Fashion Archives -

Best of Menswear Spring/Summer 2017

Duane Wells — Fri, 19 May 2017 07:38:58 +0000

Best of Menswear, Spring/Summer 2017

Taken as a whole, the Spring/Summer 2017 menswear collections were among the most wearable presented in some time despite the fact that they offered something of a mixed bag as designers took radically different approaches to the warmer months ahead – that is at least, in the Northern Hemisphere. That said, there were some overarching themes from the runways of Milano and beyond that offer insight into the looks that the stylish set will be hewing toward this season and next.

One of those themes is volume, or should I rather say, fuller silhouettes. While many collections still included slim-fitting styles, there was definitely a trend toward fuller and, dare I say it, pleated trousers, which have slowly been creeping back into fashion over the last few seasons. For those of us who have grown accustomed to those pencil-thin pants, wonderfully tailored within an inch of disaster, I fear we may need to start entertaining a bit of diversity in our choices. Likewise, looser fitting jackets, shirts and sweaters are also trending, in some cases, with exaggerated proportions from designers taking their cue from urban street style.

In terms of the color palette for Spring/Summer 2017, neutrals dominate the collections of the leading lights, with occasional pops of color being provided by the usual suspects like Moschino and Roberto Cavalli. Below we have picked the best of several categories, in hopes that they provide a bit of a style guide to you on what to wear as the temperature rises and the days grow more casual.

LivingWells Showcase

(Scroll over photo for designer)

This season, in LivingWells Showcase, we decided to especially highlight the collections that, in our opinion, served up the best, most cohesive looks for Spring/Summer 2017. Each of these highlighted collections is filled to overflowing with bravura pieces that we would wear from day to evening. They are a celebration of all that is modern in menswear distilled through a classic lens and they are filled with the essential building blocks of a standout Spring/Summer 2017 wardrobe.

At Joseph Abboud, that means a fashion-forward selection of beautifully tailored raw-edged silk and lined blazers in a creamy neutral palette, paired with full trousers, though not so dramatic in their volume as to detract from the classic elegance of the total look the designer channeled for the season. Meanwhile for New York-based designer Jeffrey Rüdes it means 70’s retro style flared pants worn with long coats and matching scarves, tailored suede jackets and black leather in various iterations all evoking a clean beautifully put together look. And finally, at Michael Kors, who has been on and off this list, it means a fashion oasis filled with classic pairings of blue and white in every conceivable combination. There are polka dots and then there are polka dots on polka dots and then there are even polka dots on polka dots on polka dots. What we love most about Michael Kors Spring/Summer 2017 collection is that it is so clean and classic and wearable. Truly one of the best outings from Kors in recent memory.

Of special note is LivingWells favorite Haider Ackermann, who, through all the whimsy of his outrageously creative designs, always manages to create stellar ensembles that are the highlight of the season. (Thankfully this season, among those are some more fitted looks that had us standing up and cheering with delight).

Classic Style

(Scroll over photo for designer)

Season in and season out there are collections that deliver timeless looks without fail. These collections serve up the classically chic staples of our wardrobes in the most meticulously luxurious manner possible. The pop may not necessarily be in the design, but it is instead found in the indisputable tailoring and fine fabrications employed to take the classics to ever soaring heights. This season, a tonal dusty rose suit from Bottega Veneta embodies the concept. As does the staple of all American staples, Ralph Lauren where double-breasted suits have a second coming in various hues. Ditto for Tod’s, Bruno Cucinelli, Berlutti, Cerrutti 1881 and Ermnegeldo Zegna the standard bearers of unadulterated sartorial perfection.

As mentioned above, one of the major trends in menswear for Spring/Summer 2017 has everything to do with fuller, more fluid silhouettes. Inspired, drapey ensembles from Issey Miyake and Y-3 offer superlative examples of the trend as do more structured offerings from Yohji Yamamoto and Dries Van Noten. Oversized proportions are also on trend as showcased in collections from MSGM, Takahiromiyashita The Soloist and Vetements.

On the absolute flip side are the retro inspired collections of Roberto Cavalli and Alexander McQueen, where the silhouettes are slim and summon up a vintage conflagration of glam rock and disco era chic.

Jumpsuits

(Scroll over photo for designer)

Jumpsuits (or flightsuits as we prefer to call them) popped up in several collections for this season, making their presence known and their rise in popularity worthy of note. Shown casually in Ralph Lauren’s collection paired with flip flops and also as a decidedly more evening, late-night option by Valentino, the jumpsuit appears to be one of the trendiest and most daring menswear options for Spring/Summer 2017.

