Pet Peeve: Bad Merchandising
This is going on a bit too often these days in a few shops that it really shouldn’t be. I understand that it’s fall, jackets take up room, the economy is down so maybe space is limited. But if you are selling some of the best labels in your shop, you should probably be taking them time to merchandise it at least reasonably. I’m not saying you HAVE to go get custom shelving, special order racks, hangers, tables etc, but you should. If you are selling Nom de Guerre, Margiela, Raf Simons and the likes these lines deserve the kind of attention the customer wants to give them. Retail is in a state of influx, more shops than ever are open(ing) but with the way things are going, this will likely change and the strong will prevail. A lot of these brands work really hard and are pretty selective where they sell and they deserve a strong representation. As well as a consumer it makes the experience of the brand, the store and shopping a lot more enjoyable and I am honestly more likely to purchase something. Ok, thanks…and please don’t hang chunky cashmere knits for weeks on end…please.
Property Of…
Since we never get tired of really nice bags and accessories I thought I would present you with a look at Portland’s ‘Property of…‘ They have an extensive line of beautiful looking duffle bags, weekenders, totes and more. These are only a few of the pieces that I liked from the catalog. The waxed canvas, cottons, leathers, brushed wools are all looking really nice. Property Of… uses some great shapes in the bags as well giving a unique look yet reminding me a little of some of the Raf Simons Eastpak’s as well as a little bit similar to Krane. While you can draw some comparisons to other pieces in the market, the line overall looks very original and very nice. Prices range from around $130 for a tote up to near $450 for heavier leather and treated canvas models. Unfortunately the website doesn’t give a great look at the products, it’s worth a browse to get an idea. Apparently the bags are available in a few shops down the west coast but hopefully we’ll be seeing more soon.
Raf Simons Melange Knit
Raf by Raf Simons has a high percentage of good pieces in the small collection. This knitted sweater is one of my top picks. Up until I saw this one, I had only seen the grey version available at Gravity Pope and Tres Bien, however I am more partial to the colors of this version. It’s really soft and although it has a bit of an odd collar, I figure it would be easy to wear, a great weekender to lounge around, drink coffee, read blogs…that might be everyday for some of you making the sweater even more ideal. The price might not be too ideal as it ranges depending on the outlet of choice, but nice is nice.
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In Mike’s Bag
And they keep coming. Next up is Mike from Portland. Reppin’ the Hecklewood fam, he’s been a long time supporter of h(y)r leaving contributions as Kix. He knows what’s up, the streets is up, that’s whats up. I love that flic of the Krink.
Alright first up is my bag. I had to go with the Raf Simons jump off. This thing is just too ridiculous with the shiny leather and overstated design. I don’t know if I could ever wear one but I really want to. Inside, always gotta have my BlackBerry. The new Bold is gonna be amazing but what I am really waiting on is the new Thunder… Next up. Gotta have reading material. The older I get, the more time I find myself reading…you should too. Expand your senses! Been on a Russian tip lately since the Georgia conflict. Working on Cement by Fyodor Gladkov. Gotta have magazines too so I threw in the Portland issue of XLR8R and the new issue of SLAP too. Gotta always have my Krink markers and these crazy Laser etched engrave moleskins to jot down all the mess in between my ears. Always taking pics these days. Wish I could afford one of those new Canon 5D Mark II. The sample video is insane! Oh and last but not least, gold shuffle for the music (I have broken way more iPods skateboarding then I like to remember) and an extra Hanes premium v neck just in case. Perfect in most situations.
Thanks Guys
I just thought I would take the opportunity to recognize a couple of the seasons hardest working male models. They didn’t hit the runways in New York or Paris last month but they have given us hundreds of ‘fit picks’ over the last season or two. I don’t know their names, unfortunately? But the guy from Oki-ni and the dude from Tres Bien Shop deserve some credit for their long hours trying on all of the clothes I want to buy. From Nom de Guerre, Raf Simons, Obedient Sons, to Comme des Garcons, they have given us a look at some of the best pieces this fall. Now generally I prefer product shots with no people in them for blogging purposes to get a cleaner look, but there is no denying that we are quite familiar with the faces of these two foreign men. I hope they have been compensated for their efforts, and if not hopefully they just forgot to take off an item or two at the end of the day.
Raf Simons Kit & Padded Eastpaks
It’s no secret the Raf Simons label has been busier than ever with multiple lines, plus being heavily involved with Fred Perry and Eastpak for the past few seasons. Pretty much all of the Eastpak collections have been serious ‘Wu Bangers’ in my opinion. I usually don’t blog them just because everyone else does, but I am definitely a fan. This fall probably my favorite couple of bags just released. A knitted pack and the padded pack in grey wools with some subtle, tasteful patch details and some nice tonal grey lines. Grey wool backpack? Yes please. They look dope, probably work fine, and aren’t insanely overpriced at 79 and 89 Pounds. I didn’t say they were cheap, but for some really cool looking bags by a great designer, it might be worth picking up and putting stuff into. Available at Oki-ni.
