Design

Perfect pairing: Mansur Gavriel and Il Bussetto



Mansur-Gavriel 3 Il-Bussetto-Card-Holder

Could there be anything chicer than vegetable tanned leather right now? Those saturated colours, that unmistakable polish? Mansur Gavriel thinks not. The brand is all the rage at the moment, for its pared-back totes and bucket bags. This article in the LA Times last week explains its success. Simple, modern shapes, a reasonable price point and their signature contrast-coloured innards contribute, but the leather is a key factor. (more…)



Slippers for hipsters: Mahabis



Mahabis

I stumbled on these Mahabis slippers via a Facebook ad of all things. But I think they’re really cool.

After being subjected to three ‘aging raver’ DJ types having a serious discussion about slippers a while ago, I said ‘someone needs to hurry up and exploit this market’. I was thinking along the lines of Stussy, Junya or Nike even, the brands that people of my generation grew up with and respect, because we want comfy slippers, but we also still love our credible brands and aren’t ready for Bhs.

While we wait for Stussy et al, in stepped Mahabis. Just launched this summer, these indoor-outdoor slippers look like a hybrid of old school Keds, felt Birkenstocks and those neoprene sock shoes you wear on the beach. (more…)



THE DRG STYLE INDEX: BURBERRY, RAF SIMONS, MCM, CHANEL, LYST



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

1. BURBERRY WINS THE #ALSICEBUCKETCHALLENGE

As with all pop culture phenomena, there’s a bit of a debate raging around the #alsicebucketchallenge. Sure, it’s a great vehicle for self promotion, but if it raises awareness and cashola then who cares? One of my favourites was Saks Fifth Avenue’s Marigay McKee (AKA the goddess of grooming) who then nominated retail rivals Bergdorf’s, Barneys and Bloomingdale’s. Naturally, Burberry utilised its iconic trench (clever Burberry), and here’s the Topshop team taking on the challenge having been nominated by ASOS. (more…)



Form through colour: art and textiles



5 Form-Through-Color-Somerset-House-Anni-Albers

If you love colour and geometric graphics it’s hard not to be drawn to the work of Josef Albers. Showing at Somerset House for another two weeks (until 31st August) is FORM THROUGH COLOUR, an exhibition of Christopher Farr textiles inspired by the works of Josef Albers, his wife Anni Albers and contemporary artist Gary Hume. (more…)