Yigal Azrouël’s Fall 2012 collection sets out with a more ‘rugged’ look in mind, well, it’s all relative – this still leans very much towards the refined. Plenty of military influences in outerwear: cold weather parkas, shearling leather jackets and peacoats all given Azrouël’s modern treatment. Slim fitting trousers meet wintry knitwear, crew necks layered over shirts always a reliable look, quilted sleeves add a bit of interest to jackets and if you like plaid/tartan then you got it in the form of cropped collar shirts.

“Inspired by work from contemporary photographers Mischa de Ridder & Marco Walker, whose work captures often forbidding landscapes and translates them into beautiful and modern images, the collection revolves around a modern color palette—deep blues, forest green and burgundy—and textual combinations—Japanese cotton and felted wool” A well rounded line up from the New York designer.

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March 16, 2012 sees the delivery of the first collaborative collection from UNIQLO and Undercover, two very well known Japanese labels that come together for a family style affair, as seen in their lookbook. We take a look at the individual garments in the collection that vary from styles leather jackets, plaid shirts, to straight leg casual trousers. This is a very different collection from the previous UNIQLO work with +J. From Undercover’s side, this collection is simply nothing like their work with Nike on Gyakusou. Let us know your thoughts on the collection. Available through all UNIQLO locations.

View looks at the styles from the forthcoming UNIQLO, Undercover collection for Spring/Summer 2012.

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We are gentleman, but are always a little wary of those seeking to make gentleman out of others via Drapery instruction manuals and novelty cufflinks. That being said, Bespoke Post’s “Box of Awesome”—a $45 subscription-based box of themed accoutrements designed to boost your gentlemanly quotient—isn’t the worst idea we’ve heard. “Box of Awesome” sounds a little more Maxim than GQ, but the surprises inside are a little more on-point. This month’s mailing is called “Alchemy” and includes a two-piece cocktail shaker, a strainer, a jigger, a barspoon, an ice-cue tray and some Angostrura bitters. -jt

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Gourmet delivers a new video series, “Icons & Derelict” with the first episode featuring ICON 4×4’s Jonathan Ward. ICON 4×4 is an aggressive little company that delivers some very high end takes on the utility trucks. The price of gas aside, these little ICON tanks are beautiful.

Simplicity is god. Or, in the case of Norse Projects’ collaboration with Pro-Keds: simplicity is Odin. Minimalism certainly wins out in their reworking the Royal Master sneaker. Here, NP delivers three colorways inspired by their Copenhagen environs: specifically the ocean, the beach and old town. Pigskin suede, a cork inner sole and leather lining make for a classic look and feel indeed. The aniline dyed leather heel tab is just a nice little touch on a solid understated piece of fancy footwear that we’d like to wear in the old town and on the beach; but not in the ocean. -jt

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EDWIN denim gets together with Yohji Yamamoto Inc. for the introduction of Yohji Jeans – a new collaborative line between the two Japanese brands. The signature Yohji line looks to be a production and distribution deal where the designer has licensed his name for the work. ”Naked” is the first collection from Yohji Jeans, “a metaphor for rebirth evoking the pureness of the line and the simplicity of the wardrobe.” Look for the collection to land in shops around June 2012.

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Some days we get worked up in a genuine tizzy over the surplus of clever font stuff perpetually oozing from the crevices in the Interweb. Other days we wish everything could just be left in American Typewriter. This collaboration between London design studio Johnson Banks and Ravensbourne, a digital media university in the U.K., doubles down on the zeitgeist obsession with typography by turning the alphabet into a series of conceptual sculptures. In that sense, perhaps they are tripling down. Whatever the numbers, the letters are interesting. The jumping off point for each piece is a font that beings with its parent letter (A is Akzidenz Grotesk, B is Bodoni, C is Courier …). We’re taken with E, F, J, L, S, and T. O gets an honorable mention for looking like a vaginal take on Superman’s house. - jt

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Our friends at Tenue de Nimes worked with one of Japan’s oldest denim makers, Big John, on a pair of natual indigo denim. The slim tapered fit of the Big John M1002 from 1967 made from a 14.5 oz jeans fabric gets a re-work for 2012. Using the bright blue “Ruri” color, the Big John x Tenue de Nimes denim also pays homage to 60’s Cone Mills with a yellow selvedge line.

24 total pairs of the denim have been produced. Available online now.

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Inspired by James Dean, the new Michael Bastian collection of eyewear for Randolph. Shot behind-the-scnes from Bastian’s Spring/Summer 2012 runway show.

A light jacket for Spring/Summer from Folk, complete with some of their trademark touches. “The Rousous jacket is a single breasted casual cotton jacket with a clean cut away collar detail.  The cotton fabric has a crinkle effect, which is created with a chemical finish. The two tone waist draw cords add a flash of colour and are finished at the end with embossed hand dipped pewter ends.” Available in Pewter or ‘Midnite‘.

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