Alfred Dunhill Introduces its Autumn and Winter 2014 Lookbook

With over 100 years of experience in the world of luxury, Alfred Dunhill's history is filled with unique and exquisite products made to the specification of its most discerning patrons at the highest level of craftsmanship. This season the company launches its first collection from Dunhill's Creative Director, John Ray who looked toward the House's founder, Alfred Dunhill, for inspiration.

Alfred was a true innovator and entrepreneur and he lived his life searching for the new and undiscovered. He coined the term 'Motorities  ' to describe the exceptional objects and clothing he developed to make traveling a more pleasurable and practical experience. 'Motorities' inspired the AW14 collection.

Rich and luxurious fabrics from established and revered British mills are used across the tailoring and also blend into the sportswear. Reviving the old cloths with a new playfulness, such as Venetian wool which also adds color, the weaving of classic mohair but in a winter twill construction, and the development of a Tattersall flannel as a suiting. These unique touches are also developed further into the knitwear selection.

Who is Mr. Alfred Dunhill:

Alfred Dunhill (30 September 1872 – 2 January 1959) was an English tobacconist and inventor. He is the progenitor of the Dunhill luxury goods company and the Dunhill branded tobacco products from British American Tobacco (now two independently owned entities).

From 1893 Dunhill ran a company selling motoring accessories, and in 1902 opened a shop in Mayfair. He developed a pipe designed for motorists in 1904. He opened a tobacconist's shop in St James's in 1907, offering tailored tobacco blends. Shops were opened in New York and Paris in the 1920s. With his international ambitions, Dunhill helped to create the modern luxury goods market. He retired from business in 1929, and married his mistress in 1945, following the death of his wife.







Content and pictures courtesy:

GCK Partners
dunhill.com
en.wikipedia.org

The New Colors of Men's Dress Shoes

No longer are brown, black, and burgundy the only color options for men's dress shoes. A number of high-end European shoemakers are taking the lead on offering more color options for men's footwear. Leading the way is  Saint Crispin's, started in 1992, the Romanian shoe company only makes a single pair of shoes an order. Because their output is so small, they only deal with a select number of international partners around the world. However, their limited production affords them the privilege of making the most creative and well-made shoes on the market.



Next is J.M. Weston, this French company was founded by Edouard Blanchard 1891 and it thrives on taking classic styles such as derby and oxfords and giving them fresh and vibrant color. Although the company's name sounds English, J.M Weston embodies a very French style and more precisely, its very Parisian – form of elegance, in which timeless style is given a bold twist with contemporary influences.



Third, Scarpe Di Bianco, (Shoes by Bianco) this Italian shoe maker utilizes the combination of classic models with contemporary colors, and updated styling with traditional details, leads to decidedly current yet elegant models. The aim of the company is to give men a custom experience through a multitude of models, lasts, soles, leathers, and color options.

Scarpe di Bianco™ uses the finest materials and handmade workmanship to produce Norwegian and Goodyear welted bench made shoes, as well as shoes in Blake construction. The extreme emphasis to detail is notable in the rich colors and burnishes applied to the finished calf skins. The production is acutely artisanal in nature witnessed by the fact that no more than 25 pairs are produced per day.



Pictures and content courtesy of:

www.facebook.com
www.saintcrispins.com
www.jmweston.com
www.scarpedibianco.com

Tumi Introduces Two New Styles to Its Line of Protective Eyewear

Having the right pair of sunglasses is essential to enhancing a gentlemen's visual protection and style. Selecting eyewear that can still make you look attractive while providing you with the highest quality of UV rays protection can be a difficult and daunting task. Not making the process any easier for consumers, is having to sift through the hundreds of countless eyewear brands and styles currently flooding the market. What is even more of a challenge for men is finding eyewear that looks and feels distinctively masculine. As difficult as the task can be, Tumi has distinguished itself in the market as a brand that can meet all of the unique challenges men face when selecting the appropriate protective eyewear.

Tumi, the lifestyle travel and business brand mostly known for its briefcases, backpacks, totes, and luggage expanded its portfolio in 2011 by adding protective stylish eyewear. The company has incorporated the same innovation and technology into its eyewear that it has become renown for in its travel and work accessories products. According to CEO Jerome Griffith " “As a lifestyle brand, eyewear is a natural extension for Tumi. Utilizing technically engineered materials and skilled designs each style presents a harmonious balance of form and function. The eyewear collection speaks to the brand’s DNA and is a continuation of Tumi’s philosophy of design innovation.” (Bloginity Network, 2012)

The brand specifically engineered the eyewear for performance, comfort and functionality and in the process employed the latest technology and materials. According to the website Bloginity "renowned lens manufacturer Carl Zeiss developed an exclusive Tumi ZR3™ CR-39 Polarized lens that offers superior optical and visual performance while delivering outstanding polarizing efficiency. Tumi ZR3™ is an exclusive, transparent lens coating created by Zeiss that allows dirt, water, oil and dust to slip off the surface of the lens, reinforcing Tumi’s commitment to infusing the highest level of quality into all of its products."

