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#2441 Good Question — How to get over a bad breakup?

December 15, 2013, 3:27 pm
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Lorde boyfriend
Photo: James Lowe

Anon asks: Huge dilemma. My ex-boyfriend dumped me two months ago. We tried to be friends for the month after our breakup but it was hurting me to see him so happy and dating other people so I told him I didn't want to be friends. It was my first serious relationship too. I want him more than anything but I know we are over. Should I ask to be friends with benefits? I know I'll get jealous and stuff but I feel like I need him with me even if it's just because of the sex because being regular friends didn't work out. I'm scared. I don't know.

You, my friend, are grieving the end of your first major relationship, which, for most of us, is the most painful thing we've ever gone through up to that point in our lives. It sucks really badly. There are no two ways about it, it's just a straight up awful situation. What makes it worse is that it's one of those horrible situations where you always know what the right and wrong things to do are, but you'll still spend far more time than is necessary or healthy debating the choices in your mind before ultimately choosing to do exactly the opposite of what you should do. Not you, per se, just most of us in this scenario. I'm pretty sure that you and everybody reading this already knows the answer to your question, but because you asked, I put together a bullet point list of Dos and Don'ts that you should write on your arm every morning when you wake up for the next couple of months.

THE ISAAC LIKES GUIDE TO BREAKUPS!

Do:
  • Get out of bed.
  • Surround yourself with people who care about you a lot more than they care about him.
  • Separate yourself from his group of friends (he should do the same with yours).
  • Throw yourself into work/school/the gym/learning a new language — aka anything that will take up a large chunk of your time and give you a sense of achievement in the process.
  • Behave with dignity and self respect. Always remember that people will only ever treat you as well as you treat yourself.
  • Get out of town. Go travel the world. Take a Contiki tour. Check out the Greek Islands. Lie on the beach somewhere beautiful where the locals are attractive and get a tan.
  • Go see a therapist. It will change your life, and they're often not nearly as expensive as you think they're going to be. (Mine costs $100 per session, which, if you're the average young person, is like one or two nights getting drunk at a pub, except really really good for you.)
  • Cry. I always think it helps, just not in public.
  • Delete him on every social media channel, even Facebook. It doesn't have to be forever, but just until you can face seeing him without feeling terrible about yourself.
  • Get yourself a wingman whose job it is to make sure you're having a good time whenever you guys are out.
  • Enjoy being single. It's extremely fun. Especially in summertime.
  • Know that you'll get over it. That's an Isaac Hindin-Miller guarantee.
Don't:
  • HAVE SEX WITH HIM. EVER AGAIN. Sex does not equal love. In this situation it's like a drug that will make you feel like you're together again for the moments it lasts, and then tear you apart when he gets out of bed and tells you, "I just don't think it's a good idea if I stay the night, you know? We are broken up and all." Guys are douche bags like that. And if he does stay the night and cuddle you and make you feel safe and comfortable for eight hours it's no indication that he's not going to go out and have sex with someone else the next day. Also, STDs.
  • Stalk him or keep track of his movements. That includes talking to your mutual friends about what he's been up to, or incessantly checking his Instagram/Twitter/Facebook/Tumblr, or turning up to places where you know he's going to be.
  • Try to be friends. I promise you you can be friends in the future, it just takes a while to get there.
  • Allow him to talk to you about other girls, his problems, his fears, aspirations, hopes, dreams, failures, or triumphs. You're not his girlfriend or his personal life-coach, and he doesn't get to do any of that anymore.
  • Call him when you're drunk.
  • Try and compete with him by hooking up with other guys in an attempt to make him jealous. This especially applies to his friends/people he knows. Like I said, guys are douche bags and his best friend would probably sleep with you if you tried hard enough, but for the love of God, don't do it. Even if you succeed in making him jealous and he comes crawling back, you're both still the same people and the same issues will crop up all over again.
  • Meet up with him for coffee, even if he's the instigator. 
  • Talk about your breakup or heartbreak all day, errrr day with your friends. They'll get over it really quickly and you'll end up being kinda boring to be around. That's what therapists, sisters, Mothers, and bloggers you've never met before are for. (Hello, new friend!)
  • Think that there's anything wrong with you. Because there's not. The honest truth is that your relationship didn't work out. You weren't right for him, and I bet he wasn't right for you, either. I know your self esteem has just taken a gigantic beating, but it doesn't say anything about you as a human being, it's just the way it is. It happens to us all, it's incredibly hurtful and painful and devastating and sad, but it's life. This experience will make you a stronger person in the end, it's just gonna take you a bit of time to get there.
Let me know how you get on. Keep in touch. And whatever you do, DON'T YOU EVER SLEEP WITH HIM EVER AGAIN!!!!!!!! OKAY!?

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#2442 Hooman Majd: "I've been lucky that my personal style happens to be in fashion right now."

December 16, 2013, 3:10 pm
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Hooman Majd
Hooman Majd. All photos courtesy of The House of Majd.

My admiration for Hooman Majd has been well documented on this blog over the past year, but in case you're just tuning in, I'll tell you why: 1. His insane sense of style; 2. His great menswear blog; 3. Because he's an extremely cool older Iranian guy (and due to my Baha'i roots I'm a longterm Iranophile); and 4. Because he's a New York Times best selling author, political commentator for NBC, former Executive Vice President of Island Records, and all-round aspirational figure for how a young male might age well. I sat down with Hooman this afternoon and asked him questions on a number of topics, ranging from hitting your style sweet spot to the biggest Farsi-to-English translation fails in recent memory (and their political ramifications). Due to the length and diversity of the interview, I've decided to break it up into a couple of posts, starting with the simplest topic — style. So without further ado, I present a conversation with Mister Hooman Majd.

How old are you?
56.

What's it like being a 56 year old fashion blogger?
(Laughs) I wouldn't describe myself as a fashion blogger, I'd say maybe style blogger? And there is a distinction. I'm actually not that into fashion; I've been lucky that my own personal preferences and my personal style — for want of a better word — happen to be in fashion now. They weren't always, but they happen to be. I haven't really changed much. I shouldn't say I don't follow fashion because I do find it interesting, especially when young people are doing great stuff, but as a 56 year old I think you're never too old to be stylish. Some of the most stylish people on the planet were most stylish in their older years and less stylish when they were young. It takes a while to get a feel for what you want to represent and it can either be very studied or very natural. The ones who make it very studied tend to change a lot with the times. The ones who feel more natural about their style, as they get older, things solidify.

You must still introduce things to your style, though, right? You're wearing a digital camo puffer jacket today.
That was given to me by friend Mark McNairy, and I did think it was incredibly cool when I saw it. Had there been a digitally printed camo puffer jacket in 1974 when I was in college, I probably would have bought it. I used to actually shop in army/navy stores back then; when everybody had long hair and was only wearing Levi's with college tee shirts, I was buying actual made-in-America army surplus khakis.


