blazers were a niche. In 7 months the assortment will be supreme, allowing for a life time purchase of this authoritative clothing. A short cut is advised for a more slender and youthful appearance rather than one of traditional length seen worn by men in their 60s. Since I like living ahead of my time I coincidentally acquired a fine double breasted blazer by Aquascotum last week, joining the trend before it hit the retail stores.

Moschino

Versace

Dolce & Gabbana

Zegna

Emporio Armani & Prada

Myself - iluwfashion

Vacation time: Sweden & USA

2009-01-23T16:58:00.000-08:00

As you might or might not know, this is a one man blog. Since it’s not thrusted by the same manpower as Condé Nast. Therefore a slow down shall be expected when I’m unable to dedicate my full passion and energy to the blog. I turned 22 on Tuesday this week so in 4 hours I’ll be heading to Sweden for a short visit to the family for a small function and festivity. Then I’ll return to London for a short pit stop before two Rolls-Royce engines sweep me across the Atlantic Ocean all the way to New York City. My Dell laptop will obviously be with me throughout out these trips so I’ll make sure to post whenever time allows me to.

Itinerary
24th -27th Jan: Gothenburg
27th-29th Jan: London
29th Jan -4th Feb: New York
4th Feb: Back in London

Thanks a lot for tuning in!

Finishing touches: Ferragamo Money Clips.

2009-01-22T15:15:00.000-08:00

People with an athletic background in team sports have probably heard the saying ”A chain is only strong as its weakest link”. Not only does it apply in team sports and engineering but also to fashion. Regardless if you look more striking than Cinderella does at 23:59pm, whatever strengths are in your appearance will collapse like a house made out of a deck of cards if undressing your feet reveal half dirty sports socks will a holes under the heel. Such a negative sight will engrave itself in people’s brain harder than any positive memory they might have of you. Never under estimate the power of bad publicity.

Money is money regardless of appearance but how money is presented reflect an individual’s tidiness and organisational skills. Reaching down your left jeans pocket for a bundle of wrinkled bank notes tangled up in receipts will make any cashier shake their head in dismay as they will have to straighten out the mishandled notes. These money clips from Ferragamo are an excellent way of keeping exposed bank noted neat and easily accessible.

The 44th President of the USA.

2009-01-20T07:10:00.000-08:00

Man of the hour, Barack Obama is holding worldwide media under siege, awaiting to be sworn in as President in less than two hours. Millions of people around the world are sitting patiently in front of their television cherishing important moment in the history of democracy.

The influence and power of Obama’s victory has left no one affected with the Obama effect rippling through to all corners of the globe. Fashion has also been touched as a group of designers have sketched formal attire that would elevate Obama’s presence at all the balls he will be attending after the inauguration.