Manufactured in Japan, the company constructs the Traverso (Italian word for travel) frames for durability and flexibility, it uses beta titanium, featherweight aluminum, handmade acetate and non-corrosive stainless steel. Hand-wrapped leather treatments, special acid- and laser-etching techniques, and unique injected rubber temple tips all evoke classic Tumi style.

The Kawazu



True aviator style is modernized with a stainless steel frame that is etched with Tumi's signature ballistic weave pattern. Features a Redtenbacher hinge construction, bold Tumi logo placement and sleek lines that highlight this perennial favorite. Temples have "rings of Saturn" temple tips. Comes with a ballistic nylon case that folds flat and is ideal for everyday use, travel and storage. Made in Japan.

The Barrow



Handsome, contemporary styling is defined by clean and simple features in our Barrow sunglasses. The updated shape of the lenses is accented with textural temple details that recall Tumi's signature ballistic nylon pattern. Made from acetate with stainless steel. Comes with a ballistic nylon case that folds flat and is ideal for everyday use, travel and storage. Made in Japan.

Model Akief Sheriff of Elegant Men Style





About Tumi, Inc.

Tumi was founded in 1975. Tumi is a global, premium lifestyle brand whose products offer superior quality, durability, functionality and innovative design. We offer a comprehensive line of travel and business products and accessories in multiple categories, building on our strong heritage of producing high-end performance travel goods and business cases.

As of December 31, 2013, we distributed our products globally in over 75 countries through approximately 1,900 points of distribution. We utilize multiple channels, including retail, wholesale and e-commerce. This multi-channel approach focuses on points of distribution that foster and enhance the Tumi brand. We sell our products directly to consumers through a global network of 130 company-owned locations, consisting of full-price stores strategically positioned in high-end retail malls or street venues, outlet stores in premium outlet malls and our e-commerce websites.

We sell our products indirectly to consumers through various channels that include partner stores (wholesale accounts operated by local distributors or retailers that carry only Tumi products and are governed by strict operating guidelines that we dictate), our global wholesale distribution network of specialty luggage retailers, prestige department stores and business-to-business channels, retail concessions within prestige department stores and third-party e-commerce sites.

We design our products in our U.S. design studios and selectively collaborate with well-known, international industrial and fashion designers for limited edition product lines. Production is sourced globally through a network of suppliers based in Asia, many of which are longtime suppliers, and the Caribbean.

We offer travel and business products as well as accessories. Travel products include wheeled and soft carry-on luggage, garment bags, totes, duffels, wheeled packing cases and travel kits. Business products include business cases, day bags and totes. Accessories include small leather goods, travel electronics and other accessories.

We have grown our business by focusing on five founding principles:

•Excellence in design
•Functional superiority
•Technical innovation
•Unparalleled quality
•World-class customer service

Some content and pictures courtesy of:

Tumi, INC
Bloginity.com
Shanetta McDonald
PR & Communications Manager, REM Eyewear
O: 818-827-0115
smcdonald@remeyewear.com

Jack Spade Spring 2015 Collection "Urban Utility"

September 3, 2014, NYC - JACK SPADE’s Spring Collection explores interactions of color and its ability, through careful application, to lend sophistication and harmony. Minimalist painter Josef Albers understood that color is relationship: one to another, a pattern to its frame, the eye to the mind. Even simple blocks of it, placed with care, can create a whole greater than the sum of its parts.

Design Director Todd Magill was also inspired by the mix of Sport and Classic American sportswear. "I see a lot of guys on the streets mixing their sport gear with their work clothes. Ultimately, the collection is about ‘urban utility’ so you can look good in transitional moments, like when you are in between work and running to or from the gym and then out to meet friends."

Bags are paired down and minimal with function and utility designed into the interior, while "Floral Camo" and “Chambray Floral” prints pack just the right amount of punch. Key fabrications include technical packable nylon, as seen in a trench and blazer that are lightweight enough to roll up and throw in your bag.

Artist Ian Hundley designed a special navy grid print for a capsule collection of bags and several apparel pieces inspired by aerial maps of the streets of New York.
Content and Pictures courtesy of:



Ilene Bornstein // ibornstein@paulwilmot.com

Elizabeth Sednaoui // esednaoui@paulwilmot.com