SEBAGO Shoes (USA)

For more than 60 years, the New England-based shoe maker Sebago has been building their reputation for handsewn construction, fine detail, and all-American style. First selling only classic handsewn penny loafers, Sebago now offers all kinds of shoes we love -- from Docksides (their iconic version of the boat shoe) to tasseled loafers to even stylish high-tops -- while still keeping their traditional “up east” aesthetic and quality.
Like so many good things, Sebago has been acquired by a larger company, joining the huge Wolverine World Wide Inc. in 2005.

• Sebago Sussex Tassel Loafer
For a little dash of class and flair, slip into this. The handsewn, positive fit, genuine moccasin construction, the three-quarter leather sock lining, the forefoot EVA cushion, and the Littleway Stitched Vribram rubber slip-resistant sole -- this tasseled loafer is textbook shoe craftsmanship.
• Sebago Salem Oxford
It's not every day you find a work-appropriate shoe that's also kind to your foot. That's why this Sebago laced-up oxford deserves a spot in your repertoire. The full length leather-covered footbed sits atop a Vibram rubber Pluribal slip-resistant sole that lets you stride in total comfort and confidence.

The Sebago Cayman flat strap penny loafers and signature Fedora worn by pop icon, Michael Jackson at his ground breaking Madison Square Garden concert in September 2001 was sold at auction on December 16, 2009. The shoes that are each inscribed with the words 'Rock My World Billie Jean' on the sole went under the hammer at Bonham’s Auction House in London. After a fierce bidding war, the lot went for a staggering sum of US$37,343 to an unknown bidder.


Taking timeless classics to a timely revamp, Sebago has been partnering up with influential trendsetters -- French clothing/music collective Cool Cats, shoe designer Ronnie Fieg, graffiti artist STASH, among others -- for exciting collaborations.

Etc.

Can destiny be altered? Certainly -- at least according to this TVC created by Ponce Buenos Aires for Axe Deodorant in Argentina.
Entertaining till the end, with a wicked twist :-)

Happy Hari Raya Aidil Fitri

To our Muslim friends celebrating not only the end of the fast, but also faith, family and devotion, we wish you all Eid Mubarak.

P.S. We will be open as usual through the Hari Raya holidays, and our SALE continues! Drive safe during the break :-)

[Image: Blind Palestinian children read the Quran written in Braille code, Dec 2009, via Ebrahim Mahomed.]

UNDER.LIGNE by DOO.RI Seamed Dress with Leather

If you’re a fashion-savvy professional, we can just picture you strutting your stuff down the CBD in this stellar dress - and a little cropped jacket. Or you could lose the jacket (and add some sexy stilettos) to easily transition from work to play. Either way, when you're wearing this dapper, darling frock, the last thing you'll want to do is hide in the shadows -- its amazing leather and mesh insets and seaming detail -that conture the body- are just begging to be noticed! Little wonder this has become a best seller this season at under.ligne by doo.ri!
(RRP US$395)

TIMBERLAND BOOT COMPANY "COUNTERPANE" SERIES

Timberland Boot Company is the new premium, heritage brand from Timberland. Dedicated to exploring the authentic values in work wear, TBC makes hand-crafted shoes and vintaged denim that combine the best traditions of mass manufacture with earlier ideals of craftsmanship. Production and marketing for TBC is unique and distinct from the parent group. Also, TBC is not carried in normal Timberland shops (except the one in east London), but rather retails in topline stores like Barneys NYC.
And as you can see here, Timberland Boot Company was the footwear of choice for American designer Richard Chai when he styled his Fall 2010 runway show.

Timberland Boot Company's "Counterpane" series is a minimalist and streamlined collection that emulates the practicality of the 1900s America at the dawn of a new age. The Industrial Revolution marked a change in how goods were made -- how craftsmen used their hands and tools; how new technology manufactured goods. Goods were affected by the elements, normal wear, repair and even adapted for new uses. This ethos -- along with attention to quality and thoughtful, one-of-a-kind aging touches -- has been absorbed into the Counterpane series, culminating in a range of simple yet elegant, classically stylish and durable shoes.
(RRP for TBC's high-end shoes starts at US$250.)

