It might be odd to think that something as angular as this tote is called the Rocking Horse. The name actually refers to the line’s initial bag designs constructed with a curved base that allows them to easily rock like a rocking horse, and are distinguished by the “b” closure. Its tote incarnation keeps things classic with a briefcase-like silhouette for some serious corporate-appropriate style chops.
We could all do with some added height and when it comes to heeled boots, hardly anything comes close to Hedi Slimane’s versions for CELINE. These are cut in a familiar Chelsea shape for fuss-free slipping in and off and the pointed toes immediately help to elongate the legs further. Also, peep that subtle Triomphe branding right at the ankle—an extra touch of if-you-know-you-know branding.
Gucci’s connection with London’s The Savoy goes all the way back to when founder Guccio Gucci worked as a porter at the famed hotel. The experience prompted him to found his own luggage atelier upon his return to Florence (no guesses what that eventually turned into). This cabin trolley is a nod to the very beginnings of Gucci, but of course, updated with wheels and a telescopic handle. When not in use, it makes for quite an ornamental interior piece much like a classic travel trunk.
Nothing comes close to being as classic and unbelievably versatile as a pair of leather lace-ups. You’d easily be able to dress them up or down and they go with just about anything. Tod’s may be known for its pebble-soled Gomminos but the comfort of its footwear translates even to something as sturdy as a pair of leather lace-ups. The lugged rubber sole gives it a more contemporary flair and traipses the line between formal and casual seamlessly.
The TUDOR Black Bay is an icon. And like most icons, it requires little tweaking. This latest iteration keeps all the design aesthetics with a monochromatic intent that successfully highlights every detail to perfection. The black sunburst dial is undoubtedly subtle but perfect for a timepiece you would want to put on every day, for any occasion.
RIMOWA’s Personal crossbody bag receives a new seasonal colour in a stunning shade of emerald green, and it’s quite honestly one of the more eye-catching shades in its aluminium series yet. The shell is wrapped around leather straps in a darker shade of green that matches the leather interior, and the palladium hardware contrasts beautifully against the rich hue. It could be an intimidating colour to wear but match this with neutrals for a surefire way of pulling it off.
With an Art Deco-inspired bottle design, you would think that Penhaligon’s The Dandy is somewhat of a traditional, masculine fragrance—heavy, woody and mildly overbearing to most. Yet, the fragrance surprises by being woody without that heavy lingering of intensity. The hints of warm, spicy notes cut through slightly after a while for a more balanced take on a liquor-forward scent. The Dandy is definitely more of an evening scent but its lightweight quality could just as easily be used in the day too.
Never underestimate the power of a scarf, especially one with hand-rolled trims and in colours that will never go out of style. Loro Piana updates the paisley print with bold, stark lines for a more elevated look. It’s a cashmere-silk blend that’s incredibly lightweight yet will definitely provide some warmth should you need it; or wear it loosely around the neck (in as many permutations as you could think of) to simply add a touch of irreverent elegance to an outfit.
The beauty of a Loewe candle is that the moment the wax completely burns off, the ceramic vessel can be used in a myriad of ways, all while looking like a piece of art. The latest Wasabi scent is one of the line’s more intense offerings with its green and spicy notes reminiscent of that first whiff of a spoonful of wasabi. Fair warning: this may make you crave for some sushi.
Yes, you don’t necessarily need a card case any more since everything is pretty much be done with your mobile. But neither do you need a watch nowadays too. It’s all about the aesthetics and this piece by Saint Laurent is a slim iteration with four card slots (just right). It also comes with a detachable strap you’d able to secure around a belt loop or wear around the neck as an accessory. The design is clever—the card slots are enveloped within a leather housing for added security.
Photography: Jaya Khidir
Styling: Asri Jasman
Photography Assistants: Aliy Alam and Syed Abdullah
New York Fashion Week goes by fast with a number of emerging as well as established brands packing up the schedule this time around. Quintessential American brand Coach—a brand experiencing a resurgence on social media thanks to its latest slate of leather bags—is readying its co-ed Spring 2025 runway show, hoping to capitalise on the moment.
