J. Lindberg - Spring/Summer 10

In 1995 Johan Lindberg left his job at Diesel and two years later launched the first J. Lindberg collection. The label successfully marries fashion and sportswear to create collections that are elegant and easy to wear – neither too casual nor too dressy, just perfectly refined as is typical of much Scandinavian design.

In keeping with this aesthetic, J. Lindberg collections emphasise wardrobe staples; slim shirts, merino knits, outerwear suitably equipped to see you through a Stockholm winter. J. Lindberg’s design feet are firmly on the ground; everything in moderation tempered with a dynamism that keeps the label steadily growing a loyal worldwide following.

The Spring/Summer 10 J. Lindberg collection is available now at Coggles.com

Bitter Seeds by Ian Tregillis

Raybould Marsh is a British secret agent in the early days of the Second World War, haunted by something strange he saw on a mission during the Spanish Civil War: a German woman with wires going into her head who looked at him as if she knew him.

When the Nazis start running missions with people who have unnatural abilities - a woman who can turn invisible, a man who can walk through walls, and the woman Marsh saw in Spain who can use her knowledge of the future to twist the present - Marsh is the man who has to face them. He rallies the secret warlocks of Britain to hold the impending invasion at bay. But magic always exacts a price...

Mark Bage

Featured Look - Ivy League

The preppy look never really went away but it certainly works for us right now. Inspired by Japanese photographer T. Hayashida's Take Ivy book (see post below) here's our second Featured Look - Ivy League.

Fred Perry Laurel jacket, Oliver Spencer shirt, APC shorts, Paul Smith shoes, Folk belt.

Ivy League style - Take Ivy

During the 1960's Japanese photographer T. Hayashida travelled North Eastern United States documenting the Ivy League style of the time. Published as 'Take Ivy', the book was phenomenally successful in Japan and is increasingly sought after in the West today with a re-release date scheduled for August. Keep your eyes open for a rare original!

The Trad have have scanned in the entire book, take a look here:

http://thetrad.blogspot.com/2008/12/take-ivy-chapter-i.html

Mark Bage

7 For All Mankind - Spring/Summer 10

7 For All Mankind is an American premium denim brand founded in Los Angeles, California in 2000. Launched to critical acclaim, 7 For All Mankind was an instant hit with Hollywood’s elite thanks to its flattering fits and sophisticated finishes. It wasn’t long before the celebrity blogs and magazines picked up on the hottest new denim brand in town, with the likes of Angelina Jolie, Cameron Diaz, Jennifer Garner and Liv Tyler all regularly spotted in 7 For All Mankind jeans, or “Sevens”, as the brand is known by fashion editors and stylists.

Celebrity endorsement is just part of the 7 For All Mankind success story though. The brand has been credited with bringing premium denim to prominence, creating jeans made with the finest denim and utmost attention to detail in wash and fit - jeans that do justice to the most important item in our wardrobes. In fact, 7 For All Mankind have turned Los Angeles into a worldwide centre for denim research and development, with Hollywood the test bed for new denim trends. In just over ten years, 7 For All Mankind has established itself as a modern classic, one of the most important denim brands of the new millennium, with an ever growing following of fans stretching from the Hollywood Hills across the globe.

The Spring/Summer 10 7 For All Mankind collection is available now at Coggles.com

Featured Look - Festival Girl

Festival season is underway (see our post last week about May's festival highlights from around the world) so for our first 'featured look' here's some festival fashion inspiration...

Paul Smith Mushroom polka dot walking stick umbrella with a red trim wooden handle; Belstaff Liss leather blazer in a waxy antique black leather; APC blue and red Liberty print quilted shorts; Vivienne Westwood Anglomania + Melissa ruby red stud ankle boots; D&G white crew neck sunglasses t-shirt

I Am Love

I Am Love is the story of the wealthy Recchi family, whose lives are undergoing sweeping changes. Eduardo Sr, the family patriarch, has decided to name a successor to the reigns of his massive industrial company, surprising everyone by splitting power between his son Tancredi, and grandson Edo. But Edo dreams of opening a restaurant with his friend Antonio, a handsome and talented chef. At the heart of the family is Tancredi’s wife Emma (Tilda Swinton), a Russian immigrant who has adopted the culture of Milan. An adoring and attentive mother, her existence is shocked to the core when she falls quickly and deeply in love with Edo’s friend and partner Antonio, and embarks on a passionate love affair that will change her family forever.

