Ladurée Celebrates the Holidays & La Dolce Vita

Yes, Christian Louboutin partnered with Ladurée earlier this Fall (resulting in some of the most gorgeous pastry packaging ever seen) but now it's Marni's turn. These sweet treats, shimmering in coats of edible gold leaf, will be available in early December at any Ladurée store. Please bring back enough to share...

Hamilton's 1883: Unstuffing the Stuffed Shirt

This happens to be a great moment for menswear. FA2L is thrilled, of course, but also curious: why such an explosion of talent at this particular time? Cultural anthropologists would likely point to cross-pollinating effects of globalization (and they're probably right), but we suspect something more visceral is also at work: Recent generations of designers, having grown up in the shadow of a greedy, overbearing corporate culture, are literally starving for self-expression.

The result is options, and plenty of them, from aggressive, futuristic tailoring (think Alexander McQueen or Raf Simons) to frankly nostalgic reworkings of beloved classics. Many traditional brands tap into this youthful energy by hiring young designers and setting them loose in the archives, with varying degrees of success. Sometimes, true love ensues (Thom Browne's quirky Black Fleece collection for Brooks Bros is obviously born from a match made in heaven) but such pairings work best when they strengthen a label's DNA. And fashion, like any human endeavor, has its own bloodlines and family trees.

Hamilton Shirts isn't as old as Brooks Bros, but it does boast an impressive pedigree. This Houston-based custom shirt maker was founded in 1883 and is now owned by fourth-generation siblings David and Kelly Hamilton. Together, they've plumbed the company's past and launched a ready-to-wear collection, 1883, combining vintage details, beautiful fabrics and decidedly unstuffy styling. There are distinctive Texan touches, including tissue-thin cotton utility shirts with button tabs (for rolled-up sleeves), trim madras button-downs and a range of lightweight popovers, like the linen version shown here. And since everything's designed for Houston's brutal heat, Hamilton's 1883 shirts can help men keep their cool just about anywhere in the world.

HOORSENBUHS Makes Me Feel... (Mighty Real)

The clothing and accessories we wear should feel as good as they look–that's half the pleasure of owning beautiful things. It's also a quality that can't be copied by average manufacturers, because most mass-produced goods are tethered to the lowest common denominator.

Designer Robert Keith shares Oscar Wilde's simple tastes: he's always content with the best. His unisex jewelry collection, HOORSENBUHS (named for a 17th-century Dutch trading ship), uses noble materials like 18k-gold, diamonds (both black and colorless) and soft, but rugged, leather. Everything's sculpted, shaped and assembled in Los Angeles, and the pieces are so finely finished they look newborn, not made: they have an air of inevitability that hallmarks good design. And when Keith drops a ring in the palm of your hand, you're a goner–its weight stirs an awareness of gravity and reconnects you to the earth.

The item we truly covet, however, is a leather strap with gold O rings. Keith makes several versions (the one above has a sprinkling of diamonds), but our favorite is the simplest. Wrapped and tightened around our wrist, it looked vaguely tribal and terribly chic. Best of all, it felt protective, like a contemporary talisman. Or, more accurately, like armor for a 21st-century fashion warrior.

Shake Your Bootie: Puma & Sergio Rossi Step Out

Sometimes, FA2L champions things that, admittedly, aren't long-term wardrobe investments the way custom-made loafers or haute couture gowns usually are. And that's fine. After all, a closet stocked with nothing but "investment" clothing is like a banquet without delicacies: no Champagne, no foie gras, no truffles and (heaven forbid) no dessert. Dull, dull, dull.

These high-heeled booties come from a collaboration between woefully under-appreciated Sergio Rossi and world-famous Puma. They're built on rubber soles with a sneaker's tread and rounded toes (not to mention all that lacing), but tower like supermodels on sexy 4" heels. Are they comfortable? Perhaps. Are they '80s throwbacks? Yes, in a good way. Will you keep them forever? Probably not. But FA2L suspects you'll have lots of fun in them while the party lasts.

Beth Terry's World of Tea & Olfactory Sympathy

She's just 5'7" in Azzedine Alaïa heels, but Beth Terry is huge in Japan. She's also celebrated by secret consumer societies (i.e., fragrance fanatics) around the world. The core of her business–a scent known as Té, combining smoky green tea, spicy cardamon and fresh celery–was launched in 1995, making it almost 15 years old. Yet it's likely the average shopper has never heard of her.

Terry's approach to perfume is deeply personal. She left a career in fashion because her acute, almost "burdensome" sense of smell, plus persistent childhood memories of drinking tea with her grandfather, literally compelled her to start a fragrance company. This passion sometimes crested the novice perfumer slightly ahead of the curve, from creating the scent (a tea-based fragrance seemed radical; Jean-Claude Ellena's Eau Parfumée au Thé Vert débuted in '93 but hadn't yet found its audience) to anticipating luxury's stealthier side with simple bottles and minimalist packaging. Fortunately, Terry had influential early champions, including Kate Betts (then Vogue's fashion news director), the Pressman family at Barneys, and buyers chez super-cool Paris boutique, Colette. Té was followed by Mare, a breezy, day-at-the-beach combination of sea salt, avocado and ginger lily, and Terry's aptly-named company, Creative Universe, expanded rapidly.

For all her success, however, Terry maintains the cachet and integrity of a niche brand, albeit with global appeal. The reference to Japan is no joke: she has a worldwide following, including die-hards seeking rare bottles of discontinued scents (even Té, once encountered, creates a strong urge to re-experience its heady combination of deeply satisfying and slightly disturbing elements). Of course, the fragrance landscape has changed since Terry forged her way across it; there are many niche brands but fewer original ideas, so fans are eager to see what this savvy woman unveils next. FA2L suspects they won't have long to wait.

www.luckyscent.com
Photograph by Ron Reeves, www.ronreeves.com

It's October: Yet Another Excuse For New Shoes

This killer pump is by young British designer, Chrissie Morris, who takes inspiration from Art Deco's romantic geometry but pushes it to extremes. Specialties include towering heels (which she sculpts herself), retro-futuristic styling (with nods to Salvatore Ferragamo, Roger Vivier and Blade Runner) and exotic or metallic leathers. Marlene, above, has a stunning, cantilevered profile, hidden platform and stingray inserts. Guaranteed, as the name suggests, to turn any girl into a lightning rod for the right sort of trouble.