Swimwear / Activewear

(Scroll over photo for designer)

Two things that go hand in hand with spring and summer are swimwear and activewear. For Spring/Summer 2017 Moschino once again offers up a sexy explosion of color with rock n’ roll-esque flair. Some might call the creations gaudy, but we call them deliciously over the top for those with the anatomy to do them justice. Ditto for the latest collection from Pieter by Felix Gonzalez-Torres, where speedos in black and silver lame peek out from underneath nearly floor-length backless tank tops, severely low-waisted pants, cropped hoodies and, of course, shorts. Talk about bringing sexy back.

On the activewear front, though it might not necessarily be officially categorized as such, the latest collection from Siki Im takes a winningly Zen approach to active casual wear for Spring/Summer 2017 with looks inspired by the aesthetic of monks. Though it might not sound sexy on paper, the realization of the look in this collection is absolutely inspired.

Outerwear

(Scroll over photo for designer)

Though many might not necessarily associate spring and summer with outerwear, depending upon the part of the world you call home or perhaps where your travels might take you (i.e. the Southern Hemisphere of the globe), great outerwear is a wardrobe essential.

In keeping with the most popular silhouette of the season, loose-fitting cape-like ponchos are singularly preeminent. Best in class for this trend comes from Y-3 with a hooded black number that meshes urban street with city chic; Public School with its casual ponchos in black and yellow; Acne with a camel colored cape that could be the new trench coat; Comme des Garcons with a see through double-breasted vinyl cape trimmed in black that may well be the season’s outerwear standout; and Rag & Bone with a sporty poncho in black so versatile it could be worn to the gym or on an evening out.

On the tailored side of things, the Spring/Summer collection from Pal Zilieri featuring silk parkas and leather trench coats is a real stunner in terms of outerwear for the season. As is a sleeveless trench from Louis Vuitton and everything Marni, where jackets and coats kitted out with straps and quirky details are hipster chic incarnate.

See all our picks for Spring/Summer 2017 on Pinterest and be sure to follow TheDuaneWells.

The post Best of Menswear Spring/Summer 2017 appeared first on .

Canali | A Well-Dressed Man Defined

Duane Wells — Wed, 22 Mar 2017 13:17:05 +0000

Canali Spring/Summer 2017 Runway Show

Tis a harsh truth but it must be said – If you don’t know Canali, then you probably don’t know much about menswear. It is perhaps not as flashy as other Italian labels, but the essence of great style is neither flamboyant, nor does it demand the immediate attention of a room. Superlative style instead relies on qualities like being intimately acquainted with oneself, understanding the cut and craftsmanship of a jacket, knowing, without hesitation, how to identify the perfect break in a pair of pants, and always choosing the most impeccable accessories.

Every season, I look forward to reviewing the new suits and menswear collection from Canali quite simply because it makes all of the above easy. Put even more plainly, Canali never disappoints. However, the reason for this winning track record on the menswear catwalks of the world has nothing to do with any particular mystery or substantially complicated formula. It instead has everything to do with the fact that classic elegance is timeless and classic elegance is the very thing that Canali does best.

Which is not to say that Canali is stuffy or in any way trapped in a former era of sartorial splendor, but rather to suggest that it dances the fine line between modernity and classic style with the grace and form of a world-class ballerina. It is a feat achieved in no small part due to the label’s more than eight decades long devotion to the uniquely “Made in Italy” brand of elegance that has become synonymous with the finest tailoring in the world.

In furtherance of this point, below are just a few highlights from Canali’s Spring/Summer 2017 collection which continues to demonstrate the label’s commitment to sophisticated style and unerring good taste.

Casual

Perfectly swell for an afternoon cocktail party, a day at the races or a smart lunch meeting, this micro terry effect jacket with double chest pocket paired with a linen-cotton mélange shirt, pants with slant pockets, silk pocket square, silk scarf, tumbled calfskin pouch and loafers with tassels is an undeniably winning look.

Contrary to popular belief, the end of the week isn’t necessarily synonymous with denim. Smarten up your casual Friday with this two-tone jacquard polo shirt, pants in malfilé fabric, cotton-linen gauze neck scarf, belt bag with retractable handle and perforated leather sneakers.

Work

Looking for a new blue suit that says something special when you enter a room? What could be more classic than this wool-silk-linen Kei suit with applied pockets and waist pocket and flat front pants worn with a pure linen shirt, a neck scarf used as a tie, silk pocket square and scarf and calfskin derby shoes?

Fine and dandy is exactly how you’ll look in this Kei suit in malfilé fabric consisting of jacket with waist pocket and flat front pants worn with a cotton shirt and a leather single monk strap shoe.

