Lyle & Scott continues to make in-roads into the contemporary fashion scene with an expanding collection of high quality and high fashion polo shirts, sweaters and jackets. With fans as diverse as The Arctic Monkeys to Cristiano Ronaldo, the brand appears to have an enviable ability to sit comfortably in both the traditional golfing and high fashion scenes.

From their original home in the Scottish Borders’ town of Hawick, Lyle and Scott has built a reputation as a high quality brand with a 130 year history in the design and manufacture of authentic Scottish knitwear handled with the hereditary skills of generations of fine craftsmen and women.

Wrangler, the denim brand renowned for a traditional bent, steps into the premium denim hi-fashion flare arena. Wranglers decision to open a new concept store on London’s Carnaby Street is a clear indication of their intent.

WRANGLER MEN GET NATURAL FOR SPRING/SUMMER ’07
Iconic US jeanswear brand, Wrangler, has hit the great outdoors for inspiration for its Spring/Summer 2007 men’s ranges. The result is a mellow, muted collection with natural undertones and just a hint of the military. It oozes character, confidence and comfortable simplicity. But in amongst the organic shapes and classic brand iconography there are sharp details and upto- the-minute fashion influences that effortlessly marry heritage and modernity.

URBAN NOMADS GO NATURAL
This season, there’s a more elegant approach to denim print and embroidery that evokes craftsmanship and immaculate attention to detail. Wrangler has also evolved new jeans styles and finishes and back-patch variations, to deliver what it believes is its best men’s jeans collection ever. Overall its slightly dressy with a natural element. There are silk/nylon mixes, organic colours and leather details. Shirts with long and short sleeves have Western-style details, combined with fashionable prints and there’s a clear link to military styles, especially in jacket detailing. Reworked wardrobe staples such as cardigans, slipovers, argyles, sports shirts and sports-inspired jackets add a classic feel to this collection and a new greyish denim finish underpins the tone in the trend-led section of the range. The extensive use of natural fabrics, such as linen and cotton, adds character and distinction to the range of tops.

LA Air Line traces its roots back to Venice Beach California in 1971. This was a wonderful time to be in California. The creativity of the California culture at the time was changing the world. The Doors, Beach Boys, surf culture……art, hippy, free love, marijuana, carefree fun lifestyle….these all come to a persons mind when thinking of this time.

Dennis Maroney, founder of LA Air Line personifies this California culture. Although he was born in New York, his family moved to Los Angeles when he was two years old. He has lived here ever since.

After attending College at San Diego State University and majoring in Psychology, Dennis became restless and decided he did not want to miss the excitement of the times around him, with the carefree lifestyle. Inspired by Jack Kerouac “On the Road”, Dennis took off the next five years and traveled the entire USA by hitchhiking only. He kept track of how many rides he had been given by friendly drivers, but stopped counting when he reached his 10,000th ride! He would go out with some money, and when the money ran out, he would return to Los Angeles to work for a few months. Most of the work he had to do was hard manual labor. He would save all his money, living with friends to save on rent. Then he would go back out on the road for more adventure.

On one of his return trips to Los Angeles, he met a girl at a beach party. She had a friend who was looking to hire an airbrush artist. Dennis saw that this was a great chance to do some fun work, instead of hauling trash or other hard work. So he took a chance and told the employer that he was an art major in college. Fortunately, the employer did not check the school records, and did not discover the little lie. This man then taught Dennis how to airbrush.

Rumour has it KU, the original Japanese brand prized for its quality and exclusivity, has introduced a new capsule collection called Magatama. Amazingly, Magatama is rumoured to be limited to 1000 pieces per month worldwide for the entire collection, which includes pants, shirts and jackets. The first series is believed to be called “living treasures”. KU has partnered with a dying breed of craftsmen and artisans in Japan to produce this collection. These living masters create fabric using hand looms and produce genuine cloth artwork. If the rumours are to be believed this is a collection worth keeping your eyes peeled for … Shout here if you see it in any stores.

Following questions on the Kitmeout forum about G Unit. The following is the official spin on the brand’s roots and vision:

In 2003 50 Cent teamed up with Marc Ecko, the acclaimed designer and founder of Ecko Unlimited, to create the G Unit Clothing Company. Staying true to fresh and original designs The G Unit Clothing Company set out to be a top contender in the urban fashion market. “We are excited to work with 50 Cent on the G-Unit Clothing Company collection. Ecko Unlimited has had a long relationship with 50, supporting his efforts while he was still an unsigned artist,” said Marc Ecko. “We knew that he was capable of this level of success and this collection is indicative of his achievements.”

Reflecting both the rugged and refined aspects of the G Unit lifestyle, the clothing line draws direct inspiration and input from its’ namesakes. The collection truly represents the “style of the streets,” an interpretation inspired by G Unit’s raw image and savvy personas. As 50 Cent simply puts it The G Unit Clothing Company is “Quality clothing… I think it’s the best possible clothing company”.