Creative director Stuart Vevers has been at the helm of the brand for more than 10 years now and consistently taps on the spirit of New York City, combining it with the fervour and artistry of its famed inhabitants as well as offering newness for a wide range of audience. It does seem like (and rightly so) that the Spring 2025 collection will be in the same vein as previous collections and perhaps with a slight skater vibe as seen in teasers. What's to definitely look out for though are the leather bags that could potentially spark another uptick in demand in the upcoming season.
For confirmation of what the Coach Spring 2025 collection will look like, stay tuned for the show this Tuesday live from New York Fashion Week.
What: Coach Spring 2025 runway show
Where: New York City
When: Tuesday, 10 September 2024 at 4am Singapore time
Correct me if I'm wrong but it's hard to find truly wearable merchandise these days. Most of them come off as tacky or cringeworthy, with oversized brand logos splashed across the entire piece... I can't describe any further but if that's relatable, lemme introduce a collection from Desa Potato Head that's actually wearable and stylish. And believe it or not, it's from a hotel (I'm still mildly traumatised by those ClubMed shirts that I wore as a kid so my parents could keep track of me, IYKYK.)
Named one of the World's 50 Best Hotels of 2023, Desa Potato Head is more than just a hotel—it's a creative hub where music, art, food, and wellness converge. Set on the shores of Bali's Petitenget Beach, the 225-room hotel has built a global reputation as a lifestyle and hospitality leader that's now branching into sustainable merchandise.
At the helm of this new venture is Lisa Yamai, the former president and creative director of Snow Peak, who will be bringing her expertise in product development, creative direction and branding to Potato Head. As chief product officer, Yamai is working to bring the hotel's vision to life through its product line.
Potato Head invites customers to bring a piece of the Desa experience with them wherever they go, embodying the brand's distinctive way of life. The collection's prints and graphic designs capture their ethos, "Good Times, Do Good", blending elements of music, art, design, and wellness to reflect the hotel's vibrant and multifaceted identity.
The line includes printed shirts, shorts, beachwear, and rainy season gear, all made from recyclable, bio-based, and organic materials. This eco-conscious approach highlights Potato Head's commitment to making a positive impact, without sacrificing style or quality.
Priced from USD52, the collection will be available at Desa Potato Head and online.
When TOMORROW X TOGETHER made their way to Paris for the closing of the Fashion Week Men's Autumn/Winter 2024 show season in January this year, they were given the complete Dior experience. The quintet did the usual touristy things—visiting the Louvre and strolling around the Seine—but also had the opportunity to visit La Galerie Dior, the exhibition space located within the House's iconic 30 Avenue Montaigne address.
Throughout their adventures around Paris, TOMORROW X TOGETHER were dressed completely in Dior Men, ranging from artistic director Kim Jones' more casual streetwear-leaning proposals to impeccable tailoring that stayed true to the haute couture spirit of the House. The latter was on elegant display as the group entered (to a cacophony of screams and camera clicks, no less) the show space of the Dior Men Winter 2024 runway show at Paris' École Militaire in the city's seventh arrondissement.
TOMORROW X TOGETHER's outfits were a calculated move, both by the group as well as the House. Tapping on his own personal experiences and roots—as he often does time and time again at Dior Men—Jones' inspiration for the Dior Men Winter 2024 collection revolved around the perceived reality of a ballet dancer's life versus the actual reality of it. The ballet dancer in question is Soviet-born Rudolf Nureyev, one of the most renowned male ballet dancers in the world and just so happens to be a friend of Jones' uncle, photographer and former ballet dancer Colin Jones.
Before delving deeper into the inspiration behind the Dior Men Winter 2024 collection, it's important to note that the very beginnings of the collection was an exploration of Monsieur Dior's own relationship with ballet. English ballerina Margot Fonteyn is said to have first discovered the house of Dior in 1948 while on a trip to Paris and became a fan of its creations. A friendship with Monsieur Dior naturally developed and Fonteyn often chose to wear Dior on numerous occasions.
