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Louis Vuitton, the brand name that makes women scream with excitement and as for men, let’s not even go there.
I have never understood why people are so label conscious especially with it comes to brands like LV. Could it be for the quality of the product, the brand name, clever advertising or is it a mash up of all the above?
A friend of a friend told me about the LV series 3 exhibition over the weekend and decided to check it out. Armed with my canon camera on Monday, I walked into 180 strand where the exhibition was held with high hopes of taking snaps of baddass men’s shoes, retro looking leather jackets and some nice overnight bags. Yep I love overnight bags as they serve me very well especially when I take quick trips into Europe.
Master Mind: The trunks in the distance contains Nicolas Chesquiere’s creative processes and inspiration.
Anyway, I walked into the building to be greeted by friendly staff as I quickly made my way to the first room of the exhibition. Mind you, I had not researched this exhibition so I did not know what to expect apart from seeing nice designer pieces of garments of some sorts. And because I did not book a guided tour, I had to figure out things as I go along. Snap snap snap as I walked casually from one room to another trying to get to the men’s wear exhibits. Room after room was filled with women’s garment and nothing for men, apart from the trunks which anyone can use.
Feeling disappointed as I walk into the “walk in wardrobe” section, I decided to have a quick glance at the photos I have taken so far. Nothing worth my while I said to myself. Where are the men’s stuff?
However, it was at this point that I had a eureka moment. You know that feeling you get when that aha moment hits you. So here I was sulking (sort of) over men’s wear not being available rather than just enjoying the elegance, craftsmanship and timeless pieces in front me.
Master Mind room with two trunks hanging from the ceiling
With a change of attitude, I walked back into the last room only this time I saw the exhibits differently. As I made my way through the rooms I had already visited, I started to notice things I did not see before. I began to appreciate the beauty and style that embodied one of the most recognisable brands in modern history. The timeless trunks, the elegant details on the dresses, the studded shoes and handbags all came alive. Even my photos got better all thanks to a change of attitude and perspective.
One of the Artisans at work meticulously piecing together a Petite Malle.
One of the pieces that caught my attention and fascination was the Petite Malle. This small but beautiful handbag is crafted in the Louis Vuitton tradition of high style. The Petite Malle is a fusion of canvas and classic hardware inspired by the original Maison trunks.
I really got fascinated as I watched one of the artisans (specially flown in from France for the exhibition) as she carefully pieced one of the Malles together. The precession and attention to detail is unparalleled. From our brief conversation, I learnt that one Petite Malle takes up to 30 hours to assemble with 9 stages from start to finish. Now I can see why LV is so sought after by many.
Petite Malle
“Series 3 is a stand-alone exhibition showcasing a designer and his creative process and influences. Far more than a simple collection, it is a stream of consciousness, dreams and self-reflective journeys. Inside a designers mind, muses intertwine with cherished memories and visions of new shapes, cuts and meticulous craftsmanship. He sits between the past he embraced the future”. LV Series 3 exhibition
The science of Savoir-Faire: The laser cutting room
So yeah I enjoyed the exhibition and if you are in or around London between now and the 18th of October 2015, I strongly recommend popping in for a visit. Well worth it.
The idea of Sunday best for me personally means wearing my well thought out garments to go to church. It’s like saving the best for that first day of the weekend where I can express myself through what I wear.
Sundays themselves can mean so many things to different people depending on various factors ranging from family gathering around the dining table for a roast, to good old powering down after a hectic Saturday night out. For Christians, it means going to church to worship and fellowship with one another.
In fact Sundays were days I looked forward to as it meant I get to spend more time with my mum and sisters whiles ‘chit chatting’ over lunch. It used to be like a routine where we would gather around the small TV set in the living room straight after lunch to watch our favourite TV programme. Watching TV for hours on a Sunday afternoon came with a corvette that we must have completed our school assignment the previous day.
