It’s that time of year again. With only a few weeks left in the year, spend em’ if you got em’ on these fine gifts for the Brvtal lady.

Fashion. Glam. Guy Bourdin. 
Nars Guy Bourdin Collection - available at Nars Cosmetics  

Kelsi Dagger Prospect Heights 3 way convertible bag, available at OAK.

Moto Jacket, available at Zara.

Twenty Two Hours Oblong bracelet, available at Otherwild.

Black Zebra Marble Book Ends, available at Bookcases Galore.

Jeffery Campbell Everly boot, available at Solestruck. 

Beekman 1802 Lump of Coal soap, available at Beekman 1802.

Byredo Fleur Fantome Scented Candle, available at Net-a-Porter.

Lipstick Knife and Pepper Spray, available at Defense Devices.

THE BRVTAL LIST: FOR HIM

Gift ideas for the stylishly brvtal MAN in your life: 

Fashion

                             Card Holder (pictured: Acne Studios) 

Enough space for what you need. 

                 Military Watch Company - Vietnam Watch (MWC)

Replica of the watch issued to soldiers during Vietnam. In a sleek matte black or olive and only $55. 

                                Running Shoes (pictured: Puma)

Work off the holidays. 

                        Dead Flowers NYC - Skull Series (Dead Flowers)

Skull versions of iconic album covers. 

                        Black Denim Jacket (pictured: Cheap Monday) 

An everyday staple. 

                                 Loungewear (pictured: Nordstrom)

Nothing feels better than lounging. 

                                    Blazer (pictured: Zara)

For New Year’s Eve

                            Croc Shoes (pictured: Opening Ceremony)

Brvtal luxury. 

Technology

                       Bluetooth Speaker (pictured: Sound Kick)

One of the best bluetooth speakers for only $99. Nice Brutalist design touches too. 

                      Alexander Wang x Beats Headphones (Beats by Dre)

Why not? 

                                     Music (Spotify Subscription) 

                  Tactical Knife with Speedsafe (Kershaw Kuro)

For doing what needs to be done. 

                           3-D Printer (pictured: 3-D Systems)

For the man who truly has everything(?) 

Home

                                       Candle (pictured: A Ok)

Set the mood. 

                             Backpack (pictured: Cote & Ciel)

For the knife, gym shoes and bluetooth speaker. 

                             Tumblers (pictured: Calypso Crystal) 

Whiskey needs a fitting vessel. 

                              Speakers (pictured: Alesis) 

For experiencing the music subscription.  

                                  Lingerie (pictured: Hopeless)

He should buy this but it’s really a gift to him too. 

Records of the Year: Function “Incubation” 

December is always a good time to look back and reflect on the year that was. In no particular order, over the next few weeks I’ll be picking some of my favorite music of 2013.

First up is “Incubation” by the Berlin based producer David Sumner aka Function. Once a member of the gone but never forgotten Sandwell District, the collective that helped shape the face of underground techno, Function has never put out a proper full length. Even with all the high hopes and anticipation that built around “Incubation”, the record surpassed what many of us could have hoped for. Not necessarily for the club, this album embodies the essence of narrative, concept and composition. The opening stunner, “Voiceprints”, is the perfect way to kick off a record of this kind. Other favorites are “Counterpoint”, “Inter” and “Psychic Warfare”. 

If you’re looking for a dark, minimal, techno odyssey through the outer reaches of space, then look no further. This is truly a cerebral gift to music fans. 

Find out more and buy the record on Osgut Ton. 

Holiday Jackets

If you plan on attending any high or low brow events this holiday season, you need to be equipped with an exquisite dinner jacket. I really like a mix of fabrics and touches of glamour. Behold: 

Topman

Zara

H&M

Alexander Wang

Oak NYC

Acne Studios

Band of Outsiders

Givenchy

McQ 

Check out Svpply to find out where to buy. 