This is where an almost unbelievable happenstance begins. Fonteyn's most famous dance partner is none other than Nureyev—effectively linking Monsieur Dior and Jones in the most amazing way.
"When Colin became a photographer, he maintained strong links to the ballet world and, in 1966, Time Life asked him to document a day in the life of Nureyev, regarded by some as the greatest male ballet dancer of his generation. Bonded through their shared history and mutual sense of fun and mischief, the pair went on to forge a great friendship," explains Jones.
The resulting Dior Men Winter 2024 is one of contrasts: the difference between ready-to-wear and couture, between onstage and backstage, and between the life of Nureyev theatrically and in reality. "Here, it is a meeting of the dancer's style with that of the Dior archive," expresses Jones.
There's no doubt that Jones is already more than familiar with crafting from points of contrasts. His oeuvre at Dior Men has always been merging elegant signatures from the archives with contemporary stylings. The Winter 2024 collection takes references from Saint Laurent's time at Dior, translating the late designer's tailored volumes, vents, pleats and necklines. The iconic Bar jacket created by Monsieur Dior is contextualised once again, this time, combined with Jones' very own Oblique tailoring.
While the runway collection is imbued with more extravagant flounces as well as the debut of Dior Men's haute couture—as nods to Nureyev's theatrical career—the dramatic flair as seen on TOMORROW X TOGETHER are more nuanced. '60s- and '70s-inspired tailoring are cut with a rigid straightforwardness, especially in the single-breasted variations, that are then paired with gently flared trousers. Conversely, the collection's more commercial pieces lend a more streetwear air. Take this as the contemporary equivalent of a dancer's off-duty look with slouchy cardigans and hoodies worn over essential white T-shirts and paired with the roomiest of trousers.
It may be a stretch to compare the duality of Nureyev's life with that of TOMORROW X TOGETHER's, given that the former didn't have to contend with the accessibility of social media and in turn, the almost instant, global fame achieved by TOMORROW X TOGETHER. Yet, what remains a similarity is in the versatility and adaptability of both to weave in and out of their lives onstage and off that echo that contrast of two opposing worlds within the Dior Men Winter 2024 collection.
Photography: Brett Lloyd
Animation: Joan Tai
London is a city of manifold facets, and there's a home-grown fashion brand that represents every last one. On occasion, they align—taking the city's fluid, mutable nature as inspiration. The latest example of such a collab is between the respective figureheads of the metropolis' punk and skateboarding subcultures: Vivienne Westwood and Palace.
Following a teaser simultaneously posted by both brands' Instagram accounts, a lookbook shot by Shoichi Aoki (founder of FRUITS magazine) for the incoming drop—what's seemingly the first of a series of collections—has revealed its vibe.
Suitably, it's very Camden x Southbank.
For those who reside outside the M25, that means oversized graphic tees and shirts styled with slightly slouchy utilitarian trousers and conspicuously avant-garde accessories; co-ord denim, co-ord tartan and co-ord graphic sweats; and lots and lots of opportunity for layering. This is England, remember.
“This collection is a true reflection of our shared values and influences,” says Palace co-founder Gareth Skewis, “bringing together two distinct perspectives united by a common ground of independent thought, all with a uniquely London twist.”
“It felt natural for us to join forces, it was a very playful exercise,” adds Vivienne Westwood's creative director, Andreas Kronthaler.
The sharp-eyed will spot that the collection is littered with Palace and Westwood earmarks of past and present. Of course, the Vivienne orb makes several appearances; as does the Palace triangle.
Beyond that, the nods are more obscure. For example, a print named "salon" that harks back to Vivienne Westwood SS92 decorates several pieces, including a Gore-Tex jacket made ready for wandering through bustling markets and strolling beside the Thames this autumn.
Palace x Vivienne Westwood launches in the brands' respective boutiques—including their webstores.
Originally published on Esquire UK
Everything about Liam Gallagher is suddenly hot news. As announced last week, the famously opinionated Mancunian Brit-pop tearaway will heal a famous 15-year rift with his brother Noel and go back on tour with Oasis in 2025. In the UK and around the world, news of an end to the most notorious sibling rivalry since records began is driving a positive meme storm as fans adjust to the new and unfamiliar reality.