PS by Paul Smith - The Wonderful World Of Albert Kahn

PS by Paul Smith for Spring/Summer 2010 takes inspiration from the early colour photography of Albert Kahn. In 1909 Khan commissioned photographers to travel the world, capturing landmarks and locals and publishing his work as “The Wonderful World of Albert Kahn: Colour Photographs from a Lost Age”.

The PS by Paul Smith collection faithfully interprets Kahn’s vivid and fascinating images. Classic neutrals are combined with tones of green, pink and blue; fabrics are luxurious lightweight cottons, silk mixes and linens, reminiscent of a bygone age, while a slim silhouette provides a sharp finish to an elegantly refined collection.

The PS by Paul Smith Spring/Summer 10 collection is available now at Coggles.com

Mark Bage

The Enchanted Palace

As the walls of Kensington Palace are shaken by a £12 million renovation project powerful and secret stories about the lives of Kensington's princesses are being revealed.

At the heart of the Enchanted Palace journey is an interactive quest for the seven princesses who once lived there. Visitors must find clues that reveal the identity of the elusive royal residents, working their way around interactive dreamlike installations of theatre, intimate storytelling and haunting film. Contemporary fashion from the likes of Vivienne Westwood and William Tempest collides with The Royal Ceremonial Dress collection, while performances from acclaimed theatre group Wildworks make this a stunning ‘must experience’ event.

Diesel Black Gold - Spring/Summer 10

Few fashion labels can match the phenomenal success achieved by Diesel since its launch in 1978. Dynamic, sexy styling coupled with highly distinctive and provocative marketing have made Diesel synonymous with youth culture worldwide, yielding a loyal following of fans who have grown up together with the brand.

It is from these strong foundations that Diesel launched Diesel Black Gold in 2007. The casual-luxury line retains Diesel’s signature deconstructed look while appealing to more discerning and sartorially inclined Diesel customers who have developed an eye for details such as fabric, cut and texture. Diesel Black Gold’s more directional ‘dressed up’ approach is befitting of their new wardrobe requirements, while still unmistakably ‘Diesel’ in style, passion and appeal – and clever marketing – ‘Black Gold’ referencing the increasingly valuable nature of the brand and the commodity it takes its name from. True to Diesel roots, premium denim features prominently in Black Gold collections, with the brands rock n’ roll soul projected onto directional ‘worked over workwear’ pieces that emphasise quality fabrics, elaborate details and special treatments.

The Spring/Summer 10 Diesel Black Gold collection is available now at Coggles.com

May Festival Highlights

Great news - festival season is almost upon us. What with the temperamental weather this time of the year in The UK, Coggles recommends looking abroad for your first festival fix of the season. Resident Advisor make the selection process much easier with their May festival highlights from across the globe. If you can't make it over to Detroit for the 10th anniversary of Movement, there's plenty of European options too, with Spain, Romania, Austria, France and Italy all getting a look-in, along with Manchester's (largely indoor) Future Everything showcasing the best in art, music and ideas.

 

(Resident Advisor)

I'm Here

I'm Here is a short film from director Spike Jonze. It is set in a world where robots and humans co-exist, but with rules set in place where robots are only used for menial jobs. The robots, however, are evolving, finding new purpose in their lives and celebrating their existence....even falling in love.

This is a quite honest and frank look at a deteriorating relationship -  one where robots sacrifice to a self-destructive partner. It is a heartfelt, beautiful story that at 35 minutes long is a must see for anyone willing to get lost in the world that Spike Jonze creates. You can watch it free at the official site but only in blocks at a time. If you miss one showing make sure to keep trying, it is worth the wait.

