MR PORTER | Sterling Work

With Mad Men back on our screens, the folks at MR PORTER just couldn’t help but do another 1960s style tailoring story. With much inspiration taken from the hit AMC drama, be sure to browse through the looks on The Journal. We’re sure you’ll find something you like, we definitely did — AMI trench, Lanvin tie clip, Gucci suiting, Church’s footwear. We can keep going. Head on over to MR PORTER to see the beautiful imagery and read the words of Mansel Fletcher as well.

Stubbs & Wootton – Fancy, Fancy Slippers

Whether he knows it or not, every man would feel better with a special pair of slippers reserved solely for times of hard-earned relaxation—the kind of extended chill that comes with a sidekick of Scotch and a curled-up dog at your side. We are talking special slippers that only know the touch of wood flooring, carpet and the occasional expanse of driveway. Well, these slippers are very special

We’ve reported on Stubbs & Wootton slippers before, and made mention that they might not be for everyone. That is the double edged beauty of slips this singular-looking. If they are a little too loud for you to take to the grocery store, the needlepoint tapestry upper will stay in good shape for a good long while traveling from the easy chair to the decanter and back again. If, on the other hand, you are already thinking of ways to wear them to work, the wooden sole will be subject to abuse—and it would be rough watching these deteriorate no matter how long it took. (upscalehype)

The Thursday Cocktail Recipe…for the Weekend

Madeira Cobbler
Recipe adapted from Bellocq, Hotel Modern, New Orleans
Makes one drink


1½ ounces Sercial Madeira (preferably from Rare Wine Co.)
½ ounce simple syrup (1:1)
2 peels orange zest
1 peel lemon zest
Cracked ice
Chocolate bitters (preferably Ballast & Keel Cocoa Nib & Chile Arbol)


In a shaker, combine the first four ingredients and shake vigorously with 6 cubes of cracked ice. Roll the contents of the shaker into a rocks glass. Top with a drop of the bitters and serve with a straw.

Neckwear: Calabrese

There’s no shortage of neck ties or their makers, but it’s debatable that there is a shortage of good neck ties.  Chances are if you’ve purchased a tie that was Made in Italy from any credible American retailer, then you’re probably wearing a product of Calabrese.  Sitting in the center of Naples is the Calabrese workshop, where I paid a visit to see where they’ve been making their ties for the last four generations. And although there were some hints of who their American clientele includes (see. Ralph, Brooks, JP, and others), true to Napoli character, omerta reigned true.  But even without hints, rolls of identifiable fabrics line the floors and shelves as well as a few unmistakable finished product.

Walking through the facility, everything is staged out and arranged in practical assembly line format, beginning with your fabrics and cuts.  Orders for either domestic or international clients lay in bundles, with a few custom orders sprinkled into the mix.  After touring the floor, I quickly  realized how much more went into the tie making process than I originally thought.  From lined, to unlined, to folded, coupled with any number of different fabric combinations it’s easy to see how complexities can add up.  And even with all this, Calabrese still manages to churn out an impressive volume of product with a relatively low head count.  As every tie passes through no less than four to five sets of human hands, no detail is ignored, yet steady volume continues.   This attention to detail and personal touch is exactly why you’re likely wearing one of their ties and why they’ll likely be making them for another four generations. 

Logitech UE Air Speaker

Logitech has a new dog in the iOS speaker fight. Teaming up with Ultimate Ears — best known for the ubiquitous in-ear monitors you see worn by everyone from Bono to Bieber — the Logitech UE Air Speaker ($400) is a THX Certified single-unit sound system whose engineers are out to prove has equal parts bite and bark. With a retractable dock and 3.5mm auxiliary input, the unit does allow for a traditional plug-and-play experience. However, as the name suggests, the system’s true talent is through the air. Utilizing Apple’s AirPlay technology, the piano-black unit can stream uncompressed audio from any iOS device (sorry Android users). Users can also control the Air Speaker via an iDevice, Mac, or PC with no pairing headaches by downloading a free app. That means multiple parties can download the app and share musical control of a single unit during your weekend hangouts (and we’re not talking about the Google+ variety). Sure that means that everyone’s going to be looking down at his or her iPhone all night, but in this day and age, that describes most of our social events anyway.

