For a brand that is predominantly known for, well as the names suggests, jeans – the Armani jeans collection is fleshed out with a lot more than simply denim. The diversity of apparel within the collection allows you to build an outfit from top to bottom; from t-shirt to quilted jacket/woolen hat to denim jeans.

A great place to start is with their never-fail t-shirts that provide solid graphic designs each season, printed onto soft cotton. For those who enjoy branded clothing will find the Armani jeans logo neatly reworked in various styles and placed across the chest of many of the tees, which always go down well with their global legion of fans. However, that isn’t all you can expect, as some also feature images like the Grooming Print tee.

Everyone needs a jacket that, in the cold wind, rain and snow, allows them to smile from under their hood; safe in the knowledge that they’re protected against all of them. A key piece from the Armani Jeans AW12 collection is the Logo Hooded Quilted Jacket that comes in more than one colourway. This padded jacket has a handy detachable hood, a two-way zip fastening and is machine washable. The search for the perfect winter jacket could well be over.

Now onto the staple apparel that they do best; the humble denim jean.They understand better than most that true quality (and value for money) lies in using the right materials for the job and crafting them correctly in order to make them last. They do simple and they do it well.

Also expect to find knits, shirts, polos, hoodies, track jackets and accessories.

The latest collection from Armani Jeans is available now at Northern Threads.

A big favorite here at Denimaniac, Italy’s Meltin’Pot is back again with the full range of their A/W 12 ICONS collections for men and women. Check it out!

www.meltinpot.com

Knitwear inevitably makes an appearance during the winter months not only is it practical and warm but adds texture when layering. This is the year to be more experimental with knitwear, once reserved for 1970’s ‘apres-ski’, the fair isle knit jumper has made a revival. This is a surprisingly versatile piece that can be worn with jeans and chinos, if you want to be a bit more experimental pick out a key colour in the print and choose trousers to match.

Fairisle Crew Neck Sweater

Sadly the sun has now disappeared, but this has been a British summer to remember. Many designers have drawn on classic British tailoring and design for inspiration. This has given a twist to the essential modern-day-man blazer, seeing double breasted cuts and contrasting collars. Another British twist is the tweed blazer. If you have an aversion to the city and prefer the countryside this could be the look for you, this is a timeless look which oozes style and sophistication. British colours, pocket detail and contrasting collars all help to channel the heritage look. Wear with neutral muted tones and chinos, why not add willies to fully embrace heritage chic. The golden rule with this look is the fit, you don’t have to go designer to find this high street shops such as Ted Baker provide great tailoring.

Moosh Woolen Blazer

Coloured trousers are around again this winter. Again this is a very versatile look that can be worn whatever your personal style, it is a wardrobe staple that every man should consider investing in. For the A/W 2012 season choose more autumnal, earthy hues that will tie in with the tweed and knitwear essentials of the winter. The coloured trouser can be dressed both up and down keeping the comfort of a chino but adding a more luxurious feel to the outfit. The braver you are the better, add other blocks of colour in your outfit from the same colour palate. If you aren’t so brave but want to try out the look remember that the more tailored the trousers are the more the boldness of the colour will be balanced out.

Classic Fit Chino

Layering seems an obvious trend for the colder winter months. However, it isn’t just a matter of wearing as many clothes as possible it requires a great deal of thought. This is also a great way of combining your favourite pieces. Stick to the previously mentioned muted palate, and add different fabric textures this way all your layers will fit together. Also don’t be afraid of adding patterns, if they remain within the same colour palate you will avoid looking like a patchwork quilt.

Bunail Gillet with Wool Yoke

Capped dude (image by The Sartorialist)

If one item of clothing has been at the forefront of people’s minds in 2012, it’s the hat. Their popularity peaked around the Olympics, when a number of famous designers got together to stick something on the heads of various statues around London. The final product was pretty impressive, as you can see in this gallery on the Guardian.

One of these designers, Stephen Jones, then went on to claim that 2012 could become the “Year of the Hat” in an intimate interview with Telegraph Fashion, despite them being increasingly rare to see. “These days, if you want to see hats, you have to hunt them out,” he lamented, looking back at past culture that actively encouraged headwear. “You have to go to a wedding, to the races, or maybe to a night club.”

