Ben Sherman's Home Grown Talent

Ben Sherman has always delivered in offering a selection of clothing based on a classic, functional and stylish design to suite the market. From button down shirts of the 'Originals' range to Cleg suede desert boots the name of Ben Sherman has never failed to represent the style and fashion of the everyday British man. This month I read an article from the guys at The Daily Street concerning the launch of the new Autumn/Winter 2012 line and I for one am very happy to see the new collection carrying the historic name.

I will admit over the past few years I have shied away from the Ben Sherman name and I think the reason for this is simple. As a youngster Ben Sherman was a name that was ever present in my wardrobe, my parents were big fans of the brand and it offered a line of children's clothing that was very smart, very stylish and very affordable. It seems natural from this that as I got older I tended to move away from the brand in order to find new clothing lines that suited my tastes. However, over the past year Ben Sherman has recaptured my attention and this latest collection, in my opinion, is the most exciting yet.

The Daily Street's article on the collection focuses on the imagery of the advertising campaign for the new line and it's easy to see why. The campaign features some very cool photography of the new range and as the article reports the story behind the photos is quite unique. The models are all staff from various Ben Sherman stores and to me this gives a very natural and real sense to the advertising and adds to the everyday appeal of the collection.

The new line features some very cool, classic designs and along with another link to The Daily Street's review I posted a few of my favourite photos from the article below.

http://www.thedailystreet.co.uk/2012/08/ben-sherman-aw12-ad-campaign-imagery/

Clae Defining The Smart Casual

In my personal sneaker collection I like to think I have a wide spectrum that offers everything from hi-top basketball sneakers to low suede numbers perfect for meeting the girlfriend's family. In terms of the latter I would have to say my favourite smart sneaker I own comes in the shape of my Clae Oxblood Whitman, which I managed to pick up on sale in January 2011. Before this pick up I had followed the releases by the American based brand but had never managed to find the pair I wanted (The Eggplant Thompson's still evades me to this day.) When I eventually got my hands on the Witmans in 2011 they instantly became my 'go to' smart sneaker, matching both comfort with cool styling such as the suede upper, brogue front and wing tip influence, they cover all bases when it comes to meeting a smart casual dress code. This style of footwear is something that Clae have to tried to create since their arrival in 2001, Walking the line between athletic, durable sportswear with a more authentic style of shoe offering the customer a product seen rarely in today's market.

I'm happy to say Clae are back with a new look at their Fall/Winter collection and the results are looking good. The line offers a varied set of styles and designs to meet all expectations and I myself will certainly be looking to add to my Clae collection with whats on the table. Stand out releases from the new line for me include the Hamilton boot with it's very simple design, black leather upper and gum sole making the shoe look stylish. However, it's appearance leads me to believe even with it's cool look the shoe will be very durable and functional for everyday use. I'm also a fan of the Powell release in the collection, the blue base is complemented well with the brown leather to give this shoe a stand out classic feel yet once again fitting very much with modern style culture and design. It's white sole adds a casual attitude to the piece and gives the feeling this would match well with both jeans and smart trousers alike. I will also give a special mention to the Richards release in the fall/winter line as its clear influence from the classic Chelsea boot makes this a stand out for me and even with it having very few features likened to a trainer it still is instantly recognisable as a Clae product.

The new collection is available for purchase at the Clae online store, for which I've posted a link here and I've also linked a few reviews of the release along with some pictures of my favourites in the collection. Enjoy!

http://www.freshnessmag.com/2012/07/30/clae-fallwinter-2012-collection-delivery-1-lookbook/

http://hypebeast.com/2012/08/clae-2012-fall-winter-collection/

http://www.selectism.com/2012/07/31/clae-fallwinter-2012-footwear/

The Big Question: Flyknit Vs Primeknit

I posted an article last week about the third release in Nike's Flyknit range at the 1948 London store and was asked afterwards by twitter's @itsRobCupper what I thought on how the new Adidas Primeknit compares and who I feel will come out on top in the new knitted upper battle.

In terms of the concept of the knitted upper running trainer I am, as posted before, a huge fan. The new innovative style to create the trainer purely as two pieces of manufacturing (the knitted upper and the molded sole) is both groundbreaking and a step forward economically. The new design of these trainers eliminates much of the manufacturing waste caused on the production line therefore helping improve both companies Eco friendly efforts.

