This is how our new closet will look.
My wife soberly pointed out the fact that we "have a lot more shit than that" in our closets.
But, my cunning plan was to throw away everything except designer dresses, little luxury packaging, scents and anything vintage and have it more as an installation. Nice-o-rama!
Until it happends (never) I just have to check out the real thing in the "secret closet" store in tokyo where I'm going next week.
In a big, fat, juicy business class seat, homes.

Band Of Outsiders launched their womens line, called Boy.
It's the perfect example of doing womens wear sexy as hell without being skimpy.
Not that skimpy is bad. Skimpy can be fantastic. This is however, let's say, more sophisticated? And so much more difficult to do. And, pretty please, with sugar on top, go eat your f####ng hart out Juicy Couture.
Buy or die.

I need to quit facebook. It's horribly shallow (and fantastic) takes up way too much of my time. Time that could have been spent on getting this blog somewhat interesting instead..
Anyone familiar with a voyeristic 1968 photography book Les Erotique du Regard?
Coolest book I've seen. (it was in Dover Street Market, of course..at 1500 GBP.)
On a side note, when all pictures, cuttings and pieces of fabrics for coming seasons have been taken off "the wall", and there's like just a few lonely items hanging there, that's when peace enters. And it looks kind of nice as well.

Crate Denim's Chad Hilton gave a really un-predictable answer to a really predictable question in WGSN lately.


"What direction do you feel denim is going in?"
"I don't know. We will continue to do what we feel we do best, which is American-made, well-fitting clothing."


Sweet he's not spewing out "Ehhm, we're like about converting denim in to a big yellow bird, oversized yet kind of sublime, maybe smelling like cookies? And in a pinkish grey shade, or something?"

Also, their secret service store is way cool.
(It looks a bit Band of Outsiders-ish, and anything that looks like B.o.U is cool)

By the way, I will post some pics from the "Take Ivy" book and the Rhode Island yearbooks within a week or so.
(Sorry, haven't seen it around anywhere else, will post if I do, promise)

As always, Band of Outsiders fall collection is right on the money.
And keep up that polaroid thingy you do, Raf Simmons old skool stylee. That's hot.

Weaving mill swatch books dating from 1899 - 1967.
Guess which one was in Coco Chanel's office..
They don't look like this anymore, trust me. It's among the most cherished things I own.

Scott Schuman told me that someone to keep your eyes on are the brothers behind Barker Black.
Scott Schuman is normally always correct, and in this case, absolutely.
Those wingtips after 6 months of hard wear, yes please.
Hang out in shitty pubs, play soccer, in other words, I would party the crap out of my Barker Blacks.
It will make them look twice as good, twice as fast.
Yes, I know you shoe-nerds who are picky about brushing and caring for your shoes will probably hate me, I hope you will at least. I'm still right though. Worn out expensive shoes are much cooler than polished expensive shoes.
That goes for any shoe by the way.

I really suck at updating this.
Anyway, news flash:

1. The abercrombie store on Savile Row in London was just as lame as on 5th avenue.
2. Sperry Topsiders have done the first collaboration ever, with Band Of Outsiders. Not lame at all.
3. Freeman sporting club hadn't got their stuff in to the store when I was in NYC, so I had to buy a toothbrush in bone and 3 ties from spring 07, still the best store in NYC.
5 Ralph Lauren have a team of 400 people doing the visual merchendizing around the world. And no budget.
That's why they rule the universe when it comes to display.

It's flags like these that makes all the difference when you hit the beach.
Amagansett Bathing Association. Sign me up!

Windows at Bergdorf last week.
Alexander Olch seems to be a guy to keep your eyes on.
Otherwise, that north american hunter look, deerhunter, deliverance?
Told you so..

Here's a few tips to check out when in NYC next time:
(If you're into american pre-depression lighting design like O.C White Co and such)

www.oldegoodthings.com
www.strongarm.jp
www.b4itwascool.com

I missed the polo game by the way, but, I had a breakfast meeting in the Hamptons with Scott Schuman.
Did you have breakfast with Scott Schuman last week?
Didn't think so.

