Your loved ones will look sharper in an instant with these sophisticated finishing touches that are designed for the long haul.
Your loved ones will look sharper in an instant with these sophisticated finishing touches that are designed for the long haul.
THE NEW TRAVEL WARDROBE MUST-HAVE
BERLUTI
Things always come full circle. Consider, for instance, the luxury brand Berluti. When Alessandro Sartori – currently working his creative magic at Ermenegildo Zegna – was appointed as Berluti’s creative director in 2011, he was tasked to build the ready-to-wear division of the brand, which was then mostly focused on shoemaking. Now that the clothing range at Berluti is well established, its latest creative director Kris van Assche is using the brand’s signature patinated leather as inspiration for his clothing designs: The handsome Brun calf leather coat feels incredibly soft and supple, but its most outstanding quality is the sublime, aged finish that gives it instant-heirloom status.
SHOES THAT WILL STILL LOOK AWESOME YEARS LATER
ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA
We understand the need for constant freshness in fashion today – how else to attract the attention (and dollars) of an easily distracted audience? Chunky shoes with crazy colours and embellishments are still enjoying a moment, but they will look absolutely ludicrous once the fever has passed – unlike timelessly handsome footwear such as these Tiziano sneakers from Ermenegildo Zegna’s Couture runway collection. Polished leather in blue and black make these shoes highly versatile, while thick but lightweight rubber soles give a nod to the current taste for outsize details.
A SCARF TO UP ONE’S STYLE GAME
HERMES
If you know someone who’s sartorially inclined but still keeps their style relatively safe, here’s the perfect gift to push them over the edge (in a good way). Hermes’ men’s silk ties and scarves appeal to the dreamer within, with irresistibly fantastical designs that take one back to being 12 – if primary school kids had a thousand-dollar silk scarf habit, that is. This season, the luxury house updates its scarves with motifs such as a dragon, a dinosaur face, and – our fave – a helicopter’s instrument panel as seen from the pilot’s point of view.
A CHIC WAY TO CARRY THAT WORKLOAD
BOTTEGA VENETA
Tote those work gadgets and documents around town stylishly with these incoming carriers from Bottega Veneta. This Urban Leather briefcase features the brand’s new maxi intreccio concept – a modern, oversized take on its classic woven-leather motif, introduced by new creative director Daniel Lee. Each bag is hand-woven by an artisan, and takes a day to complete. The wide leather strips are bonded to suede and the bag itself is unlined, resulting in an interior that feels soft and refined. And because we have no patience for fashion items that need to be handled with kid gloves, we like that Urban Leather is treated such that it is waterproof, and resistant to wear, stains and fading.
A BRACELET FOR THOSE READY TO MOVE BEYOND WOVEN LEATHER
LUIS MORAIS
You probably know someone who has been decking out his wrists with woven-leather bracelets for a long time. Or maybe you are that guy. If you’re getting tired of those and or they are perhaps coming apart from wear, may we suggest checking out the creations of Luis Morais – such as this chain of exquisitely wrought gold-and-black-diamond skulls
(available at www.mrporter.com). The Brazil-born Miami-based jewellery designer started his label in 2001 after a fruitless search for masculine jewellery that he liked. We love the way he uses sculptural metal and colourful beads to create bracelets with a distinct rock-and-roll vibe.
