At BnB Berlin those who go and also those who frequent giant trade-shows know that its getting notoriously difficult to stumble on a gem, or stub your toe on a small piece of greatness - well this last BnB we got an hour to ourselves and decided that we would find something new, something we had never heard of and something that would float our boat - the way to do this was to wander and forget where we were (if at all possible when your feet have swollen up and your sciatica nerves are breakdancing round your ass cheeks!!) so off i limped … then lo and behold as we were about to sit down and resign ourselves to the reality of the giant show that now had us beat, i overheard an irish accent ranting furiously and passionately as only the irish can … about knitwear (now i am at least one third irish so the familiar drawl feels like home to me) i decide to investigate and i stumble upon an oasis of beauty, in a hall home to brands globally re-knowned, this folks was paydirt a brand so small, from the island where it originates, to the range to the stand it was upon, you couldn’t help be charmed for one then blown away by the genuine quality and heritage of INIS MEAIN “The collections that we design in Inis Meáin are partly inspired by the traditional dress of the islanders with a touch of luxury” its a true statement and having pawed over the original family hand me down heritage pieces and then the actual available collection we were dumbstruck. This is a brand with as much of a punk rock f**k you attitude as any of the big brands with the debatable ad campaigns and quasi fashion identities. Their punk stems from - WE WONT CHANGE FUCK ALL ABOUT OUR BRAND TO PLEASE YOU LOT, WE WILL DESIGN AND MANUFACTURE WHAT WE KNOW ON THE LOOMS AND IN THE MILLS THAT HAVE STOOD ON OUR ISLAND OF LESS THAN 200 PEOPLE FOR OVER A HUNDRED YEARS - that to me is punk rock attitude - not affected nor effected by the majority, Three cheers for these guys they were great and a pleasure to talk to. Good Luck with the future Tarlach and Inis Meain Knitting Co!!

The guy above could be Paul Newman !!

The final frontier or simply a step in a very positive direction. I am proud to say that as an agency we are growing exponentially (and may i add at the right rate, that we can manage - key i believe to longevity). So as a result of hopefully getting better at what we do and pleasing those that we do it for we have managed to take on a larger and more spacious office. Slap bang in the hub of shoreditch / Brick Lane area / Redchurch street are - SANECOMMUNICATIONS is now residing on Old Nichol Street E2 in a rather splendid bright airy and may i boldly state wonderful work space “Old Nichol Street is a little like a piece of New York’s Lower East Side transported to the middle of Shoreditch. With one foot firmly in its run-down past and the other in its regenerated future”. Giant windows, exposed brickwork, an incredible post-codal history and a kick-ass location make our going to work in this here rat-race A OK with me - im driving my own rat and i like this race !!

To my wife and the team i say a huge thank-you, you are all amazing - to my friends and family i also extend a huge thank-you for your belief in me / us - to my clients and colleagues you are great and i am proud to be associated with you . Long may this continue. I am a happy man.

Heres a couple a shots of the space - bare with us -it needs a lot of furniture - ha ha - this was last friday when we recived the keys. On and up and keep on keepin on is what i say every day - top of the world ma, top of the world.

shooting and scoring …

My boat has been floated for some time now by Mr Jon Patric’s online image and info resource THE SELVEDGE YARD . I look forward to it dropping into my inbox so much that now i have a routine to suit, when i am alerted to a new post i stop working put the pot on the stove, make a fresh mug of joe, and just indulge myself in Jons never ending visual representation of all that make America Good, Bad and Ugly. Its findamentally not too disimilar to the overall premise of TV really, ENTERTAINING • INFORMING • EDUCATIONAL = kick back relax. I wont spoil your visit to Jons site by posting loads of my ‘favourite images’, as 1. there is WAY too many an 2. you need to become a reader of his work more than mine, so go go go !! What i will do is post two shots of L.A gang ladeez that blew me away, hot yes, ask em on a date - NO!!

Jane Dillinger!!

Just a beautiful shot, wouldn’t however, try and feed the doggie!

The second thing that is floating my boat right now is this Lightning Magazines new Outdoor Style Guide Magazine, much inspiration is being taken from these wondrous publications for editorial ideas for The Rig Out Numero 3.

get it here while its hot and the weathers cold.

Its 2010 “use your head for thinking and ya feet for dancing” x

Gieves&Hawkes are an institution, their tailoring legacy is second to none and to make everything just peachy, what could be better than residing at the address No.1 Savile Row, the beginning and end of the “golden mile of tailoring” ? that’s right nothing, nothing beats that address … its better than Buckingham Palace end of (sorry your majesty). From 2005-2008 Joe Casely-Hayford was their Creative Director and in his time did wonders for the brands progression and development of a more, shall we say contemporary aesthetic. I am enjoying both the casual side and the tailoring side (especially the flannel) to the G&H brand at the moment and feel that they came full circle under the direction of Uncle JCH. Here’s a few looks im liking and you can snap up the individual pieces in their sale right now too, i have visited and indulged, go forth, take a trip to The Row online.

A sketch from Withnail & I … particularly apt for this post … Danny the ‘purveyor of chemicals’ talking to, and winding up Withnail … Withnail advocating the greatness of Gieves&Hawkes - see history below quote.

Danny: Then why’s he wearing that old suit?

Withnail: Old suit! This suit was cut by Hawke’s of Savile Row. Just because the best tailoring you’ve ever seen is above your fucking appendix doesn’t mean anything.

Nuff said really …

HISTORY

The story of Gieves & Hawkes is one of traditional tailoring, based on catering for the needs of the British Army and the Royal Navy, and hence by association the British Royal family.

