Style icon of the week - Bryan Ferry

Growing up Bryan Ferry was one of my favorite musicians (as the front man of Roxy Music partnering with likes of Bryan Eno or in his own solo career), but on top of that his glamorous dandy sense of style was instrumental in the development of my personal style (i can't tell you how many times as a teenager i tried to straiten my hair in trying to copy his hair style....it never really worked for more than 10 minutes....) and quite honestly i still wish that at his age (he celebrated 65 on September 26th) i would look and dress like him... Bryan Ferry can teach us a lot about style and how to dress, especially on how to wear suits and still look young, edgy and always... elegant! So for all of you out there who are required to wear suits in your daily life watch and learn....can you imagine bankers, lawyers and alike dress like Bryan Ferry? sporting suits in bright colors like red, fuchsia, lime green and gold.....what a stylish and beautiful world would that be....

Whether in his lyrics or his stage presence Bryan Ferry always had a unique majestic finesse, somewhat imperial and more than once melancholic in the way he sings, moves and dresses yet it all seems very natural for him which makes him very inspiring (i guess the fact that he is still dating girls half his age is probably as inspiring (if not more) for guys out  there...).
A big contributor to his style was the British designer Antony Price who is known for his glamorous evening wear and suits and was actually the architect behind the Roxy Music pop retro-futurism style, for both the band members and the Roxy girls. A style that was inspired by 1950’s glamour and his own futuristic vision of part human part mannequin, making Roxy Music into an aesthetic experiment rather than just a musical one. Price also dressed other musicians such as David Bowie and Duran Duran but Brian Ferry was definitely the perfect match for his designs.
Nicky Haslam described Brian Ferry's sense of style the best "He was more likely to redecorate a hotel room than to trash it"

Style icon of the week - Malcolm Mclaren

On Thursday April 8th 2010 the world lost a true icon! Malcolm Mclaren was an entrepreneur, musician, promoter, band manager, designer, writer, and much more...but mostly a visionary! For the Punk movement of the70's in London he was a GOD, and a LEADER! He was the one who encouraged Vivienne Westwood (his girlfriend at the time) in 1971 to join him and open their own clothing store in London called "Let it Rock"  where she sewed the clothing in the back and he ran the front of the shop, MM said later that they opened the store for  "the sole purpose of smashing the English culture of deception". They were specializing in rubber and leather fetish gear, selling

Designer of the week - week four Alexander McQueen

This week's designer of the week was on my list of designers to introduce in this blog only later on but since sadly he made the news this week not for his designs but for his tragic death I thought it will be appropriate to honor his work now.....So, this as my little tribute to a Alexander McQueen. A designer that in a relatively short career was still able to establish himself as one of the most influential designers in his generation....I think that says it all!
As I'm writing this i still can not believe that this post will refer to the 40 years old British designer in the past. It is so sad to think that someone so young who's talent provided many joyful moments to so many people around the world is no longer with us.... he was too young and his death was too soon!
Alexander McQueen was born in 1969 in London to a Scottish cab driver and a social science teacher and was the youngest of six children. Although known mostly for his women's collections, Lee's (his real name) first steps in fashion were actually on Sevile Row (the center for London's men's tailoring companies), where he trained at the age of 16 with Anderson & Sheppard and Gieves & Hawkes (the two are considered to be among the founders of the row). This is where he got his construction and tailoring expertize that eventually became a key element in his designs. After working in Milan for Romeo Gigli he returned to London and in 1994 got his masters degree in fashion design from Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design. He was than discovered by the influential fashion stylist Isabella Blow who ended up buying his entire graduation collection, and was the one who persuaded him to change his name to Alexander and helped him launch his career. His first big brake was in 1996 when he was appointed head designer of Givenchy, succeeding John Galliano. After five rocky years at the french fashion house he had a fall out with Bernard Arnault (the chairman on LVMH who owns Givenchy). And in 2000 the Gucci Group took his namesake line under their wings and started an expansion via signature boutiques, a secondary line called McQ and collaborations with brands like Puma and Samsonite. Over the years Alexander won a number of awards including 4 times British designer of the year and an a CBE from Queen Elizabeth II (for his services to the fashion industry) among others.
From my personal designer prospective McQueen will be remembered as one to always push the boundaries of traditional tailoring, creating razor-sharp silhouettes that distorted the human body in a perfect way. Inspire to be fearless and innovative with his engineered graphic prints....and most of all for staying true to his voice and create from his heart. Looking back at his work he was never shy to share his inner thoughts and battles with us all along. And if indeed he took his own life as unconfirmed news suggested maybe he was telling us that all along...... i guess that is a price a genius mind sometimes pay....
McQueen's design were a perfect middle ground of two extremes come together into a glorious fantasy.... an aggressive streak with military and morbidity influences, balanced with a magical romantic chic. As perfectly described by him in an interview: "People find my things sometimes aggressive, but i don't see it as aggressive. I see it as romantic, with a dark side of personality, you know? and maybe sometimes i go too far. But that's just me!"
This unique vision was translated beautifully in his extravagant and unconventional runway shows. Where the use of new technology and innovation added a different twist to his shows and often shocked and surprised the audience. Not for nothing he earned the reputation of "the hooligan of English fashion". McQueen long maintained that his shows were highly autobiographical. His last men's show in Milan last month was titled "The bone collector" (was he again trying to tell us something????) and featured engineered prints of skulls on an impeccably tailored clothing.
The Future of the Alexander McQueen label is yet to be determined....the brand was straggling financially and it's only commercial value was the late designer and his unique vision. The question is will it have the artistic and financial right to survive? Will it be right to keep it even if just for the reason of engraving the McQueen legacy in our future???? will it than do justice or disgrace to his name??? I guess we will wait and see what the future unfolds......

