Louis Vuitton 2012 Spring Vachetta Leather Tote Bag

As rumors circulate regarding the possible departure of Marc Jacobs, Louis Vuitton’s newly appointed Style Director, Kim Jones, has shown the fashion world that the luxury designer label is in good hands. With a successful runway showing for his Spring 2012 collection this past summer and the recent Designer of the Year nod at the British Fashion Awards, Jones looks to revitalize the French fashion house with fresh, youthful cuts and tributes to brands storied luggage past. One of the more popular pieces from the forthcoming collection is this leather tote bag featuring Gaston Vuitton’s – the grandson of founder Louis Vuitton and eventual successor – personal monogram, a geometric “V” print. Manufactured with thin brown vachetta leather – an untreated, special-care required leather typically seen only on handles – this tote also comes complete two size varying handles for both light and heavy loads. This tote along with other items from Louis Vuitton’s Spring collection will be available soon with additional release details on its way.

Milan Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2012 Schedule

The fashion week season is roughly two weeks away with Milan leading the way. Some of the finest designers will be on the runway and there are a select few that we’re most looking forward to. Day one has Corneliani starting things off though we’re most excited for Ermenegildo Zegna which will be showing in the morning as well. Other notables throughout the week include Jil Sander, Gucci, Bottega Veneta and Moncler Gamme Bleu.

JANUARY 14, 2012
09,30 CET, 3:30 AM EST | CORNELIANI – VIALE ALEMAGNA, 6
10,30 CET, 4:30 AM EST | ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA – VIA SAVONA, 56 A
12,30 CET, 6:30 AM EST | COSTUME NATIONAL HOMME – VIA TORTONA, 58
14,00 CET, 8:00 AM EST | DOLCE & GABBANA – VIALE PIAVE, 24
15,00 CET, 9:00 AM EST | JIL SANDER – VIA BELTRAMI, 5
16,00 CET, 10:00 AM EST | FRANKIE MORELLO – VIA PALERMO, 10
17,00 CET, 11:00 AM EST | BURBERRY PRORSUM – C.SO VENEZIA, 16
18,00 CET, 12:00 PM EST | JOHN VARVATOS – C.SO ITALIA, 21
19,00 CET, 1:00 PM EST | NEIL BARRETT – VIA VALENZA, 2
20,00 CET, 2:00 PM EST | ROBERTO CAVALLI – VIA SAN LUCA, 3

January 15, 2012
09,30 CET, 3:30 AM EST | BOTTEGA VENETA – VIA PRIVATA ERCOLE MARELLI, 6
10,30 CET, 4:30 AM EST | EMPORIO ARMANI – VIA BERGOGNONE, 59
11,30 CET, 5:30 AM EST | ERMANNO SCERVINO – VIA MANZONI, 37
12,30 CET, 6:30 AM EST | SALVATORE FERRAGAMO – PIAZZA AFFARI, 6
14,00 CET, 8:00 AM EST | PRINGLE OF SCOTLAND – LOCATION DA COMUNICARE
15,00 CET, 9:00 AM EST | VIVIENNE WESTWOOD – C.SO VENEZIA, 16
16,00 CET, 10:00 AM EST | MISSONI – VIA THAON DE REVEL, 21
17,00 CET, 11:00 AM EST | TRUSSARDI – PIAZZA DELLA SCALA, 5
18,00 CET, 12:00 PM EST | PRADA – VIA FOGAZZARO, 36
19,00 CET, 1:00 PM EST | MONCLER GAMME BLEU – VIA CLERICI, 5
20,00 CET, 2:00 PM EST | CALVIN KLEIN COLLECTION – VIALE UMBRIA, 37

January 16, 2012
09,30 CET, 3:30 AM EST | DIRK BIKKEMBERGS – VIALE ALEMAGNA, 6
10,30 CET, 4:30 AM EST | ICEBERG – VIA PALERMO, 10
11,30 CET, 5:30 AM EST | JOHN RICHMOND – GIARDINI DI PORTA VENEZIA
12,30 CET, 6:30 AM EST | GUCCI – PIAZZA OBERDAN, 2/B
14,00 CET, 8:00 AM EST | ETRO – VIA PIRANESI, 14
15,00 CET, 9:00 AM EST | Z ZEGNA – VIA SOLARI, 35
16,00 CET, 10:00 AM EST | CANALI – VIA SAVONA, 56
17,00 CET, 11:00 AM EST | GAZZARRINI – VIA TORTONA, 15
18,00 CET, 12:00 PM EST | MOSCHINO – VIA CINO DEL DUCA, 8
19,00 CET, 1:00 PM EST | NICOLE FARHI – LOCATION DA COMUNICARE
20,00 CET, 2:00 PM EST | VERSACE – VIA GESU’, 12

