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m_moria by Maurizio Altieri

Ever since its doors closed, followers of Carpe Diem have been anxious to see something new from its creator Maurizio Altieri. Their hunger has been fed slowly. In 2009 Altieri showed Avantindietro – a small collection of footwear and garments which followed the ethos of Carpe Diem and its sister labels in the sense of being, despite its minimalism, unlike anything else on the market. Fast forward another 2 years, and Altieri emerged with a follow up dubbed Avantindietro_Field, this time collaborating with Alessio Zero – the Italian designer behind Layer-0 – to produce a small collection of footwear using leather they had buried years earlier. This once again showcased Altieri’s devotion to making something entirely unique, even if it takes years of preparation.

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Mad et Len | In Search of Lost Scent

“The smell and taste of things remain poised a long time, like souls, ready to remind us, waiting and hoping for their moment, and the ruins of all the rest; and bear unfaltering, in the tiny and almost impalpable drop of their essence, the vast structure of recollection.” – Marcel Proust, Swann’s Way

I first saw Mad et Len candles at Pitti Uomo in Florence. I walked by, then did a double take, attracted by the black brushed iron cases. They were pointedly anti-luxury. I walked back and took a whiff of the Black Fig candle. Instant love. I examined the other scents. Incense. Tobacco. Amber. Leather. Pot-pourri made from lava rock. It has never occurred to me before to put the words “dark” and “scent” together. I made a mental note.

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Zam Barrett SS13

Spring-summer 2013 marks the fifth mens collection for New York based, Jamaican born designer Zam Barrett. Presented in Paris – handmade in the designers atelier in Brooklyn, the collection compiles wearable clothing with influences from tailored and work wear as well as military garments, and fabrics sourced from Barrett’s homeland as well as the US.