Lagerfeld's "The Return" Brings Coco Chanel to Life

Just a few days ago, Karl Lagerfeld unveiled his latest short film, The Return, at a Chanel event in Dallas, Texas. If you weren't there to watch it on the drive-in movie screen, you can catch it here, thanks to YouTube. It's about 25 minutes long, and stars Geraldine Chaplin as Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel––"a real bitch," according to both Chaplin and her director, Mr Lagerfeld. The insouciance of the insular, mid-fifties era in French and American fashion (when declining perfume sales prompted Chanel to reopen her couture house––hence the film's title) is conveyed beautifully by a well-chosen, well-costumed cast. But it's Chaplin herself who commands our attention. Having had little time to prepare for the role, she still manages to express both sides of Chanel's Janus-like personality: tough-as-nails businesswoman on one hand; flirty, feminine schoolgirl on the other. The clothes and accessories are to die for––and Lagerfeld adds another feather to a cap that, at this point, holds enough plumage to choke a bird of paradise. Enjoy!

A Passion For Fashion: The Art of Buying Vintage

What's the difference between ''vintage" fashion, and just a pile of old clothes? According to author Kerry Taylor, it's a matter of quality, rarity and something less tangible––enduring artistry. She should know: she's a costume specialist who started her career as an auctioneer at Sotheby's (where she still provides service as a textile consultant), and now oversees the purveyance of finely-curated vintage fashion through her namesake sales, Kerry Taylor Auctions. Appropriately enough, her latest book, Vintage Fashion and Couture: From Poiret to McQueen (Firefly), serves as a well-rounded introduction to both the passions and the practical aspects of shopping for vintage garments.

Christian Dior "Jean-Pierre Grédy" cocktail ensemble, 1952: fuchsia silk chiffon with fichu neckline over black taffeta skirt.
Photograph: Condé Nast Archive/Corbis

Paul Poiret orientalist dress of bronze lamé, c. 1922.
Photograph: Kerry Taylor Auctions

Taylor looks at both the tradition of haute couture––hand sewn, made-to-order finery produced mainly in Paris––and high-end ready-to-wear, including the work of designers like Azzedine Alaïa and Alexander McQueen. It's not an exhaustive resource (Taylor says as much herself), but it does offer page after page of entertaining and informative snippets, for both casual readers and experts alike. And while it zips rather quickly through a simplified 20th-century timeline, it at least provides lots of fun examples of distinctive garments from almost every era. This aspect alone makes the book worth owning––it invites you to sit down and enjoy a long-running fashion show, featuring some of the most remarkable clothes of the last 100 years, along with the designers who made them and, of course, the fashionable women who wore them.

Daphne Guinness at Alexander McQueen's memorial service.
Photograph by Mark Stewart/Camera Press

ManuelRacim Makes a Shirt With Your Name On It

Manhattan has a new destination for made-to-measure shirts––a small shop in Tribeca called ManuelRacim––and after trying the company's service for ourselves, we suggest you run, no, race to take advantage of this very personable atelier. Conceived by co-founders Manuel Guardiola, above, and Racim Allouani, the store offers all the perks of a bespoke experience with absolutely none of the stuffiness. Whether you make an appointment or walk in off the street, you're guaranteed a warm welcome––and once you've had the pleasure of designing your own shirts, you may never buy ready-mades again.

A great shirt starts with great fabric, and ManuelRacim has dozens of European cottons and linens to obsess over. In our case, the deed was done: we'd visited the store a few days earlier and spotted this cotton print, above, tucked among the swatches. It was love at first sight.

Fabric in hand, it was time to work with ManuelRacim's in-house stylist to be measured (prominent collar bones, freakishly long arms) and to choose the details. A print this bold doesn't need much embellishment, so we took her excellent advice and opted for a small, trim, modern-looking collar and simple barrel cuffs, above; no chest pocket; a clean French placket; and very handsome, dark grey buttons.  

We always ask for monograms on custom shirts, and ManuelRacim is happy to oblige. Our stylist showed us fonts and colors, above, and suggested positioning the initials on our left cuff rather than the torso, where the fabric's pattern would probably render them invisible. 

Two weeks later, we were back in the store, trying on our new shirt. ManuelRacim works hand-in-hand with a small French factory, guaranteeing short production times––and they've streamlined the process so effectively, they can sell made-to-measure items at lower prices than ready-mades found elsewhere. In short, this little shirt company offers lots of bang for your buck, not to mention smiling service, without any nose-in-the-air attitude. We're thrilled with how our first shirt turned out: it fits perfectly, of course, and has that distinctive air of being a one-of-a-kind garment, never to be seen on anyone else. But don't just read about ManuelRacim––pay them a visit soon, and indulge in your own healthy dose of personalized style. 

Photographs by Noël Sutherland.

For Perfect Summer Hair, It's Oribe To The Rescue

Heat, humidity and the combination of sun and salt water (or chlorine) can wreak havoc on a guy's hair, whether he's running around town, hanging out at the beach or hitting the pool on vacation. We're lucky–we work with some of the industry's best hair stylists, who know how to make hair look great in pictures and in real life. To demonstrate, Davide Marinelli, with MUZE salon, created these three looks for Ford model Gwen, including loose, beachy hair, above; dry-styled hair, below; and an elegant, slicked-back appearance (bottom).

Marinelli's product arsenal is extensive, of course–but three tools he reached for again and again caught our eye (and inspired this story). They're all from a collection of styling products developed by bona fide hair legend Oribe, including his Gel Sérum (for shine and control); Imperméable Anti-Humidity Spray (for dry hold); and Sculpting Cream (for slick shaping). With these three miracle workers in your medicine cabinet, beach bag or suitcase, you'll look good all summer long. At the very least, your hair will!