Gallagher may have softened a bit since the ’90s, when Oasis was the defining—and defiant—voice of the decade. But one thing he hasn’t softened on is his love for Stone Island, the Italian brand that has been part and parcel of Britain’s urban DNA since the mid-1980s. And as if to underline it, Gallagher is the official frontman for the brand’s latest billboard and media campaign, shot by David Sims. (Art-directed by Ferdinando Verderi, this campaign—which launched in spring of 2024—is an evolution of the iconic creative work made by Nick Griffiths and Simon Foxton in concert with brand director Sabina Rivetti, which was a Stone Island staple from 2008 to 2023.)
Shot against industrial white, Gallagher is dressed in a well-used Stone Island archival anorak, made of cotton canvas coated in thick, matte PVC, that dates to Stone Island’s second or third season. That’s 1983, by the way. Were it not for the obvious signs of wear, Gallagher’s anorak might easily pass for a piece from last winter’s collection. That’s 2023.
Because as a slice of urban mythology, Stone Island has always evolved at its own speed, on its own terms, and with a middle finger perennially cocked at capital “F” fashion. Die-hard fans would argue—and we’re inclined to agree—that it isn’t a fashion brand at all.
Launched in 1982 by streetwear visionary Massimo Osti, Stone Island (along with its progenitor, CP Company, founded in 1971) established a new way of making clothes and an entirely different way of thinking about getting dressed amidst a one-dimensional Italian fashion industry that was all about tailored, patrician cool.
In Europe—and in Italy and the UK particularly—the clothing resonated quickly and deeply on the street. It was expensive and hard to come by, which only added to its cachet. Distinct from mainstream fashion, it was an industrial uniform of sorts, recognisable to those in the know—a hardcore “Stoney” cognoscenti that now, all these years later, ranges from slim 20-year-olds up to paunchy men in their 60s.
Everything for Stone Island is about the product rather than trends. There are two factors that matter: design and textile research. The garments emulate the functionality of military and industrial clothing rather than the predictable suit and tie, and they’re made from highly specialised performance fabrics and finishes dreamed up in-house and unavailable from anyone else.
Since 2020, the 42-year-old brand has been owned by Moncler’s Remo Ruffini, functioning as a separate entity but benefitting from the broader infrastructure and marketing reach of the Moncler group. Creatively, little has changed. Longtime owner Carlo Rivetti, who came on board in the early ’80s, is still chairman of the board, helping preserve the fashion-outsider vibe while cultivating a larger audience, especially in the US. In the campaign, Gallagher is joined by actor Russell Tovey, DJ Peggy Gou and musician Sage Elsesser, suggesting that the brand still has the bona fides to onboard new generations without alienating the diehards.
Read on for Gallagher’s Q&A with the Stoney folks, pulled directly from the new campaign.
Question 21 of 100
What do you collect?
Just souls.
Question 28 of 100
What is your favorite season?
Football season.
Question 29 of 100
What is your favorite time of day?
I get up at four or five in the morning. Then I’m just waiting for something fucking spectacular to happen.
Question 36 of 100
What is your favorite city in the world?
Manchester City. And Manchester the city.
Question 38 of 100
Do you prefer the desert, forest, mountain, or beach?
Any of them as long as there’s a cheeky little bar.
Question 39 of 100
What advice would you give your younger self?
Life’s been great. It’s had its ups and downs. But at the end of the day, you are playing it.
Question 75 of 100
Classic or modern or both?
All this news stuff doesn’t do it for me. It all stems from the past, which is classic.
Question 76 of 100
What do you eat for breakfast?
I have porridge for breakfast, then if I’m feeling really rock ’n’ roll I’ll have some almonds on it and a bit of honey.
Question 80 of 100
What are you grateful for?
Everything. I fucking love being alive. It’s amazing.
Originally published on Esquire UK
Noel Gallagher once claimed you could tell how many drugs Oasis were on by the clothes they wore on stage. The more ridiculous the coats, the greater the cocaine intake.
