Category: "Fashion"

Michael Bastian for GANT AW10

We love a good designer and brand collaboration here at MFL for Him, and we especially love it when a truly great designer gets together with a top brand to create a collection that really works. The latest of said collaborations that we’re looking forward to is that of twice nominated CDFA Menswear Designer of the Year, Michael Bastian and Gant – the brand that delivers American style clothing with European flair.

The collection, which is set to launch at the end of August, fuses the rich heritage of Gant with the modern and luxurious American classics that Michael Bastian is known for, and promises to mix sporty pieces with tailored elements to create a truly wearable collection.

Inspired by the fastest sport on two feet, Lacrosse, the collection features sporty separates in classic colours, where maroon sweaters edged with contrast orange stripes are mixed with check shirts and chunky knits for a grown-up preppy look.

We love this green knit sweater with the quirky Lacrosse pattern across the chest – it looks great worn with simple chinos and a relaxed shirt underneath for a sports-chic look.

Worn with a check flannel shirt this classic down bomber jacket does that American sportswear look perfectly, as well as making for a great piece of outerwear for Autumn Winter. Other stand-out pieces in the collection that are worth checking out include tailored blazers with elbow patches and a truly must-have washed moleskin military pea coat.

The Michael Bastian for Gant collection will be exclusively available at Selfridges on Oxford Street as well as gantuk.com from 25th August.

Billionaire Boys Club AW10

There’s a select few men that it’s really quite OK to admit to having a man-crush on, and one half of Grammy award-winning production team for the Neptunes – Pharrell Williams – is one of them. He’s got the style, he’s got the talent and to top it off he’s got a really cool clothing line that he not only helps design, but also stars in their campaigns. Yes Pharrell’s got it all, and we want a piece of that distinctive style – which is why we’re currently spending a significant amount of time taking our picks from Billionaire Boys Club AW10 range.

Pharrell shows us how it’s done as he looks effortlessly stylish in khaki green blazer, jeans, sneakers, hat and super-cool sunglasses. Billionaire Boys Club does that luxurious sportswear look really well but still manages to keep an urban vibe and street wear feel. We’ve also got our eyes on this preppy, college boy tweed blazer with shoulder patches which looks great styled with the relaxed polo and holdall bag, as well as the really great military feel jacket with oversized shearling collar – perfect for winter.

Loving your work, Pharrell – we salute you.

Visit the Billionaire Boys Club site to see the full AW10 collection.

Armani Jeans: Goldenblue

It’s been thirty years since Giorgio Armani started his own brand jeans line, and while lot has come and gone since then – including eighties shoulder pads, lyrca shorts and of course the mullet – one trend has rarely left our lower bodies, which is the trusted and classic indigo jean.

In the build up to this significant 30 year anniversary, Giorgio Armani plans to pay homage to the blue universe and to celebrate the history of the indigo jean he’s launching a special collection for men and women. Christened “Goldenblue” the jeans have been created in a special fabric obtained from a fusion of indigo and gold – blue for the warp and gold for the weft – creating a distinctive frosted look. And just incase you forget you’ve shelled out a pretty penny on a pair of Armani jeans, each pair bears the full signature of the man himself.

And just so you, and everyone else, knows what an exclusive pair of jeans you’re wearing you’ll receive a special limited edition t-shirt when you buy a pair of the jeans, with the very subtle ‘Goldenblue Boy’ emblazoned on the front.

A fitting tribute to the spirit of indigo jeans we think you’ll agree?

Goldenblue will be available from the end of July in all Armani Jeans sales outlets throughout the world.

Henri Lloyd Sale now on!


It’s summer sale season and we’ve been on the hunt to find some of the best picks around, so you’ll be pleased to know that inbetween trawling the e-rails and picking up a few gems for ourselves on the way we’ve found this great piece in the Henri Lloyd sale.

The Eduardo is a lightweight quilted jacket which has more than a nod to the popular Barbour style and is a great purchase for looking towards the end of summer and the beginning of AW. The navy plume fabric is a great classic look and the branding is really subtle which we love. Reduced from £130 to £91 we think it’s a top buy for a lightweight jacket.

Buy the Eduardo here or shop the rest of the Henri Lloyd sale on their site now.

Men’s Fashion Week Round up, Milan: Days 3 and 4

With Paris Men’s fashion week now in full swing we finish our round up of Milan Men’s fashion week from the 21st and 22nd of June.