You're definitely looked at as a very cool older guy that younger guys like myself would like to eventually grow up to emulate in terms of your looks and style — what tips can you give guys like me for aging gracefully and staying cool in the process?
You're very kind. That's very flattering and I don't want to sound like I accept all that praise, but if I were to accept that praise, I think I'd say be honest to yourself about what you're comfortable with. There's nothing worse than forcing yourself into anything — whether it's an opinion or a political position or clothing — because you feel like that's what you're supposed to do. Be comfortable in your own skin. Sometimes you'll see a guy in sweatpants and a New York Jets sweatshirt and the way he carries himself makes that cool. If I did that, it would be totally uncool because that's not what I'm comfortable in. That's not saying all slobs can look cool even if they're comfortable, but there's something about the way you carry yourself and the honesty with which you present your image to the world, and clothes and style are just a part of that.

I interviewed Savile Row tailor Patrick Grant last week and he was saying that he's never going to tell guys what to wear because as long as they're comfortable in what they're wearing, they're always going to look better. You see guys wearing the most tricked-out outfits that tick all the right boxes of what's cool, but they look ridiculous.
We used to call those people fashion victims, but I think that's a little bit unfair because you do go to style gurus or magazines to get tips on what's nice or what's not nice, but when you try too hard, when you're absolutely tricked out and as you say, 'ticking all the boxes,' unless that happens to be your style… It's like when Thom Browne appeared on the scene publicly, a lot of people said, 'That is ridiculous. That's Peewee Herman. That's a joke." And now it looks so normal when he walks down the street. But that was his style, and he pulled it off.


Who do you personally look to for style inspiration?
When I was young I always admired old Hollywood movies. I always looked to Cary Grant in films from the late 50s and early 60s and thought, 'Wow that's the way to carry yourself.' There were other people like Fred Astaire, and Humphrey Bogart, who was less known for style, but who I thought was incredibly stylish. We didn't have the internet growing up, so I'd see people in magazines, or on the jacket of a book, who I didn't necessarily look to for inspiration, but who I thought were great. I'm going to sound like a snob and I don't mean to, but I don't really look at anyone today and think, 'That's my inspiration,' because I don't care enough about other people's style that I think I need to emulate it.

But who do you think is particularly stylish that we might know?
Michael Hainey is a very stylish man, certainly in the world of men's fashion he's one of the most stylish; George Clooney when you see him at awards shows and his tuxedo is just right — when he doesn't wear that stupid black tie that I'm totally against, but when he wears a proper bow tie; Peter O'Toole was an incredibly stylish man who had flair in his wardrobe; Thom Browne is incredibly stylish, he has his own particular style; Ralph Lauren is a very stylish man in his own way and has exquisite taste; and there are plenty of Italian and French people who tend to be effortlessly cool, like Lapo Elkann.


Couldn't agree more. Now to change the topic, you've lived here a long time. What are your favourite places in New York for:

Coffee?
Not Starbucks (laughs). Blue Bottle; Toby's the Australian import does great coffee; and Gimme Coffee is great for a fast one and they have a few locations. They're the ones I go to most often.

Food?
Il Buco on Bond Street and their cafe on Great Jones which is a little bit less formal but the food is incredible. For great food in New York, Italian seems to be the one you'll find the most of.

Drinks?
My favourite place to get a drink is probably the King Cole bar at the St Regis Hotel. And I like the Carlisle. I like hotel bars. They've got a feeling of other people from other places being there. As far as neighbourhood spots here in Williamsburg, I like Walter Foods, and Rye.

Clothing?
When I was in the music business and we were doing very well, I had all my clothes made. My shirts were made at Charvet — it was a little bit pretentious, but not so pretentious because I thought that Charvet really did make the best shirts — and all my suits were made on Savile Row. But since then I haven't been able to afford that, so here in New York, I'd have to say Brooks Brothers. It's much more interesting now than it was 10 years ago. I mean the Brooks Brothers on 44th Street, the big flagship store, because that's where they have everything. You can get Redwing boots or you can get Alden shoes, you can get made-in-the-USA Levi's there. Other than that, I'd say Bergdorf Men is a terrific store. And there are all these little shops that are great, I like getting tee shirts at Pilgrim Surf Shop for example here on Wythe Avenue, and Hickoree's is a great store on Broadway... there are too many to mention. But if it was just one store, I'd say Brooks Brothers or Bergdorf.

To be continued…

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#2443 The 10 songs that'll get the party started this holiday season

December 18, 2013, 4:43 am
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Men in great coats. Photo: Mr Modern Gentleman

I don't know about you, but at this time of year I feel like I'm constantly going to these events and launches and dinners which are all very nice and good and wonderful for schmoozing, but as the night wears on, the DJ continues to play either house music or obscure indie rock, and I find myself getting bored and wishing that s/he'd cut the crap and throw something on that inspires me to run onto the dance floor in the middle of everybody like that white girl at a party, screaming, "Oh my God it's my song, it's my sooooooong!!!!" So with that in mind, here are the 10 songs that I believe would inspire that same reaction in far more people than me — including those gentlemen above in the glorious coats — thus making parties the world over a lot more fun. Here goes.

1. Bubble Butt by Major Lazer



2. Cheers (Drink to That) by Rihanna



3. F**kin Problem by A$AP Rocky



4. Love Kickstarts by Example



5. Close to Me by The Cure



6. Started From The Bottom by Drake



7. Bizarre Love Triangle by New Order



8. Black Skinhead by Kanye West



9. Baby Boy by Beyonce



10. Holy Grail by Justin Timberlake and Jay Z



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#2444 White Men Can't Jump

December 19, 2013, 1:43 pm
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Photos: Matt Rubin

Remember a couple of months ago I mentioned that I'd gotten the opportunity to custom design a pair of Nike Le Bron 11s? They arrived. Like I said at the time, these bad boys are so high-tech they resemble Transformers for your feet; and so obviously I attempted to replicate Optimus Prime in my creation. Some of the other colourways you'll see online are craaaaazy futuristic, but I wanted to go back to basics and make a pair that resembled the Vandals I used to rock on the regular when I was a gangsta (in clothing alone) back in 2003. And here they are. I test drove them for the first time yesterday on a visit to my favourite friendly neighbourhood sandwich shop — Animals, inside The Wayland— on the corner of 9th Street and Avenue C in Alphabet City. If you're a fan of meaty, juice-dripping-on-your-fingers, overstuffed sandwiches, then this is most definitely the place for you. The interiors resemble a farmyard kitchen, the main man Eddie is a denim-head and a nice guy to boot, and the pulled bacon variety comes crammed with everything from avocado to cabbage to baked beans. So good. More photos of the shoes (and that sandwich), below.