Evening

If the invite doesn’t call for black-tie, why not be daring? I’m all for the classics, but I’m also a big fan of tweaking tradition when given the appropriate opportunity. And that is exactly what this tuxedo jacket in malfilé fabric with contrasting silk shawl lapels and piping paired with a cotton shirt, denim-like flat front pants in wool-silk, neck scarf and leather evening loafers, does in spades.

Grey is the new black? Perhaps it could give the old black and white a little competition if it was used as brilliantly as it in this ensemble comprised of a tuxedo jacket in malfilé fabric with shawl lapels and piping, cotton shirt, flat front pants in wool-silk with denim effect, granite effect scarf and leather evening loafers.

Outerwear

Spring weather is becoming more and more unpredictable but this classic soft leather jacket with stand-up collar and zip guarantees that you will be fashionably warm no matter which way Mother Nature blows.

This trench coat in burnt sienna is perhaps my personal favorite item of the entire collection because it epitomizes how a classic can be transformed into a statement piece that will not fade with the trends but instead become a treasured and signature purchase.

Bottom line: Bellisimo.

To shop the entire Canali Spring/Summer 2017 Look Book, click here.

The post Canali | A Well-Dressed Man Defined appeared first on .

The Fabulous Gypset Glamour of Catalina Guirado-Cheadle

Duane Wells — Fri, 27 Jan 2017 09:38:22 +0000

Catalina Guirado Cheadle, Director, the Guirado Estate.

Speak to Catalina Guirado-Cheadle for any length of time and you’ll soon come to realize that there is not much ground she hasn’t covered in her 20-plus year career. The only daughter of celebrated Spanish artist Juan Antonio Guirado, Catalina has lived in the glamorous world of the gypset (gypsy + jetset) since childhood and embraced it to the full with age.

A quick recount of her recent life is almost staggering. She has been a successful runway and print model, gracing major magazine covers and designer catwalks alike. She’s hosted and appeared on a string of successful television programs in the UK. She’s written songs with and for huge 80’s Brit acts ranging from Echo and the Bunnymen, Henry Priestman and The Yachts to the Christians, Guy Batson, St. Etienne and Blondie (and scored a chart-topping hit or two in the process, thank you very much). She’s even been signed to recording deal of her own with none other than Universal Music. Along the way, she has dazzled on countless red carpets, bewitched paparazzi and dated some of the most notable film and music stars of the last two decades before settling down into wedded bliss with her rocker husband, Matthew Cheadle former guitarist of chart topping US rock group i-94.

Today, perhaps more than ever before, Guirado-Cheadle is a doggedly determined woman focused on a career that is clearly on the ascent. Following the death of her father in 2010, Catalina was made the sole director of the acclaimed artist’s estate, which she has rebranded as The Guirado Estate and on behalf of which she works feverishly in order to promote and preserve her father’s legacy. Simultaneously, to complement her work with the Estate, the ever industrious Guirado-Cheadle launched Guirado Design with collection of luxury silk scarves, fabrics and bespoke wallpapers inspired by select enlightening works of art by her father. Needless to say, Catalina Guirado-Cheadle is a very busy lady. So I was thrilled to find an excuse to sit down with my great gal pal so that I might catalogue her thoughts for you on everything from the essence of glamour to body image and the fashion industry. Here’s what she had to say:

TheDuaneWells: When did you first recognize the importance of style?

Catalina Guirado-Cheadle: When I was about 11. My mum was a seamstress and we used to [visit] some fabulous homes of my mum’s clients.

TDW: Who was your first style icon?

CGC: Without realizing it at the time, I guess it was my godmother, Marilyn. She was – and still is – super glamorous and subscribed to VOGUE, copies of which were given to me every 2 months. She would buy me Gucci and Prada accessories such as a belt or handbag every Christmas.

She also had the most fabulous homes for which my mum did the furnishings and she loved decorating them herself so we used to go and help. When I was 14, she actually introduced me to the beauty editor of British VOGUE, who was her friend, and that’s how I became a model.

TDW: Speaking of your start, since you first burst onto the scene, you’ve been a model, television personality, celebutante and now serve as executive director of your foundation. Having lived so many lives, which do you feel best suits you?

CGC: I think the reason I transitioned into [my current role] so easily is because I have done so many different things over the years that are a natural progression within their field. Model turned TV host/actress, turned singer songwriter, turned music A&R, turned music TV executive, turned art and music PR and now President of The Guirado Estate and Creative director and designer for my Guirado Legacy design collection. I am still all of the above but I’m just choosing the hats I wear at the moment for the job title and switching them when necessary. I’m just much more mature and business-like nowadays –and, dare I say it, responsible!

TDW: What has been your most memorable photo shoot?