Ermenegildo Zegna
The cravat was key at Zegna, in shades of burnt ombre, rich khaki and royal blue, it was worn just often with the more casual shirting as well as with the traditional suiting. Suits came in shades of peach and marl grey and was worn with tailored shorts and brogues, or worn with open necked shirts that were finished with a cravat. More casual looks had a slightly urban influence with parka style lightweight jackets in rich orange, worn over a striped jersey and paired with bright whites and sandals. But the Riviera influence was never far off with models donning sunglasses and wearing straw hats atop their head or held loosely at the side, as well as checked blazers that gave a contemporary nod towards the classic look.

Gucci
The look was chic and sleek at Gucci with classic slim fit suiting in luxurious suede and stand-out tailored leather jackets. Like many of the shows blue was a key colour, here coming in smart dark denims, midnight blues and cornflower blue shades and mixed with rich suede browns and rusty orange. Head-to-toe and denim was seen in the form of a safari style suit as well as with the more traditional double breasted suiting done in a denim-look fabric. Knitwear was made for Spring, done light and white in colour and oversized in style, the chunky-knit funnel necked jumpers were worn with super slim trousers in the same shade for ultimate contrast in proportion.

Etro
Verdant pastures at the Etro show laid the way for a refreshingly light-hearted collection that showed intricate print and embroidery alongside bursts of zesty colour. Tailoring was relaxed and wearable in shades of khaki, putty and white while gingham prints were mixed together with paisley shirting and bold Moroccan feel prints were worn together with shirt and short combinations.

D&G
It was picnic time at D&G with models carrying their hampers down the runway complete with French sticks and wearing the perfect outfits for the occasion. Fun hawaian print short shorts were mixed with gingham print shirts in shades of vibrant green and rolled up shorts were trimmed with the same gingham print. Tailoring was lightweight in pastel shades and worn with rolled up cuffs for an ultra laid-back look.

Canali
Canali showed us the contemporary gent, with understated simple suiting and separates done perfectly and without fuss. On the more casual side of the show chinos came in shades of buttermilk and corn with touches of taupe and sandy shades in the form of simple sweaters, polo shirts and cardigans. Footwear was key to the modern casual look at Canali with models in plimsoles rather than the popular brogue style shoe. The suiting was sharp but understated with a nude coloured short funnel neck worn under a light grey double breasted ensemble, accessorised of course with the contemporary man bag and shades.

Giorgio Armani
There was a moody feel at Giorgio Armani with a colour palette built around midnight blues, blueish greys and denim tones. Tuxedo style jackets were played down in denim shades and given a lighter touch with v neck tops in pastel blue tones. Powder blue blazers were worn with slim fit trousers in deep bluish grey and offset with touches of bright yellow in the form of the belt and shoe combination.

DSquared2
It was bold and wearable at DSquared2 with a colourful mix of blazer and shorts combinations in fresh fruity colours. Short cut green tailored shorts were worn with a light blue open necked shirt and a pastel pink blazer for a fun but wearable city chic look. White chinos and a strawberry coloured blazer were cut more generously than the more slim cut styles from other designers which added to the accessible feel of the collection.

To see the full coverage of the collections from Milan Men’s Fashion week visit GQ online.

Men’s Fashion Week Round up, Milan: Day 2

Continuing our round-up of Men’s fashion week in Milan, we move on to Sunday 20th June with more highlights from the top designers.

Bottega Veneta
Bottega Veneta presented a chic and luxurious but extremely wearable collection, with ultra relaxed suiting in bright whites, earthy burgundies and deep blues. When jackets were double breasted they were cut slightly loose and worn with low slung, almost slouchy trousers for a chic, laid back look. The single breasted ensembles were closer fitted in shades of stone and putty, but still worn with an air of relaxed nonchalance. We also saw a great section of spring-time khakis and burnt terracottas, with rolled up shorts, open funnel neck shirts and a very short pair of deep brown leather shorts.

Emporio Armani
It was sleek, sexy and fierce at Emporio Armani with lots of leather, sheer panels, crocodile print and a few chains here and there too. Models wore fitted leather trousers, sometimes slashed, sometimes crocodile print, mixed with leather waistcoats, sheer shirts and beguiling eye makeup. The show had a monochrome feel, with most looks either all black, all white, or a mix of varied grey-blues. At its softest the collection showed looser tailored trousers in a two-tone bluish fabric mixed with a sheer shirting and a ultra short sleeved blazer. Closely fitted tapered cropped trousers in light tones were worn with ankle length crocodile skin pointed boots and paired with tailored waistcoats in powder and egg-shell blue.

