Berlin, Autumn/Winter 2012 – The shows of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week are a good starting point to understand the fashion of next season. But not the only one.

The biggest strength of the city is to offer interesting streetwear and here buyers from all over the world find a good selection in events like Premium, Seek, Collect, Capsule and Green. Above, the opening of the Bread & Butter fair at Tempelhof Airport.

From all that was shown in menswear, the most interesting was this workshop dedicated to all kinds of fashion craftsmen inside B&B. There you could observe several of them working on shoes, suits and even stationery items. It seems that tailor and handmade things are the new black – at least for men (read more about it here). Truth is that a nostalgic feeling is in the air.

Right beside Tempelhof Airport, Columbia Club hosted the Toast & Jam vintage Fair. It was a good opportunity to acquire original pieces from different decades that are now are being revisited on the catwalks. This not to mention the nice atmosphere created by the guitarist Stavros Skouras, who played live.

At night, many parties. Some even with a lounge for Very Unimportant People. In another room, Bryan Ferry says “hello”.

Every season the opening party of the fashion week is organized by Projekt Galerie – a showroom for new designers. This time the guests were tempted to join the dance with this image from the walls of the venue, HBC club.

The White Trash club, on the other hand, decided to do it’s own fashion week  in parallel, called “Trashion Week”. It was also funny at its neighbor club, Bassy, where all things are vintage too.

The music follows some sort of radicalism: only songs from before 1969. On the walls Robert Redford says “hi”.

The marathon of shows – and cocktails – ended with the party FIN, from the fashion newspaper Derzeit. On the corridors of the amazing venue there was a chance to learn German with this sign but, at the same time, to be confused with it.

As often happens when in Berlin: all the ways lead to the dancefloor.

Click here to read about a new German talent in menswear

Click here to know about the look of the moment between the Berliners

And here to read about some of the photography exhibitions in town

Photos: Hermano Silva © Berlin 2012

Berlin, Autumn/Winter 2012 – Last week we anticipated the show of the photographer Alasdair McLellan at 032C Workshop. The list of suggestions for exhibitions that are happening simultaneously to Berlin Fashion Week would be incomplete without some other tips. So try to catch up if you are in town:

-  “Nudi”, by Paolo Roversi at Camera Work
The Italian fashion photographer is showing the beautiful series of nudes developed over the last 25 years with some of the most important top models. Very few photographers can do a frontal nude look classy. Roversi does it. The nudes presented at Camera Work have that devilish aspect that became his brand mark along the years. The portrait of Kate Moss is the most sold so far: 7 prints out of 17. Each for 6.900 Euros.

- “Faceless Bullets”, by Anna Kahn at Andreas Murkudis Shop
Anna is a Brazilian photographer and is presenting photographs of empty places she found in her hometown, Rio de Janeiro. Each image actually reveals the place where someone died, victim of “bala perdida” – term in Portuguese to describe a stray bullet. Anna said to The Gentleman website that her work is about “a city where you are in heaven at the same time you can be in hell”. It’s a very interesting and touching work, without being emotional, very far from the obviousness that violence is often approached in photography. I would say her images are “anti-post-cards from Rio”, where an inconvenient truth is told.

- “Helmut Newton Polaroids” at Helmut Newton Foundation
A great chance to see the polaroids of one of the latest masters of fashion photography – especially when it comes to the combination of sex and clothes. The polaroids, important to say, were often used as a test proof for the photographers check light exposure and composition during their shootings in the past – a process that disappeared with the introduction of digital photography. The exhibition is a wonderful opportunity to see how he reached the result of the perfect shot – including all the little mistakes that make us engage with the image.

-  “Gundula Schulze Eldowy, The Early Years” at C/O Berlin
Weirdly beautiful and hard-hitting sometimes. Gundula is a German photographer that lived in former East Berlin. Her work is a documentary of a city that no longer exists, with its miserable characters in ghostly streets. During the opening of the show Gundula, who now lives in Peru, said to the audience: “Berlin made me a photographer”. Her dedication to the craft is now shared with the Berliners and her images well celebrated in the amazing space of C/O Berlin museum.

