Fashion for Men Magazine, Issue 1

I was in my favourite newsagent’s when I saw the monster that is Fashion for Men. 

Fashion for Men, Issue 1

For  some time now magazines like “Self-Service and “Another Magazine” have been publishing as “ book-magazines”.  These hard-bound, glossy paper mags are the size and weight of a book, with the style and attitude of a magazine.  Advances in computer-typesetting and digital printing have made this possible.  These book-magazines are usually published twice a year and strive for a kind of permanence in the ephermeral world of style mags.

Well, clearly this idea has jumped the gender barrier, because Fashion for Men is just this kind of book-magazine.   

This is big, I weighed it, it weighs 6 Kilos.  Hell, I carried it.  Occasionally, writing about menswear can be a slog but it has never been an actual sweat before….. 

Here is a picture, with my mobile phone as size comparison.

The biggest men's magazine on the block

So what do you get for your 25 Euros?

The magazine is the venture of Milan Vukmirovic.  Vukmirovic is currently the creative force behind Rome’s Trussardi  brand.  Late last year I was in Trussardi’s flagship store in Rome, recently redesigned by Vukmirovic.  The brand now has a young, arrogant but elegant style, think La Dolce Vita for the IPad generation.    

Vukmirovic is also a fashion photographer, artist and has several other hats.  He writes an introduction in the magazine.  He says the magazine is a guide to men’s fashion and he hopes it becomes a benchmark for men to refer to. 

In my view the magazine feels very European.  This is reinforced by write-ups of forthcoming exhibitions in Paris, European art and the type of American culture that appeals to Europeans, classic black American music etc.   

The articles are short and serve to support the menswear as art, style theme.  There is an interesting interview with African designer Adrien Sauvage and some superb pictures of his African-influenced menswear.  

There are couple of articles that strike a false note.  One is an article solely about Chanel’s Exclusif’s for women, which is striking in it’s irrelevance. 

The quality of the photography and the ads is of course stunning.  Fashion for Men is printed on heavy art paper and shows the current menswear brand ads off to their greatest effect.

The pictorials, though beautifully photographed, are varied in their impact.  The most successful of them are photographed by Vukmirovic himself.  So a pictorial set on romantic Italian influenced clothes is beautifully and simply photographed.  The clothes are beautifully presented and look wonderful.    

Here is a picture of an Etro shirt from one of the articles.    

Etro Shirt, from photo-pictorial in Fashion for Men magazine

However, some of the other photsets do not match up to this standard.  There is a piece on Givenchy’s new collection, menswear influenced by tropical images.  However, the point of the pictorial is thrown away in favour of a homo-erotic paen of praise for the (admittedly handsome) model.  Others are just as bad, but with less point, an exercise in art photography where the menswear comes off a bad second. 

This lack of consistently is further exacerbated by a Vukmirovic-shot photoset of men’s suits.  This is superbly done but comes as a shock, because it is an almost exact copy of the style used by Fantastic Man magazine.  It is completely different from anything else in this magazine. 

So at this point the magazine stands in need of better artistic/editorial control.  What is good is that the upscale brands clearly trust Vukmirovic and have given him clothes from the very top of their range.  These coats, jewellery and accessories are extragavant and beautiful and would not usually be seen in a fashion mag, so when the mag works it works well. 

Similarly there is a piece by Vukmirovic, on trends, which is superb, an incredible eye for the details that make men’s style.  This is the single most useful piece in the magazine.

So I am undecided on Fashion for Men.  I bought it because it is what I do.  Naturally Fashion for Men needs a little time to mature and the second issue will really tell whether it can become a benchmark for men’s style.  It has some tough competition in the shape of Fantastic Man and Man about Town magazines, who have already staked out the sophisticated, stylish man territory.

If Fashion for Men can use Vukmirovic’s design sense to give the magazine a coherent visual style then I think they can be a contender.

Cary Grant.

“I pretended to be somebody I wanted to be until finally I became that person. Or he became me.”  Cary Grant.

Cary Grant was born on this day, January 18^th 1904, in Bristol, England.  He rose from working class poverty in Britain to become one of the greatest American movie stars that ever lived.  Here is a short appreciation on the occasion of his birthday.    

For me, he was and is the very model of a successful man.  I long ago learned that there was so much one could learn from his movies and from him, the deeds of his life.  As I have grown older I have appreciated him more and more.  When I was younger I appreciated him for the way he dressed, his worldliness, his connoisseurship.  Now I am older I appreciate him for his self-awareness, his generosity of spirit and his love of life.  He was and remains my inspiration for writing What Makes a Man. 

The truth is, I still do not understand Cary Grant and I think that is a good thing.  His reason for not discussing his personal life was sound; he did not feel that he could be a model for anyone else.  He was ahead of his time here, understanding how we each play to our own psychology.  But his reticence is intriguing because it hides his huge achievement in inventing himself, in becoming Cary Grant. 

What he did was almost impossible, he started out poor, badly educated and badly parented, and became a movie star, a worldly connoisseur of art, clothes, food, a successful businessman and a father.  It is no accident that Graham McCann’s definitive biography of Grant is entitled “Cary Grant, a class apart”.  For Cary Grant invented a man for the twentieth century, a gentleman of quality but of no particular class.      

Cary Grant, early on in his career

 

Bettering himself

What we do know abut Cary Grant is that, from somewhere, he had a deep-seated desire to better himself, and he never lost that desire.  He was only nine years old when he first expressed an interest in clothes, he asked his mother for a pair of white flannels.  But this was no disinterested interest.  Cary had developed an affection for the butcher’s daughter and even at a young age, realised that good clothes would make him more attractive to girls. 