Gianfranco Ferre
There was a distinct gentlemanly vibe to this resort-feel collection of broad shouldered, slightly boxy blazers in luxurious twill cottons and light pinstripes. Alongside the more classic suiting looks there were also louche touches with two-tone geometric print shorts and blazers in shades of gold and blue. The colour palette picked up on one of the emerging trends from Men’s fashion week, which saw neutral shades of taupe and cream mixed with richer ochres and bold blues. Details were key, with buttons featuring at the tapered ankle of wide leg trousers and on the oversized pockets of the non-dress shirts.

Salvatore Ferragamo
It was a super chic collection from Ferragamo with a Riviera inspired collection in shades of crisp creams, champagnes and burnt umber, as well as classic whites and midnight blues for a more traditional Riviera look. The more neutral ensembles were interspersed with short shorts and sweater combinations in contrasting bright blue and white, with a flash of yellow at the feet with bold sandals. Classic boat necks were done in bright white with neutral stripes and knee length tailored shorts worn with white brogue type shoes.

Alexander McQueen

At McQueen we got the urban gentleman – slim fit trousers with utility style pockets were worn with classic herringbone checked blazers and grungy leather was worn underneath a city-style trench with a rich brocade silk scarf. Trouser lengths were cut short at the ankle and either super skinny or tapered, while jackets focussed on proportion, notably with an oversized overcoat in herringbone check and an unusually high-buttoned double breasted jacket worn with a red pocket.

Prada
Double denim was taken to a new level at Prada as we saw all-denim suiting, even down to the tie, worn on the catwalk. Elsewhere denim tops were worn tucked into billowing shorts, making for a real contrast in proportion to the slim fit neutral coloured suiting that opened the show. In between the denim suits and muted beige ensembles we had bursts of colour in the form of a bright orange blazer and turquoise green t-shirts worn with fresh blue shorts, before colourful striped jumpers towards the end of the show.

See all of the collections in full at GQ online.

Jil Sander AW10 at Oki-Ni

It’s time to get your AW appetites whetted once again as we bring you news of the latest arrivals at Oki-Ni, and this time it’s in the form of the very first pieces from the Jil Sander AW10 Collection.

There’s some signature Sander tailoring with a couple of great shirts that come in white and sky, as well as a great abstract print tee in black/grey and white/black.

We’re also liking the simple black tailored trousers and the grey v neck jersey – two of the reasons Jil Sander pieces are so desirable – clothes that don’t need any fuss to look great.

Jil Sander AW10 is available now at Oki-Ni.

Men’s Fashion Week Round up, Milan: Day 1

Men’s fashion week officially started on Saturday, and with some of the biggest designers opting to broadcast their catwalk show via live streaming it’s been quite exciting so far. Here we bring your our series of round ups, starting with Day 1, Saturday 19th June.

Costume National Homme
At Costume National Homme the show was a mix of relaxed tailoring and luxe separates, from city shorts to lightweight trenches that started in light camel tones and moved gradually into soft taupes, to a sharper look that saw slate grey suiting contrasted against nude sheer layers. Suiting was cut slightly away from the body so the look was defined but relaxed, and we saw a mix of double and single breasted jackets as well as wearable trenches and shorter bomber style jackets.


Dolce and Gabbana
It was the 20th anniversary men’s show in Milan for SS11 and it was white heat on the catwalk, as the show opened with male models dressed head to toe in white ensembles while Annie Lennox played as an accompaniment. The collection went on to include lightweight suiting in classic darker tones before moving into a laid-back Riviera section that included cotton pinstripe shirts worn open and relaxed, mixed with rolled up trousers that were gathered at the waist and tied with rope-belts. Coarser fabrics that included hessian and heavy cotton mixes were used to achieve a more pared-down approach to luxe dressing before the show concluded with a host of super-suited men in the classic Dolce and Gabbana silhouette. Watch the catwalk show here.

Calvin Klein Collection
Calvin Klein Collection presented a very streamlined sports feel collection that included slim fit suiting in two-tone fabrics as well as luxe nude shades. At the sportier end of the spectrum Calvin Klein Collection showed cropped jersey tops and zipper bomber style jackets and shorts combinations. The collection excelled with its more colourful ensembles that mixed striking azures, bold turquoises and soft blues with more muted tones of khaki and beige.

Burberry Prorsum
Outerwear proved key again at Burberry with everything from studded leathers to military-touched trenches in suede and wool, as well as padded shooting jackets and shorter pea-style coats all done with that signature Christopher Bailey grunge-glam. The colour palette was made up from rich hues of khaki, slate, ochre and dark navy for a sumptuous, wearable and desirable collection. Watch the catwalk show here.

