Jan-Jan Van Essche

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Born and raised in Antwerp, Jan-Jan Van Essche menswear brand blends ethnic tradition with western characteristics- knitted ponchos, wool hats and loose attitude. Together with his partner Piëtro Celestina, whom Jan-Jan met during his fashion studies at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts, he runs Atelier Solarshop just a few blocks away from their  loft where they live and work.The former solarshop carries Jan-Jan’s pieces and vintage treasures that reflect his style and mood. In Jan-Jan’s latest collection, entitled INITE, he shows his signatures- lazy blazers, pants and non-chalantly worn scarves. Also, we’ve got a quiet, peaceful colour palette perfect for every season. But what strikes you first in his new look-book, are the gold-polished socks which give the all of the outfits a edgy touch. This Antwerp-based guy keeps it close to his own, personal aesthetic and I love it (by the way, his models seem to be perfect for the overall atmosphere of the collection). More on ateliersolarshop.be and janjanvanessche.com

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Funagata bag by Kazumi Takigawa

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Walter Bosse hedgegog

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Jan-Jan Van Essche hat

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Hui-Hui silk scarf

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 Nickel bronze cutlery

To Meadham Kirchhoff

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I need to confess something. When I heard the news, that Meadham Kirchhoff won’t show it’s AW15 collections becaues their “debts have caught up”, I nearly started to cry. That might surprise you- right, I never really wrote anything special about Meadham Kirchhoff. On my blog, I post only this what I like and feel- and Meandham Kirchhoff’s style is not always on my taste radar. But I always, always observe their collections with some kind of amusement and respect. They were, and are, so brave. In the sea of minimalism, normcore or 10,000 euro Valentino dresses, it’s hard to have a label with clothes which do not match any of those three categories. Well, only if you are some kind of Versace. In reality, Kirchhoff’s pieces are pricey, but they are as beautifully embroidered, as for example Erdem. Then, another problem strikes. “The way the industry works, you’re driven to do all these grandiose shows, all these things that are incredibly expensive,” Benjamin Kirchhoff said. “and then one day, the sponsorship runs out. You’re on your own.” Meanwhile, Edward Meadham pointed to the struggle to fulfill orders for stockists: “It’s always seemed like, ‘How do we do this? How do we keep up?’” In other words, Meadham Kirchhoff didn’t have trouble until they became an REALLY independent label.

But what’s interesting, is the fact that Meadham Kirchhoff is seriously loved by Londoners. They are so true, real. I think it is the last big something after Vivienne Westwood’s SEX shop and Alexander McQueen years in London. It’s punk, it’s cool, it’s something buzzy and fuzzy. The glitter jumble; the ribbons attached to every pair of boots; the tampon tree at SS15 show venue. Kitsch is sick, but in both meanings at Meadham Kirchhoff. Well, what can I say more. I just wish them a bright future (and this type of talent always finds it’s right path). The rumour has it, that possibly Benjamin and Edward are going to takeover Schiapparelli which was suddenly abandoned by Marco Zanini. And that would be EPIC. I also see them at Oscar del la Renta, if not that boring Nina Ricci guy.

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Autosave-File vom d-lab2/3 der AgfaPhoto GmbH

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Y-A-W-N to fashion without Meadham Kirchhoff.

The Row / Advent 2014

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December 16: The Olsen sisters make The Row super coveted not only it’s so luxurious- it’s also super wearable. You can wear one of their sweaters for so many years. It’s basically like Celine, but based in New York. The clothes, bags and shoes are always styled in smart way, and their Resort 2015’s model – Jamie Bochert – works the outfits in a moody, sophisticated way.

Turtlenecks. Baja East Pre-Fall’15

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“We cover our women and guys throughout the day, but they’ve also been asking how they can do Baja East for evening,” said cofounder John Targon. The answer? “Relaxed cocktail.” Targon and Scott Studenberg have built Baja East around the idea of unisexual dressing—clothes that work well, but differently, on both men and women. Their knitwear lends itself nicely to the concept, looking fluid-like and wrapped all around the body. Pre-Fall’s pale pink ribbed cotton baja is not only Baja East signature, but also the conection to 2014’s main think- normcore.A silk-lined, spangly Lurex wrap skirt, paired with an oversize chunky cashmere sweater, is a no-brainer for women, but an interesting challenge for the daring man who trust the brand. But what really clearly works both ways is the brand’s fabrications. A Japanese silk crepe, used on a simple snap-front skirt and a pair of side-pocket harem pants, felt good enough to sleep in. And the turtlenecks are going to give you warmth everywhere.

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