However, Mr Jones claimed that hats worn in the right way are nothing short of “lingerie for the face”. “If a woman wears a hat,” he continued, “she always gets served first, she always has the door held open for her. It’s extraordinary.”

It’s not so much a case of getting something a little more relaxed like a beanie, or the plethora of snapback caps that have flooded the younger scene in recent months – it’s more a case of picking either high street or designer hats that complement, but do not undermine, someone’s unique beauty.

“Does one really want the future Queen of England to be fashionable?” Jones concluded. “No. You want her to look like a princess… It’s good she wears a mix of high street and designer. If she wore all designer it would be…[shakes head]. She has always to be more important than her clothes.”

]]> http://denimaniac.com/2012/09/15/2012-the-year-of-the-hat/feed/ 0 http://denimaniac.com/2012/05/31/would-you-wear-glasses-as-a-fashion-statement/ http://denimaniac.com/2012/05/31/would-you-wear-glasses-as-a-fashion-statement/#comments Thu, 31 May 2012 14:06:48 +0000 SY http://denimaniac.com/?p=6602

Linda Farrow Luxe via Hypebeast

While laser eye surgery firms such as Ultralase UK are busy ridding tens of thousands of Britons of the need for corrective lenses, the latest fashion trend indicates that not everyone wants to do away with their glasses for good.

The ‘geek chic’ look was a hit at this year’s London Fashion Week, and a key component is a pair of thick-rimmed frames. But the look is not limited to those who need glasses to correct their vision; the prevalence of non-prescription lenses in these nerdy specs highlights a growing trend: glasses as a fashion statement.

Mad Men has probably had some part to play in this – it has impacted every other area of fashion in recent months – but from the classic American frame which hugs the top of the lenses – making you look like George McFly – to the big black ovals favoured by Lady Gaga, there are a number of different ways to rock geek chic.

If you want to join the nerd army, thick, chunky plastic is the standard, but don’t be afraid to look at patterned frames – tortoiseshell really adds a touch of sophistication to geeky glasses.

Take a look at more haute frames of the moment after the jump.

LGR @ oki-ni

Maison Martin Margiela via Hypebeast

Moscot @ Tres Bien Shop

Super @ Tres Bien Shop

The Spring/Summer 2012 season not only celebrates a new collection for Italian denim label Meltin’Pot but a continual and exciting life journey for the brand, encompassing all aspects from retail – with the opening of the first Meltin’Pot pilot flagship store last month in Riccione, Italy (denim store) – through to an exciting and extensive communications strategy and a new seasonal collection for denim connoisseurs.

The SS2012 collection is broken down into different themes for men and women, for example: the MP001 WORKWEAR with 3 styles of jean, which are workwear inspired, but in a contemporary Meltin’Pot way. Other ranges include: FADE TO GREY, WORKWEAR MEETS BERMUDAS, YACHT MASTER-HELLO SAILOR and CHINO CHIC. Check it out.

www.meltinpot.com

More images after the jump

Transitional Summer to Autumn look from Ijin Material

Independent jeans-maker Phil Goss takes on an innovative new guise for autumn 2011 with denim based collection called “The Luxury of Survival.” The denim line is now updated & complimented by transitional outerwear pieces offered in waterproofed Nylon Taffeta with removable Down Liner jackets & the Protagonist look, The Ijin Rain Cape & the Lugger Bag: a hybrid piece of urban luggage serving as both a day or overnight bag.

”ARTECH: artisan meets techno” is how Goss describes his personal blend of highly respected, premium research denim & performance urban accessories with garment inspirations taken from the modern needs of functional work-wear, compact lifestyles & climate responsive sportswear.

Denim is always ”Sacre Bleu ” at Ijin & to compliment the established signature denim Legacy line on offer is the new entry level Ijin Blu Line with a competitive retail price point, & the Ijin Artisan Line, utilizing the slow-denim exclusive Marine selvedge cloth in Genoa blu.

More images after the jump

http://ijinmaterial.blogspot.com

]]> http://denimaniac.com/2011/02/24/transitional-line-from-ijin-material/feed/ 3 http://denimaniac.com/2011/02/23/spellbound-jeans-autumnwinter-2011-collection/ http://denimaniac.com/2011/02/23/spellbound-jeans-autumnwinter-2011-collection/#comments Wed, 23 Feb 2011 07:08:35 +0000 SY http://denimaniac.com/?p=6547

Here’s a first look at Japanese denim label Spellbound’s A/W11 collection.