As always in the development of sportswear there is a big emphasis placed on who came first with an idea. I cannot speak for either and have no knowledge of Nike's development time line however OregonLive quotes James Carnes, head of design for Adidas sport performance, as stating Adidas Primeknit had been 3 years in production, but in terms of developing the trainer for release Nike were first to the launch in February. This for me, no matter if Nike were producing the concept before or after Adidas, means they won the race to release and so in my own opinion,Nike came first in being able to provide the customer with their product.

This is by no means meant to take anything away from the Primeknit, I am a big fan of both designs and love how even with extremely similar concepts both have managed to convey their companies style, Nike's more streamline fluid approach and Adidas with their more robust yet flexible looking design offer something to all potential knitted customers and in my opinion both are great running trainers to have on the market. When asked on my personal preference I have to say I am a Nike man when it comes to sportswear (minus the 2004 Adidas Predator Pulse) and so for me the look of the Flyknit would win my vote. However, as stated before both have very cool, unique designs and there is nothing wrong with competition in the market so the choice is up to you.

I've posted a couple of pictures of both lines below to help you make your decision and also a quick article comparing the release of both designs so check it out.

http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/blog/threads_and_laces/2012/07/its-a-seamless-revolution-adidas.html?page=all

The Dark Knight Rises Review

This past Friday I finally got to see the final instalment in Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy, The Dark Knight Rises. I had the chance to see the film earlier but held off so that I could view it in all it's intended guts and glory on an IMAX screen and it was sure worth the wait.

I will say before hand that this review will contain no intended spoilers of the story for future cinema goers, it is merely my opinion on the finishing touches to the trilogy that for me has had more of an impact than any beforehand. In a strange twist in logic I will firstly comment on my feelings after the film had ended, a mixed bag of emotions made up mostly of satisfaction, awe and grief in terms of this being the last time I will look forward to such a batman cinematic experience. If this is the last time we will ever see Nolan behind the scenes of a Batman flick then to me it's a sad yet necessary truth. I have never been one that gets excited when sequels or adaptations of past films arise, I have always felt the feeling surrounding an original film or series can never truly be recaptured or improved upon. I think this trilogy ends with many questions answered and asked but I would expect nothing less and quite frankly I like it that way and hope it never changes.

My feelings of awe and satisfaction at Friday's viewing are purely based on what, for me, was purely of the most exciting films I have ever seen and i feel it's right up there with it's two predecessors Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. I know it's generally not the most common view on the series but I have always preferred the 1st of the films due it's focus on Batman/Bruce Wayne himself and his journey to becoming the Dark Knight. This is something that I loved about TDKR as the story manages to bring back this focus yet without taking any importance away from the character of Bane.

One point I feel I have to make even if many have made it before is how good the casting and and portrayal of these characters has been. Bale, Caine, Freeman and Oldman to name just a few have really made emotional connections to their respective characters which is something I feel shows throughout the series. In regard to TDKR I have to give a special mention to Mr. Tom Hardy as Bane. I have become a huge fan of Hardy over the past few years and couldn't wait to see what he brought to the table as Batman's newest enemy in the series. A great performance where much like Heath Ledger's Joker I found myself cheering him on as well as Batman due to purely how entertaining his personality is to watch.

I could carry on talking about TDKR for hours but feel I would probably say something that may ruin it for future viewers so I'll bring my thoughts to a close now with only one final statement.... GO AND WATCH IT!

As always there is a photo to get your teeth into below and I've also posted a link To Christopher Nolan's 'Farewell Letter' as it has been named to the Franchise itself, it makes and interesting read if your a fan of the franchise so check it out.

http://collider.com/christopher-nolan-batman-letter/183108/

Sneaker Freaker Lace Up

I covered this story a few months ago on my twitter account '@MrDaveHorner' but after seeing it re-emerge on freshness magazine's site I felt like giving it some more in depth coverage. The story in question is the 10th anniversary of Sneaker Freaker magazine and more specifically it's collaboration with KIKSTYO to mark the event. As a huge sneakerhead i am a big fan of the work Sneaker Freaker do through both their magazine and online site and regularly use the site as a reference point to keep up to date with the latest kicks based news, releases and articles and so for the Australian based team to reach such a milestone is in my eyes a big deal.