CGC: The one that really sticks out was my Maxim magazine cover and spread back in 2002 shot by top photographer Willy Camden. It was when magazines like Maxim and FHM were creditable and really well produced. It was a full-on production shoot at Pinewood studios (where they shoot Star Wars and 007) and I spent the day under a rain machine crawling around a water tank in lingerie. They then photo shopped me into rainy shots of the streets of London’s SoHo. It looked amazing even though I felt like a drowned rat most of the day.

TDW: What conversations have you had to have with yourself about your body over the course of your career?

CGC: Well sadly when I was a fashion model in Europe I was usually telling myself not to eat as I had to be really thin. I would make agreements with myself that If I ate a bar of chocolate I wouldn’t eat the next day. It was so unhealthy and I really blame the model agencies for creating girls that have so many eating disorders and complexes. Being told at 15 with a 23 ½ inch waist that you need to lose more weight isn’t exactly healthy and that was back in the 90s when size 4-6 was the normal model size! I had exactly the same measurements as Cindy Crawford!

Now that I’ve hit 40, I tell myself it’s okay and necessary to be a size larger as your body changes. It’s natural and a 40-year-old shouldn’t compete with a 20-year-old. Plus, I think there is nothing more unattractive than a bony older woman. Eating healthily and working out to be fit, NOT skinny is the goal, which is why I do Pilates as it’s so great for the core and body strength without creating too much muscle. I want to emulate Sophia Loren and Raquel Welch as I grow older!

TDW: What are the essential elements of great style?

CGC: Well style isn’t something that can be bought for a start! Great accessories help of course but style comes down to interesting influences as well as a fun sense of humor, attitude and life.

I think that staying true to your own taste and personal style is so important [because] people who follow fashion seasons rigidly have no sense of their own identity in life. Mixing vintage, high street with designer labels is the most stylish look in my mind.

TDW: What is the best piece of style advice you’ve ever received?

CGC: Accessory-wise, take off the last thing you put on! And always check your body from the back. I have a low rib cage and square hips so I have to be careful not to look bigger than I am. Also [I was told] not to wear black on the red carpet as the picture desks don’t usually pick the photos for their spreads.

TDW: Conversely, what is the best piece of style advice you’ve ever given?

CGC: Take the last thing on, off! And, people over 40 really should not wear daisy dukes or mini mini-skirts! I don’t care how good your legs are — it’s a no!

TDW: What are your thoughts about color? Prints?

CGC: I love wearing red dresses! It brings Instant attention at a party and on the red carpet. I’m really into color in the summer but in the winter all I seem to wear is black with a colorful scarf accessory (usually one of my own designs).

Catalina Guirado-Cheadle wearing a Guirado Legacy Design Caftan.

TDW: Describe the most common style mistake women make?

CGC: Wearing all designer labels at once and not following their body type but just wearing something they think is cool [though it] should [only be worn by] a 16-year-old stick insect in reality!

TDW: Is there a universal style weapon (secret) that works for every woman?

CGC: I was brought up in Europe and we are taught that it’s all about having great classic accessories and what’s more classic than a great haircut and blow dry? [With] clean hair, clean nails, good skin, natural make up, quality shoes and [a good] handbag, you can go out in jeans and a tank and still look good.

TDW: What is your favorite fashion accessory?

CGC: My collection of sunglasses…mainly vintage.

TDW: What has been your worst style moment?

CGC: The 80s. I hate everything about the horrible make up and horrendous hair. I copied looks straight out of magazines and looked like a glow worm most of the time. Luckily that’s when I discovered Camden Lock in London and my love of vintage 60s clothes started. I was slightly goth too for a while. I shot a Vidal Sassoon commercial and they dyed my hair black and cut short bangs. It was very fashion forward but not great when you are 16 and still at school. I pretended I was in the band Shakespeare Sister and dressed in Katherine Hamnet and dated a rock star all before I left school! No wonder the girls at school were so mean to me. I was so ahead of my [years]!

TDW: What part or your body or physical attribute have you had to learn to love?

CGC: My face isn’t even and I have slightly different shaped eyes, but so does Christy Turlington so I’m okay with it. [Laughs]

I try not to look at any part of my body for too long as it doesn’t end well. Fixation is most of the problem with today’s obsession with plastic surgery. I know I’m guilty of thinking I look fat or am sagging when in fact I look the same as before but didn’t obsess. I truly blame Los Angeles, social networking and the selfie. It’s getting scary and its not real. I leave LA and I feel fantastic about myself!

TDW: If you could bring one fashion item or look roaring back to favor what would it be?

CGC: I’m really happy with exactly now and the revival of 60s/70s boho and disco chic. I’m in retro heaven.