Spring footstool at B4 it was cool.

By the way, the same friend I mention below also refers to Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome as:
"That disease where you age prematurely, wear a large cap and get to meet Michael Jackson"

Jonas Cramby could very well be one of the funniest people alive.

I'll be back saturday with a report from the polo game in hamptons.
I think there might be some old people with large caps there, we'll see.

A friend of a friend quoted Nick Tosches on his blog.
It kind of sums up a wild youth in a fantastic way, with no regrets.
And it doesn't hurt that he (Nick Toshes that is) looks hard enough to kill a large mammal by just looking at it.


"YOUTH"

For many years, I felt that my youth had been wasted. I spent my adolescence drinking, taking dope, robbing, and fucking around, when I could have been learning to fluently read Sappho and Thomas Mann in the original.

My youth, as I see it now, was spent as it should have been spent. I am alive, and as I write this, the pleasant morning of the vast blessing of another day, another breath, flows through me. I want now to learn to do the tango, so that I can dance in style on the graves of those of my peers, dropping dead around me like flies, who lived their youths, and their lives, properly and salubriously.

Mens sana in corpore sano, they say. But a sound mind in a sound body is but a plain and pretty flower in a plain and pretty vase. The world is full of such parlour pieces. Fuck them, and prepare thy dancing shoes, for, having survived my youth, and all that followed, I now enjoy the gentler madness to whose shore I have been delivered, and I look forward to tangoing in the graveyard, with you, my darling, or over you."

Just had to show you this really cool Rubber boot tote from +-0.
They also do a toaster for one slice only. (?)
Speaking of good japanese design, next time in NYC, pop in to Tricofield. Coolest kids clothing store
in the world, without comparison. Houston & Wooster crossing.

God damn it!
I've been looking all over town for short, snug white tennis-shorts to wear at Hanbury Tennisclub in Alassio.
Didn't find any, so I will never look as good as McEnroe back in the bad old days.
I'll mostly be sippin' Gin & Tonics anyway. I suck at Tennis, but I do great by the bar.
(McEnroe did great at both, now that's genuine talent)

I bought a couple of year books from Rhode Island School of design from 1965-67.
They're filled of amazingly beautiful B&W pictures capturing the students in their everyday life. In the studio, discussing models etc etc.
They're all constantly smoking, which looks really fabulous in a very film noir kind of way.
Sometimes a cigarette can be the best accessorie in the world, and you can quote me on that one.

Also bought a very coveted book called Take Ivy from my favourite vintage dealer in NYC.

If you love american sportswear the way it should look, you will not be dissapointed.
Will post pictures in the near future!

Valextra.
Everyone who's seen their items up close want one. Very few can afford it.
I see myself getting off the plane in Nice, casually placing my cream white overnight bag in the trunk of the
car taking us to Alassio. Sweet Jesus on a popcicle, it does not get any better.

Attention shoppers!!
I got my first link at www.trendora.com last week!
I can only say thank you to Piero e Jinnie who has confidence enough to put a sometimes not very politically correct blog like mine on their "life style" list. (My only hopes now is that enough people find it and I make a gazillion pesetas on my adsense so I can buy a Valextra bag before going to Alassio next summer)

With that I bid you a fantastic evening. 6 days and counting til we board our private jet and head for the ligurian riviera for three consecutive weeks. How bout them apples?

Long time since there where a gem like these on ebay. Starting at 4500 USD it's not exactly a steal.
But hey, it's like the ultimate collectors item.

Concidering khaki is the new indigo, how about these 1940's Union Made?
If I where a pair of pants (with low moral standards) I would have paid for sex with these.

The signature "Y-stitch" in the back yoke.
Taken from vintage reverse weave varsity sweaters, where it appear in the front neck as a re-inforcement stitch.
A small hommage to great detailing of the past.
(By the way, madras checks like these are a bitch to design, but when they come out nice, they totally rock.)