After coming to London in 1760, Thomas Hawkes set up his first shop in 1771 in Brewer Street.^[3] Catering for gentlemen, his main clients become the commanders of the British Army, through which King George III becomes a customer. Having expanded his retail operation by moving to No.17 (later number No.14) Piccadilly in 1793,^[4] Hawkes gains his first of many Royal Warrants in 1807.^[3]

In 1835, James Watson Gieve is employed by ‘Old Mel’ Meredith, a Portsmouth-based tailor by appointment to the Royal Navy. Meredith tailors the uniform Admiral Lord Nelson is wearing when killed in action aboard HMS Victory at the Battle of Trafalgar. In 1852, Gieve acquires a partnership with Joseph Galt, and in 1887 purchases the remaining shares to form Gieves & Co. He dies in 1888.^[3]

Having sold his business to his nephews in 1850, on December 23, 1912, Hawkes & Co. buys №1 Savile Row from the Royal Geographical Society for £38,000,^[3] in part because the firm has dressed so many explorers. In 1974, Gieves Ltd acquires Hawkes & Co., and the freehold of №1 Savile Row. The company is renamed Gieves & Hawkes.^[3]

Customers past and present include: Winston Churchill, Admiral Nelson, 1st Duke of Wellington, Charlie Chaplin, Michael Jackson, David Beckham, Mikael Gorbachev, Bill Clinton, George W Bush, Diana Princess of Wales and her sons William and Harry.

I am a huge fan of ties, bow ties and neck scarves, i like to wear them dressed up and down, casual and on occasion inappropriately (no not like that). I don’t feel the need to always wear a tie or a bow tie with a conservative outfit to accompany. i like to wear them comfortably, thus exuding the fact that i am comfortable, that’s what i feel people need to address within the realms of neck wear, if you look like your mother tied your tie, or your bow tie is a symbol of evil sartorial duress, then you will look wrong. Ignore the comments and looks from the ‘ignorati’ and rock that neck attire like you own it, not like you are about to start school or an accountancy job you never wanted in the first place! I have ordered a bunch of knitted ties for 2010 and my pops hooked me up with 3 Gieves&Hawkes bow ties with anchors on all of em and a beauty of a knitted tie from Sackville&Jones too … so i am ready to drop the anchor and am sufficiently ‘knittedly equipped’ for the New Year. Here’s some ties that i’m digging on and some i have ordered from a little gem i discovered online at Woods of Shropshire  (Brandon Capps feel free to comment at any point, as you wear em so well sir).

With a sky blue oxford, battered nantucket reds, some Jack Purcells or maybe a navy blue deck shoe … word!

Spike Jonze needs no introduction, he needs no approval, he needs nothing other than to be celebrated. He has been doing what he does so well for so long without any blips, damn i wish i had an iota of this guys talent and vision … here’s some of my choices from his magnificent legacy of visual accompaniments to great records / tracks.

Cannonball (co-direction with Kim Gordon) kim + kelly hell yesssss

Shady Lane

100%

Sure Shot

And i would like to finish this post with a video of mine + Spikes favourites tearing s**t up live … hair on back of neck time y’all …

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL FOLKS !!

X

Linus Van Pelt is my hero, end of story. His ability to amalgamate philosophy, religion and theology has never ceased to amaze me. His rhetoric is both simple and also simply superb, we need to follow the lead of Mr Van Pelt in my opinion (even in the case of the Great Pumpkin … in fact “ESPECIALLY IN THE CASE OF THE GREAT PUMPKIN” ) to attain success and progression. I would have at any of my dinner parties and would love to see him converse with the likes of a Hemingway or Mandela!! So … Linus Van Pelt what wisdom can you impart with us, what can you show us ?

WISDOM UNSURPASSED

THEOLOGY / THEORY UNSURPASSED

MOVES UNSURPASSED

I love this little guy so much i get measured for suits with him …

WISE WISE WISE WORDS!!

“I love mankind, it’s people I can’t stand”
Linus Van Pelt

Aint life just wonderful, here’s to the 2010 goodness my friends and fellow humans !!

be well and love to you and yours from me and mine x

There’s an immaculate 3 speed Raleigh that i am in desperate love with in a charity shop somewhere - so i go in and address the lady  and say ” excuse me, is that bike for sale, i love it, tell you what, i ‘ll give you £X amount for the bike and said lady says “yeh that’s great, thank-you , didn’t expect to get anything remotely like that for it, thank-you” i’m feeling good about the day and myself then … step in busy-body ageing hipster knobhead to state in the direction of thrift store (for the yanks) owner in an excruciatingly painful amalgam of colloquial tones “that bikes worth double that ya know” it almost happened in slo-mo as i whirl round post overhearing in a red mist rage and retaliate in my BEST geordie aggressive tone “how mate (geordie’s will get it)  i have just put up a fair amount for that thanks mate, and its to charity, its not an auction and i’d appreciate it if you either pay what you value for the bike for or … you get my drift cue my dear wife who steps in and says “easy babe, keep ya voice down” obliging, as she is scarier than me in a headshrinkers mask with a knife on any given sunday i decide to chase the dickster-hipster out of said charity shop with dagger eyes , charity shop woman says “hes been doing that for two weeks, im glad you got rid, hes a wazzack” - WAZZACK HA HA HA hadnt heard that word for time, hopefully i get the bike next week when it is no longer a window display, thats all folks, moral of the story - Hipsters suck.

Ferry & Eno - standout and way way ahead of contemporaries - i love this track - out there

Here’s a Lewis Leather as homage to Bryan - A geordie legend - A style icon - Rebel uniform staple

From the Lewis leathers archives - heres two i love and would wear at the drop of a pair of goggles.

off to tweak my vespa ; ) ha ha