Liam Gallagher took a different view.
“I’m me in the supermarket,” he said. “The same clothes, the same haircut, the same shades on, when I’m fucking gardening or picking the kids up from school or dropping ’em off. I’m the same, there’s no double-life. I am what I am.”
It wouldn’t be hard to take issue with Gallagher Jnr’s dress sense over the last 30 years—there have been quite a lot of bad clothes, bad haircuts, bad shades and bad gear you’d think twice about wearing to the supermarket, doing the gardening in, let along picking the kids up from school or dropping them off. But it would be a brave soul who’d argue against Liam’s influenced on fashion for the British male.
For a significant swathe of men, the Oasis singer’s mod-adjacent “parka monkey” look has become Route One to effortless cool. Seasons come and seasons go, but there is a corner of an England that will forever be Knebworth, 1996.
And with some judicious editing of three decades worth of Liam’s photographs, there’s plenty of evidence to suggest that—yeah, on his good days, Liam looked pretty cool, actually.
He is what he is.
And you can’t really argue with that.
Originally published on Esquire UK
Michael Keaton knows a thing or two about wearing black. He is Batman, after all. This week at the Venice Film Festival, though, he wasn't repping the Caped Crusader but another creature of the night: the ghost with the most, accomplished "bio-exorcist," and returning big-screen star Betelgeuse. Still, at the photo-call for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Keaton hosted a master class on how to pull off one of the trickier stunts in the menswear repertoire and dress up a black shirt.
The secret to Keaton's success? He zagged where others zig. Most of the time, when you see an actor on the red carpet wearing a black shirt, he's opted for a black dress shirt in crisp, somewhat sheeny cotton poplin. Keaton, on the other hand, paired his textured sport coat and drawstring trousers with a black polo shirt. It made all the difference.
Yes, as we have acknowledged in the past, a black dress shirt can occasionally look fantastic. But it can also make you look like you're about to seat a four-top at the local Italian joint that overcharges for shaken martinis and microwaved eggplant parm. Making it work is a pro-level move, is what we're saying.
Dressing up a black polo shirt, though? That's a cinch. You simply... wear it. And pair it with an outfit that lends it more gravitas than, say, something you'd wear to down a couple daytime G&Ts with the boys at the country club. So skip the brass-button blazer and chinos and take your cues from Keaton. Darker colours and a tonal palette create a more elevated vibe, while a healthy infusion of texture is a nice way to lean into the literal feel of a polo, which is often made from nubby cotton piqué. (This is not the time for some stretchy "performance" material) And since you remember you can only get so dressy when a polo shirt is involved, feel free to do as Keaton does and anchor the whole look with classic black sneakers.
You may not be Batman or Betelgeuse, but trust us: You can absolutely be the person who wears a black polo shirt as well as the man who's played them both.
Originally published on Esquire US
We've long been accustomed to Western and European influences dominating pop culture and fashion. However, in recent years, Asian cultures have made profound impacts. They have steadily carved out their own distinctive niches. K-pop and anime have exploded in popularity, showcasing the nuanced aesthetics of traditional and contemporary Asian design. Chinese social media platforms like Douyin (Chinese TikTok) and Little Red Book (Xiao Hong Shu) are also driving this cultural shift, further amplifying Asia's influence. These platforms are shaping global trends and influencing consumer behaviour.
As you explore this list of Asian menswear brands, you'll find yourself immersed in a new world of fashion. There's no mere mimicking of Western styles; instead, it is a pioneering of unique and innovative approaches ripe for exploration and appreciation.
Post Archive Faction (PAF), a South Korean brand founded in 2018, is known for its utilitarian garments made from performance-specific materials. However, labelling it simply as an outdoor brand would not do it justice. PAF offers more than practical clothing, which likely led to it being shortlisted for the LVMH Prize in 2021.
The brand has showcased at Paris Fashion Week and launched a collaboration with Off-White, partnering with the late Virgil Abloh. Its "left, right and centre" approach to collections stands out the most, inspired by South Korea's political system. Each collection features a numbering system, indicating updates to previous models and designs.
