L-R: Mark Batista, Craig Ford, Andrew Parfitt

Time flies. Seems like just yesterday we were rooting through the offerings on display at Jacket Required’s first ever showing in London town. Craig Ford, Mark Batista and Andrew Parfitt have been working hard to step things up for this second outing. The brand list, now well over double in size, is still a select line up of labels, both British and from furtherfield, all of which represent their ethos of  ”quality of brand, diversity of offering and uniqueness of experience”. Our previous coverage is worth another look if you are just aquainting yourself with Jacket Required.

We asked the guys to give us their take on last season’s happening and look to  Jacket Required Autumn/Winter 2012 kicking of this Sunday at new venue, Victoria House in Bloomsbury. Brands old and new include; The Superior Labor, Filson, Bedwin and the Heartbreakers, Universal Works, Garbstore, Human Made, Sanders and many more tasty names. We will be bringing you more on how it all panned out. For now, click on.

Images: Jacket required

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…

While it isn’t exactly Lou Reed taking Metallica by the hand, Richard Chai assuming the position of Creative Director at Filson presents a surprising pairing. We’re certainly not predicting a Lulu-esque fiasco, but we can easily picture a younger Reed stumbling confidently down the avenue in Chai’s breezy, androgynous creations. We can also picture James Hetfield pretending to be rugged in a pair of Filson’s hearty overalls. Here’s what Chai is saying: “Our partnership will be rooted in everyday wear—approachable with unexpected fabrications and details that are signature to my collections, all while staying true to the heritage of the Filson Brand.”

Bottom line: this should be interesting, so watch for a full showing this fall that includes a capsule collection of classic Filson jackets dipped in Chai. -jt

Photography: models.com

Now, when it comes to all things Filson, the borders become hazy in Europe. The Italian minds that hold the license (or agreement – we tend to not ask about these matters) do Filson somewhat differently than their parents back in Seattle. That is not to say that in any way one does things better than the others. In fact they do it similar but the touches and fits are the defining lines. With that said, we present a preview of the Filson Red and Black Label collections as presented, shown and quite possibly developed in Italy.

Photography: Luca Merli/Mensreverie.com/Selectism.com

View more looks in our gallery…

An umbrella is a strong gift for just about anyone in your  life: from your moms to your little niece. We should all be thankful for rain (in moderate quantities) but that is no reason to get wet. We select a short list of our favorite umbrellas – all perfect for the holidays. We fun the high and low of umbrellas here: from the moderate mini stowaways to a massive golf umbrella that could keep a family dry.

Read and see more umbrellas after the click.

The ACE Hotel Dopp Kit from Japan’s Porter may give the Filson travel dopp bag a run for its money. The sturdy canvas bag features three internal card pockets, a full sized zipper and room to stuff in the powders, shavers and toothpaste for your next jaunt through the minefields of travel. A leather inlay finished it nicely. Find it in the ACE online shop.

More looks after the click.

Thanks to Archival Clothing for pointing us in the direction of this Filson Japan lookbook entitled The Ballad of Portraits. A tongue in cheek celebration of the trend for all things ‘wilderness’ the rather creepy looking models show off some classic Filson garments including waxed parkas, bucket hats and tin cloth pants, whilst sporting a taxidermy sheen. More after the jump.

More look after the click.

Since 1897 Filson have been kitting out fans of outdoor pursuits in rugged goodness. From that day to this their slogan remains ‘We guarantee every item purchased from us. No more, no less. Your satisfaction is the sole purpose of our transaction.’ Words straight from Clinton C. Filson himself. Superdenim, who continue to stock their Black Label, cut and styled for the modern consumer, invite us behind the scenes of Filson’s Seattle factory and store. From Superdenim.

More looks after the click.

A nice shawl collar number from Filson Black Label. Made in Italy with 100% virgin wool, it features Filson embossed buttons, 3 exterior pockets and a rather neat pin stripe that elevates it to smarter levels. We’re not suggesting this as a blazer replacement but go ahead and shirt n’ tie this up, something good might just happen if you do. Present London has it.

More look after the click.

After several previews, we can give you a more detailed look at the new collaborative collection by Sebago and Filson. The collection features the sophisticated Filson Tin Cloth material mixed with Sebago’s high quality leather to create durable outerwear, accessories and footwear. Included in the collection are mid top and high top boots, a jacket, as well as a series of bags, which all stay true to the heritage of both brands. Look out for a release in stores in the near future.