I'm wearing: Gucci jacket, LL Bean Signature sweater and chamois shirt, Joe Fresh khakis, Maximum Henry belt, Punto socks, Nike LeBron James 11 sneakers.

Special thanks to Matt Rubin for the photos!

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#2445 The Isaac Likes Last Minute Christmas Gift Guide!

December 20, 2013, 8:06 am
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Photo: Tommy Ton

Did you leave your Christmas shopping to the last minute? Yeah you did. Yeahhhh you did. Me too. It's not that I don't love the people I'm buying for, it's just that I haven't gotten around to doing it just yet. Does that make me a bad person? It remains to be seen. To help myself (and any other dilly-dalliers out there), I've put together a list below of 10 things that I would happily give or receive this Christmas. most of the items are well under 100 bucks, some would work as stocking stuffers, but there are one or two that are slightly more expensive, but so awesome they deserved a spot. So without further ado, I present you The Isaac Likes Last Minute Christmas Gift Guide!


1. Aesop Deodorant— I first encountered this stuff on Auckland-based tattoo artist Stephane Sinclair, who wore it while we were hanging out in New York. It smells insanely good, it's made from natural ingredients, and it has a real earthy, woody kinda thing going on in the best possible way. Did I mention it's only $35? Good times.


2. Triumph and Disaster Suicide Face Scrub— These guys sent me a gift pack from all the way in New Zealand a couple of weeks ago, and I am obsessed. My two favourite products in the range are this face scrub (made from real live mud), and this moisturizer which is probably the best one I've ever used. Great as stocking stuffers for the guy who loves to steal your products. $45 for the scrub, $63 for the moisturizer.


3. What Does The Fox Say, the book— If you've got a young kid (i.e. under seven) you have to buy for and you have no idea what a young kid might like, get them this, but before they unwrap it, sit them in front of the computer and play them the YouTube clip. They'll love it. Those Norwegians were onto a good thing — the book has already topped The New York Times' bestsellers list for Christmas. Under $20, depending where you buy it.


4. Anonymous ism Socks— I own a few pairs, they're cheap, awesomely designed, and there are unlimited amounts of options to choose from (Fair Isle, stripes, melanges, etc), or stores to buy them from (they're stocked everywhere). Great for girls and guys, and you'll get change from $20. If, however, you want something a little more luxurious in the sock department, check out Punto's cashmere variety on Gilt. It might well be the best $22 you've ever spent.


5. Maximum Henry Gift Set— This is literally the greatest gift if you have to get something quite nice for someone like a brother/brother-in-law/male BFF who has awesome taste, but you're all out of ideas. It's $145, and every guy with good style will love it. Also — I own that belt, and I haven't taken it off in three weeks. Also also, I profiled Maximum Henry Cohen (the dude behind the brand) a couple of weeks ago on the blog. Check it out!


6. The Unbranded Brand Jeans— I just discovered these guys a couple of weeks ago, they make great looking jeans right here in the USA from amazing quality denim, and they only cost $88. My favourite pair is the Tapered Fit in Indigo Selvedge, but they come in three different fits, and a ton of colours.


7. A.P.C. Bougie Candle— First things first, I didn't learn this until I moved to America, but the word bougie is a play on the word bourgeois, and refers to someone who aspires to be a higher class than they really are. Let's say you live in a broken-ass house but you burn expensive scented candles all the time — super bougie. If you like nice smelling things, this is a real good one. My favourites are the Orange flavor and the Fig flavor. $45 each.


8. Comme des Garcons Wallet— My sister gave me this one above for Christmas about three years ago, and it's still one of my most prized possessions. If I did a gift guide every year for the next 50 years I bet this would be on it. They can run a little pricy, depending on where you live, but they should last a long, long time, and god they look good. Click that link, there are countless varieties on offer. £55 and up.


9. Common Projects Achilles Lows— These are so simple, so classic, and so good looking. They come in boys and girls sizes, heaps of different colours, but my favourite right now is this navy suede pair, above, which are currently on half price sale here for $212. Do it!


10. The Quality Mending Co. Beanie— I got one of these beanies as a gift when I was freezing cold in New York a couple of years ago, and then I lost it last Winter much to my disappointment. It's a take on the old watch caps that naval officers used to wear back in the day, it's made in America, and it's a no-brainer at $38.

Merry Christmas, everybody!

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#2446 Good Question — What's the coolest stuff to see and do on a holiday to New York?

December 22, 2013, 3:41 pm
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The Quality Mending Co. Photo: Katherine Lowe

END QUOTE asks: Looks like I'll be finally making it to NYC in Feb — I know you've posted your "stuff to do in NYC" list like 20 times, but what's that link again? It also looks like I'll be there for the last couple days of NYFW — is there anything I can check out without any credentials? Thanks! I like you!

Hey gidday mate! I have answered this question about 20 times, but the reason I keep coming back to it over and over again is because my favourite spots in the city change every couple of months. See below for my definitive list as of right now. As for NYFW, check Modem Online to get the addresses of all the major shows, go stand outside and see if you have any luck getting in!

1. Black Market— The best bar in New York City for the earlier hours of the evening, and by far the best cheeseburger in town.

2. Cabin — Owned by the same people as Black Market, and easily the best late-late night spot I've ever been to anywhere. The door can be tricky at the best of times, so buyer beware.

3. Louis 649— Amazing little cocktail bar on my street in Alphabet City with a piano composer mixing your drinks (his name is Paul).

4. Darby— My favourite hip hop club in NYC. It's been closed for the past couple of months, but it reopens in the next couple of weeks, and you'll be sure to see at least one celebrity if that's your jam.  (Leonardo DiCaprio is there about twice a week, Jay Z stops by occasionally, and I've seen Miley Cyrus, Justin Timberlake, Beyonce, Timbaland, Cuba Gooding Jr, and all sorts of other people over the last couple of years.)

5. Maison Kitsune— A great boutique in a random part of town, but well worth a visit.

6. J.Crew on 5th Ave in the Flatiron District — The best J.Crew in town, in my opinion (besides The Ludlow store in TriBeCa).

7. C'H'C'M'— A great little menswear boutique with an exceptionally well-curated selection of product. The owner Sweetu is a friend and he's one of the nicest guys I've met since I've moved to America.

8. The Musket Room— A Michelin starred restaurant specialising in New Zealand cuisine in SoHo. I've never actually eaten there ($$$), but I've visited a couple of times and it's great.

9. Carson Street Clothiers— Quite literally the #menswear revolution in retail form.

10. La Colombe— Brilliant people watching and coffee, in that order (I'm talking about the huge one at Lafayette and 4th, not the small one by the Supreme store).

11. Dashwood Books— Perfect for presents and coffee table books that'll make your house look more stylish in a heartbeat.