To find out more about the Guirado Estate, click here. Follow the latest with Guirado design at: www.guiradodesign.com.

The post The Fabulous Gypset Glamour of Catalina Guirado-Cheadle appeared first on .

Fendi Celebrates 90th Anniversary in Iconic Fashion

Duane Wells — Sat, 09 Jul 2016 21:06:34 +0000

Kendall Jenner, Fendi 2016, Trevi Fountain

What better way to celebrate a storied 90-year history in the fashion world than by staging an extraordinary and unique fashion event at Rome’s iconic Trevi Fountain with none other than Kendall Jenner opening the show?

Such was the case yesterday in the Eternal City as celebrities including Kate Hudson, Bella Thorne and Lottie Moss joined the fashion glitterati which included Vogue International Editor Suzy Menkes and fashion blogger Chiara Ferragni for Fendi’s second ever Haute Fourrure Show, entitled “Legends and Fairytales”. Karl Lagerfeld, the long time Creative Director of Fendi, was also of course on hand as his elegant, whimsical designs inspired by the illustrations of the early 20th-century Danish illustrator Kay Nielsen took center stage before a star-studded crowd at the otherworldly once in a lifetime event.

See video below:

Founded in Rome nine decades ago, FENDI opened its first boutique in 1926 in Via del Plebiscito, featuring a small fur atelier and leather goods workshop. Still today, the luxury Maison not only continues to host in-house ateliers and creative temples where highly-skilled artisans convey all their expertise to unique creations, all made-in-Italy, it simultaneously continues a tradition of great revolutionary worldwide achievements, avant-garde experimentation, unlimited research and innovation, proposing new luxurious and modern fur designs and accessories.

To mark the occasion, The Maison is also releasing the “FENDI Roma” book at the San Luca Academy inside Palazzo Carpegna, alongside “FENDI ROMA – The Artisans of Dreams” exhibition at Palazzo della Civiltå Italiana. The exhibition, open to the public from 9th July, is conceived to celebrate the Maison’s unique fur craftmanship and creativity, founding and distinctive elements of the luxury Roman House’s core values.

Find out more about all things Fendi by clicking here.

The post Fendi Celebrates 90th Anniversary in Iconic Fashion appeared first on .

Best of Menswear Spring/Summer 2016

Duane Wells — Tue, 03 May 2016 06:08:26 +0000

Step into Spring/Summer 2016 looking your fashionable best. Neutrals are all the rage, as are pops of color and relaxed silhouettes. Greg Lauren’s collection was an all around standout. As were the collections from Loewe, Ports 1961, N. Hoolywood and Balmain.

Below LivingWells picks the best looks in menswear for Spring/Summer 2016:

The post Best of Menswear Spring/Summer 2016 appeared first on .

Best of Outerwear | Menswear Spring/Summer 2016

Duane Wells — Tue, 03 May 2016 05:36:31 +0000

Wrapping up in style.

As the thaw of winter gives way to balminess of summer, a few smart wraps are generally essential to fashionably straddling the bridge between seasons. As the season dictates, be bold, be colorful or be classic, but, for the love of all things holy, be chic,

With that though in mind, here are my picks for the best looks in outerwear for Spring/Summer 2016:

The post Best of Outerwear | Menswear Spring/Summer 2016 appeared first on .

Gods and Kings: The Rise and Fall of Alexander McQueen and John Galliano

Duane Wells — Fri, 29 Apr 2016 02:21:03 +0000

Sex. Drugs. Scissors.

Alexander McQueen and John Galliano. Their names are often casually spoken with a familiarity generally reserved for a loved one. You might even be wearing an article of clothing that bears the imprint of one or the other as you read this. But what do you know of the men behind the labels?

McQueen and Galliano were both tormented gay adolescents from working class families in London, who grew up teased and taunted by their peers. Neither of them was supposed to ascend to the highest thrones in the fashion demimonde, but ascend they did. And like Icarus, what a toll they paid for flying too close to the sun.

Much ballyhoo has been made about the price of beauty, but until recently little has been said about the price affixed to the creation of beauty. Without launching into a diatribe to rival Miranda Priestly’s fulmination on the far-reaching import of the color cerulean, suffice it to say that for every look sent down a runway which later enters our lives in some distillated way, shape or fashion, there is an investment of inspiration, talent, savvy, skill and, occasionally, pain that is often not fully recognized. Such is, at least in part, the premise of Dana Thomas’ recent book Gods and Kings: The Rise and Fall of Alexander McQueen and John Galliano.