More images after the jump

GUESS man at BBB

Bread&Butter Berlin gave the backdrop to LA-based denim brand GUESS jeans’ first fashion week catwalk show, where the jeans-giant debuted its Fall Winter 2011 collection. The coming Fall season brings a return “Back to the Roots” of GUESS. Iconic styles return from the archives with key, vintage pieces in updated volumes and cuts. Deep indigo and authentic washes set the tone for the collection themes: “Traveler”, “Railroad Diaries” and “Northern Passages”.

More images after the jump

www.guess.com

]]> http://denimaniac.com/2011/02/03/bbb-guess-jeans-mens-fall-2011-preview/feed/ 3 http://denimaniac.com/2011/01/24/agave-denim-mens-springsummer-2011-collection/ http://denimaniac.com/2011/01/24/agave-denim-mens-springsummer-2011-collection/#comments Mon, 24 Jan 2011 07:53:56 +0000 SY http://denimaniac.com/?p=6525

Agave Denim SS11

I thought long and hard how to describe Agave’s ss11 men’s collection to you. Usually in this case the images provided in the post are self-explanatory, but Agave’s presentation is, how to say, a bit lacking. And it’s ironic, because their garments are quite the opposite – made out of the best materials out there employing sophisticated treatments and washes, finally hand finished to perfection. Agave has a no bustle attitude that reads well into their product look and feel. Design is toned down and you need to take a good look to see the beauty within – you’ll find it in the little details. Trend seekers should look elsewhere…

More images after the jump

www.agavedenim.com

]]> http://denimaniac.com/2011/01/24/agave-denim-mens-springsummer-2011-collection/feed/ 3 http://denimaniac.com/2011/01/23/radar-tss-oxford-stripe-shirt/ http://denimaniac.com/2011/01/23/radar-tss-oxford-stripe-shirt/#comments Sun, 23 Jan 2011 06:00:26 +0000 SY http://denimaniac.com/?p=6516

ts(s) Oxford Stripe Men's Shirt

ts(s) really knows how to rock our boat. This striped Oxford shirt from the Japanese brand’s spring/summer ’11 collection features a button down collar, a single breast patch pocket and pearl buttoning, not to forget the selvedge-like single red stripe running down the placket – a detail no true denim maniac can resist. Get it from oki-ni.

We can’t help ourselves but jump on the hype bandwagon racing around the Woolrich Woolen Mills fall/winter 2011 collection. With his first collection for WWM, designer Mark McNairy delivers all he had promised since the news of him replacing Daiki Suzuki at the creative helms of the brand broke. The new collection, injected with a heavy dose of preppy, features a healthy selection of printed duffle coats, chinos, pea coats and accessories. We’re loving it.

More images of the Woolrich Woolen Mills fw11 men’s collection after the jump

www.woolrichwoolenmills.com

(Images via Contemporary Standard)

Meltin'Pot SS11

Vibrant and colorful with an emphasis on new denim treatments, Meltin’Pot’s new men’s spring/summer collection targets the young at heart.

More images after the jump

www.meltinpot.com

Brand new KLAY was launched in 2010 by the French Collectif Saint Sauveur. Their modern, raw and authentic silhouettes and denim really caught our eye, all fabricated and hand made in Japan. KLAY’s pieces can be found at shops like Guild (USA), Journal Standard (Japan) and L’ECLAIREUR (Paris).

More of KLAY’s recent looks after the jump

Tenue de Nîmes x Tellason Inside

Dutch denim store Tenue de Nîmes have teamed up with their San Francisco-based friends at Tellason for their second denim project. Tellason have produced an exclusive run of 24 hand-numbered denims made from a 13.75 oz selvedge White Oak – Cone denim. The pockets are lined with a vintage WWII cotton canvas tent fabric, made by a former Belgian mill. The top button is inspired by a coin from Nîmes that dates back to Roman times. The jeans symbolize the passion that Tellason and Tenue de Nîmes share for high quality denim and vintage icons. The jeans are available at the Tenue de Nîmes web-store.

More images after the jump