NEW FACE FOR SPRING

Love Brand & Co., the prestigious beachwear company, is pleased to announce Ben

Robson as the new face of the Spring Summer 13 Campaign.

Ben Robson, who is part of the next generation of British acting talents, will star in

“The Dark Prince”, the vampire movie directed by Pearry R Teo.

“I had a great time it was a really amusing shoot and I loved the locations in Abu Dhabi. It has been a pleasure to work with Love Brand & Co. and to become its new face”, said Ben Robson.

Directed by the Creative Director of Love Brand & Co., Oliver Tomalin, the new campaign’s photo shoot took place in Abu Dhabi at the iconic Yas Viceroy Hotel Sky pool, above the Yas Marina Circuit F1 race track.

Tomalin selected this main location for its dynamic, flowing and curved shell as a

modern and fresh backdrop for his new collection of timeless designs, referred to by

the designer as “The Modern Classic”.

LOVE, TRUNKS AND GETTING THAT EXTRA TAN

My closet is filled with almost all things preppy – yes, even my beach shorts. Mom would even wonder why most of them are in pink, purple, lime and of course, red. I mean, hey, don’t blame me if I look pretty good in them! Though I only go to Ralph Lauren, Speedo and Vilebrequin, I have discovered Love Brand & Co. to be not at all bad! Set up only last year by Oliver Tomalin, a young English designer, this new socially responsible lifestyle brand promises to expand through a series of ready-to-wear products, each intrinsically dedicated to a relevant charity. The first, ‘Trunks for Trunks’ (swimming trunks for endangered Asian elephants) was inspired and motivated by the plight of the iconic animal. He saw a great opportunity to help the Elephant Family in a credible and savvy way, by creating his superbly designed collection of state of the art men's swim. Impressive! And the best thing about this SS12 collection - it has a classic European cut like all my weekend shorts and loosely tailored for a stylish and comfortable fit. I should be wearing one this weekend at Tali but damnit, I might as well just keep my mouth shut. I need a tan!

SAILBOAT WEEKEND AND SEERSUCKERS

My sister and I spent the weekend at the yacht club, getting our much needed tan from the afternoon sun while waiting for the sun to set.



No, we didn’t toast for victory and no, the wind wasn’t blowing 22 knots nor did we go behind the buoy. I got 3 shades darker though.


(An essential classic preppy wardrobe, seersucker shorts, pique cotton shirt and yes, pullovers wrapped around the shoulders. Bespoke seersucker shorts, pique cotton shirt from Massimo Dutti, tan loafers from Gucci and lime pullover from Seven)

LONDON CALLING: PAUL McGREGROR

Sure, I love looking clean, crisp and well pressed in my usual white dress shirt and dark denim trousers but guess what, I cannot seem to pull off tailored chino shorts paired with a nice blazer.


(Paul McGregor, online retailer and Owner of Brighterman)

I recently got the chance to squeeze in my already hectic schedule with Paul McGregor’s for a quick chat on looking good, staying stylish even off the clock and why having the perfect summer bag is all that matters.

What do you do?
I'm the owner of the online retailer Brighterman, who specialize in men’s accessories. I established Brighterman about 2 years ago and from that have been heavily interested in the fashion industry. I'm also a freelance fashion journalist, writing for online publications such as FashionBeans, Styloko, TheStyleKing, Pinstripe Magazine plus a few more... I like to keep busy! I'm also a huge football (soccer) fan and produce music when I get the time.



Describe your personal style.
Currently its quite elegant, I am a huge fan of the smart/casual preppy look and that's what I have been rocking for a while now, especially summer. I've had an obsession with pairing tailored chino shorts with a decent shirt and linen blazer and brogues or loafers, accessorizing with a pocket square, a decent watch and maybe a tie or bow tie depending on how formal I want to push it. I'm also a fan of retro casual, graphic t-shirts and cardigans hit home with me. This being said, I don't like to categorize my style, if I like something I wear it.