John Galliano, before the fall

In an exhaustively probing examination, Thomas, a fashion journalist, pulls back the curtain on the rise and demise of two of the creative geniuses who defined a generation of fashion. The way they cut, their inspirations, their muses, their lovers, their fears…Thomas covers them all. Along the way, she also illuminates parallels between the careers of McQueen and Galliano – superstar designers who simultaneously ruled fashion, in spite of the fact that their styles could not have been more divergent.

Irrespective of how familiar you are with the lives of Galliano and McQueen, Gods and Kings is a fascinating read. For hardcore fashionistas the book will be akin to taking a walking down memory lane and recalling both the creative magic that made the two designers gods and the demons that plagued them behind the scenes. Meanwhile, for those who have not been particularly fixated by fashion heretofore, Gods and Kings, will act as the ultimate primer on understanding the innerworkings of haute couture during the moment in time when McQueen and Galliano scaled the heights of fashion; the players that helped them get there; the players that nearly brought them down; and the celebrities and socialites that orbited their respective universes.

At times Thomas can wax a bit rhapsodic about the designers’ various collections, but the tantrums, personalities and occasionally sordid background drama that fill in the gaps help to make this biographical tome cum cautionary tale an engaging read.

To get the book click here.

The post Gods and Kings: The Rise and Fall of Alexander McQueen and John Galliano appeared first on .

Men in Black | Best of Menswear Fall/Winter 2015

Duane Wells — Thu, 15 Oct 2015 20:19:53 +0000

No matter what your style, it’s almost impossible to go wrong with classic black.

Some say call it too somber while others call it downright funereal but I believe there’s something extremely elegant about wearing head-to-toe black. A perennial LivingWells favorite, irrespective of season, black is especially well suited to Fall/Winter. So with that in mind I have taken the liberty of picking out my favorite looks in black directly from the runway for Fall/Winter 2015. Which do you love and which do you hate? Tweet me your thoughts @theduanewells.

The post Men in Black | Best of Menswear Fall/Winter 2015 appeared first on .

Tani | The Luxury Beneath

Duane Wells — Wed, 27 Aug 2014 13:07:01 +0000

Tani Men’s Underwear

From the time I was a little boy, I recall my grandmother telling me that “A man isn’t well dressed unless he’s dressed well from head to toe.” And by ‘head to toe’ she was referring to every article of clothing on my person, whether it was seen or not seen. Failing to meet this standard led to a rebuke that, for all intents and purposes, made compliance the only option.

That being the case, it was a given not only that the primary pieces of one’s outerwear would be coordinated and immaculate, but also that one’s undershirts had to be ironed, one’s socks had to be in tip-top condition and coordinated with one’s shoes or pants and that, perhaps most important of all, that one’s underwear had to be pristine and no less in keeping with the mode than everything else in one’s ensemble. Needless to say, that training left an indelible impression on my sartorial sensibilities. So when I discovered the luxurious pleasure of Tani underwear, I found a welcome addition to my wardrobe of which I’m sure my grandmother would approve (though she no longer regularly sees me in my underwear).

In recent years, underwear for men has come a long way and the choices are plenty. In fact, between you and me, I may take a few more liberties with my underwear choices than my grandmother might approve of nowadays. That said, there’s something special about my Tani underwear that makes me feel particularly grown up.

Made from combinations of the finest natural fibersincluding Swiss cotton, Spanish Modal, Austrian Micro Modal and more, employing state-of-the-art knitting technologies to ensure that the fabrics are the softest, smoothest, sleekest available Tani underwear is quite simply elegant. There are no zany colors, outrageous patterns or hypersexual embellishments, just a clean, modern aesthetic and extremely comfortable design ideal for a man of more refined tastes in search of the perfect complement to a bespoke suit and tailored dress shirt or even a favored pair of jeans.

Best of all, Tani is not only about comfort, it’s also about performance. While my personal favorite, the SilkTouch collection is made from a super fine fabric culled from 100% Austrian beech wood that is so light it feels as though you’re hardly wearing anything at all, the Air Fitness collection combines antibacterial qualities with a special knit designed to manage moisture that makes it the ideal accoutrement for work outs, and the Luxuriance Collection takes luxe to a new level with superfine fabrics that redefine notions of what underwear can be. And did I mention that Tani underwear is perfect for traveling because the fabrics rinse easily and dry quickly? Yeah…that’s an added bonus.

If you ever thought that all underwear was created equal, Tani is proof positive that it is not. And, perhaps more importantly, in full acknowledgment that everything my grandmother taught me was indeed true, I can honestly say that while I feel great when I look great, I somehow feel more complete when I’m wearing my Tani underneath.

Tani is currently available at Nordstrom’s. Prices range from $50 – $300.

The post Tani | The Luxury Beneath appeared first on .