January 17, 2012
09,30 CET, 3:30 AM EST | DSQUARED2 – VIA SAN LUCA, 3
10,30 CET, 4:30 AM EST | GIORGIO ARMANI – VIA BERGOGNONE, 59
11,30 CET, 5:30 AM EST | DIESEL BLACK GOLD – VIA SAVONA, 56
12,30 CET, 6:30 AM EST | PORTS 1961 – VIA TORTONA, 58
13,30 CET, 7:30 AM EST | ENRICO COVERI – VIA BUGATTI, 9
14,30 CET, 8:30 AM EST | ROCCOBAROCCO – PALAZZO VALSECCHI

Revolver SF Fall/Winter 2011 Store Lookbook

This time of the year is always pretty dry in terms of breaking news but we stumbled across this lookbook from the Revolver shop out in San Francisco. It highlights some of the goods in their Fall 2011 collection, shedding light on a solid lineup of brands, most of them being very new to the industry. Included in the mix are Metsa, Yuketen, Baron Wells, Makr, Tellason and a few others

Reginald Featured in Upscale Magazine August Issue

Bartenders are employees who mix and serve alcoholic beverages at a bar. A mixologist, while is skilled at mixing cocktails and other drinks, makes it a lifestyle. Mixologist Reginald Weekes has incorporated panache into aspects of his life, from renovating property to sell Usher to touring with Diddy, and he can be found traveling around the globe and documenting his experiences through creative video pieces-He's even directed his own feature films. Reginald's current adventure is that of a stay home dad who's writing his next film, blogging about his provocative life experiences and men's accessories; (www.HudsonReginald.com) and creating cocktail menus for Atlanta restaurants. He stays on pulse with the current drink influences by observing what's going on not only in restaurants he consults for but also by analyzing style trends. " Mixology is ever evolving. Martini's were the craze [years], but today people are looking for more than just flavor infused vodkas", says Weekes. " The hottest trend I'm noticing is pepper- infused cocktails with [unique] simple syrups." Weekes is currently compiling his much anticipated Summer Pocket Guide of Cocktails: both alcoholic and non-alcoholic for at home entertaining. " Every cocktail should tell a story that makes a memory", he says.

-K. Diane Harrington (upscale magazine)

The Sunday Drive….Strada e Corsa Fiat 8V

Yes, the same company that is mainly known for the popular small Topolino and Cinquecento models. The FIAT Otto Vu (eight vee in Italian) was a Gran Turismo car for the wealthy gentleman.
Of the 114 cars made, many were clothed with lightweight Zagato coachwork. Other body shops included Vignale, Ghia and Pinin Farina. Powered by an aluminum V8 of 2 liters capacity, the car was very successful in the up-to 2 liter class in rallying and road races. The car featured independent suspension on all four wheels, which was very advanced for the early fifties. The example you see here is fitted with coachwork designed by Giovanni Savonuzzi who worked for Carrozzeria Ghia.

This was a small shop in Turin where a group of dedicated craftsmen made the coachwork by hand, beating dozens of aluminum panels to the correct shape and welding them together. The result was quite spectacular, and the car soon became known as the Supersonic for obvious reasons. This version was popular among designers and celebrities. Next to the Supersonic, even the most radical Ferrari or Maserati sports car looked dull by comparison.

The car in these photos is one of the last of only 14 such examples built. Its mechanical components such as engine, gearbox and suspension were restored by Strada e Corsa in the Netherlands. They also acted as a consultant for the coachwork and interior restoration which was done in Italy. Post restoration, the car won several prestigious prizes at international concourses. These awards are a fine tribute to this unique car and its restoration team!

Prospector Co. Grooming Products

Prospector Co. is an independent men’s grooming brand that channels a similar vibe to the Portland General Store. All of their hand-blended, small batch products feature purely natural ingredients and are designed for those who care just as much about what goes on their skin as what they drive, eat, wear, or watch. Distinctive combinations found in each of their solutions such as, grapeseed and kukui nut oils, Witch hazel and aloe, cedar water and coriander, and wormwood and avocado oil, make the line standout in terms of smell and feel, but it’s their clever branding that really creates a solid first impression. Most of their limited offerings are inspired by people with a story to tell, or as Prospector puts it, “prolific figures in history”, including American citrus pioneer Kimball Chase Atwood, North Pole exploring duo Perry & Henson, writer John Burroughs, and even the famous bearded lady, Miss Annie Jones. Together, the entire line is an excellent choice for independent thinkers looking to treat their mugs with a little more reverence after the new year — particularly if that ironic movember stash wound up maturing into a beard.

