Norman Walsh Runners

The British footwear company Norman Walsh  has long been on my radar because they produce sneakers and runners in the UK (in Bolton to be exact), however I've never particularly liked any of the models, I've seen. I also couldn't help but wonder, why no British retailers stocked their shoes and why basically no Japanese shops were offering them. Especially knowing how obsessed Japanese shops are with small, unknown brands with local production and a good heritage.

Therefore it was a real pleasure seeing Oi Polloi adding some Norman Walsh runners to their stock in two great colourways. The use of silver and gold may be a bit tacky, but other than that they look good with a nice vintage aesthetic and they look very well made.

Needles - Arrow Jacket

Lately a lot of products have surfaced which features Harris Tweed. This is definitely one of the better so far. Needles is a Japanese brand, which is part of the Nepenthes company, which Engineered Garments is also a part of. Needles is almost entirely made in Japan, and I find it very hard to place in terms of style, as they produce some very funky pieces sometimes, but if you find some of their lookbooks (especially the older ones), you'll get a sense of the myriads of styles they're able to mix.

This jacket is called the Arrow jacket. It's made in Japan of Harris Tweed fabric. Other than that it features deerskin patches on the elbows and deerskin accents of the cuffs and pockets.

Wanting - Birkenstock Zurich

With summer right around the corner I find myself looking for a new pair of Birkenstock. Some may not like them, but I'm so hopelessly infatuated by the Japanese aesthetics, that I wear them on all occasions (I'm of course exaggerating). But they go with everything and I'll even go as far as saying, that you can wear these with socks. The quality is good and of course, they are made in Germany and comfy as hell.

I normally go for the Boston model, but this time I'll be buying the Zurich. The "double monkstrap" of sandals.

Unfortunately, I can't get my hands on this Japanese edition.

Or even these customised ones by HTC Company - again, out of Japan. But I could of course have a go at it myself. But I won't.

Victorinox Pocket Knife

This pocket knife is one of the more recent additions to my collection of knives. It was handed down to my by my sister, who didn't have a use for it. I actually don't know, why it was given to her, but it used to belong to my grandfather on my mother's side. My mother's father, Thorvald, was a sailor. He grew up on a farm, but left home to go sailing and did so for quite some years.

I don't remember much about him, except he had the biggest hands I have ever seen - at least from a child's perspective, but it has been confirmed by my family. And I remember him having quite a lot of tattoos, which I could stare at for hours. You have to keep in mind, that this was in the days, when tattoos weren't something, that you would seen on everybody, as you do nowadays.

This knife, is mostly referred to as a "Swiss Army Knife", because it was supplied to the Swiss army. It is in fact made by the company, Victorinox, which makes these knives and has done so for a long time. This knife is very famous, and I'm sure, most of you already know, that this is a great knife with a myriad of great tools and purposes. I'm really happy with mine, although I would of course like the "Champion" model, which is the one, that got picked for the Permanent Design Collection on the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Mine will suffice however, and I just need to get it sharpened and cleaned.

A fun fact about the name Victorinox, is that the name is a contraction of the name Victoria and the French term for Stainless steel, "acier inoxybable". Victoria was the founder's mother's name and in her honour he named the company after her, when she passed away. This I find very beautiful.