Established in 2021 by Kartik Kumar, Kartik Research is an artisanal brand based in New Delhi, India. With a mission to "reintroduce humanness into clothing," it counters fast fashion's overproduction by prioritising craftsmanship and quality. Its collection showcases a human touch, with handcrafted shirting and quilts dyed using plants and herbs. Each piece bears hand-stitched embroidered details, embodying uniqueness and imperfection. Kartik Research strives to revive forgotten Indian craftsmanship, offering a blend of heritage and contemporary aesthetics.
Each collection draws inspiration from a subculture within India's heritage. The latest Autumn/Winter 2024 collection titled "Delhi-Jodhpur", explores the fractured dialogue of India. The collection blends emotional connections to India's past with optimism for its future. Shot at a sandstone mine in Jodhpur, it symbolises this dialogue, juxtaposing the aesthetic utopia of the past with the realities of modern commerce.
After graduating from Central Saint Martins in London, Taiga Takahashi moved to New York to hone his skills. Starting with cloth and textile, he expanded his practice to include sculpture, architecture, installation, and performance. Takahashi's work embodies a philosophy inspired by the ancient Japanese sense of beauty, refined through time and historical relics.
Describing himself as a "sartorial archaeologist," he draws inspiration from his extensive archive of American garments spanning the 18th to 20th centuries. In his designs, he transforms elements from these archives with each garment telling its own unique story.
In his art, cloth serves as a canvas where craft, design, history, and art converge seamlessly. This concept drove him to found his label T.T Gion in New York in 2017, and later established an integrated Kyoto-based art space and Tea Ceremony in December 2021.
Unfortunately, Takahashi passed away unexpectedly in the spring of 2022. His team continues his legacy, designing garments that draw from the past, are made for the present, and will endure into the future.
Doublet, the streetwear brand founded by Masayuki Ino in 2012, won the LVMH Grand Prize in 2018. Its debut Spring/Summer collection was unveiled in 2013, featuring casual daily wear infused with a sense of uniqueness. The novelty and unique details enhance the avant-garde and distinctly Japanese character of its designs.
The brand has showcased its collections at Tokyo Fashion Week and, as of summer 2022, Paris Fashion Week. Doublet has 25 stockists worldwide including Dover Street Market. Despite the fast-growing presence of the brand, it manages to maintain its relatively underground presence.
In 2016, Liu Dan Xia (Dan) and Shan Peng Wong (Shan) founded Danshan. The design duo strive to disregard gender archetypes and instead explore what is beneath the façade of machoism and strength. Danshan delves into the nuanced aspects of contemporary male existence, dissecting the evolution of male body language and investigating methods to imbue a masculine silhouette with femininity, all while respecting the traditional boundaries of menswear.
Growing up during the era of the "Single Child policy" in China, where sons were often favoured, Dan was raised as a boy by her family until the age of 12 due to societal pressures. Her unorthodox upbringing profoundly influences the brand's ethos, manifesting in garments crafted from "softer" fabrics traditionally associated with femininity.
Launched in 2021 by designer Hung La, Lựu Đạn emerged during the George Floyd protests and Stop Asian Hate movement. The brand delves into the intricacies of Asian identity, symbolised by its name, which combines "pomegranate" and "bullet" in Vietnamese to signify a "dangerous man." Embracing rich-coloured palettes, nostalgic prints, and bold silhouettes, Lựu Đạn pays homage to heritage while celebrating new legacies within its community. Celebrities like Billie Eilish, Justin Bieber, K-pop idols such as Felix (Stray Kids) and Heesung (Enhypen) have been spotted wearing Lựu Đạn.
Born and raised in Taiwan, Peng Tai graduated from the London College of Fashion in 2017 and moved to Paris. His eponymous brand actively explores the relationship between nature, humans, and cities, featuring two distinct lines: the main line and the "meditation room." His design philosophy, deeply rooted in the ancient Chinese principles of yin-yang and the five elements, seeks a precise balance.