Versace

It was a triumphant show from Versace that was inflected with 80s British Ska and Gangster style and a touch of rockabilly with quiffed hair and wide lapel jackets. There were super-streamlined suits cut slightly short at the ankle to show classic black and white winkle pickers, while fitted waistcoats were mixed with bold print monochrome shirts. The two-tone suits and flashes of tartan harked back to the 80s Ska movement with an added sense of Italian sleekness and suave.

See the full coverage of all shows at GQ.com

Topman launches A.D collection

There’s something about wearing a cool printed tee and jeans that just works. But to pull the look off you’ve got to get the right kind of tee, with a print that’s not too quirky, not too commercial, but just cool. If you are, like us, slightly picky when it comes to the t-shirt department then we introduce to you the A.D collection from Topman.

The A.D collection features prints that are inspired by historical events that have shaped the city of London that we know today. With past collections inspired by events such as The Great Plague and the legacy of Jack the Ripper, the A.D collections present tees that combine limited edition prints with talking-point tees.

Speaking about the collection Topman explain that, ‘The great exhibition was staged by Prince Albert and Henry Cole to showcase outstanding exhibits of culture and industry.’ Taking inspiration from this, the tees feature hand printed images of the Koh-i-Noor Diamond, Dageurreotype Photography, Ornate Vignettes and the Destruction of the Burning Glass Structure which had hosted the exhibition.

So when you hear the words, ‘I like the print on your tee..’ you can wow your clothing admirer with an anecdote about Dageurreotype Photography being the first large scale commercial photographic process that, when viewed, a dark surface is reflected into the mirrored silver surface, so the reproduction of detail in sharp photographs is very good.

Not just a pretty tee…

The collection is available now from Topman stores.

My-Wardrobe Sale: The Top 10 Picks

Do you need a little midweek boost? Or perhaps a Thursday, or even a Friday boost? Well the my-wardrobe sale is now on, so you can give yourself a little boost every day if you wish with reductions of up to 50% on great designer pieces. Sale shopping from your desk = much better day.

We know you all have impeccable taste, but we can all benefit from a bit of expert advice now and again, so as a little treat we present to you my-wardrobe’s menswear buyer Lee Douros’s top 10 picks from the sale.

3.1 Phillip Lim – “A key piece from the collection is the 2 in 1 cardi front shirt. I like the design twist of the exposed shirt back and the colour works really well for summery days. A great piece from the young designer making big waves across the Atlantic.”

APC – “A real winner from French brand APC, this shirt will be a wardrobe staple for seasons to come. Micro gingham is a really easy way to get pattern into an outfit. Team with rolled up chinos for a great Summer look.”

Belstaff – “The iconic Panther Jacket from Belstaff is reworked for the Summer in super supple perforated leather. Team with distressed jeans and check shirt for a great Americana look. Harley Davidson optional.”

Burberry – “A real must-have in every man’s wardrobe is a Burberry Trenchcoat in classic taupe. This washed cotton version works well dressed down or up, and once the weather gets cooler, a knit jumper and popped collar will keep you warm and dry.”

Grenson – “Brogues are a real winner at the moment, and Grenson have made the ultimate Summer pair in soft suede. Team with slim navy chinos and a washed cotton blazer and become the perfect Dapper Gent.”

Levi’s – “How to fault the denim originators, Levi’s? These 501s replicate an exact pair found dated to 1966 in cut and wash. And the selvedge edge looks great if you want to rock your jeans with a turn-up.”

Marc – “Cool NY brand offers up the perfect transeasonal trench in navy twill. I like this coat with the sleeves rolled up twice to reveal the patterned lining on the inside of the sleeves. And its slim cut means you’ll cut a dashing figure when worn buttoned and belted.”

Pretty Green – “Mr Gallagher gets all English Gent on us – who would have guessed?! The Striped Boating Blazer from new brand Pretty Green is a real winner. Excellent quality linen wool fabric is used, making it great for warm Summer evenings. And the pattern is cut by powerhouse tailor Nick Holland, so it fits perfectly.”

Westwood – “A classic piece from the Great Dame, this Double V Neck Knit features a true Westwood twist with the inserted deep v on the front neckline. Great for smartening up an outfit for a night out.”

YMC – “A classic piece from Brit brand YMC, the double zip front bomber has been a classic in their collection for a few seasons. This season it’s been realised in perforated nylon which makes it the perfect piece to throw over a tee on Summer evenings.”

We’re sure that’s more than enough to whet your shopping appetite for now so go on and fill your boots up at the my-wardrobe sale.