- “Ron Galella, Paparazzo Extraordinaire” at C/O Berlin
The American paparazzo that revolted and enchanted the world is in town. Not to photograph the celebrities – since in Berlin they are treated like any other human being because no one cares about their presence. He is in town with a retrospective presenting the best of his snapshots. Expect real celebrities like Mick Jagger, Marlon Brando and Sean Penn “on the verge of a nervous breakdown”. Dedicate special attention to the prints (Galella printed all images himself in the darkroom he keeps at home).

Photo: Hermano Silva ©  Berlin 2012

Berlin, Autumn/Winter 2012  – It’s true that what people like most during fashion weeks are the parties. In this respect Berlin Fashion Week never seems to disappoint its guests. The event runs from next Wednesday (18.01) until Saturday (21.01) with 57 catwalk shows, this not to mention a handful of parallel showrooms and exhibitions in town.

The Gentleman website will publish impressions about what’s going on in town during the next days – so be sure to follow us as we go along!

Last Thursday evening (12.01) the city started to warm up with the opening of the exhibition “Never Gonna Give You Up” of the British fashion photographer Alasdair McLellan at the headquarters of 032C magazine in Mitte.

 Alasdair McLellan: photograph of worker being shown at 032c Workshop Berlin

The exhibition presents a consistent group of portraits of male models and young “lads” that Mr. McLellan found on his walks, most of them on the streets of his hometown of Doncaster, in England.

The photographer, a current contributor for major fashion magazines, put together the best of his own style in this show: clean compositions, the soft use of sunlight, vibrant colours and very nice cropped haircuts. This not to mention the sympathetic quality the images have because of the friendliness coming from his models – many of them working-class types portrayed in their uniforms.

During a talk with The Gentleman website, Alasdair McLellan explained that most of his work is done using analogue cameras and that he avoids as much as he can the use of Photoshop for retouching – which is something quite interesting if we observe the effort some upcoming and established photographers can put on post-production sometimes. The exhibition runs until February 20th at 032c Workshop and it’s worth a visit.

Photos: On top the tent of Berlin Fashion Week in front of Brandenburg Gate by Hermano Silva © 2011; Below, © Alasdair McLellan/Courtesy of 032C Workshop.

By Hermano Silva

Berlin, the ever-changing city, is not always recognized as being a mecca for shopping. The area of Kurfürstendamm is actually a destination for consumerism since 125 years (birthday celebrated this year), while Mitte district went through a radical transformation after the German reunification and hosts now some of the most known local and international brands.

In 2011, the city gained another fresh breeze with the opening of some new concept stores. But what is a “concept store” after all? The term describes a store that sells various products without splitting them in different sections or categories. It reflects more the idea of lifestyle (or concept) rather than the idea of specialization in one segment. In other words, the success and charm of a concept store depends on a striking curatorship of objects.

Below we present a selection of three charming shops that were opened in the city recently. All of them present items in menswear and womenswear, but most of all they have very interesting architecture.

OUKAN 71 – Kronenstrasse 71, 10117

This shop is only two months old and is localized in the district of Friedrichstrasse – not far from the department stores Galeries Lafayette and Quartier 206. The concept of Oukan is to be a comfort zone, which is well represented by their tea bar and the relaxed atmosphere across the two floors.

The interesting aspect of Oukan is their offer of minimalist clothes from Japanese and international designers. It will for sure not disappoint those who like to wear black clothes since the range is wide and diverse. The shop also displays books, CD’s, accessories and fine art objects.

Other shops to visit nearby: The Corner and Quartier 206.

