I don’t think I have personally posted anything made of chambray… but here goes.

Universal Works Bakers Jacket undoubtedly falls into the “workwear” category. After all, it has antecedents elbow deep in dough. That said, it’s a nice nod to an often under appreciated trade (at least when fashion is concerned). I could harp on about the inherent quality of workwear, but that is beside the point. This is an attractive piece, with simple useful details… for instance, the double slot pocket. (glass boutique).

Full images of the Universal Works Bakers Jacket after the jump.

Forgive us, we’re currently in the middle of a spring duffle binge. After showing you that Soulland version yesterday, here’s a Margaret Howell version (from her MHL diffusion line) to further whet your appetites. The MHL collection had a great duffle last season, but it was on available in a pretty boring dark charcoal shade. We’re much more partial to this natural colour, aside from just being handsome, it also neatly helps people avoid that ‘indigo jumpsuit’ look – an unfortunate side effect of wearing a navy coat with indigo denim. (Margaret Howell)

Take a leap to see another shot of this coat.

01. The History of the Honey Trap

“MI5 is worried about sex. In a 14-page document distributed last year to hundreds of British banks, businesses, and financial institutions, titled ‘The Threat from Chinese Espionage,’ the famed British security service described a wide-ranging Chinese effort to blackmail Western businesspeople over sexual relationships…” (kottke>foreignpolicy)

02. AOL Partners With Celebrity Chefs To Launch Recipe And Foodie Site KitchenDaily

“AOL has recruited a few celebrity chefs and foodies; including Curtis Stone, Food & Wine’s Gail Simmons, and Marcus Samuelsson; and the famed Culinary Institute of America to launch food website KitchenDaily. Similar to Epicurious, AllRecipes, or FoodNetwork.com, KitchenDaily features a recipe database of meals that have been tested by top chefs, food magazine and cookbook publishers.” (techcrunch)

03. TorZo Sustainable Surfaces

“That’s sugarcane, pressed together with an inert, non-hazardous acrylic polymer and rendered into Tiikeri, a material from Oregon-based TorZo Sustainable Surfaces. There’s no formaldehyde used in the lamination and sugarcane is fast-growing, making this a rapidly renewable material. It can also be worked with standard machining tools and it’s highly durable, meaning it can be used in place of wood or plywood, saving on trees. As for the aesthetics, you either like it or you don’t, but it’s good to know it’s out there as an option.” (core77)

04. The Banyan Treehouse by Rockefeller Partners Architects (above)

“Located on a high eastern-facing ridge with views downtown Los Angeles in the distance, the Banyan Treehouse is a diminutive art studio and sanctuary.  Rockefeller Partners was originally commissioned by this client to design a house that was ultimately never realized.  Working together once again on this project, architect and client were able to revisit some of the design elements that they had originally explored in a different context, such as the striking butterfly roofline.” (contemporist)

We’ve got some information on two special pairs of Levi’s 501XX coming in July. They’ll pull from  two vintage finds from the Levi’s archive – the “Spur Bites” and the “Barnyard” (both purchased by the Levi’s archive brand back in 1997 and 1998 respectively) . A good deal of facts are known on both pairs. First and foremost they were both assembled at the Amoskeag Manufacturing Company in Manchester, New Hampshire from 9oz denim sometime between 1890 and 1901. They’re names come from clues on the denim themselves.

So what can we expect? We’re assuming some patchwork vintage look as present on the original pairs. We’re also told Denimtech in Los Angeles will be working on these for Levi’s. We hope to have some photos soon.

For now some more looks at the Levi’s 501XX Spur Bites and Barnyard Jeans after the click.

I tend to shy away from the white bands but this Seamaster Ploprof from Omega has me thinking about a timepiece binge.

“This year OMEGA presents its white version of the Ploprof. It has all of the features professional divers have come to expect from OMEGA: a white bi-directional locking bezel with chrome-coated Arabic numerals, an automatic helium escape valve and water resistance to 1200 metres (4000 feet, 120 bar). The watch, with its timeless white bezel and dial, is presented with either a white rubber strap or a brushed mesh ‘Sharkproof’ bracelet… The Ploprof’s case cannot be mistaken for that of any other watch: the screwed-in crown is located at 9 o’clock under a protective buffer. Its unique positioning allows freer wrist movement and prevents any inadvertent manipulation.”

Simply bonkersand shown at Baselworld. (timezone)

More looks at the Omega Seamaster Ploprof 1200M White Dial Diver Watch after the click.

Fashionisto talks up the Cav-000 Spring 2010 collection. “The latest collection from Cav-000 is not necessarily provocative, but there is an element about its laid-back style that exudes a refined sense of carelessness. From semi-fitted monochromatic looks that revel in casualness to the modern suit that exhibits great youthfulness, Cav-000 achieves the perfect balance of style, practicality and relevance.”

More looks from the Cav-000 Spring 2010 collection after the click.

Our friends at Generic Surplus rework their white mesh shoe for Ace Hotel by dipping them into some new colors. Grey and Navy versions of their classic are now available through the Generic Surplus online shop. Here’s how Ace puts it, “This spring, we’re re-introducing these very coveted kicks in new colorways, and with all the same great elements as the original. The classic low-top laced plimsoll silhouette has been re-imagined with a mesh upper made of quick-drying canvas that keeps your feet cool and dry. The vulcanized non-slip sole is perfect for poolside cocktail mingling on a Sunday afternoon.” On another note, is that a Rega turntable?

More looks at the Generic Surplus for Ace Hotel Grey and Navy Mesh Shoes after the click.

Get all lax with your footwear. Steven Alan takes stock of these n.d.c espadrille bottomed canvas kickers. “The brain child of footwear veterans Arnaud Zannier and Enrique Corbi; n.d.c brings simplicity, quality, originality and construction to all their shoes.” 250$US a pair or find some clones being sold on the streets of Barbados. Avaiable in Navy or Natural.

More looks at the n.d.c. Maxim Cotton Lace-up Shoes after the click.

The Civil Rights movement is subject of an exciting new exhibition at the International Center of Photography.

From the ICP -

A new exhibition at the International Center of Photography will offer an innovative view of the Civil Rights Movement and the catalytic social role played by changing portrayals of African Americans in the 1950s and ‘60s. Through a rich juxtaposition of visual images—including photographs, television and film clips, magazines, newspapers, books, pamphlets and posters—the exhibition shows how strategic interventions in these mediums of visual culture helped to transform prevailing attitudes toward race in America. The exhibition, organized by guest curator Maurice Berger, is titled For All The World To See: Visual Culture and the Struggle for Civil Rights, and will be on view from May 21 to September 12, 2010.

In addition to the exhibition, the ICP will publish a fully illustrated book by Berger with text by Thulani Davis. Most exciting, from my perspective, is that the book will also launch in digital form in conjunction with the opening of the exhibition (www.foralltheworldtosee.org).

Above: Ernest C. Withers, Sanitation Workers Assemble in Front of Clayborn Temple for a Solidarity March, Memphis, TN, March 28, 1968. © Ernest C. Withers, Courtesy Panopticon Gallery, Boston, MA, Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.

(via curated).

Style Salvage is spending some time with the Grenson line from England. “Grenson Shoes have been one of England’s master shoemakers since 1866. Manufactured from the highest quality leather, they are assembled in traditional shoe making styles making them both comfortable and stylish. Along with the well documented fact that they use Goodyear welting, one of the things that really sets this brand apart from other manufacturers is the finishing of the shoes. Over the coming weeks I am going to return to this exciting brand with more focus but for the benefits of this post I want to highlight just a few of the things that caught my eye and captured my shoeist imagination during my showroom visit…”