Paris | A Continuous Lean.

AW11 at Capsule Paris

Jan 23rd, 2011 | Categories: Menswear, Paris, Tradeshows | by Michael Williams

Taylor Supply

While I wasn’t able to attend any of the shows in New York last week, I did manage to stop by the Capsule Show to see some AW11 gear while I am here in Paris. It was good to see some familiar faces so far from home. AW11 doesn’t seem to be much of a departure from what has been happening in the past few seasons, but I still liked what I saw from a bunch of brands at the show.

Taylor Supply continued its good work producing a well made and wearable collection. Jack Spade’s AW11 offerings looked solid with a ton of knits that I wanted to run off with. Gitman Bros. Vintage was having fun with a bunch of crazy prints — including two that you may recognize from your favorite Japonais restaurant. Garbstore had a group of seriously nice pieces on hand that were made in England. Truly beautiful stuff. That Ian Paley sure does make nice clothes. Jamie from London Undercover showed me all of his AW11 umbrellas, bags, scarves and other accessories. When I first met him last year I knew he was capable of great things, something I think is more obvious after seeing all of his stuff in Paris. Don’t sleep on London Undercover.

I’ll be back at it today checking out the rest of brands. So au revoir for now.





As it Happened | Maison E. GOYARD

Jan 21st, 2011 | Categories: As it happened, Paris | by Michael Williams

352 Rue St Honoré, Paris France | 3:14 pm Friday, January 21st, 2011.





Mister Mort Trend Report | Anatomica Paris

Oct 26th, 2009 | Categories: Footwear, Mister Mort Trend Report, Paris | by Michael Williams

anatomica_Paris_01

ACL dispatched Mister Mort to Paris to report on Anatomica, one of the city’s best men’s shops. Actually Mort was not dispatched, he went under the guise of a holiday, but we all know he just went to hit the flea markets and take street style photos. Anatomica is nestled on a quiet street right off of the famed Rue de Rivoli and sells an eclectic selection of French, Japanese and American goods, including goods under its own label.





Post Card from Paris.

Feb 28th, 2008 | Categories: Fashion Week, Footwear, Media, Men's Stores, Men's wear, Paris, Style | by Michael Williams

Jonathan S. Paul, a friend of ACL, sent me this post card from Paris. He’s there covering women’s fashion for The Moment blog.

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Hello from Paris, where women’s fashion has taken the city hostage. As a magazine editor with mostly men’s fashion on my c.v., I’ll say that I’m enjoying the experience here — and the preponderance of beautiful, decked-out girls. But after two nights of group dinners, drinks and dancing with fashion editors — where I was the only guy at the table — tonight I decided to take some time for myself. That meant: dinner alone, a bottle of Bordeaux — just me and two of my favorite men’s magazines, GQ and Men’s Vogue. I needed a shot of testosterone to clear my head of chiffon and lace. I first started thinking of A Continuous Lean when I read Michael Walker’s piece, “Anything, Anywhere, Anytime” in M.V. Somehow it managed to glamorize the work of cargo pilots (“freight dogs”). I suspect ACL’s readers would appreciate all the aviation jargon (“shooting an approach”) and factoids (shutting down a GM assembly line costs $42,000 per minute), which compensated for the piece’s overwriting and belly-flop ending.





Pharrell the Blasonneur for Louis Vuitton.

Jan 26th, 2008 | Categories: Design, Luxury, Paris, Style | by Michael Williams

The only thing better than hiring a celebrity to wear your clothes or appear in an advertising campaign, is to have a celebrity wear your clothes, appear in an ad campaign and collaborate with the brand. When that marketing perfect storm emerges, you get Pharrell Williams’ new jewelry collection Blason. The luxury brand cum streetwear range has been generating buzz all over the internets, Kanye even blogged about it. LV and Pharrell recently held a party to celebrate the launch on the collection at the Paris shows.

Pharrel in Paris

FROM WWD: “Several years in the making, the collection — named Blason, the French word for coat of arms — is slated to arrive in 21 Vuitton stores in April, including locations in New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Paris and Tokyo. Retail prices are expected to range from about 1,400 euros, or $2,070 at current exchange, for a yellow gold ring to 420,000 euros, or $620,760, for a necklace in white gold and diamonds.”

I also thought this was interesting from the WWD piece:

“Meanwhile, having recently taken delivery of an Hermès Haut à Courroies bag Williams had custom-made in purple baby crocodile, he said handbags and watches are probably his next fashion project, though the rap star and producer couldn’t yet say for which brand.”

Some images from the collection and the promotional video after the jump.