Want Les Essentiels Prestwick Travel Slipper

An must-have for your travel bag, Want's Prestwick Travel Slipper keeps your feet off of those questionable hotel floors and with its compact, easy to store design that zips flat, its a piece you should never travel without. 

Road Test | Bentley Continentals at Aspen Fashion Week

We were recently invited out to Aspen, Colorado by the fine folks at Bentley for an experience of a lifetime. While all the Aspen Fashion Week festivities were in full swing, Bentley took us out to a secluded snow-covered ranch right outside of town. We hopped in the passenger seat of the Supersports Convertible ISR (Ice Speed Record) while Bentley Driving pros took the 631-hp beauty across a snowy meadow, specially created for the winter driving experience. We were swinging around corners with ease and it took us back a bit because the Continental’s all-wheel drive system is one of the British automaker’s strong suits but not the conversation that’s normally had. No matter the weather, we’re accustomed to talking about the car’s stunning looks and its luxurious cabin with hand-crafted leather, book-matched wood veneers, and knurled stainless steel. That’s changed.

There’s a 40:60 rear bias for sporting handling and spirited mid-corner acceleration. However, it can adjust the power split instantaneously between the front and rear wheels depending on the available grip. The sophisticated Electronic Stability Control (ESC) system provides additional security and grip whatever the driving style. We saw this in full-force throughout the day as we switched from an ISR on a snow-covered track to the Bentley GT and GTC convertible on asphalt that was layered with specs of ice.

We captured some great shots of the sports cars in motion so be sure to scroll down and check them out.

Basil Racuk Soft Brief

Basil Racuk have released their classic Soft Brief bag for spring, this time finishing it in British Khaki Calfskin and lining it with vintage Moleskin. It’s a versatile bag that can used for office meetings or the accompany you on an occasional weekend getaway. They’re handmade by Basil in his northern California studio with all the materials being sourced locally in Cali as well. The bag is available now through Leffot.

Super Léon

Known for their modern take on classic acetate styles, Super debuts its first all-metal frame with timeless styling and oversized lenses. The single bridge Léon ($248) comes with Barberini glass lenses or photochromic lenses which automatically adjusts the lens tint based on the lighting conditions. 

The Thursday Cocktail Recipe…for the Weekend

INGREDIENTS

Lemon wedge

Superfine sugar

Small orange

Ice

2 ounces cognac (preferably Pierre Ferrand 1840 Original Formula Cognac)

½ ounce Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao

½ ounce maraschino liqueur

½ ounce fresh lemon juice

1 dash Angostura bitters

DIRECTIONS

1. Prepare the glass: Wet the rim of a small snifter or wineglass with the cut edge of a lemon wedge, and dip the rim into a saucer of superfine sugar to create a crust around the rim. Use a sharp vegetable peeler or paring knife to remove the zest from a small orange in one large strip, avoiding the bitter white pith as much as possible, and place the zest inside the sugar-rimmed glass. Place the glass in the refrigerator to chill while preparing the drink.

2. In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine the cognac, curaçao, maraschino liqueur, lemon juice and bitters. Shake well until chilled, about 10 seconds; strain into the prepared glass. Serve.

Bell & Ross WW1 Heure Sautante

Bell & Ross combined classic watchmaking with modern minimalism for their new WW1 Heure Sautante collection. Available in two limited editions styles, both watches feature jumping hour complications complemented with a beautiful dial decorated with blue steel hands and a choice of pink gold (limited edition of 50) or platinum (limited edition of 25).

Tech Tuesday……Apple Ipad

The long awaited next-gen iPad is here and first things first, yes, it has the Retina Display. The new display will have 2048 x 1536 resolution, better color saturation, and all those pixels will be powered by Apple's new A5X quad core graphics system. The new iPad will also feature 4G LTE connectivity (available on Verizon and AT&T in America), a 5MP rear camera, 10 hour battery life (9 hour on 4G, and will arrive in stores March 16th with the same pricing as the previous generation iPads. And if the new iPad is still a little too pricey, Apple is dropping the 16GB iPad 2 down to $399. 

