It’s back to the 1930’s for Burberry’s Pre-fall (and pre-war) 2012 Collection. With updated tweed fabrics and reserved details, the king of coats is toning down last season’s collection for an English country feel. Some even think designer Christopher Bailey is trying to grab the attention of a certain member of the British royal family; the puffy sleeve dresses, slim waists, and luxe, form fitting jackets seem tailor-made for the new Duchess.

For all the attention given to the roaring 20’s recently – including Woody Allen’s Midnight in Paris and HBO’s Boardwalk Empire – it’s nice to see the equally fashionable 1930’s decade getting a bit of attention. We particular love the dark and muted colors – sage, bracken, lavender, charcoal, and pewter.

Gentleman ARTHUR owners Samuel Wagner and Evrim Nathanael Eksi “wanted to create a project that had the mental complexity of artwork while sharing the accessibility of popular culture.” That’s definitely evident in their collection of handmade wood block ties, including The Hobo, inspired by Jack Kerouac’s adventures in On the Road and The Emma Beryl, inspired by Sam’s grandmother’s classic quilting patterns.

While they don’t consider themselves a fashion line, the duo’s slim cut ties are certainly fashionable, and at a great pricepoint too. Each tie is made from 100% cotton or felt and sells online for $75. Because of the design process, each piece is one of a kind – the wood block prints yield imperfect patterns, certain styles have unfinished edges, and some are even sewn with a slight curve in the seam. In their own words, “The bulky silk tie is dead, and the well-dressed man is now the rebel.”

There’s a fun video making the rounds this morning called “100 Years of East London Fashion, Dance and Music In 100 Seconds”. For all you English majors, that’s one look per year since 1911. The short was directed by Jake Lunt and created by The Viral Factory to celebrate the launch of a new Westfield shopping mall in Stratford City, London. We were excited to see so much denim in the film, especially the final shot, which shows that there’s nothing more current right now than a great pair of dark denim.

It’s time again for ENK Vegas, running Monday, August 22 – Wednesday, August 24. We’ll be there with our Resort and Spring 2012 collections, along with the brand new Men’s line. If you have plans to be there, be sure to stop by the booth, number 11015.

For media appointments, please contact Christina Zamarripa, Christina.Zamarripa@pmkbnc.com.

There is big news coming from the HABITUAL brand for the spring season - we’re launching a line of premium men’s denim.

HABITUAL saw a void in the marketplace for a sophisticated, handcrafted men’s jean. The line is all about clean, modern, “city-inspired” looks and Handmade in USA craftsmanship. In the words of Design Director Jennifer Wojinski, “It’s a very tailored and sophisticated look with a European aesthetic. It’s more of a city look than the vintage look a lot of other brands are going for these days.”

Fit and Wash:

We’ve chosen a comfortable, higher rise that sits right at the hips, going against the trend of lower rise denim that has been prevalent the past several years. You’ll be able to find slim straight, straight, skinny, and relaxed boot fits, along with denim trousers and jackets. We are focusing on medium indigo, dark indigo, grey and black washes. You will also see a hand-applied black pigment coating, available on the skinny fit and the jacket, lending a leathery, rock & roll inspired feel. Some designs will have a minimal amount of hand-distressing.

Craftsmanship:

All of the looks will be hand crafted and hand finished in HABITUAL’s Los Angeles Factory with as little machinery as possible. The designs are cut from the best European denim fabrics, and laundering is done by denim artisans. We use fair labor practices at all levels of the production process.

How can you spot HABITUAL Men’s Denim?

We’ve opted away from aggressive embellishments and focused on a few subtle identifiers that will set HABITUAL Men’s apart and signify premium craftsmanship.

For most of the men’s line, you will find our signature Glory pocket in the front, on the coin pocket, along with a white contrast stitching that stretches up to the waistband. We are featuring both button and zipper flies, all with custom hardware and rivets. In back, you’ll see a leather patch stamped with the HABITUAL logo and tucked neatly underneath the top seam of the pocket, along with a white bartack on the back center belt loop. Inside, an artist-designed pocket lining features a skull, a crying eye, and an architectural arch along with a variety of text elements. Reinforced seams feature a black binding with the word “Believe” subtly visible.

The Fine Print:

The line will be available at retail in January 2012 at specialty department and specialty stores, retailing from $175 to $195 for basic washes, $225 for looks with hand distressing, and up to $325 for premium selvage. The denim jackets will retail at $275, except for one with calf leather sleeves, which will run $575.

Buyers and editors can get a true first look at the line at ENK, in Las Vegas, August 22-24th. You Can Find HABITUAL at booth number 11015. To make an appointment, please contact Christina Zamarripa at christina.zamarripa@pmkbnc.com.