Zuriick is proud to present LIAS Year In Style, the third installment of our Best Of 2011 retrospective series (after ART and BOOKS). We obviously cover a lot of fashion here at Lost In a Supermarket, so extracting only 10 brands, items, stories and exclusive interviews was a tough job. Arguments were had. Sartorial accusations were made. Insults were hurled. Kidneys were punched. But in the end a whole year of fashion posts were distilled down to our favorite Top 10. From designers who can do no wrong to boutique labels building a name to iconic landmarks in fashion, we found room for all. So with no further ado, we offer our LIAS Year In Style for 2011…
LIAS Top 10 Fashion Posts Of 2011:
#10. Passarella Death Squad Japanese Selvage Denim Jean Collection
Danny Broddle, Emilie Albisser and Co’s Passarella Death Squad are among our favorite British labels, so we could’ve gone with a couple of things — such as their Retro Arcade-Inspired Donkey Kong tshirts. But these indigo or black selvedge denim jeans — sourced from Japan’s first denim manufacturer Canton Jeans (established in 1963) — are what we have on our Xmas Wishlist.
9. Hard graft 2UNFOLD Laptop Bag
As is the case with Passarella Death Squad, Vienna’s hard graft crew are pretty hard to beat. Every year they come out with a handful of beautifully crafted, ingeniously engineered wool felt & leather products and 2011 was no exception. Of the bunch, their 2UNFOLD transforming bag was king: the slim multi-purpose laptop bag can be used as a briefcase, shoulder bag or backpack with some simple manipulations. Plus it’ll hold your Macbook, iPad, phone, wallet, magazines, camera and whatever else you may need on your daily grind. A must have for the mobile urbanite.
8. Ray-Ban Aviator 70th Anniversary
It’s the 70th Anniversary of our favorite piece of eyewear, how are we not going to include the limited edition model in our Year’s Best? The timeless — and original — Aviator comes inscribed on the inside arm and packaged in a red gift box.
Hit the Jump to read continue reading #s 8-1 of the Year In Style: The Top 10 Fashion Of 2011. And don’t forget to follow LIAS on Twitter or Facebook, we’ll keep you covered all year…
7. Bell & Ross “BR01 Airborne II” Limited Edition Skull & Crossbones Wristwatch
We were going to go with Bell & Ross’ much more understated Phantom BR 02 Diver Watch, but opted instead to get a little more flashy. B&R make some of the most desirable, high quality and functional watches a man can buy, and this twist — dedicated to World War II US paratroopers — keeps things interesting. Only 999 of the Swiss-made watches will be made and sold. One has our name on it.
6. The Kangaroo Communique: The Life & Times of Vanishing Elephant
Our interview with Huw Bennett, Felix Chan and Arran Russell — otherwise known as Vanishing Elephant — was one of our favorite fashion features of the year. The Melbourne-based label makes some impeccable menswear, and has done a fine job of breaking out of Australia to truly become a worldwide brand. Winning the Australian GQ Designer Of the Year award doesn’t hurt.
5. Barbour Vintage Leather International Jacket
Like Ray-Ban, Barbour need not change much in their craft work to make the list. Although there were some ongoing collaborations with Tokihito Yoshida, it is this iconic vintage leather International Motorcycle Jacket that makes the list. The 3/4 length Barbour legend will save you from almost any sartorial tragedy… or minor motorcycle calamity…
4. Le Noeud Papillon: Jacquard Woven Silk Bow Ties for the Discriminating Gentleman
Discovering the work of Nicholas Atgemis was like a godsend. His label Le Noeud Papillon crafts handsome (and sometimes cheeky) limited edition bow ties and pocket squares from silk with woven, not printed, designs. He also elects to use exquisite jacquard silk processed in the centuries-old silk town of Cuomo, Italy, as opposed to using cheaper and more ubiquitous Chinese silks. And when a tie model sells out, that’s it — better start scouring eBay for it, because Le Noeud Papillon does not repeat a design. Atgemis even gave us some ties to give away which were incredibly popular (thanks for that Nicholas!), and a couple months later he was asked by The Wall Street Journal to espouse on the comeback of the bow tie, with an accompanying lesson in selection. Since then his brand has grown steadily and like Vanishing Elephant (# 6), Le Noeud Papillon is another emerging brand putting Australia (Sydney, to be specific) on the legitimate fashion map.
3. Junya Watanabe Comme Des Garcons Man Spring Summer Jacket Collection
We highlight something from the brilliant Junya Watanabe almost weekly, so there’s a dozen items we could choose from. The venerable Japanese designer is, in our humble opinion, peerless. If we could fill our closets with his output for Comme de Garcons we would be content little monkeys. Alas most of CdG’s wardrobe would threaten our ability to pay rent, so we’ll have to abstain. Someday, tho, someday. While we easily could’ve chosen his Jacquard Varsity Jacket or Duvetica Down Vest, we figured we’d get as much bang for the buck and select his immaculately cut Spring/Summer jacket collection. Why not.
2. TI$A vs Dr. Romanelli Presents: “The Americans” Unique Handsewn Jacket Collection
Los Angeles designer Dr. Romanelli and Polo Ralph Lauren-obsessed Inglewood native TI$A’s The Americans collection was one of those fashion collaborations that border on wearable art. Based off a vast treasure trove of Polo gear from the halcyon period of the brand, 1988-1998 (which TI$A may or may not have appropriated legally), the items were then handed off to Dr. Romanelli who did his magic — applying his renowned touch of customization and design. The results are a collection of one-of-kind jackets that although border on ostentatious at times, are all absolutely frameworthy. See the whole collection over at The Americans.
1. SUPERFERTILE: Gunshot Holes, Slashed Flesh & Body Wounds as Luxury Pieces of Art
Designer/humanitarian Kali Arulpragasam’s Murder jewelry collection takes pole position because it’s one of those rare lines that elevates the often-times disposable world of fashion into the realm of art. Read her well thought out interview and you can easily see that Arulpragasam isn’t just looking to make a buck off her creations, but would rather introduce some thought and humanitarianism into the fashion & style global discourse. And while many Eco-conscious or progressive brands would be satisfied with sticking a “Sweatshop Free” tag on their clothing, Kali takes her SUPERFERTILE line to the next level of consciousness. Nice one. Make a statement while making a statement.
We’d like to extend a special thanks to Zuriick for making this list possible! In case you didn’t know, Zuriik is a Salt Lake City based shoe and clothing company founded in 2005 on the philosophy of creating something for any genre. Inspired by a lifetime of memories and experiences, Zuriick creates a unique collection of shoes and boots available in over thirty designs ranging from casual canvas to lux leather. Continuing to grow and change, with new influences bringing new inspiration, this company’s success will always be the byproduct of a more pure vision. What drives Zuriick now is what started it in the beginning: a passion for style, quality, and self-expression.