Initially it was his willingness to listen and learn that set him apart.  He went to New York as part of a vaudeville acrobatic troupe when he was twenty.  When the act folded he stayed in America.  By the time he was twenty-four he was appearing in musical comedy on Broadway.  He knew musical comedy was a route out of vaudeville and learnt to sing, paying for lessons with the money he earned from a variety of odd, often downright odd, jobs, that were related to show business.  In those days when his reviews came in, they were very mixed.  However Cary Grant was not dismayed, he read about his faults and duly set out to fix them.  Before he was through he added a touch of Noel Coward, a slinky elegance of movement and an accent that combined English diction with American pronunciation.

At the same time he started to become the Cary Grant we know today.  He became a “walker”, an escort for attractive women and in the process met a lot of accomplished and successful people.  By his own admission he learnt all he could from the people he met.  At twenty-four he started clipping articles on all kinds of subjects, something he did for his entire life.  It became his habit to make light of his achievements but the truth was, he had a ferocious work ethic.        

This shows up in small but inspired ways in the movies.  In the early scenes of “To catch a thief” Grant wears a trousers, striped shirt and scarf combination that set the tone for the movie.  These were not his own clothes, which Hitchcock felt were wrong for the character.  He found the clothes he wore by looking at the style of local men in the South of France (the setting for Thief) and buying in local stores.  Once again, looking and learning. 

Incidentally Grant’s shirt and scarf “look”, caught on hugely when the movie came out and lots of men took it up, unfortunately, “very badly” in the words of Thief’s costume director.   

There was a bit of a downside to this learning.  Like many man who teach themselves to be self-sufficient, Grant became used to doing everything himself.  His second wife, Barbara Hutton, in a rare critical comment about him, once said that “He was a frustratingly difficult man to care for”.     

Listening

One of the things that set Cary Grant apart from other actors and other men of the period was his ability to treat women with respect and listen to what they had to say.

All of his female co-stars said the same thing.  Cary Grant listened to them; he was not simply waiting for the chance to speak his lines.  He did this with great care and it gives his scenes with his co-stars a texture, a depth and a timing that other stars could not match.  Part of Cary Grant’s mystique as a star was his chemistry with his female co-stars.  This was partly because he was a truly sexy, handsome man. 

However it was also because he built that chemistry, by listening to them and making them believably human.  It was part of his gift that he brought that feeling to the screen.  There is a wonderful early scene in Indiscreet, where Ingrid Bergman’s lonely, beautiful actress is flirting with Grant.  Grant is clearly both flirting and hesitating at the same time, but more importantly it is clear that he is responding to Bergman’s conversational gambits.  There is a realism about the tone and timing that carries one deeply into the scene. Magnificent acting by both of them. 

Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman, in "Indiscreet"

 

Self-possession

If Grant was courteous and listened to women, he was still very comfortable in his own skin.  His self-possession is evident in many of his roles.  He would listen to women but he had his own view of the world, downright challenging.  This confidence, even aggression, made for great interplay.  In my opinion he never did it better than in the “The Philadelphia Story” as the divorced husband of the imperious Katherine Hepburn.  Grant’s  classlessness also works beautifully here, as he neither conforms to hierarchy nor flouts it.  By starting from a position of certainty he consistently out-manoeuvres Hepburn’s icy aristocrat.

Cary Grant and Katherine Hepburn in "The Philadelphia Story"

Alpha Male

By the time we get to the making “To catch a thief”, Grant was perfectly Cary Grant.  The first part of Hitchcock’s genius was to have Cary Grant almost play himself, cosmopolitan, cultured, stylish, but with an element of dangerous alertness.  Here is the man that so impressed Ian Fleming that he wanted Cary Grant to play James Bond.  It is ironic (and a tribute to Cary Grant) that Fleming, a terrible snob, wanted the poor working class lad from Bristol to play his officer-class spy. 

Hitchcock’s second act of genius was to unleash the danger, the aggression in Cary Grant.  It starts with Grant’s trick with a shotgun to fool the police and it ends with his willingness to hurl Brigitte Auber’s girl burglar from a fourth-floor rooftop.  In between there are times when we are never sure whether we are going to get the well-dressed lover or the underworld parolee.

Now, Grant is the complete master of the woman he is with.  Grace Kelly is beautiful, selfish, arrogant and flirtatious as the wealthy but spoilt Francine Stevens.  However, Grant’s John Robie is unperturbed by her behaviour.  The more Kelly’s Francine tries to play Grant’s John Robie, the more he teases her, showing her who has the power.  There is nothing coarse here; Grant defeats Kelly with both wit and style, leaving her no alternative but to fall in love with the man who has bested her.

Cary Grant in "To Catch a Thief"

The end for now

I am going to stop here.  Cary grant had formed the man he wanted to be by the time of “To Catch a Thief” and that seems a good place to stop.  There are so many other things to talk about, his generosity, his care and loyalty to his friends, his romantic weakness for women.  That will wait for another time.  But there is one thing that I still find amazing, after years of watching his movies and reading about him. 

The man turned out so well. 

Given his difficult start in life, there is no English class-war defensiveness in him, no embittered distrust, no predilection to make excuses for any part of his life.  His story is of a man who was determined to succeed and happy to do the work that he needed to do.

Cary Grant created Cary Grant and he created a very special man.

God Bless you Mr Grant, wherever you are.

