I’m always looking for new music, but recently nothing has measured up to the staples of my childhood. I grew up in the 90’s when nu metal took off, and we as kids went along for the ride. How could we not? There was such a pervasive energy about heavy music in that period. The sounds were new – even rare – as the conventions of traditional rock were thrown to the wayside.

Incubus in the early years

There are certain albums that stand out with the benefit of memory and hindsight. I have to say though, that there truly is no comparison to Incubus’s S.C.I.E.N.C.E. It’s not just nostalgia talking; the pioneering variety of styles, structures, and instruments was well ahead of its time.

As an album, S.C.I.E.N.C.E. varies greatly between overdrive and experimentation. What’s more, they often achieve this contrast within a given song. Take for instance “Deep Inside”, which oscillates between funky jazz guitar and a veritable explosion of angst-ridden distortion. But to really get a sense of the band in their earliest years, it’s worth considering the opening track “Redefine”.  In both message and melody, the song centers on the importance of originality – the driving characteristic behind their corner of an outwardly expanding genre.

Of course nothing lasts forever. The progressive nature of rock music has either moved on to bigger and better things, or festered in the shadows of the glory days. But that doesn’t make S.C.I.E.N.C.E. any less enjoyable. With that in mind, click above to stream the entire album!

The more I learn about fashion, the more selective I become when deciding which ones to support. Of course part of this stems from aesthetic considerations, but even if I encounter the end all and be all of beautiful garments, it’s not worth a thing to me unless it was made with care and integrity. It’s difficult to find a brand that combines a keen design sense, high quality materials, and responsible production methods for everything they produce, but that is exactly why performance clothing label Outlier is one of the select few constituents in my wardrobe. But I write to you not about a new release for us boys, but rather their expanding women’s collection.

To be fair, the four new additions aren’t necessarily original so much as they are modified versions of existing men’s pieces. As such, each garment retains the characteristics they are known for (most proudly, “the true freedom of movement”), but with a feminine silhouette.

One of the aspects I enjoy about the expanded women’s collection is that it remains true to their overall sense of style and functionality. Aside from a subtle notched sleeve in their women’s Cali Pivot shirt (above), there are no embellishments – just durable and comfortable basics. Even the fabrics are their standard, yet extraordinary custom-woven blends that ensure heightened breathability and moisture wicking throughout the day. And as always, everything is cut and sewn in New York City.

Be sure to pop on over to Outlier’s website to check out their women’s 60/30 Chino, Doubleweave Shorts, Ultrafine Merino Tank Top, and their Cali Pivot Shirt. It’s also worth checking back over the coming months, as new product for both men and women are in the works.

Glancing around the studio of Otis James, you get an immediate sense that he and his small roster of assistants make every one of their ties, caps, and pocket squares by hand. Located in Nashville’s Marathon Village, Otis’s space is brimming with creative energy from his own sewing tables to the custom made quilt and poster hanging on the walls.

Custom Poster by Nashville’s Sideshow Sign Co.

Every workable space is covered with a casual disarray of fabrics, patterns, and projects. There are piles of neckties in various states of completion and boxes of mismatched scraps on the floor. In addition to different colors and textures, there is a uniform spread of hand tools throughout the space – even near the computer.

It was a distinct pleasure to meet up with Otis, not only to see the ongoing renovation of the storefront adjacent to the workspace, but also to discuss his unique perspective on his work:

So what got you started making ties?

That’s an interesting question. Four and a half years ago, I did a bicycle trip around the country. It took about five months, but I just became obsessed with this idea… I didn’t really know where I was going and I didn’t know where I was going to stay, so whatever I brought with me had to be useful. I had to understand it fully – no matter how technical or complicated it was. So for example, before I left, I took my bike apart and completely rebuilt it so that if anything went wrong, I felt like I could fix it. I made a lot of stuff. I made the front rack and all of the bags that went on it. I found this little blog that tells you how to make an alcohol stove out of Heineken keg cans, so I made two of those. I tried to make as much as I could. I made a fanny pack that I carried to keep all my shit in because I didn’t have pockets. So I was definitely obsessed with the idea of self-sufficiency; being able to do anything for myself.

Maybe empowerment too?

Exactly. And just the idea of connection. It started to bother me that all these things we use, when something goes wrong, we’re helpless. We can’t get to the person who made it that way. You know? If you have a question about something, if there is a design detail, you wonder why this?  but your chances of getting connected to the person who made that decision – or the person who even executed that decision – is pretty slim. So I wanted to bring that back in whatever I did. If you have any question at all about my products, here is the person who made it and this is exactly why we do it this way. I knew I wanted to do something where I could physically make something by hand. I just got inspired to do clothing.

