Friday 1 October 2010

The Age of Aegis




(Something I wrote for Wallpaper* Magazine)

Sharp dark lines, finely-finished edges. The polished interior of the new Aegis Shanghai store is as inspired as its clothing.

Creative masterminds Winston Chow and Deager Kao provide Shanghai’s modern man with an exclusive line of labels beyond anything found in existing retailers. Combining contemporary designer and casual luxe in clothing, shoes and accessories their fashions are of the highest quality, craftsmanship and cut.

Suitably, stocks are pulled from all over the globe; Rag & Bone, Naked & Famous, Band Of Outsiders, Company Of We, Opening Ceremony and Common Projects are among the select portfolio of style-stars lining its shelves.

“Aside from curating a growing selection of labels, we've got some special projects planned in the coming future that will take things to the next level,” says Chow.

Inside, pieces are gracefully presented to the Shanghai shopper as if on parade, and why not; this is menswear that stands up to be counted.

Launched in August in the Jing’an district Aegis Shanghai falls from the Project Aegis tree, which also includes a bespoke tailoring service. Classic silhouettes or fashion-forward pieces; these guys have every base covered.

Striving to be more than just wardrobe masters, Kao and Chow have created not a store but an experience. And we think this newest venture is just the beginning of a menswear and lifestyle movement. We just hope Shanghai are ready.

Saturday 17 July 2010

My Favourite Song, In the World. Yes it is.

Try and listen to this without smiling.
...Try.
If you can't do that then at least try and ignore that bizarre, warm 'n' fuzzo feeling it brings.

Ps: After listening I can 112% guarantee you will be humming it for a week. At least. Yes you will.

Devon For Dreaming




For days when the bus is running late, the tube is sick-sweaty, and your day is bookended only by the overpriced and triple-shotted coffee keeping your twitching vision pockets held forcefully open, I extend an invite to my Imagination Station™... where you may spend the day instead.

Today, the destination will be a place in Devon.

And somewhere I visited once.

The scene is a small picturesque village pitched next to a large tranquil river. (Probs a chilled out cousin of The Thames).

Beneath a sky littered with 'gulls little sailing boats (and some biggen sail-boys too) replace all vehicles ever found in the smoggy city.

Sun is at super-strength and clouds be gone 'part from tiny scatterings of puff-balls strategically peppered in a coupl’a spots here ‘n’ there.

Where London commuters show only scowls, the Biddeford folk smile ear-t’-ear. Not discouraged by the balloon-animal making, unexpectedly-friendly looking clown patrolling the streets.

And even when they're not glowing you know it’s not long before the people will, as they pass perfectly planted street-trees and watch a local bagpipe band stroll past; their uniforms smart and sparkling - even more so than the day before.

The ground is bare of all anger-ridden city litter. Instead, only once in a while, will a small pool of icy-cream be dripped reluctantly from a kiddie’s cone onto the neat spring-cleaned streets.

Buildings are built not of brick, but earthy stone. Every wall playing canvas to a flowery basketed scene. Lit up by a beaded string of fairy lights hanging 'tween the leafy street-standers.

It is where the word delightful was born and though it may be only for imagination games for crazy commuters, it should be a location all road trips lead to at some point in life.

For you can do nought but be happy in this town.

Postcard from Class.


A few weeks ago I went back to school for a day.

I spent said day in a cosy little class room at
The School of Life learning how to write, from two people who get paid to do just that. Their names were Molly and Rob. And they are the beginning, middle and end of this company: We All Need Words.

It was wicko fun and also quite the eye-opener (when put on the spot I am incapable of writing without rhyming)
Plus we got given a pen and a pad.
To keep.
Score.

They taught us the importance of sharp, concise writing. How to capture the right tone of voice. And most importantly, breaking the writing mould.

One of the last of our wordy projects for the day was to write a postcard.
But without using any of the clichés typically found on the back of those holiday picture-pockets.
Eg: Wish you were here/The weathers been crap/I've met a lovely lady from Bristol who knows your sister/If you haven't watered my flowers while I've been away I'll be able to tell etc.

We were told to venture outside the walls of the School, and into Bloomsbury (Cos that's where it was)
We were given a real life, 3D postcard to write on.
And 10 minutes.
And this is what I wrote:


The Bloomsbury Walkers

The quivering whippet
The expectant hold-handers
The East-London cyclist
The non-English breakfasters
The backpacked-and-brisk clan
The walks-to-his-beat man
The shorted, and contorted
The, walks-but-supported (from both stick and male courter)
The bull; dog and man
The afro up-stand
The tentative waiter (two coffees, shakey hands)
The ‘cool’ out-of-towners (from Bristol or Welsh-lands)
The hatted
The suited
The car-parking ‘tooted’
The drags-all-goods-behind-them
The wheels-in-basket-up-front
The patchwork-quilt-skirted
The diamontéd shirted
The learner driver and the balding teacher
The fresh-faced
The dirtied
The explorers
The back-a-the-handers
The Bloomsbury Walkers