Details

Movies

There are of course so many wonderful movies.  Here are five of my favourites:

To Catch a Thief

Cary Grant was never more urbane, more stylish or more interesting than in To Catch a Thief

The Philadelphia Story

Witty and exceptionally funny.  In some ways it is the ultimate  screwball comedy, in others there is no movie quite like it.  Sharp, funny and clever. 

Charade

Before Bond, Grant made a very classy, worldly American spy.  Setting the movie in Paris played to Cary Grant’s strengths as a stylish, cosmopolitan man.

Only Angels have Wings

Howard Hawks movie about mail flyers in the Andes.  The camaraderie works here.  Surprisingly, so does Grant as a tough aviator disdainful of romance.

Indiscreet

This movie has grown on me in recent years.  Cary Grant play a less-than-ethical character and yet is still appealing to the audience.  To carry that through an entire movie and not lose the audience is great acting.  

Books

Graham McCann

Cary Grant, a class apart. 

Though McCann sometimes feels like he is a little cold on his subject, this is the definitive biography, and treats Grant’s acting with the consideration it deserves.

Richard Torregrossa

Cary Grant, a celebration of style

This is a book of bits and pieces, but wonderfully illuminating on Cary Grant’s style, his relationships with his friends, his view of movies.  Like a mine full of nuggets of gold.

Yann-Brice Dherbier

Cary Grant, a life in pictures.

This is a new book which unfortunately contains some errors of grammar, and, I think, one error of fact.  That said, it is a beautifully researched book and contains some stunning studio photographs that have rarely been seen.

A very Merry Christmas to all readers of What Makes a Man. 

Our thanks to you for reading our work and we look forward to your visits in the New Year.  Good luck in 2012.

The first part; Choosing a man’s cologne, is here

Having written the first article we realised that there is no real guide to how men’s colognes smell.  So we wrote this article. Here are our top twenty colognes, divided into five categories.  If you find this useful, let us know.  We intend to do more on this subject.

Our articles on dressing well for dating start here (article 1 of 5)

Classic men’s colognes.

We start with the classics, because most of us will have heard of these and we using these, we can start to get ourselves on a common footing. 

Men’s perfume classics have made a huge comeback, revived initially by the new Italian fashion designers, who like them for their complexity and rich combination of scents.  The great thing about the classics is their reliability, you know what you are getting.  They also date from a period when men’s fragrances were more discreet, so they lack the orchid and aromatic wood- heavy notes of today’s best-selling colognes.  This means that if you are unsure about colognes, you can start with a classic fragrance, it is unlikely to be too extreme a smell.

Eau Savage

A clean, fruity, sharp smell, very sexy, lots of hot floral smells and leather.  Young, masculine, lively, a statement cologne.  After it wears in you have a slightly acid leather and lemon scent, which is appealing and noticeable.  If you are fit, engaging, dress with a clean sharp look, then its dry, musk and fruit smell is for you.  If you are slightly overweight, losing hair, classic style, sorry, it’s not really for you.  This is also a strong-smelling cologne, so do not douse yourself in it.  You want to smell good, not overpower your audience.

Eau Sauvage - dry, floral, acid - the original manly cologne

Givenchy Monsieur (Givenchy Gentleman)

Cary Grant’s favourite cologne, which says it all really.  A complex, very long-lasting scent, with some deep notes of amber and wood mixed with a fresh rich floral topnote.  For the classic man really, it works wonderfully for the older man.  A superb day-time cologne, it says worldly, ladies man, gentleman.  A true ladykiller.

This is one of my two preferred day colognes, along with Chanel’s Egoiste (see below).  Most times I wear Givenchy Monsieur because the Egoiste is a little big for daywear.

Givenchy Monsieur - Cosmopolitan and sophisticated

Aqua Di Parma

Has had a huge comeback with modern fashion designers singing its praises.  Floral, ostentatious, a little goes a long way.  A slight spicy undernote makes it as Italian as can be while having a classic musk base.  A good cologne and, for the immediate future at least, a talking point.  Technically a mid-range cologne, it is good for the man who is looking for a middle of the road cologne to enhance a classic image.  

Aqua Di Parma - a much loved classic

L’Homme Roger et Gallet

For those men who think colognes make them girly.  This is woody, salty, has the tang of astringent herbs.  If you are a crocodile hunter, special forces soldier, or arctic explorer, L’Homme Roger et Gallet is for you.  The most masculine.  Ever.  Wear it when you are going to take down a full-grown grizzly, armed only with a Bowie knife. 

I used to wear this all the time when I was finding my way with colognes.  Women love it but you have to be right for it.  I was not, but still wear it occasionally, it brings back fond memories.  Out of fashion now, but definitely due a revival.  

L'Homme Roger et Gallet - a truly masculine cologne

Light Fragrances

Issey Miyake man

(L’Eau D’Issey pour homme).  This is light, smells of exotic woods, a faint smell of orchids and salt mist, the slightest smell of herbs.  If you are a slim man or of compact build, your style is discreet, neat, orderly, this will work well for you.  A thing of beauty. 

Issey Miyake for men - Light, elegant, stylish

Canali Men

Light, fragrant, lots of citrus and floral notes, yet distinctive and classy.  It lasts well for a light cologne and after a while has a slight soft undertone of exotic flowers.    Definitely one for the ladykillers, but not really for your Aunt’s summer lunch party.  A light cologne, but quite showy, it has an impact.  Canali have produced something really fine here, it is clearly Italian but modern and young.  I would recommend this for men in their twenties.  