Do you have a background in fashion at all or did it just come about?

No I went to film school actually. I have a pretty useless degree. [laughter]

Quiltmaker Hanna O’Neal repurposed boxes of scraps to make a custom quilt for Otis’s new studio

So just to get a sense of it, what’s your normal day like?

My head’s usually all over the place. I do a little bit of everything here so it’s pretty crazy. I’m kinda scatterbrained so I’ll start working on a hat and then I’ll remember an email I’m supposed to write and then I’ll start on something else. I get about 10 things almost done everyday, but then it might be a week before I finish anything.

Mainly I make a lot of decisions. We just did a photoshoot this morning so I’m always doing different things. I do my website too. I guess it’s a lot of bullshit I didn’t really want to do… I just wanted to make stuff.

That’s the unfortunate part of doing business.

Yea I don’t even want to talk about that! Actually lately, a lot of my time has been spent setting up our retail space next to the studio.

Well so far it looks great.

Yea I’m really excited about how it’s turning out – though I’m a little bit intimated by the window… I can just see people standing there watching us work. That’s part of it though. I never could have envisioned this space, but it’s exactly how I always wanted it to look like. You know? This is where we make everything. To have the sort of appreciation when you pick up one of our ties, and to realize that it was made right there on the other side of the glass – that’s important to me; to have that level of connection.

And transparency I’m sure.

Absolutely. We’ll have to keep it a little tidier once it’s open! [laughter] But yea that’s always been really important to me. It was one of the things I’ve always wanted to incorporate. Then again I thought it was just going to be me forever, but it’s a great space for the employees. I don’t make five year plans or anything like that. I never envisioned any of this but the opportunities arose so I jumped on them!

You seem to be very open to change. Are you ever fully satisfied with your work?

Um… no, not really. I mean I embrace it because I always like to do better. Katie, my fulltime employee, started as an intern 2 years ago and she can tell you, it’s guaranteed that once a month I’ll completely change the way we do something like how we make a tie or how we do a certain stitch. She’s great and just runs with it without throwing a fit. But in my head, I think I can always do a little bit better. I think it’s great for product development, but terrible for relationships. [laughter]

So I understand you just released a type of tie specifically for women. Can you tell me what informed the decision to go after the female market?

Well a lot of my customers are women… I’d say about 85%. It turns out that most men can’t dress themselves . [laughter] A lot of girls buy for their boyfriends, dads, and husbands. Women really like what I do but don’t feel comfortable throwing on a tie themselves – at least for the most part.

Avril Lavigne did a good job of it. But to be fair that was back in the 90’s.

Oh man. But Diane Keaton wore ties even before that! But yea, a lot of women would pick up one of my bowties and say how much they wanted to wear one. Naturally I thought, … well fuckin’ wear one!  but that got me thinking about what I could come up with specifically for women that would be the same idea, but distinct.  Yea it’s a jump and kind of a break for me, but it felt natural. At the time too, when I developed these, I was single and was tired of married women coming in. I was thinking, how do I get single girls in here?  [laughter]. I used to joke with Katie about that all the time.

Unofficial Shop Mascot

Getting back to your other work, do you have a favorite piece you’ve ever made?

It changes. Every month I make a new favorite thing. This hat that I’m wearing is special though. I hardly make something for myself and when I do, I don’t tend to spend a lot of time on it. It’s usually kind of sloppy. But this hat was probably the first time I really took the initiative to do it right. I made it really well and I still pull it off and look at it thinking, Damn… this is pretty good!  It was and is such a great feeling.

Given that success, is there anything you want to do down the line that you haven’t been able to try yet?

For sure. I’m interested in a lot of different garments and have big ideas for them, but the two that really get me excited are trousers and shoes. Plenty of people are making both, but so far I’ve had trouble finding exactly what I’m looking for – specifically in shoes. So I figure I might as well try my hand at making them down the line, but for now, I’m content to tinker with existing products and develop new variations. At the moment, I’m having a lot of fun playing around with the caps.

Awesome! Well thanks so much for having me. It’s been great to poke around and learn about your work. Be sure to keep me posted about the shoes when you get around to them.

Sure thing. Thanks for dropping in!  