Incorporating the five elements—earth, wood, metal, fire, and water—Peng Tai aims to achieve harmony through balanced design. The meditation room line leverages the power of Chinese medicine, using fabrics dyed with Chinese herbal medicine to blend traditional wisdom with contemporary fashion.
Established in 2019 by Danish streetwear enthusiast Tobias Billetoft and Korean designer Sangchan Lee, HGBB STUDIO seamlessly blends regional influences, reflecting their shared ideals. The collections are rooted in utilitarian shapes, enhanced with stylistic flourishes in fabric and detail.
HGBB STUDIO aims to transcend the "visual expression" of established brands by addressing rapidly changing trends and catering to a trend-oriented generation. They strive to carve out a unique identity through diverse projects and collaborations with independent partners.
Phyn Studio epitomises contemporary streetwear with its effortlessly cool vibe and a focus on gender fluidity, crafted by designer Phoenix Tan. Recently, the brand partnered with Levi’s for an upcycle denim workshop, transforming old denim into unique accessories. Tan also curates projects like Morph by Phyn, which deconstructs and reconstructs objects into new forms. Additionally, Phyn Studio collaborated on a capsule line for the 2022 Hennessy x NBA partnership.
Josh Tirados, a Filipino-born, Singapore-based designer and multidisciplinary artist, debuted his gender-neutral label last year with the collection 01-Anino. Working with deadstock fabrics, Tirados handcrafts nearly all his garments. His creations are often characterised as romantic workwear with subtle sensuality, influenced by his background in the Japanese dance form Butoh. They showcase neutral earthy tones, meticulous tailoring, and rustic textures. Alongside his clothing line, Tirados also designs his own jewellery and accessories.
British designer Clare Waight Keller has logged time at some of the biggest fashion brands in the world. Born in Birmingham, England, she moved to New York to work on lifestyle labels like Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein and eventually to Paris to oversee artistic direction at luxury houses Chloé and Givenchy. But when she struck up a partnership with Uniqlo in 2023 to create the Uniqlo : C collection for the juggernaut Japanese brand, she pulled inspiration from somewhere closer to home.
“The start of Uniqlo : C really came out of me working on a collection that was really inspired by Europe, and London in particular,” she explains. “I think because I’ve worked for so many different companies, I wanted a place that really expressed me more than anything. The portrayal of fashion that I really love is so much more about style than the idea of always having cutting-edge pieces. It’s about this sense of timelessness mixed with modernity, and London always has had that for me.”
Prior seasons of C have focused on different neighbourhoods around the English capital; for Autumn 2024, Waight Keller looked to the Barbican Center, a brutalist performing-arts centre that opened in 1982. “I’ve always had a fascination with the Barbican,” she says. “I wanted to just bring in the architecture, the brutalist nature, the fact that it is kind of a city within a city—it really sort of expresses something interesting.”
(UNIQLO)
The result is a collection of pieces that blend Waight Keller’s signature softness with sharp, architectural lines and a muted colour palette punctuated by plaids and checks. Each piece, from a stand-collar parka to a flowing pair of trousers, can be easily mixed and matched with pretty much everything else in the lineup. And most exciting for us here at Esquire, the collection for the first time includes a full array of menswear, with prices ranging from USD40 to USD130. (This isn’t to say shoppers shouldn’t consider buying from both sides of the proverbial aisle. In fact, Waight Keller encourages it, especially with oversized outerwear.)
We caught up with Waight Keller to talk about the collection’s highlights, why she decided to dive into menswear this time, and the one category she was particularly pleased to add to the offering this season. Read a few (condensed and edited) highlights from our conversation.
Because I’ve done menswear in the past, it was always in the back of my mind it would be great to do it, and especially with a company such as Uniqlo, which has a strength in menswear. What’s been fascinating to me over the last few seasons is you just see how much of the product crosses over. I often hear from the mainline collection how much product women shop in menswear and vice versa.
It felt natural to me to branch into menswear, but especially after launching the last couple of collections, we got so many requests through my social media, Uniqlo’s social media, through the online portal… “When’s menswear coming? When’s menswear coming?” It felt like there was a real need for it. In a way, actually, I didn’t push the conversation; it just came to us. It felt like a very natural thing to evolve into men’s.