12. La Esquina— Get the Pollo Rostazado sandwich with fries and extra chipotle mayo. Best $10.50 you've ever spent.

13. Animals— Where I shot my most recent outfit post, and home of the greatest pulled pork sandwich I've ever eaten.

14. Happy Bones— New Zealand coffee!!

15. Shake Shack— If you can handle standing in line for 30 minutes in the freezing cold then eating your burger and fries outside in the elements, then you are gangsta and I salute you, but in my opinion it's well worth the doctor's visit.

16. MOMA— Because my Mum would kill me if I didn't include it. My favourite bit is the 10 metre long Waterlilies triptych by Monet on the impressionist floor. And the Matisses and the Van Goghs. And the Picassos.

17. The Quality Mending Co.— I reckon it's the best vintage store in Manhattan. Filled with awesome sweaters, denim, corduroy jackets, knitwear, eyewear, shoes, and all that other good stuff.

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#2447 Bah Humbug!

December 25, 2013, 8:30 am
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Hello friends! Just a quick note to say Merry Christmas to you all; wherever you are in the world I hope the sun is shining, you're with friends and family and people you love, and that nobody grinches all over your parade. This is only the second Christmas in all my 29 years that I haven't been in New Zealand with the Hindins and Millers, and it's a pretty weird feeling to be so far away — not to mention experiencing Christmas in the cold — but I'm lucky that I've got an amazing group of friends here in New York who are sticking together for an expat orphan celebration. We're playing White Elephant, I'm making my Christmas guacamole (and this insane steak), and we even have a vegan coming along who we can poke with a stick if things get quiet. Santa must have read my blog because I got that Aesop Deodorant I so-subtly hinted about in my Last Minute Christmas Gift Guide, plus tickets to the musical Once and one of those iPhone covers that charges your phone while you're out and about. Just what I always wanted! Lots of love to everyone everywhere, I'd better finish up before I get too sentimental and start quoting Queen Elizabeth from her annual Christmas speech. Merry Christmas! Happy holidays! Bah humbug!!!! You're my mates!!!!!

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#2448 The facts of life — things I learned in 2013 edition

December 29, 2013, 8:29 am
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Rachel Rutt. Photo: Hawk Claw

1. There is nothing cooler than someone who will get out of bed at 1 o'clock in the morning to come meet you at a bar, especially if all your other friends are being giant pikers. (There's also nothing cooler than being that person for somebody else.) Spontaneity > everything.

2. You don't always have to make that joke/have the last word/send that final text message. (Oh dear Lord how I wish I'd remembered that one more often this year.)

3. If you expect too much of people, they'll always let you down. That's not their fault, it's yours. Also, don't put people up on pedestals, because nobody can ever live up to your ridiculously high expectations.

4. Teeth are fecking expensive to fix, so keep yours in good shape — I snapped one of my incisors in half two weeks ago, and it was straight up darkness all round.

5. Sometimes you're better to just cut people out of your life who cause you nothing but stress and agitation, no matter how long you've been friends with them. Because really, what's the point?

6. Always know exactly how much money you have in your bank account at any given moment; and keep track of your spending. There have been times this year when I've been blown away at the amount that's in my account, which has in turn inspired me to go YOLO with my purchases, which in turn has caused that balance to diminish extremely quickly. If I have any new year's resolutions, that's one of them.

7. Don't be so quick to judge people by how they act in public; maybe they're over-compensating to deal with the breakdown of a relationship or the sickness of a loved one or the disappointment of a failure. There have been a few times this year when I've found myself writing people off as x, y, or z, only to discover they're dealing with something really difficult, and felt like a big jerk as a result. So I guess what I've learned is to be more tolerant, and less judgmental.

8. On that same token, don't overburden people with your problems. Everybody has problems, but talking about yours incessantly don't make them any greater than anyone else's, it just makes you a self-obsessed egomaniac. That's what therapists are for!

9. It's more fun paying for stuff than getting it for free. Most of the time, anyway.

10. The definition of insanity is repeating the same action over and over and over again, and expecting a different result. If you're not happy, change ish up!

11. And finally, a true friend is someone who will get out of bed with their beautiful girlfriend at 7am on a Saturday morning when they're hungover as a dog, catch a taxi to your house, and nurse you back to health when you're on your deathbed. You know who you are, and I salute you, sir!

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#2449 Good Question — I'm a teenager... Should I move overseas for university?

December 30, 2013, 12:26 pm
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Photo: Take Ivy

SatanicVogue asks: Hi Isaac, I'm an expat's kid currently living in New Zealand, but I've lived all over the world because of my parents' jobs. I'm going to be finishing school at the end of 2014 and I really want to go overseas for uni, however all my friends are staying here, so all my family and friends are trying to get me to stay. If I leave, will it be hard adjusting on my own? And if I stay, will it be hard to suppress the urge to travel? Will I be trapped and unable to leave New Zealand? Any words of advice would be greatly appreciated!

Hey gidday mate. I'm a New Zealander's kid currently living as an expat, so we're pretty much in exactly the opposite boat. The question you need to ask yourself is are you ready to leave the nest? Can you handle living by yourself, away from family? Do you have the necessary life experience to be able to manage a crisis without your support system? What happens if you get crazy food poisoning and there's nobody around to look after you? Or you have a bad falling out with your roommates and they try and kick you out of the apartment? Or you run out of money and need to hold down two part time jobs in order to survive? Or you walk in on a friend's attempted suicide? (That last one's a bit extreme, but it's not to say it couldn't happen.)

I left home at the age of 18 and moved to Auckland, which is an hour and 20 minutes' flight away from Christchurch. I already knew Auckland well because I'd lived there as a child, and I'd gone there on holiday at least twice a year since I was seven or eight. I had a huge amount of extended family who were more than willing to feed me a couple of times per week and my Uncle even gave me a job so I could earn a bit of extra money on the side if things got financially bleak. Plus I'd hooked up another part-time job before I even arrived, which introduced me to a whole extra set of people. So for me it was a relatively easy transition.

Then, when I'd finished my degree in 2005, I moved to Toronto. I was 21 years old, and I thought it was going to be an absolute breeze. Oh, how wrong I was. I couldn't get a proper job to save my life, I knew nobody except for my girlfriend and her family, and the friend who was supposed to have moved over to get an apartment with me told me he wasn't coming anymore the morning his flight was due to land. One month in I had to get emergency dental surgery which was so expensive it wiped out my entire bank account, and for the next two months I worked about 12-18 hours a day, six days per week in a burrito takeout spot and a guido-filled nightclub in order to pay my rent. It wasn't the best time, and I gave up and moved back to New Zealand soon after with my tail lodged firmly between my legs.

That experience freaked me out pretty badly, so I waited another six years to try it out again, and in 2011 at the ripe old age of 27, I did Paris for a few months, then made the move over to New York. And this time I was totally ready for it, and it worked out from the get-go.