Cécile zu Hohenlohe: The Princess and her Traveling Jewels

Duane Wells — Wed, 27 Aug 2014 08:58:58 +0000

HSH Princess Cecile zu Hohenlohe

“Wherever I lay my jewels, I lay my head.”

— HSH Princess Cécile zu Hohenlohe-Langenburg

It was on one of those stereotypically crisp, sunny late afternoons that are so emblematic of springtime in the City of Angels that I first met HSH Princess Cecile zu Hohenlohe-Langenburg for coffee on an outdoor patio at the heart of West LA’s tony Brentwood Country Mart. Fresh faced with her hair pulled loosely back and dressed casually in a fitted leather jacket and jeans, my regal coffee date looked more like one of the chic Santa Monica locals buzzing around the popular shopping plaza than one might expect of the progeny of one Germany’s oldest royal families.

As the eldest daughter of Prince Kraft zu Hohenlohe-Langenburg and Princess Charlotte of Croy, the granddaughter of Princess Margarita of Greece and Denmark, the great niece of Prince Phillip, Duke of Edinburgh and Queen Elizabeth II, the cousin to Princes William and Harry, and also a direct descendant of Tsar Alexander II of Russia, to say that Cécile zu Hohenlohe’s royal connections are not only significant but dizzyingly fascinating, if almost impossible to follow, would be something of an understatement. And yet, though she can count her place in the royal succession to the throne of England, the most discernibly royal quality about the woman sitting across from me clutching a warm beverage and a bag of jewels on that picturesque Southern California afternoon was the beatific nature of her smile and the unconsciously effortless graciousness of her demeanor.

Baby Cecile with her mother Princess Charlotte

In fact, it is immediately obvious within minutes of conversation with Her Serene Highness (who actually in a nod to modernity eschews any of the pretense of titles beyond their association with her work) that while she readily acknowledges the unique and privileged nature of her heritage, she is far less enamored of her royal ties than others (myself included) seem to be. She is even quick to admit to not knowing her family history well enough, much to the chagrin of her mother. Which is not to say that she takes it all lightly, because, in truth, her family history is in large part the reason we had convened to chat.

After a lifelong interest in art and beauty that began at boarding school and then continued through her study of sculpture, prop making and stage design at art school in London, Cécile has created a singularly glittering exhibition of one-of-a-kind “hand sculptures” called In the Space Between that can currently be seen through Labor Day at Grey Area in East Hampton, NY. A collection of rings filled with contrasts, in which that which is old is made new, while that which is high is commingled with that which is low, In the Space Between combines precious and semi-precious stones along with other elements that have been culled from the Hohenlohe family estate and grounds, Langenburg Castle in Germany and Cécile’s extensive travels to exotic and sacred locales around the world to give birth to artistic creations that seemingly float on the hand while simultaneously providing vessels for telling stories, which is what interests their designer most.

In the Space Between Collection by Cecile Hohenlohe

“I like using things which may not traditionally be set together or be what we perceive of as valuable objects or materials,” Cécile explains with a certain air of delight. “It can be a pebble or piece of old concrete but you set it with an amazing stone and suddenly a completely different kind of dialogue begins to happen for both pieces. I like the contrast. I [like] allowing these pieces to come into conversation with each other.”

Conversation and stories are in fact the very foundation of Cécile’s collection beginning with the intimate discourse she entered into with nature at a very young age in the scenic Hohenlohe region of Germany. “”Growing up [at Langenburg Castle] was a very protected upbringing in the sense that it was wholesome. I had much contact with nature around home which was a big part of my refuge as child,” Cécile recalls of the centuries old childhood home where she still maintains the studio to which she returns to create with the help of local master goldsmiths and silversmiths whose connection to her family traces back more than a century. “Being in the castle had a certain rigidity … it was quite conservative and conventional… freedom and inspiration was often found in the woods where I could be free because I didn’t have to be the person I had to be in the castle. Everyone in the village knew who you were. With my name in Germany you’re somewhat branded so to speak. Freedom for me was when I was able to be without any of that on my back. I found it in nature.”

Langenburg Castle, Germany

Meanwhile back at the castle, a different and perhaps equally formative conversation was taking place between Cécile and her royal forbears. “There were family events and balls that my parents, my aunt and grandmother attended,” she recalls. “As a little girl I loved when all the preparation began and the dresses came out. They would discuss the gowns they were going to wear, and what tiara and jewels would match. When I was twelve, we were in London for the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana. We children were able to watch from Buckingham Palace. I was too young to go to any of the balls, but it was special watching my mother getting dressed up and adorning herself with the jewels. I adored just sitting there and staring at these beautiful treasures as well as growing up with them – not just in their boxes but actually worn by my family which is rarer and rarer these days.”