Photographs by Noël Sutherland. Grooming by Davide Marinelli for MUZE Salon. Model: Gwen Pauls at Ford Models. Produced and styled by Mark Grischke for Fashion As a 2nd Language.

 

SWIMS: Beach-Bound, or Just Singin' In the Rain

Here at Fashion As a 2nd Language, we tend to champion items that are beautiful, rare and often handmade, but we also understand there's a time and place for practicality. Especially when we're heading to the beach–or, perhaps, forced to walk the dogs in the rain. Water is one of fashion's great levelers: it ruins fragile fabrics and fine leathers. But no one wants to wear ugly clothes or shoes, just to accommodate inclement weather. That's where the Norwegian company SWIMS comes in.

SWIMS accomplishes quite a feat: the perfect marriage of form and function in the design and manufacture of footwear, bags and outerwear. For example, the 24-Hour duffle is made of water-resistant nylon (with a waterproof zipper), but its chic straps are cut from vegetable-tanned leather. The Fabio sneaker has a nylon upper and that all-important rubber sole–but it's lined with leather and canvas (meaning it breathes). We happen to love both in bright orange, but there are plenty of options (as well as a full range of shoe styles). Remember: when it rains, it pours–and now you can be prepared.

Need New Specs? Try Archibald Optics On For Size

We're enamored of the simple premise behind London-based Archibald Optics: peruse the company's online catalogue and request three different frames (which will be sent to you at no charge); try on the various styles at home (or, for that matter, wherever you may find yourself); ask friends and family what they think of your selections (and perhaps snap a few pics to share on Instagram); then provide Archibald Optics with the name and style number of your final choice, specific bespoke requirements and, of course, your prescription. Your customized specs will be made in Japan and shipped directly to you. 

We had the opportunity to test at least part of this process: we enlisted the help of a "real guy" model (that's Nick, above), and ordered a set of frames we thought would complement his great features. Then we dressed him up, overhauled his grooming, and took some pictures. In the end, we liked the Abebe frame (top) the best: its masculine lines flatter Nick's face, and its shades of honeyed tortoise work well with Nick's coloring. (Fun fact: the frame is named for Abebe Bikila, famed barefoot champion of the 1960 Olympic marathon.) Like its namesake, the Abebe was far-and-away the winner–the two (distant) runners-up were the Fergusen (above, left) and the Ayrton (above, right). As for Archibald Optics itself? Service like this outstrips the competition.

Photographs by Noël Sutherland. Grooming by Davide Marinelli/MUZE Salon. Produced and styled by Mark Grischke for Fashion As a 2nd Language

Each and Every Day Should be a Day of Hermès

Jean-Claude Ellena is the creator of some remarkable fragrances, including Eau Parfumée au Thé Vert, for Bulgari; Osmanthus, for The Different Company; and Terre d'Hermès, for Hermès (of course), where he's currently the in-house "nose" and resident perfumer. His style has an element of nouvelle cuisine about it, eschewing hearty traditionalism for the transparency–and zest–of fresh-from-the-garden fare. We mean that literally: his latest scent, Jour d'Hermès, conjures up not just flowers, but an entire kitchen garden planted just beyond the windows and basking in the sun. So, while a quick first spritz of Jour d'Hermès suggests lily of the valley (along with the sharp, vegetable tang of tomato stems), followed by gardenia, rose and (perhaps) hyacinth, there's also a tenacious presence (with hints of cucumber, sage and even olive oil) that grows stronger and stronger as the other notes dry down. Gradually, a familiar, soap-scrubbed personality takes shape, and you realize someone else is in the room–perhaps a parent, sibling, grandparent or spouse. Ultimately, it's the smell of warmth, love, cooking and the comforts of home. In other words, chez soi.

Photograph by Noël Sutherland

Avshalom, Avshalom: Fine Gold Jewelry For Men

Bracelets and gold pendant by PerePaix. Cotton tank top by Robert P. Miller

Jewelry designer Avshalom Rave came to his craft almost by accident. After moving from Israel to New York to accommodate a boyfriend's career, he found himself becoming what he only half-jokingly describes as a "desperate housewife" in Manhattan. To amuse himself, he made jewelry he could wear around town–and was pleasantly surprised when other people liked his work and asked to buy it for themselves.

Gold pendant on leather cord by PerePaix.

Response was so great, in fact, that Rave soon found it necessary to set up shop in Tel Aviv, employing a small team of craftsmen and salespeople to produce and promote his necklaces, bracelets and rings for men. He named the endeavor PerePaix (French for "Father Peace," a play on his first name, Avshalom), and drew inspiration from the heritage of his mixed Mediterranean roots–an Egyptian mother, a Yemenite father and a childhood spend in Israel. The result? A range of bold pieces incorporating ancient symbols of heraldry and masculinity, reinterpreted with an artist's eye for elegant lines and fine details. 

Gold pendant on leather cord by PerePaix. Leather parka by Bally.

Until recently, Rave had worked almost exclusively in sterling silver, but this season he succumbed to the Midas touch (which we at FA2L happen to love). Rendered in 14k gold, PerePaix's symbols look like remnants of ancient civilizations–plunder from the siege of Troy, perhaps, or artifacts discovered in a long-lost Babylonian cache.

A portrait of the designer, Avshalom Rave

As for Rave himself, he's thrilled by the growing response to his work (if a bit daunted by the size of recent orders). His main goal for 2013 is to increase the number of stores carrying his jewelry–and, for that matter, the number of guys wearing it. We're fairly sure that as more and more men discover his designs, they'll be lining up to buy them.

Photographs by Noël Sutherland. Grooming by Davide Marinelli/MUZE Salon. Model: Clark Cord at Ford Models. Produced and styled by Mark Grischke for Fashion As a 2nd Language.