GQ gets a strong first look at the forthcoming Autumn/Winter 2012 collection from the McNairy mafia. Iranian-American, Hooman Majd, pulls modeling duties on garments that mix one of my favorite McNairy sigs- camo – with an openess to try anything. The collection is the usual wake-up array of prints that resist the market’s pushes. The cow patch on the trousers, my friend…. we dare you to get in there.

More looks in our gallery…

With almost nothing to do with menswear, we share the news that the much loved, loathed beauty names Lana Del Rey get the cover not for T Magazine’s Spring Women’s Fashion issue – out February 19th. The singer looks as good as we have seen her in this most natural of looks. Thank you for that, T Mag. Oh, and Terry Richardson shot the debutante styled looks.

And, Lana, keep smiling. A tough show will always make you stronger.

Bigger looks in our gallery…

Now available at Por Vocação is this new twist on Maison Martin Margiela’s Replica sneaker (itself a riff on the classic Adidas Samba). We definitely like what’s going on here: woven canvas fabric with lots of pixel squares washing over the toe, giving the impression that you’ve kicked in a flatscreen and pulled back digital remnants. Bonus: you can wear these without laces, thanks to some stabilizing straps on the tongue. Other than that, what more can we say? These gems speak pretty well for themselves.

More looks in our gallery…

The Richard Chai/Filson affair was front and center this morning at Richard Chai’s Autumn/Winter 2012 runway show, part of New York Fashion Week, and not just in accessories (as mentioned earlier in the week, Chai is now creative director of Filson). Fabrics and textiles used throughout Chai’s collection look to be sourced from Filson’s own archive and fashioned in a manner that really does hint as a merging of two styles: the boxy fits – standards in the Filson collection – make their presence on the runway along with more tailored long coats. The inspiration as noted is Richard Chai “in the wood.” It certainly looks to be the case in a positive manner.

Photography: Selectism.com

More looks in our gallery…

On our (longish) list of hang-ups: scrunched down socks. The appearance of such socks is not a bad thing, per se, but the sight of socks bunched up around the ankles reminds of the awful feeling of socks with crap elastic. “Quitters,” we call them, and we want to burn them. This is not to rain on Micah Cohen’s parade or anything—he’s been experimenting with such socks at least as far back as 2010—but his new collection does boast some sock-play that freaks us out.

What wins out over our squeamishness, however, is Cohen’s impeccable combination of comfy and classic. Here you’ll find what look like sweatpant/wool trouser hybrids alongside some more straightforward pants, shirts, vests and coats. These are clothes that look reserved at first glance but, upon examination, reveal all sorts of interesting ideas—like a baseball tee/henley mashup under a sweet plaid wool vest. Take a long look, for nothing is quite as it seems—except for those damn socks.

More looks in our gallery…

For their Autumn/Winter 2012 collection, Native Son has teamed with Raleigh Denim in order to find perfect balance in “its ability to reference the past, exist in the present and look forward to the future.” As for the near future, the two companies will spend the next four seasons developing products that hew to the culture and manufacturing integrity of denim in the 1880s. From these looks it seems like there’s a pair of jeans to suit most every taste from slim to tapered to carpenter. With all these options, we’re not sure why the model is so distraught.

More looks in our gallery…

Not sure how we missed these on release but a heads up from Arkitip was most welcome. Peter Mendelsund designed editions of classic Franz Kafka works. Mendelsund, art director at Pantheon Books, part of Knopf Publishing, had always hoped to design covers for Kafka novels and talks extensively on his website about the ideas and decisions behind the bold imagery he carries through the set. Under the Schocken Books header, another Knopf off-shoot, he manages to distill key themes running through the son of Prague’s work, into beautiful, deceptively simple designs.

“Whenever I’m asked (and I’m asked with some frequency) which authors I’d most like to design jackets for, I always say Kafka ..There’s just something about Kafka- and this something is so very hard to pin down.” Find them at Amazon.

From Axl Rose to AC/DC, Metallica to The Rolling Stones, Converse has made a name for itself by joining forces and creating distinct shoes with some of the biggest and most innovative musical groups in the past few decades. For 2012, Converse has teamed up with the virtually based but very real and very famous Gorillaz, to celebrate the 10th anniversary of their self-titled debut album, and the release of the Converse signature, ‘Three Artists. One Song’ – an original track titled ‘Do Ya Thing’ featuring Gorillaz, James Murphy and Andre 3000 of OutKast.

Releasing on February 23rd are four unique design concepts, which combine the iconic Chuck Taylor All Star silhouette with the award-winning designs of Gorillaz co-creator, Jamie Hewlett. Each exclusive design incorporates elements from their groundbreaking artwork creating a distinctive collection inspired by the band.

The collection features military inspired camouflage print, taken from the cover of their self-titled debut, a black/brown canvas hi-top in the same military vein, and others with a collage of images from their album artwork created specifically for this collaboration.

For those in the London area on February 15th, the Gorillaz Sound System will play at the legendary 100 Club in London to celebrate the collection and upcoming release of ‘Do Ya Thing.’ Please visit www.converse.co.uk or www.gorillaz.com for more details and ticket info.

The free track will be available for download at www.facebook.com/converse on February 23, 2012 with a video releasing on the 29th.

- Joy Yoon

More looks in our gallery…

Complex sat down with Stones Throw Records founder Peanut Butter Wolf to talk new J Dilla Releases. In the six years since his death the complications surrounding his estate have left fans frustrated at the prospect of unheard tunes locked away forever. Word has is it these issues may be on the verge of being resolved but we pass you over to the guys in the know for some interesting insights into Dilla’s work, life and junk food based titles.

“Dilla’s beat tapes always had these great titles, named after unhealthy food that he wasn’t allowed to eat. The doctors would always tell him that he couldn’t have Burger King, he couldn’t eat this, he couldn’t eat that. So he always named his beat tapes based around that. He had one that was really great that’s still unreleased called The Pizza Man—and we always wanted to do something with it…” Read more over at Complex.

Image – Raph Rashid

Click for more

Cards on the table. The first time we saw this our immediate thought was ‘finally, something to wear at the Carlton Banks Wine mixer’. Whether or not Nigel Cabourn intended this to be a classic piece of 90s Bel-Air prepwear has yet to be revealed, either way it works very nicely.

100% cotton, Made in Japan, it features a hidden button down collar. Nigel Cabourn does quietly cool touches like a pro and we appreciate it. The Front placket steers this away from the traditional Oxford a little and we’re told that each shirt will have an individual stripe pattern depending on where scissor hit cloth. All that is needed is some pastel sweater action to throw over your shoulders. Delightful. Hit Superdenim for yours.