Helvetica - The Documentary

I'm really into typefaces and typography, although I'm not that knowledgeable about it, as I would like to be. However I'm sure that it'll be one of the things that I take some time to get to know even further, once I start to let go of some of my other obsessions. My favourite typeface is Futura without a doubt and I recognise it wherever I come across it. It's that familiar feeling of seeing something beautiful.

A long time ago I watched this documentary by the renowned filmmaker and producer Gary Hustwit about the Helvetica typeface. Now a documentary on a subject like one single typeface may sound a bit weird, but  Helvetica is used everywhere and you certainly realize that it is indeed used everywhere - if you watch that documentary. Other than that you experience some great graphic design and some really crazy typographers, so if that sounds like a thing you could be into, then I suggest you find that documentary and watch it. It's full of inspiration.

Saint James Meridien II

Nothing says summer like a good, rough Breton tee. And I say rough because I want the cotton to be carded and stout and not combed and soft. This is why I've always preferred Saint James over Armor Lux for instance. Though both made in France, I definitely prefer Saint James. There are other good makers like Orcival and Le Troyes, but Saint James is easily available, so that's why I always opt for Saint James.

Furthermore I think the Meridien II model with its boat neck is perfect and the colourway ecru/marine (more like indigo actually) is not only great in itself, it develops over time and become second skin.

Saint James has another great model called Ouessant, which is very popular in Japan because it fits a lot slimmer through the body and the sleeves and is still made of the carded cotton. In Japan you can even get it in solid colours. However having tried it, I didn't really like the slim fit, but I guess it comes down to you body type, but I think it could work really well on women. The Meridien is still my favourite.

Faribault Woolen Mills - Blankets and Throws

Faribault Woolen Mills is one of the excellent American makers that has been around for ages (since 1865), however not too long ago they went under and closed their production of quality woolen goods like blankets and throws. Luckily their mill was revitalized a couple of years ago, and their now up and running again. I read one place that half of all blankets sold in the US were made by Faribault, and they made not being doing that well, but judging from the press that they are getting, they're doing better than they have in a long time.

Ever since reading about Daiki Suzuki of Engineered Garments recommending the West-End blanket from them, I've been in the market for one, but thing is, I don't really need it at the moment. But I can appreciate it and wait for a time when I might actually have use for a good, solid blanket. Like when I get a small cabin in Sweden for instance - which will hopefully happen someday. Their military blankets can be found under the "Foot Solider" category.

Some retailers have also picked up some scarves made by Faribault. They're made out of merino wool, which I personally think is excellent for scarves. This scarf has some resemblances to the iconic Hudson Bay   blanket and is a favourite of mine. And so is and actual blanket with the Hudson Bay stripes.

Wilderness Wear Merino Socks

There are plenty of good makers of socks. Too many to list even. A personal favourite is Corgi from Wales. But there are also many good English and American makers, and I even have a good one here in Denmark. There's also a good maker in Australia, making merino socks that are suitable for all year wear. That maker is Wilderness Wear and their Australian-made socks are now available at A Platform, which is a somewhat new webshop with a nicely curated assortment. It's really a webshop that I find very inspiring and I have high hopes for it.

Fred Perry M12 Polo - Made in England

A good polo shirt is an essential piece of any man's wardrobe. Now there are some good options of the market, but not nearly enough. Especially if you want the classics. Of course you have the iconic Lacoste, but nowadays they're not even made in Europe - at least not the most recent ones I've seen. You also have the ones from Ralph Lauren, but they're made in the Far East. Sunspel makes some descent polo, but I'm not even sure that they're made in England any longer and in my opinion a polo should be made in a somewhat sturdy pique.

But then we have Fred Perry. Most Fred Perry is not interesting at all - Poor quality and made a long way from England. However they still make some polos in England and from my experience they're very good, unfortunately not that many retailers offer the Made in England version. It does have some skinhead and mod connotations, but there's no doubt about its anglo iconic status and in my opinion it would go well with so many things. I'm definitely adding a new M12 to my wishlist for the summer.

Derek Rose Pyjamas

Every man needs a good pyjamas. Right now I only own one, a German-made Schiesser Revival which is very good. But I can't help missing my old Derek Rose, as it was made of a very crisp cotton fabric that was great in the summer, when it got very warm.

Derek Rose has been around since 1926 and is still family-owned. They have specialized in making luxurious nightwear. Unfortunately they're not made in Britain any longer (Czech Republic, if I remember correctly), but the quality is still up there.

Other good alternatives include Hilditch & Key and Zimmerli. Zimmerli is actually still made in Switzerland (For your information, Switzerland is the country in the world with the highest labour costs, but their products are mostly extremely good) 

Archival Clothing Can Do No Wrong

As far as I remember I don't think that Archival Clothing has put out anything that I didn't immediately felt  the need to purchase. Despite that fact I've ever only ordered some Columbiaknit t-shirts from them. But hopefully it won't be too long before I start supporting them more. It's like they can't make a do anything wrong. I mean, the collaboration with Hollows was great, so are their sweatshirts, duffels, zipped totes, rucksacks and the list just goes on and on.

Not too long ago they released these cardigans that are made by Centralia Mills. Therefore you should instantly know that they're well-made, sturdy, heavy duty and of a superior quality. This particular design could easily double as a jacket in between seasons and I'm sure it would become the go-to sweater in many wardrobes.

Ultima 15 Ashtray

Some days ago I was reading an article about the venerable English company Alfred Dunhill, and someone noted in the commentary that he couldn't understand, why a company like that would ever sell pipes and other smoking accessories in our modern times. Apparently the guy was totally unaware of the fact that pipes and the likes are an integral part of Alfred Dunhills history. 

It made me think about times when smoking was the norm and really cool smoking paraphernalia like lighters from Dupont, Dunhill, Ronson or Zippo were still something every dapper man would carry around.

The Ultima 15 ashtray is a beautiful design classic of the 70s, and was designed by the Swedish design duo Holger Bäckström and Bo Ljungberg. Obviously these were made in a time when there was a demand for ashtrays, but today with a declining demand for ashtrays I think the Ultima 15 ashtray can be appreciated by smokers and non-smokers alike. 

Levi's Vintage Clothing - 519 Bedford Pants

I'm willing to look past the fact that these pants are made in Turkey, as the fit is just so good on these pants and furthermore I'm really into the bedford fabric. Bedford is quite similar to corduroy because of the lengthwise ridges in the fabric, however it doesn't feature the filling yarns that create the wales in corduroy. Bedford is also a very hard wearing fabric that was utilised by the US army for a number of years. 

What makes the fit so good is the narrow hem, relatively high waist and the fact that the thighs are still slightly roomy. Actually it's a very period correct fit of the 60s - a fit that I'm always looking for and unfortunately a fit that is so hard to find. 

I think, they would be some of the best pants for the forthcoming summer.

Frederico Polidori - Leather Craftsman

The Italian leather craftsman, Frederico Polidori, was someone, whom I had heard mentions of on some leatherworking forums. Apparently he's incredible talented when it comes to constructing handmade bags. That's why I was very pleased to see more of his work featured on ACL, when he visited Polidori's workshop in Rome some time ago. His style is very nice, albeit I'll never be a fan of tooling or the obvious Wild West influences.

Very recently I was looking to pick up some ideas from his beautiful bags when I stumbled upon this short video of him and I just had to share. Mostly because I just love his gestures and mostly his facial expression. It reminds me of the Italians, I know. Some of them have the most amazing ways of saying everything with a simple nod.