Dark & Somber Greetings: Transylvanian Hanukkah

This year is an extra special time to celebrate Hanukkah. For the first time since the 1800’s, the first day falls on Thanksgiving. We can also consider ourselves lucky because scholars estimate this won’t happen again for another 69,000 years. Another reason this Hanukkah is special is the release of Dark & Somber Greetings’ new holiday card, “Transylvanian Hanukkah”. Finally you have an appropriate card for the Jewish metal head/occultist/satanist/hasidic in your life. 

Get more info here. 

Shops We Endorse: Curio Los Angeles

It’s been quite some time since we a) have been told by so many friends that we need to check out a new store in L.A. and b) we’ve been excited about actually checking it out. Both of these were the case when we discovered Curio, a new boutique located on 5th Street in the ever- burgeoning Historic Core of Downtown L.A.  

We recently stopped by the shop and met with Lora Myers, owner/curator, and instantly liked the space and Lora’s vision for the store. The minimalist decor and white walls open up the space nicely and let the merchandise (mostly black) do the talking. The ceilings are high and there’s an upstairs loft area which is currently being used as a gallery but will eventually host the rapidly growing menswear section. 

Lora described her ideal customer as an urbanite with a dark, bohemian aesthetic. With lines like Ovate, Sisters of the Black Moon and Grey City Shoes, she definitely hits the mark. We really liked the new collection of hats by Brooklyn’s Shade and Slouch and we’re looking forward to picking up denim and jackets from Kill City very soon. There’s also a nice variety of lifestyle items like apothecary from Life Aromatherapy and Black Metal greeting cards by Dark and Somber Greetings. 

New items are constantly coming in and the goal is to continue to grow and maybe even add a second location in the future. An online shop is also in the works so non-L.A. residents can purchase items from the well curated stock. The shop is a breath of fresh air to what can sometimes feel like a homogeneous L.A. retail scene and if you’re on this site, then you definitely need to check out the store.

Click here for more information on Curio Los Angeles. 

Curio
125 W 5th St
Los Angeles, CA 90013

Richard Avedon's "Women" at Gagosian Gallery

Out of the plethora of notable photographers that have captured women, beauty and elegance in the last 50 years, you would be hard pressed to find one more skilled than Richard Avedon. His images range from classic portraiture to non-conventional depictions but each have the trademark Avedon look. This month, Gagosian Gallery in Beverly Hills celebrates the master’s work with a stunning 100+ image show which pulls from nearly every era of the artist’s portfolio. Avedon began shooting in the 1940’s and when he passed in 2004 he left behind a staggering body of work which must be seen to be believed. 

For more information please visit Gagosian Gallery. 

Liberty United x Pamela Love

Dress for a cause with the new collaboration by Liberty United and Pamela Love. Aimed at ending gun violence, Liberty tapped seminal jewelry favorite Pamela Love to create a line made out of melted gun steel. The results are sure to be winners and below you can see a sneak peek. 

For more information of the collaboration click here. 

Flashback Fashion - Givenchy by Alexander McQueen (F/W 98)

In 1996, the fashion world was stunned when the president of fashion conglomerate LVMH appointed Alexander McQueen as the creative head of French fashion house Givenchy. McQueen proceeded to call his boss “irrelevant” and for the next few years created collections that were best categorized as rebellious, over-dramatic and sometimes even “crap”. 

Whatever you want to call them, his Ready to Wear line in the Fall of 1998 was inspired by one of our favorite films and cultural touchstones, Blade Runner. Today, we look back on the brilliance of the collection: 

Birds of the West Indies

In the 1930s, an ornithologist named James Bond wrote what would become the most definitive anthology of birds of the Caribbean region. While maybe not a best seller at the time, one person who did take notice was budding author Ian Fleming. 

Fleming would later name his iconic spy character after the field scientist and the rest is history. Fast forward to 2013 and we have a new version of the book, this one created by New York artist Taryn Simon. Ms. Simon has painstakingly photographed every single Bond girl and even threw in some of the most memorable gadgets and weapons of Mr. Bond and has released a stunning anthology of her own. 

In true homage, Ms. Simon has named the book Birds of the West Indies, and we are thrilled to get our hands on a copy. 

More information on the book and Taryn Simon here and here.