Of particular note to a young Cécile was a jewelry casket she found while rummaging through the castle’s many attics, cupboards and drawers, a practice which remains one of her favorite pastimes at Langenburg. “The box was just so beautiful because it had this vibrant Yves Klein blue lining like the sky on the inside and contained three trays,” she says. “Sadly it was empty because the jewels had been sold to support Russian family members after the revolution and what wasn’t sold was burned in the devastating castle fire in 1963. So it was up to my imagination to fill the boxes because there was nothing left other than the imprints of the jewels which were like echoes of past times. That box certainly was a big part of my inspiration. It was this blue emptiness allowing new things to arise from it.”

Jewelry Casket

“My grandmother, Margarita of Greece, the sister of Prince Philip, would often show me jewelry and tell me stories,” she continues. “It was about the connection of the stories attached to [the gems], which made them more special. It was about who gave the jewels to her and on what occasion. She lost most of her possessions when the castle burned down in 1963 so sometimes she only had photographs of herself with these pieces that had been lost. I think there was a sense of displacement in her life, having fled from Greece to Paris and then marrying my grandfather in Germany. A way of connecting with her was looking at these jewels together and her allowing me to play with them as well. It was a special treat to adorn myself with her jewels even though the rings and bracelets would slip off my fingers and arms. I treasure these moments I had with my grandmother.”

HRH Princess Margarita of Greece

Today, Cécile continues the tradition of telling stories through well-traveled jewels with the collection of her creations with which she has been making her way around the world for more than a year. “There are pieces I found on beaches such as in Jordan on the Red Sea, on the Black Sea in Bulgaria, on some islands in Greece, little pebbles from the Ganges and also from a number of sacred sites I’ve been to visit… Pieces that have meaning to me,” she offers in explanation of the make-up of her collection. “I always have my eyes peeled. Just the other day I was on the beach at a house in East Hampton that had been gutted and there were some fabulous crumbled chunks of concrete in a skip outside. I never know where I’ll find something that could end up in one of my pieces. It’s a constant way for me to be in contact with my environment where ever I am. So I schlepp these bags back from wherever I go filled with stones, rocks, this that and the other,” she says with obvious amusement at herself.

Perhaps more than any other, one particular ring captures the spirit and beauty of In The Space Between, because of the journey from the past to the present it tells. “I call it the Lotus Ring. It gives new life to the engagement ring my father gave my mother. I married it with a big chunk of molten bronze found in the ashes after the castle fire,” the artist says of the piece.

Lotus Ring by Cecile Hohenlohe

“My mother gave me the engagement ring after my father passed and I never wore it. It was sitting in a box in a drawer yet it meant a lot to me and I regretted not wearing it. When I was making the other pieces, it was placed there with all the other stones and I kept wondering what to do with it. I set it with other stones and it just wasn’t happening. Then its history came to mind. It was the only piece left from the box of jewels. Everything else had been sold or charred so it found its natural place with the molten piece of bronze. Symbolically speaking, it’s very much like the Phoenix rising from the flames, which happens to be our family crest, but I prefer the analogy to the lotus rising from the mud unstained.”

Like a Lotus rising from the mud indeed. Just as might be said of the entire collection, the name of which was inspired by the quote “In the space between thoughts, non-conceptual wisdom shines forth continuously” from Tibetan sage Milarepa, In The Space Between is an eclectic array of pieces that have traveled from places both significant and inconsequential to tell unique tales and share the uncommon sagacity of a most compelling life.

See a full range Cécile zu Hohenlohe’s stories told through her art at Grey Area in East Hampton through Labor Day and then keep your eyes peeled for upcoming exhibitions around the world in Bangkok, Hong Kong, Delhi and Mumbai.

To visit Langenburg Castle or find out more about its history click here.

The post Cécile zu Hohenlohe: The Princess and her Traveling Jewels appeared first on .

Fashion Archives -

Best of Menswear Spring/Summer 2017

LivingWells Showcase

Classic Style

Trending

Jumpsuits

Swimwear / Activewear

Outerwear

Canali | A Well-Dressed Man Defined

Casual

Work

Evening

Outerwear

The Fabulous Gypset Glamour of Catalina Guirado-Cheadle

Fendi Celebrates 90th Anniversary in Iconic Fashion

Best of Menswear Spring/Summer 2016

Best of Outerwear | Menswear Spring/Summer 2016

Gods and Kings: The Rise and Fall of Alexander McQueen and John Galliano

Men in Black | Best of Menswear Fall/Winter 2015

Tani | The Luxury Beneath

Cécile zu Hohenlohe: The Princess and her Traveling Jewels