Canali - spirited, sexy and elegant

Egoiste Platinum

Egoiste gets two write-ups here, because it is such a versatile cologne.  Egoiste Platinum is the lighter of the two Egoistes.  It was specifically designed for the younger man, based on the best-selling original.  It has the sharp coriander and oriental balm scents of the original but has more flower scents, lavender and jasmine predominate.  Light and good for day-wear, once again a good young man’s cologne.         

Armani Code

This is light, clean, sexy and a definitive smell.  A little young, but striking, a scent of exotic florals and spices.  There is a tangy mineral/herb edge to this one, so it definitely has body.  Light but with an athletic personality.

Armani Code - young, definitive, clean-smelling

Complex mid-range fragrances

Paul Smith Men

This is a really useful cologne.  It has a light herby Englishness about it but with a quirky spicy edge that is very present when you apply it.  However the spiciness wears away to leave undertones of warm florals and a surprising level of musk.  You might say it becomes sexier as time wears on.  A good all-rounder, it is noticeable but not obstrusive.  An excellent cologne, especially for men just beginning with colognes or men whose style is subtle and understated.

If you feel confident, are creative, have that extra zing, then I recommend Paul Smith Extreme.  More spicy, with lush notes of Bergamot and exotic herbs, it still has the underlying musk but now overlaid by a bolder, more oriental scent.  This is an attention-grabber.  Whatever you do, do not spray this on ten seconds before you enter the room.

Paul Smith Extreme - quirky, spicy, lots of character

Burberry Men

This is a very good mid-range day cologne.  Slightly astringent, slightly herby, with enough musk and body to wear through a day.  A clean, slightly minty smell, very classic and pleasing.    

Burberry Men - clean, fresh, slightly herby

Egoiste – Chanel

This is a superb cologne.  Egoiste straddles the line between the mids and the bigs, it has enormous character but is also subtle and light.  It has a distinctive oriental, woody smell.  There is a crisp smell of coriander, lemon and light notes but this cologne has a real spine and it is held up by a woody and heavy floral note.  The end result is a complex confident, prosperous smell that lasts really well.

 Too new to be a classic but I am sure it will become one.  Quite rightly, a best-seller since its launch. Ignore the other Chanel men’s colognes, they are not good.  Chanel have never equalled Egoiste since they launched it.

Egoiste - fresh, floral but full of character

Tom Ford – Classic

Tom Ford understands style in a way that few people do.  To me, Tom Ford classic smells like a modern version of Eau Sauvage, without the overtly sexual fruity acid topnote smell of Eau Sauvage.  Which is a good and clever thing.  This is a floral fragrance with some spice and some amber.  Complex and superbly mixed, this smells like a worldly man, lots of scents but is a subtle, beguiling smell.  As it wears in, it develops into a light, fresh, slightly floral slightly spicy scent.  Good stuff and (I think) destined to become a modern classic.   

Tom Ford Classic

The bigs

Complex strong scents, for the big man, be it big style, big size or big presence.

Terre D’Hermes

Big, rich, very woody, a smell of orchids and leather.  Lots of earthy musk underpinning all of this.  It is very longlasting, the floral notes give way to a warm woody spiciness with a hint of amber and leather.  Very powerful, for the mature man, needs a strong presence to carry it.  The sophisticated man at night.  My personal favourite.     

Terre D'Hermes - Rich, woody, pungent

Valentino Homme

Yes, the Italian designer.  Spicy, big, intense, very flamboyant and noticeable.  Lots of orchid and rare spices, a complex scent with bergamot, exotic wood and musk, Italian to the core. If you are the star of your show, here is your scent.  Party scent  for the successful man.  

Valentino Men - big and showy

Zegna Intenso

What it says on the bottle.  Intense, deep floral scent with a fruit and spice complexity to lighten it.  A musky ostentatious scent, a little is enough, it is very noticeable.  In my experience, women love this scent, are provoked to comment on it.  Left my bottle in a hotel in Spain, keep meaning to buy some more. 

Zegna Intenso - intense, sexy, fun

Black Tea – Murdock

My god.  This is potent stuff.  Smells of wood, tobacco, burnt spices and a manly musk.  Put it on, it is spicy and warm but insistent, you can smell the leather and tobacco, a slight hint of tea, oriental spices.  A warm dry smell, it wears in and carries all of its scents confidently.  This is one of the most long-lasting colognes I have ever worn, I put it on at 14.00 and it was still working strongly at midnight.  

This is the Alpha Male of scents.  Lets be blunt, this one says big male animal, looking for sex.  Here’s a context for you.  As a yong actor, before he became a movie star, Oliver Reed was one of the most good-looking men alive.  He had a good-looking devil face, thick dark hair, a confident, insolent look and a devil-may-care presence.  Women adored him.  Black Tea by Murdock is the distilled essence of Oliver Reed and I mean that as a real compliment.  

Murdock Black Tea - Dry, spicy, leathery, truly masculine

Latins

I had to give the Latins some space of their own.  These are romantic, big men’s colognes and they are the boldest of them all. 

L’Occitane

L’Occitane are a Provencal cosmetics company that specialise in the fragrances and balms from that region.  Primarily a women’s brand, like a lot of French houses they have an extensive men’s range.  Sometimes I wear their Eau De L’Occitane pour Homme.  I would never have bought this myself, my wife bought it for me but I like it.  Funny really, because I have an ongoing love affair with Provence.    

This is a sharp, very spicy scent, with lots (and lots) of juniper, exotic herbs and flowers in it.  Not a shy scent.  I wear it when I need a cologne that can hold it’s own, such as at a summer day party, or a barbecue.  This is not an expensive or complicated men’s cologne but is fun, sexy scent.                 

