Argentina enters NYC

Etiqueta Negra has revolutionized the menswear retail market in Argentina with its well-priced, well-made line of semi-formal apparel. Now counting nine national stores and a popular reputation for polo-inspired designs and quality classics, it's surprising that the Latin American style staple remains relatively unknown. With the first store in North America recently opened in Soho, Etiqueta Negra begins to educate the US consumer on their unique brand and aesthetic.

Lanvin Men's Ready To Wear Fall 2009 [Paris]

“In difficult times the public needs something uplifting,” Elbaz and Ossendrijver said. “You can either take a Tylenol or wear a Lanvin suit... We wanted to deliver an optimistic message, give people something real and find the real solutions to their clothes, change things and propose newness," said Lucas Ossendrijver, Lanvin's men's wear designer. “We're not hiding back stage. The real people who wear our clothes are out here," said Lanvin's creative director Alber Elbaz, who, together with Ossendrijver, played politician and schmoozed their public on the runway before the show.

Shown in the courtyard of the Lycée Carnot, this military meets schoolboy collection is full of brilliant juxtapositions: Softly tailored coats flowed over unstructured jackets with raw edges. A trench coat cinched at the waist and double breasted jackets with gathers on the back were among the handsome new volumes.

A solid collection featuring some of our favorite shoes and boots of this season, below are some of our favorites:











Photography: Marcio Madeira

Tips: OAK [NYC]

Deal: For their regular "40-50-60" sale, Oak knocks 40% off clothing this week, 50% off next week, then 60% off to follow.

When/Where:
Through Sunday, January 25th.
• 28 Bond St at Lafayette St (212-677-1293)
• 208 N 8th St between Driggs Ave and Roebling St, Williamsburg, Brooklyn (718-782-0521).
Call locations for hours of operation.

Sale merchandise is also available on the store's website.

Florsheim by Duckie Brown

Weyco Group Inc., the suburban Milwaukee makers of Florsheim Shoes, introduced a co-branded collection of men's shoes with uber-trendy men's apparel designer Duckie Brown to retailers last fall. Retailing for $200 to $300 under the name "Florsheim By Duckie Brown," this collection should appear in stores in the fall of 2009.

Duckie Brown is a small menswear design firm led by Steven Cox in London and Daniel Silver in Toronto. The Duckie Brown shoe collection will consist of six styles in a variety of colors. "It's an oddball mix," Florsheim said. "You're taking a couture blend with a mainstream American brand."

The Duckie Brown line represents the most dramatic extension of the Florsheim brand, which Weyco has steered strongly from its stodgy past to a "fashion forward" direction in recent years. The shoes will be sold in Florsheim's 39 stores nationwide and in "upper tier" retailers, Florsheim said.

Considering the quality, this collection comes at a reasonable price point, with said wingtips going for $395. One original, however, remains untouched: the Patriot Boot (pictured), which was produced to celebrate the end of WWII and will be reissued in its original 1945 incarnation. The reason? Duckie's Daniel Silver and Steven Cox wanted to put it out in celebration of the 44th President of the United States. Look for them this July, when 1,945 pairs will be produced for $495 each.

Knits by the sea, Spring 2009 Missoni

If lumpen heaviness was a critique that was leveled at the last Missoni men’s collection, then Angela Missoni clearly sucked it up and did what she had to. Last time around, she was talking about finding inspiration in her boyfriend Bruno Ragazzi’s tailor-made clothing.

This time, he was on hand for the show, just off his boat on Lake Como, tanned, open-necked, the aspirational embodiment of the collection’s summery ease. The show notes talked about Alain Delon and Saint-Tropez, but all that really means is male glamour and a bang-up holiday, and both of those notions were communicated in clothes that were sensuous, colorful, and uncomplicated.

Think a loose-weave knit cardigan over a floral-print shirt. Think cutoff denims. Hell, think suits with sandals. The palette covered sand, sea, and a little green from beachside plant life. But the most encouraging news was the way in which the weight of Missoni tradition translated into something as light as a woven hooded top, or as subtle as the trim on the lapels and pockets of a gray linen suit.






By Tim Blanks

Gillette beyond shave

Gillette invites men to transform their daily shower with Gillette Body Wash, a new line of products designed for men’s cleansing needs. Knowing that men shower not just to get clean, but to prepare for the day ahead, Gillette Body Washes provide men with the confidence to succeed by leaving them feeling more alert, focused and empowered.

• Dry Skin Hydrator + Body Wash: Defends against dry skin by providing three times the hydrators of the leading male body wash.

• Gentle Clean Shampoo + Body Wash: Leaves skin and hair healthy looking by combining a body wash plus 40 percent more hair cleansers than the leading hair and body wash.

• Oil Control Face + Body Wash: Removes excess surface oil without over drying to give smooth skin from a body wash plus more lather than the number one dermatologist recommended facial cleanser.

Gillette Body Wash is available in a 12-ounce bottle at the suggested retail price of $4.29.

Hinoki, Scent One by Comme des Garçons

One of our favorite fragrances is Hinoki, Scent One by Comme des Garçons. Produced for Monocle by Comme des Garçons' perfumer, Antoine Maisondieu, Hinoki is a cedary, woody scent inspired by Japanese hot-spring baths and Scandinavian forests.

Hinoki reminds us of of Comme des Garçons' 2002 Series 3 Incense Collection, our favorite series from this house. All five of the fragrances in the Insese Collection are interesting AND very wearable. Several are complex and simply gorgeous.

Hinoki is available at selected Comme des Garçons stores and on monocle.com.