Don't get me wrong, you might be far more ready than I was, but I guess the point of my story is that moving overseas alone can be a pretty daunting task, and it's not something to be taken lightly. If I was you I might give it a trial run by moving to another city in New Zealand for a uni semester and see how you go. If that works out, then go for it. Also, don't forget that you can travel like three times a year in the holidays if you so wish, so there's always that option, too.

But then again, maybe you should just roll the dice and move overseas for university, because how good would it be to say you graduated from NYU or Harvard or the Sorbonne or Humboldt or Trinity College??

So many variables!

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#2450 HAPPY NEW YEAR!

December 31, 2013, 2:48 pm
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Ashika and me hanging out on my block in NYC. Photo: Matt Rubin

Hey gidday mates. At time of writing, you're either recovering from last night's party, preparing for the evening to come, or about to ring in the new year. I'm currently in the middle part of that equation — I just got out of the shower, I'm about to throw on a suit, I've got friends coming over for drinks, then we're all headed out to Miss Lily's to celebrate the end of this year Jamaican-style. 2013 might not go down as my favourite year of all time, but I'm a firm believer that the best is yet to come, so things can only get better. Am I right or am I right? Wherever you are in the world, I wish you a happy, safe and successful New Year. You're my mate!!! I forgive you in advance for taking a few days off from reading the blog — you are on holiday after all — but make sure you check back in before Monday, because I'm flying out to London for the first leg of the European men's shows this Saturday. Until then, I'll leave you with a couple of lines from a beautiful poem by Rudyard Kipling named If, which my Dad put to music a few years ago:

"If you can dream — and not make dreams your master; If you can think — and not make thoughts your aim; If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster — and treat those two impostors just the same… Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it. And — which is more — you'll be a man, my son."

p.s. Can you believe Isaac Likes is turning six this year?? That's gotta be at least 85 in blog years.

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#2451 Next stop, London!

January 4, 2014, 5:28 am
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Andre Leon Talley and Anna Wintour. Photo: Tommy Ton

It's all happening! After two days of the coldest weather and heaviest snowfalls I've ever experienced in my 29 years, the time has come to depart this freezing island and fly out to London for the first leg of the men's shows. I mentioned a month or so ago that I was going to be writing for a particularly exciting outlet, and I can now tell you that my coverage from London Collections: Men, Pitti Uomo, Milan, and Paris will appear on The Business of Fashion. Watch that space! And don't forget to check in regularly on the blog as I run amok all over the show — my personal coverage is going to be a bit different this season; the main thing I want to do is a series of Q&As with the familiar faces of the men's scene, alongside other stuff that catches my eye along the way. So there we have it. It's 8:15am, negative 13 degrees Celsius, and my flight is boarding. Peace out, New York, see you soon, London, and don't forget to follow me on Instagram!

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#2452 Just touched down in London town

January 5, 2014, 3:42 pm
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Hanging with Jimmy Q at the Dolce & Gabbana party.

I've never really spent much time here in London (and the last time was way back in 2011), but every time I've ever come here I have loved this city. On the plus side, it's incredibly beautiful, the parks remind me of my native New Zealand, the weather is way warmer than New York (12 degrees here today VS minus 17 when I left NYC), the food is amaaaazing (roast beef and Yorkshire pudding for lunch and dinner!), and the British sense of humour is unbeatable. To be fair it must also be noted that it rains too much, people namedrop constantly, and the pound can and will destroy your dollar-filled bank account in a matter of minutes. I took it pretty easy today in London — I woke up late, went for a walk with my gracious host Esther, ate a Sunday roast dinner, went for another walk, saw a double decker bus, then headed into the city to meet my old mate Richard Biedul at The Rake Magazine's party held at Claridge's in Mayfair, then checked out the new Dolce & Gabbana store on New Bond Street before calling it a night. Don't forget to follow my European shenanigans on Instagram! Oh, and I saw David Gandy along the way — he's every bit as handsome in real life as he is in the photos. Bastard.


Great tree in Highgate.


Yellow door!


Roast beef with Yorkshire pudding at The Spaniards Inn.


Tourizzzzm.


Huge dog (he weighed 56 kgs).


Josh, Adam, and Richard at The Rake party.


Balthazar and Bernard!

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#2453 The Tim Blanks Q&A — style.com's brilliant critic on Hedi Slimane, Lorde, and staying motivated 300 shows a season

January 6, 2014, 4:40 pm
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Tim Blanks. Photo: Oliver Rose

To kick off the series of interviews I'll be doing with fascinating, exciting, inspiring, and all-round interesting people over the course of the F/W 14/15 menswear season, I sat down with one of my personal heroes this evening — style.com's Editor-at-Large, Tim Blanks. When I was 19 years old and in my second year of university, I stumbled across a site that featured photos of every look from every prominent menswear show in Milan, Paris, and New York. The runway looks were incredible, but what I loved more was the written review that accompanied each show. At the end of each piece was the name Tim Blanks, but try as I might, I couldn't find out anything else about him. It was about two years later that I finally heard him talking on video, and I just about fell off my chair when I realised that he was a New Zealander, too. Needless to say, my fandom was set in stone from that day forth. Fast forward a fair few years… I'm sure he doesn't need any introduction, but just in case, Tim Blanks is a New Zealand-born, London-living fashion critic whose opinions are held in the highest esteem. Today we discussed everything from Lorde to critiquing friends' work; the perks of his job, and the passion of Hedi Slimane.

First things first — you're a New Zealander and I'm a New Zealander and your first love is music, so what did you think of the meteoric rise of Lorde?
I wish I had listened to her more. I've heard the single and I've heard the album in the background at home, and the thing that struck me most — and I know it's struck everybody else so it's not a revelation — it sounds quite Lana Del Rey-ish to me. But I must listen to it. I was listening to FKA Twigs yesterday and BANKS and I thought, 'Why am I listening to these people I should be listening to Lorde.' If you haven't listened to FKA Twigs, you must — it's the same kind of deal as Lorde; they're young girls making this extraordinarily sophisticated music.

You must be you used to writing your reviews in hotels, right? What's it like having to go home and do it?
Hard. I actually tried this experiment of going somewhere else to do them. I do them in the daytime. I bought the iPad Air with the keyboard but I can't make it work. I know it's idiot proof but I can't make it work. So I'm still writing on my Blackberry. My old Blackberry — not the new one.