Warning.  In my experience, some of L’Occitane’s men’s colognes can be overwhelming.  For example I find their men’s Verbena completely overpowering.  Try before you buy.

Narcisco Rodriguez – Men

Spanish designer, who has made a name for himself with his sophisticated womenswear, reinterpreting women’s classics and producing a dark, sexy look.  I sampled his Narcisco Rodriguez Men recently.  This is most definitely a big cologne.  In fact this is very heavy.  It is a heavily floral cologne, a big scent of orchids, a deep sweetness balanced by a heavy musk layer.   It has some undertones of wood but is primarily a strong floral smell, very opulent and quite decadent.  A showbiz perfume, movie-star-at-the-premiere men’s cologne.   

Narcisco Rodriguez for men - Heavy, floral and powerful

Adolfo Dominguez – Black

Warm scents of oranges and spices, some wood.  It smells like a hot, sunny day in Seville, with some sharp flowers thrown into the mix.  A bit less heavy than the others, the scent is lighter and not so penetrating.  This might be a good Latin cologne for a younger man.

Black by Domingues - spicy and Spanish

Carolina Herrera 212 Men

Carolina Herrera 212 Men.  I tried this recently.  Marvellous stuff.  Sophisticated, spicy, complex, lots of rich floral notes, some amber and (I think) a touch of vanilla.  This is aristocratic, prosperous, sexy and confident.  For the successful and aspiring to be successful man.  I am adding this to my core collection.  Carolina Herrera is actually Venuzuelan of Spanish descent, so this is, strictly speaking, a Latim American cologne.  Highly recommended.  

Carolina herrera 212 Men - sophisticated, aristocratic, sexy

The End, for now

So here are twenty men’s fragrances we like, there are of course lots more.  Half the fun with men’s fragrances is finding the good ones.  The other half is of course wearing them. 

As always, your feedback on our choices is most welcome.

The old saying still holds true.  A stylish gentleman gets his suits in Savile Row and his shirts and shoes in Jermyn Street. 

I really enjoy visiting Jermyn Street at this time of year.  So many elegant and individual shops, all decked out for Christmas, it really does make it feel like Christmas is approaching.  And there is nowhere better than Jermyn Street for buying Christmas gifts for your friends.  Somehow the haste and crowds do not intrude here, you get to make your choices and purchases in a considered and enjoyable atmosphere.  Shopping for the discerning man.    

The Ultimate Jermyn Street Christmas Hamper

This year sees Jermyn Street presenting a chance to win the Ultimate Jermyn Street Christmas Hamper.  Think of it as a representation of the best of Jermyn Street in a single hamper.  It includes a pair of shoes from master shoemakers Foster and Sons, a hat from the ever-stylish Bates hatters, shirts from Hawes and Curtis, accessories from jeweller Nigel Milne and other superb examples of men’s style. 

For the gourmands amongst us the hamper includes a bottle of 2002 vintage champagne from Fortnum and Mason, cheese from Paxton and Whitfield (who hold a Royal Warrant for their cheeses) and a Ritz Christmas pudding.  There are many other gifts including an overnight stay for two at the luxurious Cavendish hotel, famed for its quiet glamour, charm and impeccable service.  So if you win, you can enjoy Jermyn Street in high style.  

Here is a picture of the hamper showing some of the gifts:

The Ultimate Jermyn Street Christmas Hamper

 

To win

To enter the draw, simply visit one of the participating stores and fill out an entry postcard.  For a full list of gifts in the hamper and the stores participating in the draw, go to the Jermyn Street Association website here.  The draw is now open, with the deadline for the draw being the 16^th December 2011.  The winner will be announced and the hamper sent during the week of the 19^th December.                

So, pop along to Jermyn Street, fill out an entry postcard and give your luck a try.  May the best man win.

Goldsmiths Fair Week 2

So here we are (were) at the second week of Goldsmiths Fair.  Here are some more jewellers who make original and beautiful jewellery for men.

Marion E Kane

 I have to start with Marion E Kane.  Just look at these pictures, her work is stunning.  Of all the jewellery I saw this year I really wanted Marion’s the most.  It is ostentatious, classy and manly.  What more could a stylish man want? 

Cufflinks from Marion E Kane

The cufflinks above are one-offs, in gold and silver.  I admire the delicacy with which she has combined the two contrasting metals.  The pair on the left have been rolled, Marion often rolls her metal with textiles or other materials which degrade in the process, making the pattern unique.  If you look closely at the upper left of the pair, you can see a slight off-curve.  The pair on the right have been beaten and have a depth and solidity that makes them real men’s jewellery.

Here are a pair of collar stiffeners, once again in Silver and Gold.  I really like the fluid, tactile sparkle of these. 

Collar Stiffeners, Marion E Kane

Here is a money clip, once again a unique piece, tactile, solid and beautiful with a masculine presence.

Money Clip, Marion E Kane

Here is a picture of Marion.  She also makes silverware and women’s jewellery and undertakes commissions. 

Marion E Kane

You can see more at her website, here

Rajesh Gogna

And for something very different, here is the work of Rajesh Gogna.  Rajesh works primary in silver and makes big pieces.  Below is a pouring jug that is from his most recent collection.

Jug, Rajesh Gogna

Rajesh’s work sits on the edge between jewellery and affordable art.  Some of his pieces are catwalk conversation pieces and others are large, to the point of being ornamental, sculptural work. 

Here is Rajesh.  I found his work to be radical and eye-catching. 

