Alexander Olch Spring Ties

As it turns out, that red seersucker tie I recently posted might have been from last season. So these are a sample of whats coming this spring. I was happy to see Mr. Olch did a very similar tie in blue which I am going to try to get this spring. I find when it comes to ties with little characters or drawings on them, the good to bad ration is not in your favor. I've seen so many bad patterns, even brands that specialize in it. I am definitely more drawn to classic images like a flying goose, antlers, a musket, and of course a man and his dog. Alexander Olch's spring collection includes one of the best versions I've seen. It seems to be a man dressed in knickers, possible carrying a golf club, playing with his dog. Yes, it sounds a bit cheesy, but the pattern is quite tasteful, and is a nice subtle change of pace. It's also cool to see that Colette picked up the line.

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Thom Browne @ Colette

Colette seems to be busier than ever these days with their shop-in-shops and collaborations. So why not team up with another busy character in Thom Browne to showcase the complete spring collection. With obvious inspirations from the grass courts, Thom has taken his shrunken silhouettes in a slightly new direction with some great accessories and tennis racket print sport coats. Thom Browne has been getting a lot of publicity these days between his runway shows, Pitti, his awards and his interesting take on menswear. I am happy to see more online and in Colette because its one of the only ways I can see his collections being in Canada. I did have a chance to go to his Hudson St. location in New York and really liked the shop. The spring collection has a definite increase in preppy-ness and sportswear references which make for an overall light and positive feeling. I'm definitely a fan of the tennis racket print, sweat bands, ties and great merchandising by Colette - as if you'd expect anything else.

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Visvim x Colette Folk Hockney's

Visvim is one of the best footwear makers in the world. Colette is one of the best shops in the world. Put them together and what do you get? Not the best shoe in the world, but a damn good one. The folk series has been my favourite collection of Visvim products so far. From the materials to the tweaked soles and colours, I haven't seen a model I didn't like. It just so happens that the Hockney is also one of my favourite models by Mr Nakamura as well. This colourway is so classic for a boat shoe and one that I've always wanted, what an awesome shoe. Visvim doing another collaborative effort (UNDFTD) looks to be a good thing for us North America dwellers.

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Issue 9 is Live

It's been a minute, a busy month and busy year. 2009 has since arrived and so has Issue #9 from h(y)r collective. I am really excited about the issue. We have features with Velour of Sweden, Colette, some of the best bloggers around in the Business of Blogging, Vancouver's local tailor, Albert and we also take a look at some of the best brands, films, products and retailer of 2008. We also got a chance to focus in on Erik Schedin and Kenta Goto, both very interesting and inspiring designers. I took a minute to reflect on some of my favorite items in my closet and my dad and I put together a series of photos from our trip to Paris. I really hope you enjoy the first issue of '09. We have a great line up to come for the following months and we are really excited about the year to come. Thanks to everyone. READ ISSUE 9

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Paris Highlights

Foie Gras: I ate it every chance I got. Duck and Goose, it’s the best. I had it raw with salt, fried and sautéed. Only a year ago I had it for the first time and it took some time to fall in love.  I pretty much can’t eat enough now. It’s a little bit harder to find at home and the portions in Paris are definitely more generous. I highly recommend get down if you want to step your food game up. Colette Sale: Sure, a sale a Colette doesn’t sound super exciting, but it was. It was the first time I could try on pieces by Adam Kimmel, Commes des Garcons Thom Browne, Uniform Experiment and a few others. I was in heaven. I tried on everything I could find. Colette’s buying is very select from each designer but they pretty much have the best of the best. It turned out a lot of things were in my size and fit incredibly. Thom Browne and Comme des Garcons in particular were my favorites. Of course they were probably the least affordable. I made one purchase at 50% and left happy. Le Marais: It was my favorite part of town. A beautiful mix of shops, galleries and small cafes. I really love the wood storefronts, big windows and open spaces. I found myself ducking down every side street I could find in hopes of finding a gem. APC, French Trotter, Muji and Tsumori Chisato also make the shopping worth the visit. Some of the other highlights in brief were the abundance of wines, especially from Cotes de Rhone; Gigondas and Vacaras. Also just walking the city, it was dry and sunny, although chilly. Good strolling weather for visiting some beautiful stores.

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