Ozwald Boateng | A Man’s Story

Ozwald Boateng, one of Britain’s most notable designers, has had an incredible career. Things got pretty intense in 1998 when he was on the brink of bankruptcy and divorced his first wife. For the next 12 years, every day of his life was captured on video by director Varon Bonicos.

Ending in 2010 when Boateng closes London Fashion Week with the biggest menswear show in history, Bonicos is able to get behind the headlines and chart Boateng’s singular dream to succeed. Instinctive, flawed and generous, A Man’s Story goes to the very heart of what Boateng has spent an entire career trying to distil: “what it is to be a man.”

The film is out now as part of a limited theatrical release but will be available on DVD March 19th. Trailer can be found below.

The Sunday Drive….

Today at the Geneva Motor Show, Bentley took the covers off their SUV concept car — the EXP 9 F. It’s a fusion of contemporary crafted luxury, advanced in-car technology, commanding driving position and all-terrain capability in a spacious and high performance SUV; pretty much everything we’ve come to expect from the British coachmaker. The EXP 9 F could potentially be the third Bentley model-line alongside the bespoke Mulsanne and the high performance Continental GT, GTC and Flying Spur. The exterior design features several signature Bentley cues such as matrix grill and round lamps as well as rear lights inspired by the forms and details of fighter jet engines. Speaking of jet engines, power comes from a 6.0 litre, twin turbocharged W12 engine that’s mated with an 8-speed transmission.

Enter the luxury SUV and you’ll be welcomed by a contemporary cabin design with fine details such as handcrafted woods, leather, and polished metal elements. The panoramic glass panel roof design is an added touch while you’ll be stepping on luxurious and reversible silk wool floormats: one side finished in durable ribbed saddle leather. Wealth. You’ll also find some pretty heavy tech usage by way of touchscreens throughout the car like in the 3D navigation that’s flanked by two analogue reverse-read dials. The rear seat business mode comes with fold-down keyboard and internet connectivity via an iPad or tablet, powered footrest and infotainment movie screen.

Alasdair Stewart, Member of the Board for Sales and Marketing at Bentley said that, “A Bentley Grand Tourer doesn’t necessarily have to be a coupe, a convertible or a saloon — it could equally well be an SUV. What’s important is that it should be true to Bentley’s brand values and in line with the desires and needs of our customers.” The EXP 9 F is a magnificent prototype and if it’s received as positively as we think it will be, then expect an SUV in the future from Bentley.

Rolex Sky-Dweller

HODINKEE is currently taking over Basel World and they’ve just dropped first live shots of the Rolex Sky-Dweller. From a distance, the Sky-Dweller looks likea Day-date but get a bit closer and you’ll see a second timezone via an inner rotating disc as well as an annual calendar. The annual calendar display the month with an inconspicuous aperture above the associated hour, while the date is displayed as you’d expect under the trademark Rolex cyclops window. Keep an eye on HODINKEE as they’re sure to deliver some more news on the Sky-Dweller soon.

Tom Ford Special Edition Eyewear Collection

Tom Ford is set to release some pretty amazing optical frames in the coming months. They’re gold with precious water buffalo horn in a specially designed resin box, which comes with conditioning cream and chamois cloth for complete care of the horn. The frames are slated to be available from April through June in Tom Ford boutiques and select luxury department stores and are priced at $2,950.

Kanye West 2012 Fall Collection

Varying in style from his premiere runway show, Kanye West recently displayed his 2012 fall/winter collection. Simple yet bold design combined with intricate tonal pieces rounded out the collection, which was also characterized by an array of textures including leathers, fur and lace. A handful of accessories taking the form of handbags were also included. An edgy and confident theme was emphasized by the models, each of whom had tied-back hair and smudged eyeliner for West’s sophomore collection.