TIMBERLAND
Timberland's roots were planted in 1918, long before Nathan Swartz moved from a town near Chernobyl (in the former USSR) to the U.S.A. and bought a half share in a Massachusetts enterprise, the Abington Shoe Company. In 1973, the name “The Timberland Company” was formally adopted. (“Timberland” was originally the name of the company’s big-selling waterproof leather boot.)
Despite hitting some fashion hiccups along the way, Timberland has come back strong to being a successful integrated outdoor lifestyle brand. Timberland's recent collaborations with various high-profile tastemakers (Wyclef Jean, Opening Ceremony, 10.Deep, Stussy, Collete) have also served the company well, resulting in the rediscovery of this heritage brand by many style-conscious shoe and outdoor lovers.


Timberland may be old, well established and mature, but it’s wonderful to see that it still has a tremendous sense of creativity and humour. "We build things to last. Maybe we should start a bank." "One American institution that won't fall apart." Last year, Timberland launched a clever ad campaign that took a barbed prod at USA’s infamous banking sector and credit crunch, integrated beautifully with the Timberland promise.


Trivia: Many of Timberland's boots have rubber soles produced from reconstituted tyres -- being “green” is both a selling point as well as an ethical aspiration for the company.

*Also in-store: Timberland red boat shoes!

ZADIG & VOLTAIRE (Paris) Rem Printed Dress

Intellectual fashion brand Zadig & Voltaire, named with Enlightenment era philosophy in mind, was established in 1989 by Thierry Gillier, a Frenchman of fine fashion pedigree (his father was a founder of Lacoste).
Gillier’s aim was to create items that “look like street fashion at first glance”.
In other words, the label really specialises in that rumpled, flirty insouciance that those French rocker chicks seemingly do so well.
And Zadig & Voltaire is successful because it understands how these women (and their men) like to dress: easy, almost messy, yet very put-together.

At a glance, this printed shirtdress may just look pretty in an old-fashioned way, but a Zadig & Voltaire fan would know that it’s all about mixing. For instance, worn with a boyish jacket and studded leather ankle boots, and accessorised with mussed-up hair and just a dash of high-shine rose lipstick, this loose little number will help create a style that the fashion people equate with Parisian cool.
(RRP €248)

ELIZABETH AND JAMES "Harlow" Shirt

If you're looking for an efficient shirt that will fulfill the need of any pencil skirt or pair of trousers, here's your answer. Simple, sophisticated, and versatile, the silky Elizabeth and James "Harlow" shirt features ruching and button detail in the back.
Take it to work with a strong-shouldered blazer and sassy pumps.
Or wear with distressed denim and add a little hat for a look that will aid in any fashion emergency :-)
(RRP US$265)

SPERRY TOP-SIDERS Boat Shoes & Loafers

Long associated with quality and tradition, Sperry Top-Sider shoes have out-raced, out-cruised and out-fished any and all competitors, again and again, from 1935 to this very day. But because the waterscape of our planet is limited, so are the opportunities for wearers of Sperry footwear. Thankfully, more and more non-outdoor enthusiasts are discovering that Sperry Top-Sider can be a wonderful style choice for them, too.
Sperry's classic boat shoes and loafers still have the same preppy look that made them a must-have in the days when pleated khakis and oversized double-breasted blazers ruled the runway.
Yet at the same time, you can combine these shoes with a pale blue dress shirt (or a lightweight slim-cut suit, or shorts) with equal success.
With a buttoned-up yet unfussy aesthetic, Sperry Top-Sider boat shoes and loafers are timeless in their appeal -- to both sailors and landlubbers alike :-)


The limited edition Sperry Top-Sider archival collection -- released to celebrate the label's 75th anniversary -- features the original outsole founder Paul Sperry carved onto his sneaker to mimic the ingenious design of his cocker spaniel, Prince's paw.
Come and get yours from Whoop!


Paul Sperry charged US$4.50 a pair for the first boat shoe, demonstrating an early commitment to quality at a reasonable price tag.


In 1939, the U.S. Navy negotiated the right to manufacture Paul Sperry's shoes for its sailors, leading the Authentic Original model to become the official footwear of the U.S. Naval Academy's casual uniform, which continues to this day.