APC - “Atelier de Production et de Crèation”

Cult Parisian brand APC – “Atelier de Production et de Crèation” was founded in 1988 by Tunisian born designer Jean Touitou. Its no-nonsense name is indicative of the label’s clean-cut, minimalistic approach to design, which the brand applies to men’s and women’s wardrobe staples with devastatingly cool results.

Effortless and understated APC may be, but it’s an aesthetic that screams ‘Parisian chic’ louder than most. This is as much to do with the obsessive emphasis placed in fabric selection and appropriate fit as the military overtones and rock ’n roll associations which are more immediate hallmarks of the brand. Considerable time and energy is spent in creating the perfect fit, whether it’s raw denim or faultless knitwear, and APC have recently invested in a small weaving plant in France to exclusively provide their shirting fabric.

It’s this understated approach and emphasis on fabric and fit that makes APC such a safe bet from season to season as well as accounting for the brand’s diverse and loyal following; APC pieces have a tendency to transcend age and styles, and where other brands may have taken the opportunity for rapid expansion, APC prefer a more precise and thoughtful approach, ensuring the longevity of the brand as well as its clothing.

The Spring/Summer 10 APC collection is available now at Coggles.com

King Krash - Life Lived In The Fast Lane

Founded by denim legend Donwan Harrell, the man behind PRPS, King Krash takes its inspiration from the illegal street racing days of 1970’s Manhattan – an era of drugs, disco, fast women and even faster cars, where gang culture was rampant and the clothes you wore were as much a part of the scene as the racing itself.

A fervent muscle car junkie from a young age, Harrell ransacked his photo archives and those of his drag racing friends for King Krash inspiration. Each item is finished with Harrell’s unrivalled attention to detail and wash techniques, faithfully replicating the stains, creases, abrasions and rips resulting from a life lived in the fast lane.

The Spring/Summer 10 King Krash collection is available now at Coggles.com

The Ones We Love

The Ones We Love is a project highlighting young and talented photographers from around the world. Each artist contributed six photographs of the people who are most important to them, taken outdoors in a natural setting. The goal of the website is to portray the people who are loved, cherished, and inspirational to these artists, and also showcase the differences and similarities in the photographs each of them took within the same guidelines.

See by Chloe - Spring/Summer 10

Since its launch in 2001, See by Chloe has become a must have addition to the wardrobes of the most stylish girls around. Always effortlessly cool, See by Chloe successfully retains the feminine elegance of its mainline relative Chloe, while injecting a youthful, rock ’n roll chic attitude that perfectly compliments those who wear it. The emphasis is on wearable wardrobe staples; relaxed, slightly unusual pieces with a casual feminine edge.

The Spring/Summer 10 collection is a mixture of nautical stripes, pastal pinks and blues, with a slighly oversized fit on dresses and tops lending the collection a laidback feel perfect for the warmer months.

The Standard Hotel, New York

The latest addition to the Standard Hotel group’s portfolio is the spectacular 18-story Standard New York.

Situated in Manhattan’s meatpacking district, its imposing modernist design and Hudson River location make for a hard to beat view inside and out. In fact, The Standard is said to be reviving the meatpacking districts seedy side with exhibitionist guests making the most of the colossal windows, while an advertising campaign reassured the first guests that “we’ll put up with your banging if you put up with ours.” The liberal attitude, super-cool location and celebrity clientele are shaping up to make The Standard New York’s hottest hotel this summer. 

Humor - Hippy Scandinavian Knitwear Meets Shibuya Street Style

Humor is a young, casual Danish brand that takes its inspiration from underground electronic music and the accompanying street style that’s an integral part of the scene. Described as a kind of ‘fashion Lego’, Humor provide the bricks that allow  the wearer to create their own identity through happy mixes of colour and an innovative, laidback silhouette that compliments the confident, fun-seeking lifestyle of  its generation. Referencing elements from workwear, sportswear and classic club wear, hippy Scandinavian knitwear meets Shibuya street style resulting in a look that is colourful and dynamic -sometimes chaotic- but never boring, grey or predictable.

The Spring/Summer 10 Humor collection is available now at Coggles.com