If we go through your closet, what would we find a lot of?
Secrets... On a serious note, linen blazers and shirts. There both timeless garments which go with most looks.

Who or what inspires your personal style? Can you briefly talk about it?
I take inspiration from a lot of sources, whether its just random street style photographs or people I see down the high street. I've always been a fan of JFK (John F Kennedy) and the way he dressed effortlessly. Although i'm not a fan of imitating trends, I do like to take inspiration from them.

What is the one item of clothing in your wardrobe that best represents you?
A light grey, Ralph Lauren blazer. The neutral color makes it go with anything, and its tailored for a perfect fit.

What are the things in your bag? Would you mind sharing?
As a lot of my trousers are slim fit, I don't like stuffing my pockets. So your normal necessities such as a phone, wallet and mints. Then depending on where I am heading, maybe my Macbook, notepad or a book, I am a big reader!

What do you love most about London?
It's never quiet. The busyness gets my adrenalin pumping, and the culture is great. I love places like Brick Lane and Shoreditch, they have some great little cafes and vintage stores. I live just outside of London though, as I do like a quiet retreat.

And the least?
The prices.

Here is a peek into this stylish retailer’s summer bag.



WHAT IS IN IT? I have been using this red and white striped A&F bag for the last few weeks, perfect for summer. The items I have included are a pocket square ready to wear if I am looking to formalize a look on the spot, reading material, a notepad, my wayfarers and normally my phone (blackberry) - Although its currently broke so I could not include it! The bags pretty roomy, so if I wanted to take my blazer off I use the bag to store that also.

THE RIGHT SCRUFF, PLAIDS AND SOME BASICS

(My daily uniform looks exactly like the photo above)

I have always liked my clothes smart and well tailored without being gimmicky. I hate seeing gigantic logos emblazoned on a pocket or breast but I like how each part is perfectly sewn from the buttons down to its lining – a pretty much simple touch that adds flair without the flash.

RAW NOSTALGIA AND LITTLE RED RIDING SHORTS

I couldn’t believe mum just told me I look like a hobo but spends completely like a millionaire.

How can a hobo wear short shorts and espadrilles to Ironman? What am I then? A poorgeois? haha

A pop of color in your wardrobe isn’t bad despite my closet looking like a sea of blue and white but like pot, alcohol and shopping, color can be overdone.




(Also, I found this vintage bag (see photo) made of natural raw leather which reminded me of a smaller version of the letter carriers used during the 1930’s. )

For a look that won’t have the girl right next to you and your family reach for their wayfarers, sport red tailored shorts and a pique polo with neutral espadrilles, weejuns, topsiders or canvas sneaks and you’re good to go.

GILDED SUMMER

I recently came across Paul Smith’s Spring/Summer lookbook and I was pleasantly surprised with what I saw.





I’m in love with the muted and subdued tone of the images and the bright pop of colors. Everything looks as though it's been painted gold by the summer sun reminding me of summer days in Tali and the beaches down south.

THE APC’S OF SUMMER

I’ve always felt that A.P.C. is one brand that has been consistently providing beautiful everyday clothing ( I’ve two pairs of nice selvage jeans I got at Homme et Femme way back and I still wear them).

SHORTS FOUND!

Over the weekend while cleaning my closet, I discovered I had 2 pairs of shorts ( plaid driving range shorts and an old clipper shorts worn the first time I went sailing) hidden under a pile of pique preppy polo shirts that I haven’t worn in ages, meaning it has been there for almost 4 years untouched.



( How to wear it right and what to wear it with. Photos from The Sartorialist)

Excited, a pair of shorts actually offers countless possibilities, you just need to know what goes with what and by now you know pleats are a no-no . To up your game shorts, you’ll need to focus on fit. Baggy ones and cargo knee length shorts are the most comfortable while slim-cut versions with a slight low rise that stops two inches above the knees are the most modern.

Shorts are still in style and will never go out of style. I must dig on my closet more and look for the right pair of boat shoes and loafers.