Kelly Joe Phelps (via songsillinois.net)

A number of his subsequent releases were either ill received or ignored, as they deviated so greatly from his established identity as a performer. Now however, having re-examined his Christian roots, Phelps has found inspiration in gospel –namely the songs recorded by Mississippi John Hurt and the Monroe brothers. In fact, his most recent release “Brother Sinner & The Whale” unabashedly channels those musical and thematic traditions – even to the point that it’s considered by many to be his first concept album.

Photo by Anthony Saint James

But while there’s a lot to be said for a talented artist with a versatile career, I wanted to share a song that he recorded back in 1995 for his “Tap the Red Cane Whirlwind” album. Part of the reason I enjoy his live performance of “Hard Time Killin’ Floor Blues” is that it is so honest. As a darker counterpart to the original Skip James recording in 1931, Phelp’s rendition stems from an obvious personal darkness – a raw and unmistakable disillusion that you can’t help but notice.

It’s a bit of a downer, but it’s a phenomenal performance that’s well worth hearing. Check it out in the video above.

From May 5 to June 5, the Palais de Tokyo in Paris is paying homage to the timeless No. 5 culture in an exhibition centered entirely around the perfume. The main exhibition room is a visual mirror of the bottle’s design: transparent boxes frame the paintings, photographs and notes from Chanel’s time to the videos, celebrities, and art that has since paid tribute to the fragrance. Just as one specific note does not emerge from the perfume’s mysterious bouquet, the cultural, artistic contribution of No. 5 have seeped into the lives and work of some of the most influential people in the 20th century, bridging Picasso and Proust to Marilyn Monroe and Andy Warhol.

Warhol – Chanel No. 5 Print (1985)

Created in 1921, No. 5 was the first perfume of its kind; using several notes rather than a singular scent, it created a new scent with each individual wrist that wore it. To reflect this, the bottle design broke with the frilly crystal fragrance bottles of the day, and was shockingly simple, marked by strong lines and made of solid transparent glass. This perfume that smelled of a woman also is said to have captured the womanly essence of Mademoiselle Chanel herself; by mirroring her lover Arthur “Boy” Chapel’s beveled men’s travel toiletry bags. The bottle design fit seamlessly into Chanel’s feminine identity that blended masculine and feminine elements to set the new ideal in elegance.

Original Packaging

The packaging was also inspired by Chanel’s close circle of artistic friends and acquaintances. The first No. 5 packaging was heavily inspired by cubism; inspired by Picasso’s painting style and Marcel Proust’s habit of correcting his manuscripts by cutting and pasting them into collages. Chanel was inspired by this collage effect and cubism, and selected her perfume’s first packaging to be adorned in heavily-grained paper with stark black lines and the Maison’s logo pasted on top, an audacious move for the otherwise dainty colored crystal packaging of the day. These stark black and white lines represented the Chanel feminine silhouette and ideal of femininity: strong, elegant, unforgettable.

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This is the first contribution by Kelsey Page - a Paris-based American expat working in social media with international luxury brands. Passionate about high-quality design and consumer goods, she is on an evolving mission to discover the renowned French savoir-faire that incorporates artistic and poetic elements into everyday living. When not defining brands’ social media presences or drinking wine on terraces, Kelsey can be found country hopping, tweeting and blogging, and tracking down underground electronica music. Be sure to check out her personal website The Kelsey Page.  

Valerie in Natural (left) & Bipartisan in reverse Shell Cordovan #8 (right)

You’ll notice that both the Valerie and the Bipartisan bracelets changed drastically in only a matter of weeks. That said, the other surface of the reversible Bipartisan behaved very differently. It turns out that after three months of constant wear, the outer shell cordovan is basically just the way it was from day one. Granted the edges are darker (specifically on the outside of the mystery braid), but other than that it’s like new:

Bipartisan in Shell Cordovan #8 at 3 months

All in all, I’m really impressed with both bracelets but have to say that because of the prominent differences between opposite sides of the Bipartisan bracelet, it reigns as my favorite of the two. There’s a lot to be said for versatility! But personal preference aside, both pieces are holding up really well and neither show any signs of giving out. We’ll see how they’re doing in about a year!

In the meantime, if you’re looking to try one out for yourself, be sure to check out Barrett’s recently expanded collection.

Granddad Shirt

Over the past few years, many larger clothing companies have expanded their focus to dabble in making goods by hand. It’s difficult to say whether this is inspired by passion or money, but I am personally a fan of the changing tide. As a writer and consumer, I tend to concentrate on smaller, artisanal labels, but the fact of the matter is that the large multi-national brands exert a substantial influence on the fashion industry. So when a major label adjusts its strategy to pursue the handmade, it seems to reflect – and maybe even perpetuate – a growing consumer interest in quality and sustainable production methods.