Mixing fabrics is always (well almost) a good idea. In this case a fine two ply 100's broadcloth with a much rougher oxford weave. The color muted down to creamy bone, the look of old, yellowed table top linen wear.
Or, yellowed newspapers for that matter.

I will start raving about shirts for a while, bare with me cause it's been my life for the past 3 odd years.
Gotta get it out of my system. (That's what blogging's for, right?)
Now, the cool thing about shirts are that you can look rock'n roll and still feel savvy as hell.
For instance, a pale pink pinstripe roughed with some nice detailing, slightly cropped and you're in business.
If you thought you where getting off cheap, forget it. This is a double 120's long staple fabric.
I said savvy, not shabby, fool.
Most important, wear your shirt with the same attitude as your favourite Tee,
Put on, worn in & washed out!

Attention to details!!
Such as hand mended button holes, randomly printed size-marking and a mother of pearl button so expensive it'll blow you head off.
Vintage dress shirts rock, and you know it.
(Salut to Ariane, Bob and the rest of the team, you guys rock!!)

I'll just let some sneak previews speak for themselves..

Not exactly a treasure, but really nice indigo.
Lee Jelt denims, mid 50's.

Last pic of vintage from home, rather tedious to show your own stuff.
(Anybody who want's more, just ask, I'm easy to persuade)
A 1940's (late 30's?) PAY DAY koverall.
"Post Depression-brands" like Pay Day and Hercules stand for some of the most fantastic designs and indigo fabrics ever made.
And check out the label, a wonderful example of the labelling style in those days.

Just had to get this one published as well, then we'll get back to all-american vintage.
Albeit very rescent (and ugly), it's still a nice contribution to "modern vintage" concidering the international hype.
This is the first washed out denim jacket Acne made.
Has the logo-flame applique in back.
It never hit the stores as it became "Too fucking expensive".
It would have been like 170 USD retail, not exactly off the charts.
But then again, around the same time Diesels "Old Glory" (amazing) was around 200 USD and that was astronomical figures for a pair of jeans.
This is the prototype.
Made in southern Italy, must have been around -98 I think.
I went alone to the factory and had Dom Perignon Grappa (fantastic) with a local mafioso who owned the only hotel. (that was empty except for me)
Now I'm a tired dad with two kids, what the hell happend?!

Moving from proper vintage americana, a true piece of Swedish denim history!
This is a pair of Gul & Blå ("Yellow & Blue"), the first real swedish denim brand ever to hit the streets, 1966.
They created total chaos and the line of people waiting was three blocks long outside the store. 1973 they sold 600-700 per DAY!
This is the "TT" model, one of the first lot's produced, in mint condition.
Got it from one of their sales guys like 14 years ago when he realized I was a complete nut for vintage.
This is pristine and it's in a way the foundation on which all swedish denim brands today stand on.
I cherish them as much as any of the Levi's and Lee's I have.
Almost.
By the way, no, it's not even close when I think about it.
But still kinda cool.
And, the founders daughter started Filippa K, great swedish brand where my buddy Rasmus design the mens line.

Moving on with another nice piece.
A pair of 701 XX a.k.a "Womens Levis".
This pair is from early 1950's. Lot of nice details on these.
They got a pink selvadge for starters!
A rather bold (yet subtle) take on women's denim. Back in those days at least.
This is exactly the model Marilyn Monroe wore in "Bus Stop".
These are smoking, high waist, tapered leg. Very "Brook Shields"

I promised to post some pics of my collection..
506 XX (Type One) Jacket.
Note the hand-hammered backside of the rivets! B-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l.
I traded this jacket many years ago with this fantastic guy named Seth. Seth's the owner of one of NYC's most reputable vintage dealers / stores "what comes around goes around" on west broadway.
Next time in the big apple, check it out. Or die.

I was going to post pics of my collection, but blogger is screwed up.
I'll get some sleep instead. Crap.

Check out the small flask from Hanbury Tennis club.
It reads "Gut Revivor". (wonder what the surgeons warning in the back says..)
Probably could have used a bit of that potent lotion last sunday after a seriously fun wedding.

