Spar delivers a very interesting take on the portable iPad/iPod speaker with their ZEPHYR wireless speaker. The ZEPHYR even acts as a speaker phone when calls come in. A clean design reminiscent of other bluetooth speakers on the market, but with more functionality.

We first previewed the Lavenham A/W 2011 collection during winter (capsule) Paris this year. Today, we take another look at the collection of outerwear, in stores now. The iconic quilted look from the brand continues with new materials and textiles that add sheen in that Italo-mountaineering way. They bring warmth but consider some laying with your Lavenham. The collection is vast so spend some time exploring.

More looks after the click.

We’re suckers for a bit of collar detail. Taylor Stitch give us this blue box check shirt with an English cut spread collar. All the Taylor Stitch features you’d expect from these guys are present: double stitched button holes, french seams, collar bones and a whole host of other bits n’ pieces that elevate these shirts above the usual offerings.

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What better place to store your pocket watch and iPhone. Rising Sun introduce us to their Gent Waistcoat. Crafted from the finest wabash dot print canvas, the waistcoat features selvedge details, a buckle-back and a range of pockets suitable for the hunting of game and the storing of smartphones. As they tell us “this may be a vintage inspired piece but we consider your technological needs.”

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Did you ever think bedding would become such a big deal in the world of menswear? If you’ve never really cared about what keeps you warm when you put your head down then let this new generation of manly camping trip/hunting expedition blankets lure you into homewares. The guys at Best Made Co. are particularly proud of their collaboration with Pendleton Woolen Mills. “Nothing is more requisite and elemental to the home than a splendid red wool blanket, but please take our word: you’ll be hard pressed to find a red wool blanket these days, let alone one that compares to the rank and splendor of a Best Made Famous Red.”

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Singer, songwriter and Londoner Tom the Lion is big of hair and equally gifted in the talent department. This 24 year old writes records and produces all his own music and has just released this rather impressive box set album.

A screenprinted wooden box with brass clasp, illustration by Konstantinos Gargaletsos, contains two cds – his album and a selection of live sessions as well as lyric sheet and images. CR blog gives us a closer look at this beautifully designed collectors piece. Available at Rough Trade.

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A nice Shetland number from JW Anderson’s Autumn/Winter 2011 collection. A heavier piece of knitwear for the upcoming chill over at Oki-ni, if you’ve already made a promise to yourself to never wear salmon then you’re missing out. That perfect meeting of pink and orange is what makes this piece. 100% wool, ribbed cuffs and hems with two waist pockets; this is the more ‘designed for comfort’ side of JW’s work. We like it.

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01. Report: Man buys used Chrysler minivan from Thrifty, finds $500K in cocaine

“Mercury News reports that Charles Preston, a doctor in Santa Clara, California, purchased a used 2008 Chrysler Town & Country from a Thrifty rental car office and got much more than his $14,000 paid for. After about 15 months with the minivan, Preston brought the van to a local shop to get the brakes worked on. The mechanic offered to take a look at why the windows wouldn’t roll down, and the solution presented itself in the form of $500,000 in cocaine wrapped in purple cellophane.” (autoblog)

02. Intelligentsia’s Geoff Watts (Coffee)

“As the vice president of coffee for Intelligentsia and a green coffee buyer, Geoff Watts travels the world searching for the best beans, working to build relationships with the farmers that have helped make Intelligentsia a leader in the specialty coffee industry. We recently met with Watts in Los Angeles during their three-day Extraordinary Coffee Workshop (ECW), where we talked to the coffee guru about his tenure with the brand and the journey to select the best beans from around the world.” (coolhunting)

03. More “Design Story” Videos: Nikon Shows Us CoolPix Designer

“Here’s another design video with commercial intentions, this one a bit more interesting in that it appears largely unscripted (save for one part, see below) and focuses more on the designer than the product. It’s a Nikon-produced spot looking at industrial designer Chikara Fujita, the 26-year-old behind the CoolPix P300, which has won both Good Design and iF Design awards.” (core77)

04. A New Look at Marilyn Monroe (above)

“Curated by Etheleen Staley of the Staley-Wise Gallery, many of the 62 photos — by Milton Greene, Bruno Bernard, George Barris, Sam Shaw, Richard Miller and Ben Ross, among others — are iconic, including the career-changer by Philippe Halsman that landed on the cover of Life magazine’s April 7, 1952 issue with the headline “The Talk of Hollywood.” But there are also some rare gems; for example, an unpublished shot of Monroe in a black backless Dior gown from “The Last Sitting,” Bert Stern’s famous shoot for Vogue magazine at the Hotel Bel-Air in 1962, just six weeks before Monroe’s death.”(wwd)

We’ve always had a soft spot for illustrators, so this book, Illustrators Unlimited, was always going to pique our interest. Presenting the work of several illustrators, the book showcases everyone from up and comers to established artists, giving an overview of the illustration world today. And, most importantly, it’s full of pretty pictures. Published by Gestalten in Berlin, Germany.. Available from Amazon.

Take a leap to see some of the work featured.

Want a nice coin case-y type wallet but don’t want a CDG one? Look no further. This Head Porter wallet is slightly more expensive than the CDG equivalent but it’s still affordable and, most importantly, you’re less likely to run into someone with the same wallet as you. Unless you’re planning to go to a fashion event – in which case no one will see your wallet as you’ll be drinking free beer all night. (End)