Rajesh Gogna

If you want to see more of it, his website is here

Chris Carpenter

Now here is something very special.   This magnificent ring is by Chris Carpenter and could be worn by either a man or a woman.  The stone is a slice of sapphire, beautifully cut.  The line of the cut causes the stone to scintillate wherever it catches natural light.  Look at the wonderful colours and the light in this ring.  This ring was one of the most striking pieces I saw at this years show.   

Sapphire Ring, Chris Carpenter

Chris’s jewellery is adventurous but he has a strong classical style.  His work is remarkable for the use it makes of colourful and naturally beautiful stones.  Working mostly in gold and silver, he uses the warmth of gold to contrast and complement the colours of his gems. 

Chris’s website is here

Sarah Parker-Eton

Here are some very clever cufflinks by Sarah Parker-Eton.  They are made of silver, which has been anodised.  I like the contrast between the original silver edges and the darker middle.  The cufflinks have a kind of industrial look about them.  Unique and interesting talking points, I think they would look particularly good on a white shirt.

Cufflinks, Sarah Parker-Eton

 

 Sarah’s website is here

Nicholas Yiannarkis

Here are two pieces by Nicholas Yiannarakis.  His work is informed by a beautiful simplicity which shows off his use of rare precious stones.  His cuts are often unusual, bringing out the unique beauty of each particular gem.  His geometric cuts and shapes further emphasis the beauty of his gems.

Here is a ring, the stone is a rubelite tourmaline.  Stylish and heavy, it would make a superb dress ring for a man.

Tourmaline ring, Nicholas Yiannarakis

Here are some cufflinks, the chips of gem held in a cage of silver.  Clever and beguiling.

Nicholas’ website is here

Cufflinks, Nicholas Yiannarakis

Nicholas website is here.

Graeme McColm

Graeme McColm creates classy, upscale work with flair and finesse.  His cufflinks are works of art, almost Japanese in their sensibility.  Of these two pairs, I particularly like the barrel cuffs, I like the simplicity.  In the background, slightly out of foucs, you can see one of Graeme’s rings.

Cufflinks, Graeme McColm

Barrel Cufflinks, Graeme McColm

Graeme is in London, at the Oxo tower, and accepts commissions. 

Graeme McColm

 See his website here for further details.   

Another year of superb jewellery.  Goldsmiths Fair is a great show, there is no show like it for presenting such a range of men’s jewellery.  If you can go, please do so, details are available from the website here.

Goldsmiths Fair is now on!  I always get such a buzz from attending this outstandingly beautiful jewellery fair.  It started yesterday 26^th September and is now on until the 9^th October.  The fair takes place at The Goldsmiths Company, Goldsmiths Hall, Foster Lane, London EC2V 6BN.  Telephone 44 (0)20 7606 7010  www.thegoldsmiths.co.uk 

The fair is the opportunity to see (and buy) the work of some of the finest, most inspired and adventurous jewellers in England.

Goldsmiths Fair

How the fair works

The Goldsmiths Fair presents the work of over 150 jewellers over two weeks.  Even the grand hall cannot accommodate all of them at one time, so there are 90 jewellers displaying their work each week.  Those of you who can do the math will have worked out that a small number stay for both weeks but most of the exhibitors change over at the end of the first week.

Why you should go

I repeat myself, but these are the finest jewellers in England.  There is nothing commonplace or mass-produced here.  Go here to be inspired, if nothing else.  If you are a man of style the stunningly beautiful jewellery you see here will make your heart soar.  And almost all of these jewellers accept commissions.  These are the craft masters who will turn your idea into a beautiful piece of jewellery.  This is your chance to be a renaissance prince and commission a masterpiece.

Goldsmiths Hall, Foster Lane, London

This article

Our intention in this article is to write a brief piece that will give you an overview of the magnificent work on display at the Fair this week.  There will be a second article next week.  We hope to follow this with a couple of in-depth interviews. For now, here are some of the jewellers producing some beautiful men’s jewellery.

William Cheshire

We have written about William Cheshire’s jewellery before.  William has a really masculine sensibility and his men’s jewellery is outstanding, manly and stylish.  Have a look at this men’s occasional ring from his Libertine range.  It has strength, solidity and grace.  A ring for a successful man. 

Libertine Ring

For me there is a fifties Italian feel about his rings, combined with an edgy modernity.  He reminds me of Tom Ford in his ability to reference sexy men’s style and bring it up to date.  Really, they should work on a collection together.

Here is William wearing the ring.  He also undertakes commissions from his studio in Hatton Garden.  Details from his web site

William Cheshire, Jeweller

William is working on a new Men’s collection, to be launched spring 2012.  This is something to look forward to and we will report more on that nearer the time.

Details:

www.williamcheshire.com

Craig Stuart

Mokume Gane Men's Pin

 

I had to include Craig’s work.  All of it is great but the pin he is wearing is abso-damn-lutely beautiful.  Craig works in Mokume Gane.  This is a Japanese style derived from the making of Samurai swords.  Layers of precious metal are layered together and subjected to heat and pressure.  The metals deform into the beautiful patterns that you can see in the pin.  The uniquely patterned metal is then worked further to produce the final piece, ring cufflink, pin or bracelet.

Craig Stuart

These are solid pieces yet elegant and light in appearance.  The pin is manly with just a hint of its Samurai origin.  It looks superb against the grey of his jacket.  I could see it looking spectacular against a black jacket or on formalwear. 

Craig is one of a tiny number of jewellers in the world who make Mokume Gane exclusively in precious metals, a rare distinction.  Jewellery for the elegant, cultured, cosmopolitan man.  