G Unit member Lloyd Banks seconds this notion by adding an introspective point of view about the line. He thinks that it is the matching color scheme that will attract people to The G Unit Clothing Company. To Banks, the simplicity of the line juxtaposed with small but noticeable features will add to the appeal of the clothes. In agreement Young Buck says that The G Unit Clothing Company is set apart from other clothing companies because it features “More coordinated colors… a whole new flavor and a classy street look”. BUY HERE

Great British icon, Ben Sherman and Gibson Guitar the world’s greatest guitar company, are working in association for summer 2007. 

Both Ben Sherman and Gibson Guitar will collaborate to create money-can’t-buy rock experiences by creating bespoke Gibson guitars for iconic musicians plus staging secret gigs at various locations. Keep your eyes peeled for these events and report any news so we can all get a butchers.

Scarlett Johansson has teamed with Reebok to create a new sportswear collection, called Scarlett Hearts. The collection currently includes tracksuits, leggings and reebok trainers.

Scarlett Johansson (born November 22, 1984) is an American actress. She rose to fame with her role in 1998’s The Horse Whisperer and subsequently gained critical acclaim for her roles in Ghost World, Lost in Translation and Girl with a Pearl Earring, the latter two earning her Golden Globe Award nominations in 2003. She has been named the “sexiest” or “most beautiful” woman alive by several publications.

This looks like being one of the better celebrity/brand collaborations and much more than a quick smash and grab campaign.

Psycho Cowboy was relaunched by the danish fashion house BTX in the Autumn 2006. Psycho Cowboy is a high-end brand. High quality, unique design, something special for the very fashion oriented consumer. The brand includes female as well as male collections. The typical consumer is probably between 20 and 30 years of age. He or she has an urban life style, is into fashion and culture, is well educated and has a clear opinion of own identity and the society that sorrounds us. Psycho Cowboy is created in the Latin Quarter of Copenhagen, where the design team take their inspiration from street life subcultures, pop music, R’n'B and the most progressive features in the fashion scene today.

2007 is built around two stories . Guerilla chick is a grunge inspired, “Che Guevarra meets Avil Lavigne”, story with strong influences from the bauhaus movements. The style is graphic and layered with a strong mens wear influence. Gallery has a decadent early nineties feeling inspired by Andy Warhol in a polished punkway. Matt/shiny effects, simplified silhouettes and flashes of neon.

Mariah Carey is the new face, or should that be butt, of Pinko jeans. Mariah’s unveiling of of a specifically made pair of Pinko jeans hit the net to a mixed reaction. Mariah Carey follows in the footsteps of past Pinko “faces” Naomi Campbell, Elle Macpherson, and Eva Herzigova.

“I don’t think anyone should be banned from anything. There should not be a precedent,” she said. “That cannot work if you are naturally a size zero. As long as it’s not leading people to do harmful things to themselves to achieve that then it’s fine.” Pinko’s president and founder, Pietro Negra Pinko said Carey was chosen for their current campaign because she balances beauty and musical talent.  “Music is the greatest channel of communication; it reaches across the generations, perfectly reflecting the Pinko brand’s goal: to design clothes for women of all ages,” Pinko said.

To celebrate its 25th anniversary last year, Italian jeans and fashion label Replay launched a limited edition pair of jeans. This has resulted in a new line of jeans called Replay Collectors. The line consists of a limited edition range of high-end jeans which signifies the company’s direction. “The beginning came out of the idea of the 25 th anniversary model,” said Replay chief executive Marco Bortoletti. “The idea was to give continuity to the success of that model and reinforce the idea and the roots of Replay, and create a longer-lasting project.”

Replay Collectors will hit stores this spring. The range is based on the anniversary jean, which was made from raw denim and sold in its own Replay briefcase. The jean’s defining feature was a gold-plated silver button which could be removed and worn as a cuff-link. At $500 (£260), only 1,000 pieces of the model were made, split equallly between men and women.

The Collectors line will first feature organic jeans – the current rage among environmentally conscious fashionista’s – made from organic cotton and washed with biodegradale soap. Buttons are made of vegetable-tanned leather and will be sold in recycled paper. Borletti said it was Replay’s intention to contribute in “some small way” to bringing awareness of environmental issues to the public.

Replay Collectors will introduce three or four new collection a year for the next two years, with a production of about 4,000 pieces. Distribution will be worldwide, in almost 200 Replay stores. Prices for a pair of jeans will average about €200.

