Paris Fashion Week - Carven F/W 2014

From London to Milan, we now head up to Paris, home to my favorite of the major fashion week events. With so many major designers showing, it can be hard to distill, but on day two, Carven jumped out as an early favorite. 

Creative Director, Guillaume Henry, took inspiration from 1920’s New York and infused his ever popular brand of Left Bank Parisian kitsch with some old fashioned street toughness. Henry admitted to looking at old mug shots and being inspired by the villainous looks of the era. The result is a darker line that mixes sophistication with a very casual feel. I like the over the shoulder topcoats and buttoned up suits. The show featured a smokey saloon that captured the vibe perfectly. It’s equal parts gangster rum runner with a slight hint of Dick Tracy. Carven normally does not fall into my aesthetic tastes, but I found this to be a winning collection. 

-JRS 

Milan Fashion Week - Philipp Plein A/W 2014

From London, we now move over to Milan, Italy’s undisputed fashion capital. I’ve been loving Milan Fashion Week’s diversity in recent years, showcasing a great mix of well known Italian fashion houses  as well as innovative young European designers. 

Day 2 brought us the latest collection from Germany’s Philipp Plein. I’ve come to love Plein’s use of obvious themes he uses from collection to collection. For his upcoming Fall/Winter line, he turned to the wild west and crafted a collection he dubs “Noir Cowboy”. Plein admitted to watching western films and especially pulled inspiration from Quentin Tarantino’s “Django Unchained”. The line is undeniably rough, rugged and masculine, something I’ve come to appreciate more amongst a sea of feminine leaning clothing in menswear. The details also jumped out at me as Plein implements luxury leathers, vintage leathers and a variety of snake skins. The shoes, belts and bags are must haves along with the striking outwear. Here’s to seeing more Philipp Plein as apparently his after party was just as fun as the show. 

-JRS 

New video for Jealous God #4 entitled “Plastic Bag” by Broken English. The footage is taken from a film called "WORD MOVIE" by Paul Sharits. 

More information on Jealous God 

London Collection: Mens - Alexander McQueen A/W 14

Happy New Year everyone! So sorry for the long break but I like to take advantage of all the excuses to drink and be merry during the holiday season. 

Kicking off the new year is the ever growing London Collection: Mens. While not quite Pitti Uomo, this event has grown to preeminent status in recent years. London likes to waive its flag as the menswear capital of the world, and it makes a pretty good argument.

With that being said, here at the Brvtalist, we are never that enthused with the traditional London fashion houses. Saville Row tailoring and windowpane gentleman looks are played out and overall pretty boring. Lucky for us there are still innovative British brands like KTZ and our personal favorite, Alexander McQueen. Creative Director Sarah Burton has done an outstanding job keeping the late McQueen’s aesthetic and legacy alive and well. 

Burton’s Autumn 2014 line is a refreshing break from the rest of London Collection. Lots of black, leather, Scottish plaid and geometric prints are all on display. Inspiration comes from everything from early McQueen designs to Lucien Freud and the result is a brooding, masculine collection with a nod to the company’s founder. 

-JRS 

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