Details

www.broughton-stuartjewellery.co.uk

Ben Day

I did not get as much time with Ben as I would have liked.  Ben’s work is opulent, disciplined and classic; he uses the finest precious and semi-precious stones.  These Tiger’s Eye Cufflinks are stunning.  He takes commissions for cufflinks like this or for original designs from clients.    

Tigers Eye, Gold and Silver cufflinks

Details:

www.benday.co.uk

Vicki Ambery-Smith

Vicki makes architecturally-themed rings and cufflinks, amongst her other work.  Her iconic representations of cities and architectural styles make for striking and ostentatiously beautiful men’s jewellery.  These are craftsman pieces and make great talking points.  Here are Vicki’s Gothic arch cufflinks (modelled incidentally by Craig Stuart, the master of Mokume Gane).  

Gothic arch cufflink

Here’s a picture of Vicki.  Behind her you can see some of her city rings, including London and Sydney (bottom right).

Vicki Ambery-Smith

Details:

http://www.vickiamberysmith.co.uk/

An Alleweireldt (Oxx Jewellery)      

An is the creative director of Oxx jewellery.  She produces some very interesting and beautiful cufflinks.  Here is a very individual eye and her pieces reflect that.  These solid silver cufflinks are satisfying both to the eye and the hand.  The washed and etched effects give them an edginess that will appeal to many men. 

Oxx Jewellery silver cufflinks

An also produces these album-cover cufflinks.  This pair features a logo with which many men will be familiar.  Most albums can be designed onto cufflinks in this way and An accepts commissions to produce the album-cufflinks of your choice.

Album logo cufflink

Details:

www.oxx.me.uk

David Webdale

Readers of this site know that we are big fans of David Webdales work.  His jewellery has bags of spirit and energy and it is not for the faint-hearted.  Some of his work, particularly his belt buckles, is big, edgy and elegantly tough-guy.  At the moment he is attracting a lot of attention for his beautiful stick-pins.  Here is one in Gold and Amethyst. 

Amythyst Pin

Here is David wearing the pin. Those readers who have read our earlier pieces about David will remember that he also works in leather.  Currently he has a collection of man-bags that, like his jewellery, are striking, luxurious and comfortable.  You can see more of these on his website.

David Webdale, Jeweller

Details:

www.davidwebdale.com

Emmeline Hastings

Emmeline makes big, beautiful; pieces.  The crystal-cut necklace below is set with coloured satin metal flakes and is a really powerful piece.  Emmeline also has rings in this collection, which showcase the metal detail beautifully.  These are pieces for aspiring rock stars, actors, men who have the presence to make a big statement.

Crystal-cut with precious metals

Here is Emmeline, wearing a geometric necklace from her collection.  It clearly goes well with stylish dresses if you are looking for a gift for someone who wears those clothes well…..

Emmeline Hastings, Jeweller

Details:
www.emmelinehastings.co.uk

Yen

Yen produces unique and timeless jewellery.  Her beautiful necklaces and bracelets are made of precious metals and stones and sparkle and scintillate, catching the light in their own unique and beautiful way.  These are tactile weaves of precious metals which are surprisingly soft and flexible to the touch. 

Yen Display

So if you buying for a woman, especially one of style, here is beautiful upscale jewellery for you.

Details:

www.yenjewellery.com

Tim Lukes

Here is Tim Lukes, who we have featured before.  Tim is a master jeweller with a wide range of classical skills, including those of silversmith and classical engraver.  He is noted for his prestigious commissions and his ability to work precious metal on a large scale. 

Tim Lukes, Jeweller

Tim has some wonderful cufflinks in his collection.  They are in precious metals and beautifully designed.  If you are going to the show do take a look at them.  If you are not, catch them on his website.

Details:

http://www.timothylukes.co.uk/

Marianne Forest

Marianne is an accomplished master jeweller, who we wrote about before.  Marianne makes the most beautiful watches, either singly or in small production runs.  These watches are amongst the most beautiful and elegant things a man can own.  Have a look at the watch below.  If there was one watch that you were going to own for the rest of your life this would be it.  Each watch is unique. 

Marianne Forest handcrafted watch

Details: 

www.marianneforest.com

Tomasz Donocik

Tomasz work was especially interesting because of his wonderful cuffs and their engineered manly style.  His men’s jewellery is superb, assertive, romantic, even slightly sinister in its beauty.  It is very sexy, upscale and captivating.  Once you have seen his jewellery, you cannot pull your eyes away from it.  The details such as concealed clasps, magnetic joins, all speak to the engineered craft that real men find attractive. Jewellery for the Alpha male.

Here is Tomasz showing two of his pieces.  The gold and precious metals cuff is very heavy and makes a real statement.  However the leather and precious metals cuff is really striking.  It has echoes of roman gladiators and renaissance condottieri and is one of the sexiest pieces on show.

Two cuffs by Timasz Donocik

Here is Tomasz modelling several of his pieces.

Details:

Tomasz Donocik

www.tomaszdonocik.com

Josef Koppmann

We have written about Josef Koppmann’s jewellery before.  He makes big bold pieces which are striking and modern, cultured and elegant.  If you wanted just one jeweller who was both modern and upscale, he is it.  Josef offsets his big designs with subtle contrasts of gold and silver.  He uses unusual and striking stones such as obsidian and the beautiful opals shown below. 

Last time we wrote about Josef’s elegant and powerful cufflinks.  This time we have two pictures of his very original and eye-catching dress studs.  The blue opals are wonderful; their irregularity would look beautiful against a dress shirt.