Weave Knit

Though this is a somewhat recent phenomenon for most companies, brands like Levi’s have been at it for quite some time. In fact, the powers that be at Levi’s went so far as to develop a subsidiary line known as Made & Crafted – a label that harks back to their more honest, quality-driven beginnings in 1873.

Bay Tee indigo Dye Detail

Not to knock Levi’s as a company, but there really is no comparison between their main lines and Made & Crafted. For starters, every single garment and accessory by Made & Crafted is produced entirely by hand:

Adventure Belt

Adventure Belt Detail

Wanting to create unique and durable pieces, the designers take great care in working with the best materials available. This means hand waxed leathers from Italy, natural dyes (most notably indigo), and of course premium quality denim. Yet what’s particularly admirable about Made & Crafted is their enthusiastic pursuit of the right fabrics – even if they need to be custom woven. Relying on a small network of trusted mills, they specify unique blends of cashmere, silk, cotton, and wool depending on the desired aesthetic and performative needs.

Indigo Scarf

Duo Duffle (Denim on one side; natural canvas on the other)

Duo Duffle Zipper Detail

As for construction, there is nothing mendacious or misleading about Made & Crafted. Though most of the details aren’t visible to the outside world, their consistent emphasis on clean inner seams makes each garment that much more comfortable – not to mention reliable. In a similar vein, all of their shirts are sewn by hand using single needle (or lock stitch) construction.

Spoke Chino

Custom wooden button (also available in compressed cotton and bone)

Yet the success of a clothing line depends on more than unique materials and quality construction; it’s a question of artistry. In this respect, I think that the label excels in creating their own distinct look. Drawing predominantly on American heritage, Made & Crafted nonetheless branches out into new territory for inspiration. For their most recent collection, the designers were intrigued by the colors and landscapes of the desert. Of course it’s more obvious in some pieces as opposed to others, but I really enjoy the gamut of styles, cuts, and colorways throughout the entire collection.

Mexican Stripe Shirt

Sheepskin Jacket

Cuff Detail

It’s worth noting that only a select few pieces from their lookbook are shown. To see the rest, be sure to visit Made & Crafted’s website, where you can also see their concurrent women’s collection.

Ask anyone who has passed through, and they will tell you that there is a unique energy about Asheville, North Carolina. Some may say it’s dominated by UNC, others may get caught up on the hippies, but every person I’ve spoken to finds the itty-bitty city rather charming in one way or another.

Malcom Smitley of Fleet Co. – Hand Dyeing

Up until recently, my fascination with the city hinged around the unusually eccentric (I mean eccentric) street performers who set up during lunch hour. But now that I’m settled back down at home, I’m finding all sorts of artisans and craftspeople who are based in Asheville – or at least in the surrounding area. Naturally, I’m kicking myself for not knowing many of them before I visited earlier this year. I’m especially upset that I missed my opportunity to check out the beautiful leather goods by Fleet Co. in person. C’est la vie.

As a one man operation, Malcom Smitley handcrafts a minimal and utilitarian range of leather bags, wallets, and accessories in his Asheville workshop. Using traditional tools and traditions, his heritage-inspired goods are stitched by hand for added durability and character.

Fleet Co. only uses domestic vegetable-tanned leather and the occasional rub-on dye. Add a bit of leatherworking know-how and that’s it. Simple, straightforward, yet sophisticated carry goods.

Be sure to check out Fleet Co.’s website to see the entire collection of wallets, bags, and accessories for both men and women.

Of the labels that I found, the one that stood out by far is Flint & Tinder. Having only launched in 2011, it is America’s first and only premium, high-volume manufacturer of men’s underwear. They offer a variety of styles from briefs to boxers, and are expanding their line to include other basics like their 10 Year Hoodie, which will ship out later this summer.

A major component of comfortable underwear lies in the chosen fabric. It should come as no surprise that Flint & Tinder is extremely particular about what they use. For most of their pieces, they use domestically produced cotton fabric that is notably soft and pleasant to wear. Currently, Flint & Tinder imports a selection of woven fabrics for specific pieces, but they are working with American manufacturers to revisit some of the woven fabrics that have long since been outsourced to mills overseas. It’s nothing against imported goods, but rather a concerted and consistent effort to revitalize the scope of American industry.