The one question I always want to ask you is this: You've been doing this job for a long time now, how do you stay inspired and how do you keep the motivation going?
Because it's always different. If I wasn't as enthralled by it as I am, I wouldn't do it. It is always different. And even when it isn't, it's the same in an inspiring way. Obviously that doesn't apply to everything. I'm not Pollyanna, I don't see the good in everything, I'm not endlessly trying to turn shit into gemstones, but most of the time I have so much respect for people who do something I can't do. And a fashion show isn't just one person, it's such a group effort. I write about collections as I see them in fashion shows because I feel if that's what the designer wants me to see in terms of what he or she has done, then that's what I'm going to write about. A few people have said to me, 'You never go to the showrooms, you never go look at the collection.' I really feel like what I'm writing about is the designer's intent, in a way. And that's why I never ever get tired of it. It's like reading 300 stories every season or seeing 300 movies.

It's insane, isn't it.
It's brilliant. And I could go on and on about how lucky I feel that I get a chance to do this, because it's an incredible opportunity to be in the middle of something that's quite inspiring.

It's a labour of love, right? You don't get rich becoming a critic, right?
No! God no. There's nothing I've ever done in my life that I could possibly have become rich from.

Not even being a TV presenter?
Oh God. For the CBC in Canada? Yeah sure.

So besides the things you've mentioned, what are the perks of the job?
What do you mean? Do I get flown to fabulous places? In the name of the job I get to go to places and see things I definitely wouldn't have seen. If Valentino has his farewell show just outside the Coliseum or Ungaro launches a perfume in Kasbah in the middle of the Moroccan desert… It's like being in the army. You see things that you wouldn't normally see.

Are you friends with the designers?
Yeah, some.

How does that work?
You cannot spend this much time with people over the course of a quarter of a century without really liking some of them, but I don't go on holiday with them or anything, I don't go on their boat in the summer.

So if it's someone you know very well that you feel like you have to write something— I don't feel like you're ever scathing — but you are critical, obviously that's your job. I just want to know how that works.
I think intelligent people understand that's my job.

But you can be the most intelligent person in the world and still be hurt by a friend's criticisms.
I think they understand that I can make a differentiation between who they are and what they do and I hope that they can as well.

So with that in mind, the first couple of seasons Hedi Slimane did Saint Laurent you were quite critical.
He's a strange case. I love his passion. I totally get his passion. I just feel that he translates it more interestingly in other arenas than with clothing, although I have warmed to the clothes.

And did you go see it in the stores? It's beautiful.
Yeah, it's beautiful. Also in the stores there's a huge range of stuff. Some of it is eye-wateringly expensive, some of it is quite accessible, the range of fits is not what you would imagine it would be — it's a marketable proposition — but more than anything, from each of his shows I have either learned about a new musician or a new artist. I love the fact that he plays Ty Segall at his show for example, that's insane. Those little books that he does— it's the best presented show in fashion. It actually strikes me as kind of amazing that all of that incredible effort is centered on this collection of clothes that is like a love letter to his teen passions. So I actually judge his shows in a slightly different way.

2013 has just finished, we're onto a new year, what are you ready to see the tail end of?
That hyper grooming in menswear. I can't wait to see what Raf Simons has done with Sterling Ruby because it is not going to be groomed. It's inevitable that after the Eizenhower era and then the Kennedy 60s, it went into this completely florid blown out hippie, and then haute hippie, and then haute boho. It's inevitable that it's going to happen again. I like that. It suits my personality more anyway.

You want people to let go a bit more.
You can wear beautifully tailored clothes without looking like a prissy stuffed shirt. I kinda feel a movement towards that anyway. And then what else… It's hard to say. I'll think I don't like something and then I'll see a refraction of it and it's really fabulous. Or I might see something that I really love and think it doesn't look so good anymore.

For a young writer out there who'd like to have the career that you've had… Do you think it's possible anymore? How would you do it these days?
I've been doing it for a long, long time completely by accident. I don't know how you would do it for 25 years anymore.

How do you beat the bloggers? The bloggers make crazy amounts of money to do very little.
But how many bloggers are interesting? There might be thousands of them making tons and tons of money but don't you think that by a Darwinian process they'll get whittled down in the end?

[Insert self deprecating cockroach-surviving-nuclear-explosion joke here.] Yeah you're right. I think if you look at how it is right now, there are so few menswear bloggers now. There were so many — what two years ago — when that whole Americana movement was going big, when I first moved to New York, but they all seem to have disappeared or gotten proper jobs. So… on another topic, Are you enjoying doing the style.com videos?
Throwback Thursdays? I don't have to do anything I just have to sit there and talk for a little while. I think it's really good that people get to see Fashion File again because it was really good and nobody has that footage!

Couldn't agree more.

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#2454 The rise and rise of London Collections: Men

January 7, 2014, 4:53 pm
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Bruce Pask at London Collections: Men. Photo: Melodie Jeng

My first piece from the shows is up now on The Business of Fashion— it's all about the rise of London Collections: Men as a now-permanent fixture on the men's show calendar; the tensions over the date clash with Pitti Uomo; and everything that the British Fashion Council is doing so well in their organisation of the event.

It's a hefty piece, and I interviewed everybody from Bruce Pask and Josh Peskowitz, to Dylan Jones, the editor in chief of British GQ (and chairman of London Collections: Men), and Dermot O'Leary, host of The X Factor.

Check it out!

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#2455 Burberry Prorsum Fall/Winter 2014

January 8, 2014, 4:04 pm
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In case you missed it, here's Burberry's brilliant Fall/Winter 2014 collection which showed in London this afternoon. I was lucky enough to be in attendance alongside a slew of London cool kids including Tinie Tempah, Paloma Faith, George Barnett, and Jamie Campbell Bower (look for me on the left side of the catwalk, three rows back — gold stars for any IHM sightings!), and as per usual, I loved what I saw — especially the slinky satin trench coats, but especially the blankets, but especially those simple charcoal wool pants with the single pleat. Straight after the show I took a bus to a train to a plane to a bus to the Diesel show in Florence alongside a slew of fashion cool kids including Eugene Tong, Jim Moore, Suzy Menkes, Matthew Schneier, and way way more. It's now 1:00am, I'm going to bed, and first thing in the morning I'll be hitting the ground running at Pitti Uomo to write my second piece for The Business of Fashion— look out for it on the BoF site tomorrow night! And follow my Instagram for constant updates from Europe!

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#2456 Why you should always try to look cool when there are streetstyle photographers around

January 9, 2014, 1:14 am
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Imran Amed and me outside the Burberry show. Photo: Melodie Jeng

Buongiorno from Firenze! You know how you always see shots of guys smoking and looking moodily off to the side shot by streetstyle photographers? Make no mistake, those aren't candid shots. Those guys know they're being photographed. Here's how I look when I think nobody's watching. Note to self: Teep tongue in mouth. (Click to enlarge.) That is all.

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#2457 The cult of Pitti Uomo

January 10, 2014, 3:21 am
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A cool dude at Pitti Uomo. Photo: Melodie Jeng

“In terms of media, London’s winning the war,” says Godfrey Deeny, fashion editor-at-large of Le Figaro. “In terms of buyers, it’s losing. How many buyers were in London? Let’s say 200, maybe less. There are thousands here. You do the math.”