Yep, no slackers and skivers allowed in the house. I have such great childhood memories with my siblings most of which were formed through our time together on Sundays.
However, none of the above comes close to waking up in the morning to get ready for church. Going to church was something my family did every Sunday without fail. It became tightly woven into our lives so much that it felt very strange if we did not go which rarely happened.
The drive to church, playing with the other kids at Sunday school and popping round to our aunt’s house on the way home from church were thoroughly enjoyable. Even then, the best part for me was when I wake up in the morning to get ready for church and I get to pick what I wear.
As a child, this excited me so much as I get to wear my very best. In fact Sunday outfit was so special that I had a separate suitcase where all my church clothes are kept in a neat and pristine manner.
As a teenager, I remember vividly pressing my shirts the night before just so it looks perfect for church in the morning. There was no way I would wear any of the clothes in my church suitcase anywhere else but church.
This was a routine I followed religiously all through my teen years and to a great extent still do today.
So my idea of ‘Sunday Best’ was born way back in my childhood days but continue today.
So when Lifestyle photographer Charles Augustus called me up on a Sunday morning to do a shoot after church, the two words that popped into my head were “Sunday Best”. Because Charles and I thoroughly enjoyed doing the shoot and the entire project itself, I have decided to share the photos with you in three instalments making them a short series. I will describe the entire look in my next post on Sunday best.
Styled by: Cuts for him
Photographer: AugustChild (Charles)
Location: The Royal exchange, Bank, London
Ok not exactly a rainstorm but I’m sure you know what I mean.
They say the surest way of striking a successful conversation with a Brit is to start with the weather, preferably over a cup of tea. To certain extent, we are a bit obsessed with talking about the weather. Outsiders think we moan when it’s wet, when it’s hot, when it snows or even when the leaves fall. I mean it is true to a certain extent but for the most part, we just like talking about something that everyone can relate to and the weather fits perfectly.
Did you know 2012 was the second wettest year for Britain since records began? 2012 had an average rainfall of 1,330.7mm and only 6.6mm short of the record set in 2000. There you go, bet you did not know that did you? Thought you would appreciate a completely unrelated trivia. You are welcome! #Sideeye.
Anyway back to the issue at hand. Whiles the weather is completely out of our control, what we wear through the seasons is and that is where this post comes in.
Just because the heavenly precipitations aka rain has not yet completely relented does not mean you have to go through your wardrobe to dig out your raincoat or other heavy garment. It is true that the unpredictable weather can be cruel at times when you least expect it but let’s not panic just yet. I recon you can still look the part without wrapping yourself with too many layers.
I have put together a few photos of two looks that I think are versatile and practical for the season. A friend and brother Oliver Kumawu was kind enough to model with me to demonstrate these looks.
Oliver opted for a smart-casual look whiles I went for a more business friendly look.
There are three key ingredients to explore in both looks, which are as follows:
Blazer
You have to have the blazer. The appropriate use of a blazer can easily transform a casual look into smart-casual, and smart-casual into smart. Every man should have at least three blazers in their wardrobes bearing in mind colours that are versatile.
Oliver opted for a velvet blazer which he pulls off very well. Velvet itself is a statement fabric that speaks volumes of the owner. Get it wrong and you would be sorry you ever considered it an option at all. But get it right and you‘re the man, literally. Wear one of these on a wet and cold day and you won’t need additional layers as the weave of the fabric is very close together restricting air flow which in turn keeps you warm.
I on the other hand wore the first half of a midnight blue wool blend suit. Because the jacket is contemporary and close cut at the shoulders and waist area, I am able to mix and play around with it with different combinations with relative ease.
Trouser
Oliver wore a burgundy/redish pair of classic chinos whiles I went for a grey with a hint of brown lightly stripped pair of dress trouser.
Shoes
I wore a pair of brown tasselled loafers whiles Oliver went for a pair of blue suede wingtip oxford lace up brogues which complement the colour of his shirt. The fact that his shoes are suede perfectly suits the texture of his velvet blazer.