All skivvies aside, the reason that I gravitate towards Flint & Tinder stems from their drive and enthusiasm as a company. From the start, the brand set out to offer men a high quality, domestic alternative to the imported underwear they found in stores. It is also a reaction to the idea of “planned obsolescence” – a manufacturing term used to describe the minimum necessary lifespan of a given product. Wanting instead to create reliable and long-lasting basics, Flint & Tinder supports our local economies through the use of homegrown labor and materials. In other words, they’re about a lot more than underwear.

Alice Walsh discovered her love for raw materials while working as a designer for Tom Dixon. Inspired to further investigate her interest in manufacturing, Walsh launched her own luxury cufflink label, Alice Made This. True to her passion, Alice’s cufflinks winsomely showcase the natural beauty of their material and the process behind their creation.

Be it brass, gold, copper, or rhodium, Alice has employed an array of precious metals. But it is only recently that she has worked with a non-metal material. In fact, the newest collection from Alice Made This relies on engineered ceramics. The choice seems somewhat counter-intuitive as images of shattered porcelain plates come to mind, but it turns out that Technox® Zirconia is both extremely durable and alluring.

Given that it is such a strong material, the manufacturing process is rather involved – making it a particularly interesting choice for the simplicity of cufflinks. So in wanting to know more about these unique pieces, I got in touch with Alice Walsh to discover more about the material and her work as a whole:

Could you tell me a bit about yourself?

I am totally inspired by things around me – An observationalist I guess.  I have always been one of those people who look at the things passing me by rather than concentrating on the road, when driving, which probably sums it up!

I have a father who was in the British Army so I was fortunate to travel throughout my youth. My design career has predominantly been with furniture, product and industrial design. I fell in love with the cultural variations of manufacturing processes, materials and techniques whether in the UK, EU, Asia or America. Combining this with observation is what inspires me most.  

So first things first… why cufflinks? It seems like a niche interest.

It is definitely a niche… But I really like it. Ed (my husband) and I got married in 2010 and really struggled to find some clean simple and smart cufflinks for our wedding. It was this moment that sowed the seed. I had previously always wanted to set up my own business playing on the story of the manufacturing process. I began applying my previous ideas to the niche of the cufflink and the more I explored, the more it seemed perfect.  The cufflink acts as a creative platform to illustrate a material and a process. If you look at the collections so far they are all generated by looking at a manufacturing process or technique and designed to accommodate the production methods through the material and through the form. My love for factories is embedded with each pair and within this I get to explore any process in a different context.

Take for example my latest collection – Engineered Ceramics. This is a labour intensive, highly accurate production story used to process a Technox® Zirconia powder into a high performance material, used in Formula 1 high-friction components, bulletproof vest repel hardware, military vehi­cle protection and for bone replacements within the medical world. The material is beautiful and has a utilitarian elegance to it.

Have you always been enthusiastic about men’s accessories or is this the extent of it?

Men’s accessories from a sartorial point of view are interesting. Men are willing to invest so long as there is a reason for it. I always loved my father’s military attire. These uniforms are steeped in history and tradition. They are a wonderful mix of exquisite tailoring, utilitarian fabrics and highly decorative detailing which is becoming evermore visible in menswear today.

Where did the idea to use ceramics come from? Is it a material that you’ve worked with before?

I had come across this material in a few other projects I was involved with but only as a material sample. It captured my attention when I heard about it properties as a material. Essentially it is harder than steel but not quite as hard as diamond. The engineered ceramics industry is well honed in the UK and I liked the idea of working with a British manufacturer to develop the range. There is something very James Bond about them too!

You definitely seem to value raw materials through your work. What is it about materiality that you find compelling?

Yes I definitely do – I love the idea of a material being celebrated in its raw state.  A rough-cut diamond appeals much more to me that a sparkling brilliant round cut diamond.  I think it’s the honesty of it. Rather than shaping the piece for the consumer’s sake or to follow a trend, I am using the cufflink to explain to the customer about the material used and the process used to make it.

One of the things I admire about the ceramics collection is that it is decidedly different from any of the others you’ve released. Obviously part of that is the new material, but you’ve also integrated some geometric patterning as well. Could you explain why you chose to include those motifs?

The patterns are inspired by the Bauhaus – There was a fab Bauhaus exhibition on in London when I was working on this collection and it struck a cord. The Bauhaus way of thinking seemed a suitable fit for the collection. The laser etching detail is one of the final stages of the engineered ceramics process. I treated it like the artwork on the canvas. The designs are produced in a limited edition batch of 50. The laser etching decorates the cufflink surface and marks the base with an individual edi­tion number from 1–50.