John Smedley is widely acknowledge as the world’s leading knitwear brand. John Smedley clothing is uniquely exceptional to its very core. John Smedley has been making fine knitwear in Derbyshire for over 200 years. Their family business was there at the birth of the industrial revolution when the first factories and looms were being built. In England’s traditional knitting heartlands are found generations of experience and skills in knitting and hand-finishing world-class knitwear. To refer to a ‘Smedley’ is to highlight what seems to be a piece of knitwear of an especially fine gauge: the finer the gauge, the closer and smoother the knit. There are reasons why John Smedley’s knitwear has become so iconic. There is the timelessness of our knitwear - traditional designs updated for 21st century living and the quality of their garments made from the finest raw materials; they can trace their Merino wool back to the sheep station in New Zealand.

Fashion fades, but style remains. The essence of a John Smedley piece of knitwear is a blend of the traditional and the contemporary, from the way it is made to the way it is worn. The result is a modern classicism that looks good with almost anything and looks right at almost any occasion. The new capsule collection John Smedley “Mode” and extended accessories range is one to watch.

Affliction clothing is worn by the world’s meanest geezers. If your looking for a brand with an edge check out Affliction. Affliction emerged at full speed when it launched in August 2005. Affliction has created not just a buzz, but a sonic boom in the fashion world. Rock bands, celebrities, and fashionistas can’t seem to get enough Affliction. With fans like Ozzy Osbourne, Rob Zombie, Avenged Sevenfold, Pride Fighter Josh Barnett, UFC Fighter’s Chuck Liddell and Randy Couture, and Magician Criss Angel just to name a few, Affliction has already become the new celebrity fashion standard.

Affliction is a fashion-forward men’s brand set apart by a combination of art and ideology with high quality execution. Featuring in your face, hand drawn graphics, the line embodies the pulse of a generation that thrives on the brink of mayhem. With a hangtag that says, “Live Fast, Die Young,” Affliction stands for living to the fullest and not stopping for anything or anyone.

Affliction’s vintage fit tees, hoods, polos, and thermals display graphics that speak volumes about the music, culture and lifestyle that inspires them. Expanding on the dark and intricate graphic themes Affliction has also breathed new life into the denim market - Buy Here

Gwen Stefani’s L.A.M.B. brand was inspired by Michelle Pfeiffer’s character in Scarface, for it’s latest collection. Married to the Mob she maybe, but the L.A.M.B. collection has an angelic style. The L.A.M.B. brand has a proven ability to hit the right notes and the latest collection is no different. In addition to the Married to the Mob look, the latest L.A.M.B. collection has a global bent, including cheetah printed tops and trench coats, khaki safari suits and a strapless tent dresses, embroidered tunic hooded sweatshirt and a Mexican printed dress, and of course the Gwen Stefani trademark skinny jeans and boob tube.

Reebok demonstrate their ethical & environmental credentials with the following online statement. This is a laudable step forward by the fashion forward sports brand. Let’s hope this is a sign of a shift in the fashion industry as a whole. Nice one Reebok!

“Reebok International Ltd. is committed to engaging in responsible environmental stewardship. We carry out this commitment in a manner that invigorates and strengthens our business.

We recognize that our business decisions have an impact on our employees, our suppliers, our consumers, our shareholders and the communities in which our products are manufactured. We strive to reduce our impact on the environment by improving resource efficiency wherever possible. We measure results and demonstrate continuous improvement in areas of identifiable priority. We meet or exceed the requirements of applicable laws and reflect the expectations of consumers.

We work in partnership with our suppliers to share information and find economic value in implementing environmental management programs. We engage key stakeholders to help us understand our impacts and identify priority areas of concern. We benchmark our performance against practices in our industry.”

Paul Smith honored. Each year the Royal institute of British architects (RIBA) awards Honorary fellowships to those people who they feel have made particular contributions to architecture in its broadest sense, its promotion, administration and outreach, its role in building more sustainable communities; and its role in the education of future generations. This year the committee have awarded Paul Smith an Honorary fellowship for the contribution he has made towards architecture and design over the years. The Fellowship is a lifetime honour conferred on annually.

“The beauty of denim is not what you see but rather what it can become.” - Allan Kemp, denim interpreter, 1921.

1921 is something unique. A brand created simply for the joy of making jeans. Crafted by denim enthusiasts for denim enthusiasts. A timeless jeans collection for men and women. A true denimist can appreciate the quality and hand detailing that goes into a pair of 1921s. A fashion seeker will fall in love with the style and fit of the collection.

1921 Premium Denim is worn by a host of celebrities, including Nicole Ritchie, Lindsay Lohan and Jessica Alba. Sold at the LA’s trendiest store, Kitson, the label is crossing the Atlantic and will be available in Harrods starting next month. Ironically, the brand’s creative director Allan Kemp was greatly influenced by the UK while designing. “England in a large way shaped my vision,” he told Vogue. “As a teenager I listened to bands like the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, the Animals and Cream. I saw fashions by Mary Quant, models like Twiggy and my style was influenced by the Mods and the Rockers. It is very exciting to have England now wearing my jeans.”