(UNIQLO)
You become a lot more aware of how real people are dressing in real life. I really love that, because that’s a part of what I used to like injecting into my collections anyway. For me, it’s sort of tapping even more into an area, which I really think is the way forward in fashion. The reality is that it’s on the street, it’s what everybody’s wearing today, and though we have to keep pushing things forward constantly, the real excitement for me is the fact that so many people can wear this collection. It’s so accessible.
I suppose my specific reference comes from British roots, but also it has a softness. As a designer, I’ve been known to have a slight, soft hand in the way I develop my design narrative. I think there is that element of it, even with the menswear, especially this season—like this soft, sort of felted knitted jacket. It harks back to my knitwear heritage [as prior artistic director of Pringle of Scotland], but it’s the idea of this tailoring piece but completely like a cardigan. Then the long parka, which is ultra-ultra-lightweight, so it’s almost the same weight as something that you might find in womenswear. It doesn’t have as much heft, but it’s just the same warmth. It’s those touches of bringing in things that are much more from my point of view and differentiate from what Uniqlo U is doing and what JW Anderson does.
(UNIQLO)
I really hope that the menswear expands even further. I really do think what Uniqlo : C does, and all the collaborations at Uniqlo, is bringing that perspective of a fashion-centric capsule to the big brand that Uniqlo is, one that sells the best basics and the really great classic items. It’s a layer of a fashion focus. I like the fact that it’s a drop. It comes in, and it goes out, and these things are just there for a moment in time. I think between all of the designers that work with Uniqlo and what we do, expanding the menswear even further and making a bit more of a fashion statement in menswear is really key. I’m really excited to grow that even further.
This season is the first time we’re launching any kind of footwear. For me, that was a really important part of finishing the look. We have these monochromatic black and white sneakers—natural sole, low cut, almost like a classic military sneaker. I think there’s that sort of essence of it, coming from a timeless origin and then brought into this new language with Uniqlo : C. It finishes the look both on the men’s and the women’s; they’re completely unisex. I’ve worn them as well. Really, really comfortable.
Originally published on Esquire US
What began as a simple e-commerce venture has now expanded into over five stores in Singapore, with branches reaching Japan, the Philippines, and most recently, Thailand. Beyond The Vines makes its debut in the country's capital with the opening of the Beyond The Vines Design House in CentralWorld Bangkok, a milestone that marks a significant step forward in the brand's ongoing evolution and global expansion.
This new 3,500-square-foot space in CentralWorld Bangkok is not only the brand's first Design House but also its largest store to date. Staying true to its signature style, the store features playful geometric shapes, bold colours and clean lines. The Design House presents an elevated concept, utilising innovative materials and interactive elements that embody the brand's forward-thinking ethos.
The space exudes a modern and dynamic atmosphere, blending industrial elements like brushed stainless steel and original concrete walls. It also explores a variety of materials, including EPDM, raw plywood, and glossy tiles for flooring. The brand's signature use of clear polycarbonate twin wall sheets add depth and texture, enhancing the overall design.
This milestone coincides with the launch of Beyond The Vines' latest iteration of its popular Dumpling bag. First introduced in 2019, the Dumpling bag is crafted to perfectly balance style and functionality. The new Denim Dumpling bag maintains the classic silhouette while introducing a new material for the series for the first time since it was launched. The Denim Dumpling bag is available in two distinct finishes—wash and foil—for a truly new take that sets it apart from the rest.
The Beyond The Vines Denim Dumpling bags are now available in all stores and globally online.
For his first menswear collection for Gucci, creative director Sabato De Sarno focused on strengthening house codes seen through a more modern lens. The Autumn/Winter 2024 menswear collection saw accessories making their own statements—distinct in form yet not brashly shouting to be heard. Dressed in the House's now signature Rosso Ancora shade, staples like the Double G belt and the Horsebit loafers-turned-creepers reflect a renewed Gucci aesthetic.
Photography: Shawn Paul Tan
Styling: Asri Jasman
Photography Assistant: Chay Wei Kang