KIKSTYO is a Tokyo based line focused around sneaker culture and influence and after seeing what this first collab has produced i would like to hope we will see these two team up again in the future.

The collaboration caught my attention earlier this year and has currently produced a couple of t-shirt designs and a snapback selection as well all printed with the very cool design of both parties logo's tied together by a shoelace. This design, I think, is very cool and highlights all you need to know about the collab whilst also keeping things simple. However it's the back of one of the t-shirts of the line where things really get creative with every single issue front cover of the magazine printed in a checkered block pattern. This for me has been one of the coolest and most unique t-shirt designs i have seen in the past year and with both parties online stores featuring the line there is plenty of opportunities to get your hands on a piece of history.

Check out more on the lines at the freshness magazine link above and to visit the Sneaker Freaker online store for the issue print t-shirt I've posted the link below plus a few images as always to give you a quick taster.

http://www.sneakerfreaker.com/shop/product_info.php?cPath=24&products_id=157

Nike Are On The Right Track

Today at Nike's 1948 concept store in Shoreditch we see the release of the new Flyknit HTM range being dropped mere hours away from the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics. The drop is the third in the range and has been carefully innovated through the collaboration of Nike's Tinker Hatfield and Mark Parker along with designer Hiroshi Fujiwara with the result being a  running trainer that changes the way in which such footwear is developed and produced.

Personally I think the outcome of this team has been amazing. As somebody who has recently re-ignited my interest in running the trainer offers that all important cross over of efficiency and style and as a big fan of Hatfield's work I would expect nothing less from the brain that has previously brought us such classics as the Air Max 1, Nike Huarache Trainer and the Air Jordan 3 to name just a few.

With the Olympics now just over a day away I'm really interested to see if the new Flyknit range may make an appearance across the games. I think it's safe to say for all sports sneaker enthusiasts, the games are going to be a showcase of footwear development, style and technology and with the aforementioned launch being held at Nike's 1948 there is a small possibility you may see somebody rocking a pair of Flyknits in your local park very soon. I've posted a few of my favourite pics of the range below along with a Nike promotional video on the Flyknit range from February this year (It may be old but the graphics are still very cool). To check out more on the Flyknit range there are few links as well.

http://www.sneakerfreaker.com/sneaker-releases/Nike-Flyknit-Htm-Pack/

http://www.freshnessmag.com/2012/07/25/nike-flyknit-trainer-us-track-field-trial-editions-first2fly/

http://slamxhype.com/style/htm-flyknit-release/

http://www.highsnobiety.com/2012/07/25/nike-htm-flyknit-the-3rd-collection/

The Right Channel

Frank Ocean released his debut album Channel Orange on the 10th July and I must I wasn't 100% sure on what to expect. Over the past year I've slowly heard more and more of Ocean through his work with Odd Future, Kanye West and Jay-Z respectively which in turn lead me to some of his solo work. The hype around tracks such as Novacane and Swim Good was definitely warranted in my opinion and after hearing tracks such as Nature Feels I started to get myself excited for the debut album would deliver.

I happy to say I haven't been disappointed, the album mixes deep hip hop beats with Oceans soulful flow and I couldn't help but draw comparisons to the work of John Legend, most notably the Evolver album. This comparison may just be something I heard myself but Oceans tone throughout and the classic nature of many of the tracks really caught my attention.

In terms of favourites on Channel Orange I must admit I have been drawn in with the masses to the album's Track 10 - Pyramids. The 9+ minute track drifts through genres but to my ears never loses it's basis and has been on repeat on my iTunes ever since. Along with Pyramids I am a also big fan of Track 5 - Sweet Life, I feel this track is the most like that of Mr. Legend in terms of my earlier comparison and I would have to also give a special mention to Track 11 - Lost. This track to me showcases the diversity in the album in terms of it's beat and Ocean's lyrics throughout really show he has what it takes to be a long-stay in the Hip Hop scene. Overall for me Channel Orange is already one of my favourite albums of the year and I look forward to seeing where Ocean progresses to from here. To preview or purchase the album on iTunes visit the link below.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/channel-orange/id541953504