Gold Dress Studs

Koppmann blue opal dress studs

Here is a picture of Josef wearing the companion cufflink to the opal studs.  His jewellery is simply magnificent.

Josef Koppman, Jeweller

Details:

www.josefkoppmann.com

Week One

This is my flying roundup of the first week of the Goldsmiths fair.  The jewellers mentioned here a re just a small selection of those exhibiting.  There are many more master jewellers and craftsmen exhibiting, all of them producing the most beautiful and spectacular work.  I will report on the second week next week.

But if you have an opportunity to see this wonderful exhibition, please, GO.

Here is an interesting if brief article on Italian men’s style from a woman’s perspective, in the UK Daily Telegraph.  I think that Hannah Betts, the author, is mostly right in her observations.  Two in particular stand out. 

Firstly that women are more tactile than men and are attracted to men who wear good quality natural fibres.  What is unspoken here is that they must be clean, as women are repulsed by dirt and bad smells.    

And on the subject of smells, we men really underestimate how big a part smell plays in making us attractive to women.   Women love a good cologne, skilfully applied and Betts sings the praises of Aqua De Palma.  Aqua De Palma has had a huge revival in recent years but is now in danger of being oversold.  There are several classic colognes out that are both overlooked and very stylish.  I would recommend Givenchy Monsieur, Homme from Roger et Gallet and the newer Terre D’Hermes (my personal favourite).  If you want something new that smells classic, try one of Tom Ford’s scents.

As regular readers know I am a fan of Italian style and will have more to write about this subject shortly.

The DT article is here.

The Goldsmiths Fair starts Monday! 

The best creative jewellers in England take stands at the fair to display their work.  Goldsmiths Fair is a wonderful opportunity to see beautiful, original jewellery.  For men’s jewellery, the Fair cannot be beat, showcasing jeweller-designers who specialize in unique pieces, designed around their own highly individual styles.    

The Goldsmiths Guild is the professional association of goldsmiths and jewelers in England.  They host the Goldsmiths fair each year in their magnificent Guildhall in the City of London. 

The Fair takes place from the 28th September to 4th October (Week One) and 6th October to 11th october (Week Two).  In order to showcase all of the Guild’s jewellers’ weeks one and two feature different jewellers.  

The Fair takes place in the sumptuously beautiful Goldsmiths Hall.  I do not use sumptuously lightly, this is one of the most beautiful Guildhall’s in London, the fair is worth attending simply to be able to view the building.  Goldsmith’s Hall is at Foster Lane EC2V 6BN (nearest tube St Pauls) and the cost of entry is £7.00, which also gets you a catalogue of the exhibition.  The Godsmiths Company website is here  

I will write more on the 2009 Fair after I have attended it, but in the meantime, here are some very beautiful items to whet your appetite.

First, Henry Simple’s stylish pen overlays…. 

Henry Simple: Precious Metal Pen Overlays

Justin Richardson’s strikingly original watches…  

Justin Richardson: Red-Gold watch

Joseph Koppman: Cufflinks in Obsidian (top) and Agate (bottom)

The latest issue of S Magazine is out. As regular readers will know S Magazine is the brainchild of four Scandinavian photographers and contains cutting edge photography, mostly of beautiful young women, nude. S Magazine reads like a who’s-who of gifted modern photographers and looks like an art monograph bound and published by a high-end museum. The quality of paper and print is magnificent.

But, hell, we do not read it for any of that. S Magazine is one long paen of praise to the female form, unadorned except for the odd scrap of designer clothing, and even that gets lost…..

S magazine never worries about titles, so I am going to name this piece after its content. The focus this issue, accidental or otherwise, seems to be blondes. So for me, this is “the Blondes Issue”.

S Magazine Spring 2009

In this issue we get another set from Italian photographer Lorenzo Bringheli. It was Bringheli who shot a pictorial (in the last issue) of a rather aristocratic brunette in a bob, naked at night in public, always on the verge of being discovered. Here he goes from brunette to blonde, but keeps the aristocratic edge. The blonde has a Grace Kelly hauteur, even when naked. This guy is really good, this is very sexy stuff.

Another blonde features in Massimo Leardini’s “patterns of surrender” pictorial. However Leardini shows us a very different blonde, a woman who is natural, vulnerable and extremely sensual. It is an intriguing pictorial, one that draws you back to each picture. Mascus Ohlsson, one of the magazine’s founders gives us yet another blonde, truly beautiful, playing strip-tease games with light and shadows, aided only by a pair of super-high black stilettos.

This issue is over 400 pages long and I want to review it, not catalogue it. But I have to mention Steven Lyon’s shoot. His petite model is all attitude (think bitch) and the poses are all “take me, if you can”. If you want to see how sexy a girl can be wearing only a Panama hat this is the pictorial for you.

For those of you who want more than girls, there is an intelligent and thought-provoking interview with American artist Richard Phillips, amongst other articles.

Whenever I review S Magazine I am struck by how difficult it is to describe to you how good it is. So I know, what you need are the pictures, which is what I cannot give you. Just take my word for it, this is the most erotic photography magazine around. Buy it, you will become a subscriber and a collector.

Erotica for men of style.

Details

S Magazine is a mag with limited distribution and can be a little difficult to find. I buy it in London and know of two places to get it;

The Covent Garden branch of Waterstones Bookstore at 9-13 Garrick Street, London WC2E 9BA, Tel +44 (0) 20 7836 6757

The Covent Garden branch of Magma at 8 Earlham Street, London WC2H 9RY
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7240 8498

For those readers outside London and in other countries, I direct you to the S Magazine website www.spublication.com