Even Robert Shaw and Richard Dreyfuss (sorry, faces not pictured here, you'll just have to trust us that those are their feet, hehe - or watch the movie!) relied on their trusty Sperry Top-Siders to battle the great white, in the 1975 horror classic "Jaws".


Collaborations with American-trad labels like Tommy Hilfiger, J.Crew, and Band of Outsiders continue to generate new fans around the world.

Etc.

It’s the day after! Need a lil’ pick-me-up? Meet Mr Memory, the cleverest pet goldfish ever, who swims his stuff in this ad for Drench Bottled Water in the UK. (It’s even funnier that the music blasting on the stereo is “Push it to the Limit”, a classic 80s song by Paul Engemann.)

The key message is that our brain is 75% water, so we need to keep hydrated (or, “Drenched”) in order to be able to keep our brains working at a 100% :-)
Meanwhile, Mr Memory may be a CGI, but Albert sure isn’t. Read about him here :-D

Happy Merdeka

Born of the vision of Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj, Tugu Negara (the National Monument) is the work of acclaimed Austrian-American sculptor Felix de Weldon (who also made the US Marine Corps Memorial a.k.a. the Iwo Jima Memorial in Arlington, Washington, USA).
As we celebrate this Merdeka, may we remember the unsung heroes of our nation's struggle for freedom during the wars and the Emergency.

[Image Credit: The bronze statues of Tugu Negara, by The Rat Man]

H&M Men's Underwear

Superheroes have invaded these underpants by Swedish chain H&M!
Aesthetically pleasing beyond words for the gents, or -- hehe, if you happen to be a supportive nerdy girlie -- such fun things to give your comic character-loving man :-)

VANESSA BRUNO Dress and Blouse

New from Parisian designer Vanessa Bruno!

• Vanessa Bruno Fluffy Silk Dress
With a cascading tailored shrug, reaped and draped shoulders, and a soft silk construction, this gorgeous Vanessa Bruno dress is pretty much a no-fail. Pair it with patent pumps, sassy stockings, and a light sprinkle of silver jewellery, and you will be the office beauty blazing fashion trails whilst breaking glass ceilings ;-)
(RRP €319)
• Vanessa Bruno Button-Catch Top
If ladylike, vintage-inspired items have always caught your eye, then you're probably daydreaming about this lovely blouse. This cotton/silk blend -- so pleasant to the touch! -- top is full of bookish charm, with a dainty ruffled stand-up collar and a half button-catch. Simply slip this on over jeans or a pencil skirt for a sweet and charming look that will have others taking note.
(RRP €209)
(Both garments available in other colours.)

New from MOSCOT (New York)

Ever since Hyman Moscot, who arrived in the USA from Eastern Europe via Ellis Island, began selling eyeglasses from a pushcart on Orchard Street in 1899, Moscot has been one of the most venerable names in New York eyewear. This family institution is now run by fourth-generation brothers, who continue to pay homage to the brand’s heritage and influences via eyeglasses collections that are oddly elegant, mildly moronic, slightly geriatric, and therefore totally awesome.

Moscot’s Lemtosh, Miltzen and Nebb are said to be the heart of the collections. Now available in very limited quantities!

• Moscot Lemtosh
Unisex. The round frame has a pleasant-all-around shape loved by many eyeglasses wearer.


It's hard to resist a Moscot Lemtosh-wearing bebeh.


• Moscot Miltzen
Unisex. This even rounder, full-view shape, eponymously named after a family uncle, is sleek, clean, and fastidious.


Bella and Rosalie both love Edward Cullen the Moscot Miltzen.


• Moscot Nebb
Unisex. This chunky, rectangular Henry Kissinger-esque style has stood the test of time and is reportedly by far the most popular frame in the Moscot Originals collection.
As seen on Fred Armisen (Saturday Night Live comedian/musician), Forest Whitaker, Justin Timberlake and Ted Danson.


Pick your Moscot and try it on and see. Trust us, people will come up to you and ask you about your eyewear ;-)
(Or if you don’t need glasses but love the frames, you can always have your optometrist turn them into sunglasses.)