“Pitti has become its own brand," says Eric Jennings, vice president and fashion director of men’s, home and gifts at Saks Fifth Avenue. "It’s become bigger than a trade show, it’s like a cultural phenomenon."

“There’s better content for me here," says Tommy Ton. "I love shooting London, but I choose Pitti because I’m not going to see anybody here that I would see in London or Paris. It’s dressing 101 for menswear. That’s why even Kanye came here once. There’s so much you can take away from this experience.”

Check out my article about the continued relevance of Pitti Uomo up now on The Business of Fashion!

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#2458 Musings from a Kiwi misfit at the end of the first day of Milan Fashion Week

January 11, 2014, 3:41 pm
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Me and Richard Haines in Italy. Photo: Melodie Jeng

Hello friends! Allow me a stream of consciousness for a moment. I started coming to the shows in 2009 when I was 24 years old. It was a pretty bold move for someone so young and inexperienced, but it was literally a situation where ignorance was bliss — I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I remember flying into Milan for the first time and knowing two people — both of whom were backstage photographers, so I'd hang out backstage assisting them as they worked, and then go out and watch the shows and look around hoping someone would come up and say hi (which, of course, they never did).

It was an incredibly intimidating experience. I was younger than everyone, they all greeted each other like family, I was from a country at the bottom of the world, and I was surrounded by people I read about in magazines and on the internet every day of the week. You know what it's like when you meet someone semi famous and you're suddenly struck dumb? That was me. I'd attempt to make friends but always come off as kinda nervous and awkward which makes encounters difficult for the other person because it's like you're waiting for them to direct the conversation which is never a good time. You know what I'm talking about, people who come up to you to talk then don't say anything. It's terrible.

Thanks to my deal with Telecom New Zealand back then, I'd spend countless minutes (and hundreds of their dollars) on the phone calling my Mum and Dad and sister and my friends back home and complain about how scary everybody was and how mean they were and how it was impossible to have a conversation with anybody over the age of 21.

I was lucky that I made friends with a bunch of the male models in my backstage sojourns, so I could hang out with similarly aged people at the end of the day and go to parties and stuff like that, but during the day it was always the same.

To be honest, I kind of hated the entire thing. I kept doing it because I had this overwhelming feeling that it was essential and that it was hopefully leading to something, but by the end of the season I'd be just about ready to throw it all in.

Then I moved to New York — assisted, of course, by the contacts I'd made in my three years going to the shows in Europe — and decided that it probably wouldn't matter if I stopped going to the shows in Europe.

Looking back, I'd say that was probably the most detrimental thing I've done in my career thus far. My favourite saying is from Woody Allen: "80% of success is showing up." And I stopped showing up.

Fast forward two years, and I got the hunger back. I decided it was time to hit Milan and Paris again. This time, my good friend Richard Haines was coming, too, and having a friend along for the ride who knew people and who'd happily share a taxi or get lunch or email you the directions to a show made the world of difference.

I went to the GQ event tonight and got talking to Michael Hainey and this wonderful young photographer named Joshua Woods who's in his first season over here in Europe (and absolutely winning at life on the social front — I swear he knows more people than me already), and I was saying that just having one wingman is like when you're a kid playing at the park and you can see your Mum sitting on a bench and it gives you the confidence to run around and swing on the swings and talk to other kids and go down the slide because you know she's got your back no matter what. Richard's been that guy for me, and I feel incredibly grateful for it.

The other thing I wanted to mention was that this job writing for The Business of Fashion has really changed my outlook on this whole experience. Some of you who've been reading my blog since the beginning might remember an interview I did with Pilot Magazine back in 2009 where I said: "I'd like to be the world's first fashion writer who never mentions the clothes."

The thing that brought me recognition in the first place was my articles about the industry — the news and analysis and opinions and all that good stuff. However, whenever I came to the shows I'd throw all that out the window and suddenly become this guy who was trying to be a show reviewer. That never brought me any success at all. Why go to a guy who doesn't want to review fashion shows for fashion show reviews? Just because I loved Tim Blanks' work didn't mean that I should try and replicate it.

So guess what happened? Whenever I'd pay all this money to come over to the shows, my readership would suddenly drop. I'd be experiencing all these amazing things and seeing these incredible shows and flying from Milan to Paris with a plane-full of the biggest names in the industry, and nobody seemed to care.

This season, I've been writing the exact articles that I've always dreamed of writing for one of the most respected publications around. I love doing it, and I've had an immediate response from people who've told me that the things I'm writing are hitting a chord with them. Because I truly believe that when you're doing the thing that you're supposed to do, people notice. I don't care if you're a waiter or a CEO or a teacher or a lawyer or a priest or a fashion blogger. If you love what you're doing and you take pride in your work, it's abundantly apparent to everyone around.

I'm a nosy guy who loves nothing more than peering behind the velvet curtain and taking people along for the ride, so obviously getting to rub shoulders with these seemingly untouchable people and ask them questions like, "How much did you pay to fly all the journalists and buyers over to Florence from London?" THEN getting to share that information with others is my favourite thing ever. I've only done two articles so far, and I'm already having a better time than any other fashion week I've gone to.

So I guess the points I'm trying to make are...

Show up.

Don't ever rest on your laurels.

Do the things you love.

Persevere, no matter how difficult the situation might be.

People are never as scary as you think they're going to be, so there's no need to be an awkward weirdo.

And most importantly, be true to yourself. Don't spend years trying to master baseball if your actual talent is playing the piano.

One thing that Michael Hainey said tonight was that the GQ team goes to every fashion show and every appointment when they come to Europe. The reason? Jim Moore (GQ's Creative Director) says that you never know when you're going to see something special, and that it's a matter of respect for these people who are working incredibly hard to build a brand in this difficult business.

I love that. They're the biggest men's magazine on the planet, and they could act like divas any day of the week and people would still bend over backwards for them. But they don't, because they've got respect.

Brilliant.

Oh, and in case anybody is interested in what I'm wearing… Jacket — James Loft; sweater — La Paz; shirt — Brooks Brothers Black Fleece; pants — Little Brother (from the winter season I designed that never got made); boots — Red Wing for J. Crew.

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#2459 Good Question — To break up or not break up?

January 13, 2014, 6:14 am
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Johnny Depp and Winona Ryder.

Anon asks: Hi Isaac! Always loved your advice and would like your opinion on a problem of mine: I'm seeing this girl and have been doing so for a while. She is great and all and I love hanging out with her, but I don't feel that I'm IN love with her. I'm afraid that I won't develop these feelings either, but one never knows. Should I just go with the flow and see what happens, or should I break the whole things off to spare her the trouble of seeing a guy who doesn't really love her?

