craft

THE DRG STYLE INDEX: Shinola, Hanro, New Balance, Agnes B, Nudie



Here’s the latest weekly DRG STYLE INDEX ranking, a round-up of the brands currently buzzing on my radar…

1. NUDIE JEANS REPAIR SHOP COMES TO NOLITA
Nudie Jeans Repair Shop arrives in New York
I love my American denim, but when I was into skinny jeans, I wore nothing but Nudies. It has the best super-dark denim and a thoughtful approach to manufacturing and sustainability. Nudie has just opened its latest Nudie Jeans Repair Shop in New York (more…)



Smythson stories: how the Mara diary is made*



Making of a Smythson diary Mara midnight

“Our Featherweight paper is the same paper that’s used for bank notes. It’s extremely thin but durable enough to be written on without the ink showing through.”

I’m being taken on a personal tour of Smythson’s Hertfordshire bookbinding workshops, where its famous diaries are produced, from printed page to hand-finished leather covers. My guide is pointing out each artisanal technique while I take in the familiar sky blue paper hue that serves as a permanent presence throughout the premises. (more…)



Introducing CristaSeya



CristaSeya Edition 5

Introducing a new way of producing fashion collections. In ‘editions’ rather than ‘collections’. With all editions available all the time. This is the thinking behind CristaSeya, a new-ish name I discovered on Instagram that I’m still getting my head around.

The shapes are generous and utilitarian – wide-legged martial arts pants, giant tee and tunic shapes with huge sleeves you can roll up. Plus drawstring fastenings with fat rope-like draw-cords and extremely expensive-looking but relaxed (and very oversized) felted tailoring. (more…)



How it’s made: Chanel Mademoiselle Prive glyptic watch



Making of the Chanel Mademoiselle Prive Coromandel Glyptic watch

I know a lot of people don’t bother with watches but I still love them, both as functional objects and as beautiful accessories. Weirdly, I’ve seen hardly anyone with an Apple Watch. I’m intrigued to know what they’re like but so far I’m in the dark.

Meanwhile, the luxury watch houses are going all out, and I really do mean all out, to create stunning feats of artistic wonder with their top-end timepieces. Chanel has done it recently with its Chanel Mademoiselle Prive? Coromandel Glyptic watch. These one-off watches are crafted by hand in limited numbers using astonishing techniques (spoiler alert: they retail from £175,000). (more…)