Walking around at Pitti Immagine Uomo it was hard to see something new. You get used to styles, images and qualities. There was only one brand that really blew my mind. Ten C, The Emperors New Clothes. Its a brand designed by Alessandro Pungetti and Paul Harvey and is made exclusively in Italy. They have only seven jackets in one fabric. The outside fabric comes from the car industry and is used for rooftops. It’s an amazing rock-solid fabric that will last for ever. ‘Tank-like’ like Selectism is putting it. For the inside they have different linings, varying from shearling wool to quilt, to keep you cool during the summer and warm during the winter.
‘These timeless and iconic jackets are created to live and age with you, and the incredible Japanese jersey will, with time, mould itself almost imperceptibly to you. It will become part of your life’s story like the dented wristwatch from when the Bungy broke and would have broken your arm had you not being wearing that watch. The tent that wears the scars of every event it has ever been to with you. That pair of jeans you just cannot throw away. They will become exclusively yours.’
It’s truly next level in quality and style. Keep an eye out for it.

Sweden based branding & communication company Blixt & Dunder  launched their third autonomous project called Kniven. After a limited edition bow-tie and an iPhone app they’ve just released this beautiful hand made pocketknife with a weatherproof rosewood handle, broad, curved blade and decorative brass ornament and rivets. Kniven is a classic nautical knife, made by the German manufacturer Otter-Messer for Blixt & Dunder in a limited run of just 60 knives.

My favorite accessories brand Travelteq teamed up with Tenue de Nîmes to create this limited edition Laptop Bag. Hand made in Italy from Florentine Vacchetta leather combined with a characteristic Japanese selvage Chambray the bag contains 8 compartments of which 3 zipped, plus one for a cigar and one for your 15″ laptop. This collaboration is limited to 50 pieces, all produced at the Travelteq factory in Tuscany, Italy, and available here >
This august I was fortunate enough to visit this lovely small factory and shoot these images for the ‘Made in Europe issue of Journal de Nîmes.

Jon Beacham, letterpress printmaker and initiator of The Hermitage, a very specific space/shop in Beacon, New York (upstate) from 2007 till 2009 (featured in T-Magazine end 2009), started ‘The Brother in Elysium’, a studio in Brooklyn fully focused on printing letterpress. An old street level garage turned into this amazing place packed with old and still working letterpress tools. I always dreamed of having a place like that, doing the real deal when it comes to printing and typography. When you’re around make sure to visit ‘The Brother in Elysium’ and enjoy the Letterpress, Editions & Publications by Jon Beacham, 222 Roebling St. Brooklyn NY 11211.

Napoli isn’t Napoli if you didn’t visit a classic tailor. Invited by one of the best I found my way thru the narrow streets to a small square, ringing the bell of the house of Gino Cimmino. Gino welcomes me in a few words of English and a warming smile. A two room apartment with a small entrance is the heart of ‘Abiti Sartoriali Maschili Su Misura’, men’s custom tailored suit. The first room is the fitting room with rows of fabric samples hanging down the walls between a few yellowed images of past style icons. The second room is the tailor room. Here, all the Gino Cimmino suits are made end send out to customers around the globe. Gino Cimmino started at the age of 14 at one of Naples’ tailors as his apprentice. When he turned 23 he decided to start on his own, and since than establish himself among the great couturiers of Naples. It’s inspiring to see a craftsman working in this sober workshop 3 stores high somewhere in the centre of Napoli. Enjoy the pictures (more images here), and if you’re around make sure to get a proper suit tailored by Sartoria di Gino Cimmino.

Por Vocação shot this nice video from the Buttero family, the leather craftsman from Tuscany. Founded in 1974 by Mauro Sani, who set out to make the best riding boots in the world, Buttero remains owned and run by the Sani family and is hand made by the gifted craftsmen of Stabbia, Italy, with simple, honest and local ingredients.

While looking a little into the local businesses in Napoli, some orientation for next week, I found this new collaboration by Monocle: Salvatore Piccolo X Monocle Shirts. A beautiful ready to wear light blue cotton canvas and crispy striped shirt with collar and cuffs stitched directly onto the tissue. The must have in every man’s wardrobe.

Mark Robinson from The 189 just shared this amazing video. It’s the trailer for a short film titled ‘Charlotte’ about  an extraordinary boatyard, the Gannon & Benjamin Marine Railway, located on the island of Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. Ross Gannon and Nat Benjamin established the boatyard in 1980 with the purpose of designing, building, and maintaining traditionally built wooden boats, and in the process they transformed Vineyard Haven harbor into a mecca for wooden boat owners and enthusiasts.  After a long career of designing and constructing boats for others, Nat embarks on building a 50 foot gaff rigged schooner for use by his family and friends — her name is Charlotte. A beautiful documentary about tradition, craftsmanship and the love of the sea, directed and produced by Jeffrey Kusama-Hinte.

Last week I enjoyed a little trip to Lucca, Italy, to visit the leather workshop where the TravelTeq bags are made. A beautiful little space with 7 craftsman working every day to make one of the best bags in the world. In the upcoming Journal de Nîmes we will publish the complete story but I couldn’t wait to give you a sneak peak, along with the freshly launched iPad 2 case by TravelTeq.

Last week the Amsterdam based textile designer Nanna van Blaaderen opened an exhibition at Droog. Amazing textile designs, wonderful sculptural knits, as gentle to the skin as they are to the environment she develops textiles that integrate comfort, elegance, quality and sustainability.
Be sure to visit ‘Species. A Tribute’ at Droog, Staalstraat 7a, Amsterdam. Open Saturday June 18 to Thursday June 30 (closed on Sundays and Mondays, open at Tuesday- Saturday 12 – 5 pm)

“The potential of this discipline to create textures, structures and shapes in various materials, seems infinite.”

Last year Tenue de Nîmes was invited to New Castle by Nigel Cabourn. He wanted to share a sneak preview with us of his 2011 Spring Summer collection. He told us about his search for old designs, materials and fabrics. He shared some of his most bizarre finds with us and told us about his quest to put these finds in a contemporary, Nigel Cabourn perspective. This search for a perspective led him to this season’s theme: The Submarine. This is how Nigel created a naval season with a true Cabourn touch. We were honored to get such an outstanding introduction to the collection. In Tenue de Nîmes’ opinion this short interview shines an extra light on the extraordinary SS11 collection by Nigel Cabourn. Enjoy the show and get Nigel Cabourn’s collection here.
And check some more some pictures we’ve shot over here >

Today I found myself wandering around in the early morning breeze and light rain on an old shipyard, specialized in creating and repairing old Botters, the authentic Dutch sailing fishing vessels. Behind the beautiful facade of the old village of Spakenburg, an almost lost world of real craftsmanship is hidden.
Last year, my friends at Lee gave all the shipwrights a pair of unwashed jeans. One year later, a few pairs haven’t survived the hard work and though conditions, but a few aged like hell. Under a thick layer of oil, tar and paint, and patched together with extra ruler pockets the denim was hardly recognizable and almost look like waxed jeans. A beautiful setting for this original workwear. Enjoy the bigger picture on our Flickr page.