A.P.C. Saharienne D’Hiver Coat
This is a really dope jacket I think. There have been a lot of good ones this fall by Raf Simons, A.P.C., Our Legacy, Ralph Lauren, Engineered Garments, Nom de Guerre, all that I would gladly wear, but this A.P.C. coat might be my favorite I’ve come across. If you can’t tell from my obsession with Nom de Guerre, bags, and boots, I have a thing for military inspired garments. A big thing, that takes over my brain and I can’t think about anything other than clothes. It’s a bit scary sometimes, but it allows me to keep up the blog at least. Anyways, this coat is great. The pockets, color, buttons, collar, and then topped off with a really simple belt make this a stand out. One thing A.P.C. does so well is not take things too far. This is almost a big extreme for them even, and I definitely respect that about the line. A lot of designers would have tried to do too much but by using restraint and an obvious influence of urban fashion military ranks, the result is a jacket I might NEED to buy.
Raf by Raf Simons Gray Wool Slacks
Gray wool slacks, what other item is more necessary this fall? Maybe boots, but other than that, especially if you’re not running a suit, gray pantalons are what’s up. Wool is a material I enjoy a lot in the fall so it makes sense to me. I like thick wool, harsh wool, soft wool, thin wool, and more than anything gray wool. I’ve been scoping a few pairs this fall, surprisingly Banana Republic has a new slim cut and they are actually pretty nice. Then I came across these gray wool joints by Raf for the same price as the Banana Republic pair? I haven’t had a chance to try them on yet, but the fit looks like it’s on point. Although $265 still isn’t cheap for a pair of pants, it’s not terribly bad either, especially if you can manage to get yourself a ‘bro deal’ or something of the sort. These are available at Gravity Pope and Azita.
Raf Simons Shop Japan
While Raf Simons has been doing some great things for awhile now, I have to be honest and have only really been getting into it lately. More specifically the Raf for Raf Simons line which is much more wearable and made up of more classic pieces. I really love the worn dark denim, the sweaters and some of the footwear. The line uses great colors and materials to put together something I can wear everyday. The more interesting and progressive line has its place in the market and really speaks to a lot of consumers, many of which reside in Japan. We see a new location that Raf has opened up recently to supply those customers overseas. Another good retail shop with great products. How many can the planet support?
Image via Honeyee
Raf Simons High Tops
I’ve been consitenly becoming more of a fan of Raf by Raf Simons in the past few seasons. I don’t particular like a lot of the more ‘interesting’ pieces in the Raf Simons line. I prefer the more straight forward, wearable pieces from the sub line. The sneakers however are almost always dope. Mr. Simons has become quite the master of the high top. These nice and simple pieces come in black and white and run under $300 (once you take off the VAT) from Tres Bien. I’d say if you need a high top sneaker for the fall, these would be a pretty good option. I find myself steering towards low tops when it comes to sneakers, but these definitely have an appeal.
Raf Simons Spring Eastpaks
There are now some good images of the Raf Simons Eastpak bags for spring on Highsnobiety. At a first glance I thought they were pretty dope. Upon futher inspection of the images, it seems like there is a lot of a silver, shinny, tinsel-like material around the bottoms and the handles. I don’t think that’s too dope. Just my personal opinion and aesthetic, but I don’t really like patten leather (unless on Jordan XI’s) or other particularly shiny materials, especially on a bag that is so close to be really nice. I think the off white colors with the natural leather handles, straps, and bottoms would have made for some nice luggage. Remember when I mention how Raf Simons products are often ‘ruined’ for me by some weird detail that doesn’t seem to make sense? This is an example.
Raf Simons Mohair Carcoat
One of the nicest items I’ve come across for this fall is this Raf Simons Carcoat over at Oak. This 3/4 length piece is 60% Mohair, 40% wool. It’s tailored, has vents in the back, and looks pretty much perfect. From the collar, to the flap pockets and hidden buttons, this is the nicest looking coat on the market, possibly. A lot of Raf items look dope then will have a weird panel or design on them that sort of ruins the look for me. I know Owen and I experienced it time after time in New York. Although I haven’t been able to inspect this piece with my hands, it appears to be completely normal, other than it’s superior design and construction. The tag isn’t too small sitting on the hanger for $1,030. In the big scheme of things, it’s actually a fairly reasonable price for a coat like this. It’s definitely an investment in looking good for the next 5-10 fall seasons.
Komakino 6.0
Vancouver guerilla boutique, Komakino, has recently moved again. They are now occupying their 6th location in Vancouver’s east side. Their last spot was probably the craziest yet, through a street level art gallery, into a closet-type door, down the stairs, and into a dingy basement with 8 foot ceilings. It was perfect. Now Komakino has relocated to 111 Pender St. Just a couple blocks south, they are now in the heart of China town. With no signage, you definitely need to have a good idea of where you’re headed. They stock some of the most exclusive international lines around, including Ann Demeulemeester, Julius, Number (N)ine, Undercover, Rick Owens, Raf Simons, and Damir Doma. They are also in the middle of their summer sale, so you can catch some great stock on 30-50% off, if you can find it.
Raf Simons x Eastpak Tote
This Raf Simons bag popped up the other day, looking really good as usual. His bag collaborations with Eastpak seem like they’ve been a pretty good success. Of course I don’t know if people are buying them, but people are definitely blogging and praising them. For myself, and others, it seems like Raf Simons usually drops a wash, a detail, or a pattern somewhere on an item that will pretty much make it unwearable for me. The Eastpak wet nylon looking tote seems to have been kept really slimmed down and had no mis-directed designs incorporated.
Via Selectism