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Designer of the week - week one - Paul Smith

Today I’m starting a weekly post called Designer of the week. In this post I will feature designers that I love and ones that inspire me. Some of which are household names that play a major influence in your current wardrobe, along side others that have been under the radar and might influence your next shopping spree.
I’d like to start our little private Wikipedia with a British Designer. To be fair with you, I'm a bit bias (hope you'll forgive me) because I ADORE the BRITISH CULTURE!
It all started with growing up in the seventies and early eighties and being exposed to the British punk rock movement. The music, clothes, art and the whole anti establishment philosophy....what can better inspire and fuel an over zealous teenager‘s rebellious nature? Over the years the metals and zippers evolved into button up shirts and slick boots and as I grew up my appreciation and passion for the traditional British style was born.

A designer that played a major role in my love for Briticism was the legendary Sir Paul Smith (He was knighted in 2000 by Queen Elizabeth II) and his multi stripe signature. At the age of 17 after a terrible accident while cycling (which was his passion till than), Paul became friends with students from the local art college. They introduced him to the colorful and exciting world of Mondrian, Warhol, the Rolling Stones, Miles Davis and others. This introduction lead to the opening of his first boutique within two years (1970) with the encouragement of his than girlfriend Pauline Denyer (now wife).

Since then his style of traditional classic Englishman, flavored with a sophisticated sense of humor (using the Mini as a design motif) and a stroke of pop art established him as the preeminent British designer and one of the most influential designers in the world. The line is currently sold in 35 countries with 12 different collections including women's, accessories and furniture among others. Despite universal success, Paul still remains the designer and is fully involved in every aspect of the business, retaining a personal touch often lost in companies of a similar size. Which in my opinion, is a sign of a true artist who does what he really loves and passionate about. Oh.... and he even writes his own blog where he shares his latest activities and projects with his fans.
The Paul Smith shops provide a peak into Paul's artistic world and vision, they are an inspirational place to visit (highly recommended for every man). Showcasing jewelery, books, art, antiques and an array of interesting and beautiful products along side work of other British artists as well as Paul’s personal collections of art or curios. His NY men's store on 5th Ave. was one of the first stores i visited in the city and became one of my favorite stops since we moved right around the corner from it. Our dog jumbo is still confused as to why i always walk him on that same block when the dog run and his favorite marking spot are both in the opposite direction..... I wish he would understand that this is one of few stores that i find very hard to leave empty handed and that always get my creative juices flowing.

So, before you start your Paul Smith shopping experience below are some of my favorite items:
BUTTON UP SHIRTS - A must have staple in any man's wardrobe (i wish i had one of each style he ever made). A Paul Smith shirt is the perfect marriage of quality and style offered in classic fabrics or original fun prints, very easy to fit into any man's style and can be dressed up or down for any occasion from business to pleasure. The first time my eyes landed on them , it changed the way i dressed forever......

BAGS and WALLETS - Made in either leather or printed canvas, these items really stand out but in a clever and sophisticated way. I have both (thanks to my mother in law and birthday gifts), the signature striped leather wallet (like the one below) and a canvas messenger bag printed with stamps that are rearranged in the shape of the British flag .

SHOES - I'll just say that for my 40th birthday I asked for a pair of Paul Smith boots.... I think that says it all! ...did i mention my obsession for shoes before????