Speaking of Gut Revivor
I can not point out strongly enough that NYC brands like Band of Outsiders, Freeman Sporting Club, Tim Hamilton and the likes of them needs to be saluted once again.
(Yes, I'm sure there's new players on the scene, but I'm to uncool to know)

While buying half the store at Beyond Retro today I saw so many cool dressed dudes. I need to go to Söder more often, at least that part.
I still get allergic reactions from Hornstull after living there for 5 years. This was before a flat was 3 million for half a kithcen, no view and suicide included)


I got the comment the other day in the office that I looked very "freemanish", in all vanity I took it as a compliment.
And, as I'm already sporting a mustach I can also tell people that "I grew it in favor of fighting prostate cancer"
(There's a ad-campaign going on in sweden)
This is, of course, in no way true, but it sounds good and works great in areas like Söder where people actually cares about this stuff.

Ah, and there's a new crave. Vintage Sabatier cooking knives.
Seem to a wide range of stamps, sub-labels (2 lions, The elephant, 4 stars etc) to keep track of to determine the age, quality, origin. Can't wait to dig in to this.
I got one that I "borrowed" from mom like 10 years ago, it's still sharp as a mo-fo and comes to use on a daily basis.

So, apart the obvious hassle of getting knives through customs, I see no reason not to spend next months salary on a full set.
(Apart from perhaps having to cancel the trip to Italy this summer..)

There's actually great similarity between collecting denim and cooking knives. The patina, the detailing, the daily use and so on.
Only difference would be you can't use a pair of jeans to make sauce bearnaise.

Check out the stamp on this pairing knife. Need-to-buy. Now.

Long time no blog.

After reading a fanatic ( and fantastic) blog devoted to all things denim (repeattofade.blogspot.com) I feel a sudden urge to to revive my passion for indigo. I'll devote the next couple of days to depict some of my own collection, stay tuned for indigo porn.
My collection would have been substantially bigger hadn't I've been forced to sell some of it from time to time to afford partying in style back in the bad old days.

The only (proper) way to wear denim in style this (and coming season) is with a mid waist, drain-pipes and small turn-ups to get that high-tide length. Chucks or brogues, depending on the evenings event.
Think Thom Browne without the "silly length" and you'll do fine. (Or skinhead)
Preferrably with a cropped gingham shortsleeved shirt from band of outsiders.

Apart from denim, this weeks addition to "small details that makes all the change" has to be
uneven real mother of pearl shirt buttons that I will sport come next season.
Ultra subtile details like this makes me, well, happy.

Ok, how hard is it to find inspiration if you live on 4th street and Charles?
Not hard at all I would say.
New York at it's finest, god damnit!

When lunch at restaurant Boom in Soho became slightly longer than expected (due to a tasty Chianti Classico)
the waitress tricked out the candle simply by wrapping the handwritten menu around it.
Trés genial.
After this we found some really nice vintage stuff at What Comes Around Goes Around.
(Shopping slightly tipsy is the new black)

This floor is brand new, yet looks like it's 200 years old and re-painted again and again.
Underneath there seemed to be an steel grey/blue and top coated with a yellowish hard finish laquer.
This EXACTLY how the floors should look in the Bed and Breakfast me and my wife will open in Alassio when we're "older".
The floor can be found in meatpacking district , where else..courtesy of the Adrian Ruhle store
Next doors to the really really nice restaurant 5 / Ninth.

Bistro Nouveau, stockholm latest (and only?) addition to the bistro scene opened 2 days ago.
We tried it out yesterday and the verdict can only be: Fantastic!!
Even though we waited almost 45 minutes for the food (and the service was "so-so" to say the least), it was in all a very happy moment for anyone who loves a well performed setting and thought behind every detail.
It's so well put together, everything from the Voluspa scented candles and the lighting in the restrooms to the sauce bearnaise was top notch. Is this really Stockholm?, hard to believe, but oh, so true!!
Well Done!!