First up, a quick disclaimer: Yes I'm still in Milan, yes I'm still going to the shows, yes I'm flying to Paris tomorrow, and yes I need a break from writing about god damn fashion for a minute, so a Good Question seemed like a welcome respite. Okay, so: I think this is a situation that most of us have been on both sides of over the years; it's difficult if you're the one who's not in love, but it's straight up heartbreaking if you're the one whose feelings aren't being returned.

Sure, you could go with the flow and see what happens, but you've already said that you're afraid you won't develop those feelings, which suggests to me that you definitely won't develop those feelings. I always think people know very quickly whether or not they're going to fall in love, and that's why I never understood dating someone for months and not calling it an exclusive relationship — if you know, you know. (Americans have a habit of inventing strange phenomenons, and the whole dating system is one of the weirdest.)

Here's the thing — we humans have this crazy trigger where if we like someone and they're a little bit aloof with us, it makes us crave their affections all the more. On the flip side, if we like someone but they're obsessed with us, it makes us feel the need to pull away, thus exacerbating the first situation. You run the risk of causing this double edged sword to occur, and hurting her a huge amount if she gets sucked into the whole psychological game that often happens where unrequited love is concerned.

You don't wanna be that jerk who strung someone along for months — or even years — giving them false hope by way of avoiding short term discomfort, so my advice is to be honest but kind. Tell her that you love spending time with her, but after knowing her for x amount of time, you've come to the conclusion that the love relationship has gone as far as it's going to go, and bow out gracefully. Don't expect her to be pleased, don't expect her to enjoy being dumped, and don't expect her to want to be your friend straight away.

And above all, don't then keep her on as a friend with benefits — you know, because the sex was great — be a good guy and cut things off cleanly, give her a chance to get over it, and then hopefully you two can be friends.

And who knows? Maybe she was feeling exactly the same way about you, so this will save her the awkwardness of having to call things off with you.

It remains to be seen. Good luck, my friend!

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#2460 Designer Sweats, Elaborate Sets, And KISS On The Catwalk — The Fashion Week That Was In Milan

January 14, 2014, 7:34 am
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KISS makeup backstage at John Varvatos. Photos: Sonny Vandevelde

Fashion week regulars have a love/hate relationship with celebrities, punctuated by a considerable amount of eye-rolling at the distracting — not to mention delaying — effect their presence has on shows, coupled with a tendency towards sneaky iPhone pics taken when their colleagues aren't looking. But even the most stoic of industry insiders couldn't help but be moved when American rock legends KISS took to the catwalk at the finale of the John Varvatos show on Saturday, the first day of the Milan menswear week. The sight of their signature make up (and Mr Simmons' extended tongue) had editors and buyers alike on their feet snapping photos with the ferocity of paparazzi in West Hollywood.

It was a fashion week filled with arresting visual images, live musical performances and curiosity over absent designers (aka Jil Sander), and it was most definitely the season of the sweatshirt. Designer sweats are no new thing, but this week proved they're still very much of the moment, either as entry-level product categories that can quickly become feverishly collectible, or as blatant branding opportunities for designers who are not afraid to wear their hearts on their chests.

Calvin Klein's show on Sunday featured much of the construction-worker-chic look that designer Italo Zuccheli does so well, with a multitude of layers up top suggesting burly chests and arms enlarged by physical labour. His sweatshirts, which were oversized through the torso, came in three varieties, each featuring one word: OBSESSION, ESCAPE, and ETERNITY, which you will no doubt recognise as the names of top-selling Calvin Klein perfumes. Gucci's sweaters came in a couple of varieties — shearling with giant leather pockets on the breast, and classic crews with zip-off sleeves. And cult up and coming brand MSGM's versions were emblazoned with slogans such as TRUTH BEAUTY, handwritten love notes, and paint splattered images of pretty young boys.

Speaking of pretty young boys (emphasis on the young) — the catwalks were full of them. It's been several years since a shift in model aesthetics occurred, but over the course of the week in Milan where anonymous stick-thin teens were particularly prevalent, shows like Etro and Missoni (both of whom used models of varying ages, ethnicities and facial hair styles) stood out for their interesting casting. Dolce & Gabbana opened with their usual crew of muscular campaign guys — Arthur Kulkov, Adam Senn, Noah Mills, et al — but caused a stir when 50 year old Tony Ward walked out with all the confidence of a prize bull. After watching a myriad expressionless teens filing back and forth throughout the week it was a thrill to see Ward peacock his way down the catwalk, winking at friends he saw in the crowd, and grooving for the photographers.

The Sicilian duo also put a lot of energy into their set, which was made to look like a medieval fortress filled with candle chandeliers, suits of armour, and portraits of valiant knights. Thom Browne built a multi-room labyrinth of libraries, each featuring a female model (clad in the new Moncler Gamme Bleu womenswear line) perched on a box, reading Shakespeare as the boys walked past. Prada coated its enormous show space in charcoal melange wool, and had pits beneath the catwalk for audience members, except one, which was inhabited by a live orchestra playing classical music which was cut with blaring songs by the German industrial metal band Rammstein. And on Monday, Canali's models walked to the sound of Ludovico Einaudi (grandson of the former Italian president) playing piano.

This is the age of Instagram, and catwalk moments with greater visual stimulation than a simple model in an outfit are more essential than ever before. It must be said that the lighting at many of the shows was not particularly iPhone friendly, but of course the balance must be struck between a real life moment and one captured and filtered for social media posterity.

But it was Stefano Pilati at Ermenegildo Zegna who created the largest multimedia spectacle, with a giant film projection (at least five metres tall and 15 metres across) playing at catwalk rear as the models walked. The film, which cut between images of cosmopolitan cities, multi-mirrored images of the catwalk show in progress, and outer-space exploration, was certainly visually arresting, if not somewhat jarring, and at times a tad distracting (when the models took their finale walk, I realized I hadn't noticed a few of the outfits walk).

Fashion highlights of the week included Serge Girardi's louche styling at Salvatore Ferragamo; the heavy-soled Doc Marten-esque leather lace-ups at Emporio Armani; the fur coats at Canali; the entire Z Zegna collection, which offered high buttoning double and single breasted suits, plus oversized coats and some amazing colour combinations; and the Prada square-toed high heels worn by the girls in the show, which will no doubt cause an enormous sensation when they drop next Fall.

Well that's all from Milan, folks, I'm currently on the Malpensa Express to the airport to fly to Paris. Abientot!


Louche styling by Serge Girardi at Salvatore Ferragamo.


Calvin Klein's perfume inspired sweatshirts.


Prada's square toed high heels.


Brilliant heavy soled leather lace-ups at Emporio Armani.


Gucci's sweatshirts.


Canali's fur.


Dolce & Gabbana's valiant knights.

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