Another year up in smoke….lets inhale a fresh breath of 2012

Do you need someone else to tell you your product/idea/execution/brand is great? We say don’t worry what anyone else thinks, trust your own judgment. When others doubt, be confident in your vision. Stop waiting for the perfect time to do what you want to do. Just go for it and do it now.

Don’t’ follow fashion trends. The most fashionable thing you can be is to be you. Travel the world, live in other cities, learn cultures. Learn because it keeps your mind young. You don’t need a university degree to be successful, although it may be helpful, but don’t do it because your parents – or you? – have status anxiety. Stop whining about it.

But what you do need is vision, tenacity and confidence in what you do. Do what you love now. Switch topics or schools now. Don’t wait till the last year of your education to realize that this isn’t your path. Listen to your heart, it knows what makes you happy.
If your job sucks, stop blaming others, your boss, your parents, the unverse. Just quit and take responsibility for your own choices. It’s not about the sucky job. It is about you being in the wrong place. There’s never a better time than now.

Start doing what your mind has been ticking away for you to do for years. Take risks. Be in a relationship that flows effortlessly. Trust your gut feeling. Intuition is strong and powerful.

Stop smoking, invest in your body, get off your ass and exercise. If you’re an entrepreneur , don’t spend all night on your projects. Practice balance and time management and have a life. Your family and kids are wondering why you aren’t home for dinner, again. What a waste of your time.

Have the tenacity and focus to execute an idea no matter how daunting it may seem at first. Have the confidence in what you’re doing even when others doubt. Create opportunities for yourself. It is time for you to step up.

Here at HR, we practice what we preach and we learn something every day. Everything we feature here on HR, is based on intuition. We don’t care if you or anyone else don’t like it or agree with what we feature. If we did that, we’d go insane and HR would be fake and boring and bland.

Sugar House Detroit

Sugar House Detroit from The Work on Vimeo.

Stepping up the standard established by more conventional cocktail bars and lounges, Sugar House specializes in a unique craft and classic cocktail experience for its thirsty and demanding Detroit clientele. From hand-crushed ice and freshly squeezed fruit juices to flaming cocktail inventions and an early 1900s environment, Sugar House offers a glimpse into its unique and refined underpinnings via its latest short film by The Work. Compiling a range of internationally curated beers, exceptional wines and locally grown ingredients, the Detroit-based craft cocktail bar puts an entirely new spin on the old “watering hole” cliche.

The Thursday Cocktail Recipe…for the Weekend

The Affiliate

1½ ounces rum, preferably Plantation Rum Jamaica 8-Year-Old
¾ ounce fino sherry, preferably Dry Sack medium
¾ ounce Cherry Heering
3 dashes Angostura bitters
3 dashes Angostura orange bitters
Ice
1 two-inch strip of orange peel, for garnish

In a cocktail shaker, combine the rum, sherry, Cherry Heering and both bitters. Add ice to fill. Stir until very cold. Strain into a rocks glass filled with fresh ice and garnish with the orange peel. Serve.

Travelteq Pencil Holder

The fine folks at Acquire have turned us to this pencil holder from Travelteq. Known for their fine leather goods, this one’s another stunning piece to add to their lineup. The case is hand-crafted from Florentine Vachetta leather and contains 19 colored pencils from Holland’s Bruynzeel.

Rose & Born Formal Collection

Here’s a first look at Italian label Rose & Born‘s Formal wear collection. The offerings range from a well-designed tuxedo to proper footwear for the black-tie affair as well as a few different cuff links, all offered up in a black and gold finish. Look for the collection to be offered through Rose & Born in the near future.

Louis Vuitton Holiday 2011 Accessories Men’s Collection

Here we have a look at goods from Louis Vuitton’s Holiday 2011 collection, with a strong focus on the accessories that are currently available from the Italian label. Included in the mix is a wide range of leather goods like wallets and phone holders as well as eyewear and wristwear. The pieces can be found now through Louis Vuittonboutiques and select stockiest.

Merry Christmas…….

My Christmas this Year……Santa brought me two things on my list..

Mercedes G Wagon….

Paul Smith Sherpa Hat…..

Before the point and shoot...

Before the age of the digital camera, there was a thing called film. Many of us will never learn how to use film, with our phones now having picture capabilities. But those you still seek out the true art of picture taking , as well as very unique piece to use when capturing that 35mm image, I would still use today's technology to convert my pictures and archive them...
This Leica M7 limited Edition Hermès offers a total of 200 silver chrome Leica M7 cameras with exquisite leather finishes applied by Hermès. The body and the carrying strap of the camera are made in Swift calfskin, a drummed leather with extreme suppleness. Connoisseurs of pieces that are extraordinary in both quality and style may choose between two eye-catching varieties in "étoupe" and "orange". Only 100 cameras are available in each of the two leather colours

Friday afternoon inspiration...