The Thursday Cocktail Recipe…for the Weekend

Morning
Ice
1½ ounces amaro, preferably Averna
½ ounce Cognac, preferably Maison Surrenne Petite Champagne
1 ounce fresh lemon juice
¾ ounce Small Hand Foods Pineapple Gum Syrup (made by Small Hand Foods; see retail outlets here)
Seltzer
Sprig of fresh mint

In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine the amaro, Cognac, lemon juice and gum syrup. Shake hard for 20 seconds. Strain into a Collins glass. Top with fresh ice and seltzer. Garnish with the mint sp

Rolex Submariner ‘No Date

Today at Baseworld, Rolex revealed a new Submariner, with the most significant change being that there is no date on the watch. The Swiss watch brand updated their most iconic watch with a new case, Cerachrom bezel and next generation bracelet. In the dark the watch now lights up in blue. The watch has of course a mechanical movement, 40mm case size, ceramic bezel and is definitely all in all a great update to the classic.

Watches ….

Sandast Leather Bags »

Not totally new to the bags game (est. 2006 in Milan), but rather new to us is Sandast, purveyor of Italian-designed leather goods that are crafted in America. Founded by Milan Franeta, the brand combines a vintage aesthetic with modern functionality. Franeta has experience working with big names in denim and Italian luxury brands—experience that “ignited a personal desire to take his passion and offer a collection of leather accessories he connects with so deeply.”

Naming the brand after his kids Sandra, Danilo, Stefano is a nice touch that hints at some legacy building, and the goods are built using old Italian machinery, so that they are “born of historical relevance.” These are some good lookers that would be fun to dutifully fill the compartments of.

The “Otis” Maybach

Remember the Maybach that Jay-Z and Kanye Frankensteined together for the Otis video? The visual of a Sawzall hitting a car most of us will never be able to sit in (let alone buy) is still scarred into our brains. It seemed totally ridiculous at the time, but the video ended with a PSA that the actual luxury Road Warrior whip used for the shoot would be auctioned off for charity. That day is here…almost. On March 8, Phillips de Pury & Company will be auctioning off the “Otis” Maybach as part of a Contemporary Art Evening Sale in New York. All proceeds from the auction will benefit Save the Children. It’s definitely not street legal anymore, but if you can afford the absurdly high price tag this thing will most certainly fetch you can just take it out on your private track. $A lot

Read more: Cool Material - Men's gear blog featuring the latest trends in watches, gear and gadgets. http://coolmaterial.com/#ixzz1oLVHbFUI

Han Kjøbenhavn Spring/Summer 2012 Video

If for some reason you’ve always wondered why menswear has never crossed paths with bingo, you’ll finally have your answer thanks to the film for Danish designer Han Kjøbenhavn’sSpring/Summer 2012 line. Directed by revered Danish documentary filmmaker Asger Leth, the cut takes a rather dismal turn as a gang of mature punks dressed to the nines in Kjøbenhavn’s newest decide to wreak havoc on a peaceful bingo game. The music combines with gratuitous use of slow motion (which most certainly isn’t a bad thing) to give the collection a nightmarish feel, but one of those nightmares where you were dressed in sharply tailored muted tones before ending up at a rather dimly lit bar. Along with the definitely feeling of intrigue the video implores, a respect for Kjøbenhavn’s look is generated as well. This line is definitely worth further investigation, much like the questionable acts committed on screen.

The Sunday Drive….

The Italian dream maker Ferrari has split the curtains ahead of the Geneva Motor Show to reveal the stunning new Ferrari F12 Berlinetta.  The newest Ferrari is as daring as it is dashing, approaching speeds of up to 211 miles per hour on the open road.  From a standing start, this beast can hit 60 mph in just 3.1 seconds.  While the top end and the acceleration are exciting, the handling helps put this one in a class of its own.  It bested a lap at the Fiorano test course in 1:23.  When compared to the Ferrari’s that came before it, the F12 Berlinetta can boast quite a claim with that record– it is the fastest Ferrari ever.  Yes, the Enzo’s and the 599 GTO’s of the world can’t compete with this one, it is officially the Ferrari flagship.  And we must say, boy does this beauty look the part.  Keys, please!  [via autoblog]