Oh and the pocket squares gave both looks an extra dimension of suaveness.
So there you have it. Whiles we wait for summer to make a grand entry for 2015, we can still look the part for the remaining few days of the wet and slightly chilled weather.
Colours! What is it about coloured garments (suits to be precise) that make most men panic? Is it the fact that we are never too sure how to pair colours when we choose to mix them, or is it the prospect of standing out in the crowd? Ok before I go any further, let me just qualify the word colour just in case some of you are wondering what I’m on about. My use of the term colour refers to anything outside of the neutral range such as black, white, grey, and sometimes brown and beige. These colours are neutral as they do not show or appear on the colour wheel. In essence they are “safe” hues. Fully saturated bold hues such as red or burgundy, green, aqua, pink, royal purple and more to the point, yellow are my idea of colours.
These colours are far less likely to be worn by men in comparison to the wardrobe staples such as navy, black, and grey. I mean don’t get me wrong these are appropriately named wardrobe staples for a good reason but you are not going to get very far if you truly want to make a statement where colour is concerned. Black, white, grey do a great job at pairing either with each other or anything on the colour wheel, but that’s about it.
Ok let me take a step back a little bit. The truth is wearing a full suit in any of the bold colours mentioned above is tricky and I get it. Imagine wrapping yourself in a badly cut coloured suit like royal purple on any given day. That will get you attention alright but for all the wrong reasons. Get it right and I guarantee you will turn heads, literally. I mean you only have to look back to Autumn/winter 2014 run way were many models donned the elegant burgundy. Burgundy was like an instant hit that continued it reign to date. Nothing better than a well-tailored burgundy suit for spring/summer 2015 season and I think Ozwald Boateng epitomizes this look perfectly. This have statement piece written all over it.
However, I understand that wearing a bold coloured suit is a bit too much for some especially those who are not used to colours. May be you want to break into this sphere of fashion and style gradually? Well I have good news for you. Your statement piece does not always have to be a full suit. I recon a well cut blazer can equally do the job with half the risk. To demonstrate this, I used my statement piece for spring/summer 2015 which is a yellow/mustard coloured blazer from suitsupply. I fell for this piece the minute I walked into the store. In fact, I went in for something completely different but left with a big smile on my face knowing that I have made a good purchase.
I do not need to wear matching yellow trouser with this piece as I recon I risk looking like a clown or worst a walking banana. The idea was to pair my yellow blazer (which is a warm colour) with a navy trouser (cool colour) to get perfectly balanced mix.
I had the option of wearing either a blue or white shirt but went with the neutral option which is white. I added a pair of brown tasselled loafers from Paul smith, and brown belt from banana republic to match the brown buttons on the blazer. To top it all off, I also added a light blue pocket square (cool colour) to break the yellow a little bit. I made sure that nothing competed with the yellow blazer in the form of patterns or other warm colours. It was all about the blazer.
Pairing can be a daunting task for some, but I recon learning a thing or two about colours will go a long way to help. What better way to learn about colour pairing than the colour wheel eh. So yeah, get acquainted with the colour wheel and see how you get on. Understanding the position of each colour (all twelve) is important and will determine the difficulty or ease of pairing, or whether they can be paired at all.
Paddington, London
Here are three things to consider when looking at the colour wheel:
Similar colours – these are next to each other and are generally easy to coordinate
Complementary colours – Complementary colours are opposite each other on the wheel and are quite difficult to pair in comparison to similar colours. Try not to wear them in their full strength together as they may be too much for the eyes.
Contrasting colours – these have three colours between them on the wheel and can be troublesome for the eyes if used with their full strength. A good way to pair them is to use a darker tone with one of them just so they do not compete with each other.
So brighten up your wardrobe by investing in a bold statement blazer. Come back and share how you intend to pair it up. Feel free to add your comments and tips below as I am sure other readers would appreciate it.