Mad et Len Scents for Autumn/Winter 2011

A new collection of scents from Mad et Len. As Por Vocacao tells us, “With its artisanal perfume making formula, we knew Mad et Len was going to be a hit, the moment we first set our eyes on those alluring black vials. Standing a long way from massive perfume making, the french brand focuses on sourcing the best natural raw materials.” Waft this way if you could, please.

The Thursday Cocktail Recipe…for the Weekend

North Garden

Demerara Syrup
1 cup demerara sugar
½ cup water

Dash Angostura Bitters
1 teaspoon rich demerara syrup
¼ ounce scotch, preferably Laphroaig 10-Year Islay Scotch
¾ ounce bourbon, preferably Buffalo Trace Bourbon
1½ ounce apple brandy, preferably Laird's Bonded Apple Brandy
Ice

1. Make the demerara syrup: In a large pot set over high heat, combine the demerara sugar and water and heat, stirring occasionally until dissolved. Set aside to cool and store in the refrigerator.

2. Make the cocktail: In a mixing glass, combine the bitters, 1 teaspoon of the reserved demerara syrup, Scotch, bourbon and apple brandy. Stir the ingredients. Pour into a rocks glass filled with ice. Serve.

Video | Alexander Olch, a Beautiful Model and the Four-in-Hand Knot

Alexander Olch and TheCorner.com produced this new video short on how to tie Olch’s favorite necktie knot, the four-in-hand. Model Aurelie Claudel is clearly more beautiful than Olch, but we still hear him narrating this one. That’s ok.
Directed by Matt Lenski.

Alexander Olch -- Knot Yourself from Alexander Olch on Vimeo.

The Scent | Odin New York 07 Tanoke

With five other extremely well-received scents in Odin New York’s lineup already, here’s another one that’s sure to get your attention. This unisex scent, 07 Tanoke, was developed with Paris-based Drom perfumer Corinne Cachen and blends memorable outdoor notes of Northern California. Ginger, orange, pepper, redwood and gaiac wood are all blended in 07 Tanoke. Other unisex scents in the lineup include 01 Nomad, 02 Owari, 03 Century, 04 Petrana and 06 Amanu.

Odin New York 07 Tanoke is available in 100 ml Eau de Toilette for $125 through Odin boutiques as well as select Barneys locations.

Normann Copenhagen Whisky Glass

Here's the perfect companion to that 25 year old single malt you recently procured. Rikke Hagen's Whisky Glass($53) for Normann Copenhagen was inspired by the designer's passion for collecting stones at the beach

J. Panther Luggage Co. Courier Ruc Case

Japan’s J. Panther Luggage Co. just released their latest, the Courier Ruc Case. Available in tan of black water resistant Horween leather, the Ruc Case is made to resist the toughest conditions in the city and beyond.  Features three-way carry options and plenty of storage for all your office goods. Available for $990 USD.

The Sunday Drive…1966 Porsche Typ 906 Carrera

Even a seasoned Porsche purist may not recognize this beast on the open road.  The 1966 Porsche Typ 906 Carrera wasn’t built with the modern family in mind, this one was designed to devastate on the racetrack.  One of 66 made, this Porsche ate Ferraris and Fords for breakfast, screaming across the track at speeds of up to 170mph.  At modern standards, this isn’t a shocking number, but for 1966, this vehicle pushed the cutting edge.  This week, this very 1966 Porsche Typ 906 will be auctioned by Bonhams for an expected price of $1.1 million.  Sure, you could spend that on a used Bugatti, but you won’t be getting the classic that this Porsche represents.

Our favorite part?  This Porsche has a rare personality.  We wouldn’t be surprised if we spent some time alone with this car and it began talking to us.  It may be fast and ferocious on the road, but there’s clearly something… loveable about this one.  We’ll take it.  Anyone mind floating us a loan for the auction payment?

Hufnagel Porteur City Bike

Jordan Hufnagel likes bikes. He rides them a lot and when not spinning around Portland Oregon he’s designing and building them. His latest project is the Porteur/City bike, the result of a years work to create his perfect bike. As you can see it’s pretty good looking but we’re told it’s also a joy to ride. But seriously, look at it,  handsome right?

Anyway, this features “a custom fitted hand built frame, fork, stem and rack.All designed to have a clean look and intuitive function.” A lot of the bits n’ pieces that make up the frame were made in Jordan’s own house with much love care and attention no doubt. It’s a limited run and if you’re looking for a Christmas present to make everyone elses efforts seem pathetic then this is it.