Look | Visvim Fall

I was browsing through a lot of Visvim's fall collection online the last couple days. Picking out a couple items is really tough as it is so deep. The brand has grown so much in the last few collections. I personally appreciate and love a lot more of their soft goods now over much of their footwear. Beyond their technical outwear, the knits, denim, cottons shirts, oxfords and chinos are among some of the best. There is a lot more versatility now and you can put together some great looks without going outside of the collection. An on-going debate in the HQ is if you could only pick 3 brands to wear forever, which would they be? Feel free to answer with yours, but one of mine is definitely Visvim - without hesitation. After browsing the collection, here is just one casual look I put together that I know I could get a lot of wear from. Simple layers, plain colors and essentials on their own, the use of texture, materials and comfort is what make the brand so special to me.

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Mark McNairy Oxford Shirts

With our oxford shirt scene being currently dominated by Gitman Bros., Mark McNairy is taking a run at the classic with a nice looking selection of SS10 styles. The oxford BD shirts come in classic colors and patterns, as well as an interesting mix and use of the panels and portions of an otherwise straight forward piece. I'm personally not really into the yellow mixed with stripes but I can definitely have some fun with the flat color panels, especially the grey and white. The shirts are made in the USA and will retail for about $130 USD. With Gitman's prices going up, I could see these shirts doing well. Mark's clean aesthetic, nice labeling and interesting approach to his brand and design is one that drew us in, and there should be more interesting pieces on the way soon. Photos courtesy of Michael Williams

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Alexander Olch Striped Tie

Overcast skies, a hint of rain and the prospect of winter just around the corner somehow has me excited. I've never been one to scorn sun but I'm itching to layer up. Ties have become a pretty common talking point over here as we've discussed the appeal of a nice sloppily perfect half-windsor poking out under a sweater and jacket. This one by Alexander Olch is a great white and black striped cotton knit. It's admittedly more of a summer tie but could easily brighten up any fall outfit, ones that can get dark and depressing pretty easily. I think it'd be ideal on the neck of your classic blue oxford but would also look good on navy or charcoal herringbone. As with all Olch ties, the cut is perfect when it comes to length and width and the beautiful hand knit has a nice texture to it. This one's available at Lark.

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Studio D'Artisan Red Chambray Shirt

At one point during the summer everyone was trying to track down the perfect red chambray. Various suggestions were made but I may have a late contender for the crown. On the surface, this Studio D'Artisan version probably seems similar to every other option. However, as with all of their products, the extra appeal is in the fabric and the details. The medium weight chambray makes it useful at any time of year and the overall texture is unbelievable. It's made in Japan from selvedge cloth and the red buttons and tonal stitching make it a little more unusual. Simple pocketing, neat collars and runaway threads round out the details. Superdenim have a couple left and though XL may seem like a big size, check the measurements. Studio D'Artisan products often come up smaller than you'd think.

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Apolis Activism Philanthropist Tote

Apolis Activism is back at it again with another nice looking bag for us. Although not with Filson, the LA based brand has teamed up again with the Invisible Children's cotton initiative on this project. The Philanthropist Tote comes in a 17.5 oz canvas and bears a 3.5 oz hand painted cow hide leather handle. The nice pocketing, sturdy base and classic olive green come together well to create yet another buyable tote bag. The fellas at Apolis have been working double time with their recently collaboration pieces with Rapha and Filson, and continue to grow the collection each season. With the fall collection hitting stores now, be sure to keep an eye out for chambrays, chinos and military inspired jackets.

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Engineered Garments Knitted Argyle Waistcoat

In the same way as the Ralph Lauren knit Owen posted earlier, this waistcoat is a great intermediate piece. I know in isolation it might seem like a tough option but consider it among layers and hopefully you'll begin to think differently. For me, winter is perhaps the easiest season to incorporate patterns. You're likely to favour more muted tones and so introducing some depth and texture is always a good idea. If you look at the image from EG's lookbook, you'll see exactly what I mean. I'd probably forgo the striped shirt and wear it with a selection of block colours but I think it works perfectly as a point of interest. The additional bonus of a plain back - no cinch, no silk - has me seriously considering it and I'm heading to Dover Street Market tomorrow to try one on. Also available at Context

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Want: Baracuta G4

This is one of those items that have sparked a desire deep within and rather than falling by the wayside as the blog posts pile up, it has grown stronger. Baracuta's G9 definitely receives most of the attention from the family. Recently we saw Junya pull the G4 from it's stepchild position into the spotlight. However its the khaki colored slim cut G4 that has my attention. The jacket currently comes in two colors I'd like to own, navy blue and the lighter tan, both come in the tradition Teflon fabric with the original Fraser Tartan lining. Although these look great and I would be happy with either, I really want this jacket in a slightly softer, more natural cotton. A mid-weight khaki cotton twill with either the Fraser Tartan or perhaps a Blackwatch plaid would really put the touches on my perfect casual short jacket. We'll see what we can do about that, but until then you're probably best off ordering from the website. Other features include side adjusters, adjustable cuffs, 2 front button pockets all for £160.

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Polo Fair Island Vest

Seeing Simon's socks yesterday jogged my memory a bit and I remembered this vest I saw at Polo the other day. It's my favourite piece of Fair Island pattern that I've seen this season. Despite being much maligned for their inherently preppy look, the sweater vest is still an underrated and useful garment in the fall for any style. A nice earthy Fair Isle pattern is a bit more off-key on it's own (not a bad thing by any means) or it plays as a nice layer to break up similar or matching tones. I always preferred vests for this as they don't get too hot or uncomfortable. Being a super soft cashmere cotton blend doesn't hurt either (the skin or the wallet). I don't want to get my grandpa look on too badly though so I'd leave the green cords behind for some navy chinos or denim. I'm definitely not ruling out a tie though.

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