HAPPY SHOP – Torstrasse 67, 10119

The shop’s concept is to be a friendly place for people who are looking for “happy fashion”. It means not only irreverent clothes from humorous designers, but also fair prices. The idea came from the owner, the German designer Mischa Alexandra Woeste, and the creative director Marck Christian Windekilde. They offer an interesting mix of brands from Bernhard Willhelm to TopShop, including Meadham Kirchhoff and the amazing bags of Piet Breinholm.

The shop is placed in Torstrasse, one of the most interesting streets of Mitte district. The German architects Fingerle&Woeste conceived it as a flexible space. This is shown for example through the racks, mannequins and walls that are hanging from the ceiling. This allows the shop to be transformed into diferent locations at anytime, for example, into an exhibition space or a room for a fashion show.

Other shops to visit nearby: 14 Oz, N.74  and Mykita.

ANDREAS MURKUDIS – Potsdamer Strasse 81E, 10785

The shop is based in an impressive space of 1000 square meters with high ceilings, in the former offices of the Berlin newspaper Tagesspiegel. The architecture is minimalist, all white, like an art gallery. They present an exclusive selection of design, cosmetics and fashion brands, such as Celine, Maison Martin Margiela and Yohji Yamamoto. But the special shopping experience comes from finding unexpected delicacies. It could be the bitter chocolates from Erich Hamann or the porcelain skulls of Nyphenburg.

Murkudis had a previous shop in Mitte district and moved to the current location in July 2011. The new address in Potsdamer Strasse, in the west part of Berlin, is not the most obvious location for a concept store since there are no boutiques around. However the neighbourhood has everything to become the “next real state hype” considering that several art galleries are moving there as well. Murkudis is convinced of the potential of Postdamer Strasse, securing a lease contract for 15 years for their shop, according to an interview for Hilker website. (The gentrification of the city is one of the favourite topics of Berliners).

Other shops to visit nearby: Reading Room

Read more about Berlin fashion here and also about a very cool concept store in London.

Credits of the images: © Oukan 71 Achim Hatzius; © Happy Shop Liam Scott Ward and Jacques & Brigitte; © Andreas Murkudis Mirko Zander/Colorstorm Digital.

We are sure Brazil is a country you have been reading a lot about lately. The good development of the Brazilian economy reveals this is the most promising moment of its history.

So it’s not surprising that this year’s International Herald Tribune Luxury Conference took place in São Paulo during 10th and 11th of November.  And therefore the main focus of the seminar was to discuss the current and future development of the Brazil’s luxury market.

The conference which was organized by Suzy Menkes, one of the editors of the newspaper, brought a selection of the crème de la crème of the domestic and international luxury world such as the creative director Sarah Burton from Alexander McQueen, Cecilia Dean from the “Visionaire” magazine and the Peruvian photographer Mario Testino – to name few. Click here to know more about it.

To Carlos Ferreirinha, founder of the strategic business consultancy MCF Consultoria & Conhecimento and one of the participants of the seminar, it’s evident that Brazil is becoming a priority for the Luxury market. “On a mid and long term brands need to find alternatives to grow their business and with no doubt Brazil will be on the top 5 markets for development”, he said in an exclusive interview to The Gentleman website.

“More than any content IHT Hot Luxury has presented, the most important was having the conference in São Paulo and to do it with an amount of international people that have travelled to attend it – some of them for the first time in the country”, he added.

In parallel to the conference, the newspaper also published a special series of articles about the Brazilian economy. The reports revealed impressive statistics about the development of the Brazilian luxury market, the consumers and their habits. Based on what was published, we did an extract of the most interesting facts for you:

* In Brazil, 60% of the population is younger than 29. To put this into a context, in Latin American overall one third of the population is younger than 30.

* 29 million Brazilians entered the “middle class” between 2003 and 2009.

* The country’s economy was growing by 7.5 percent in 2010.

* According to the 2011 World Wealth Report, published by Capgemini and Merrill Lynch Global Wealth Management, Brazil has 155,400 millionaires today. This ranks Brazil 11th on the world’s wealth list, ahead of Russia and India.

* But still, according to the United Nations, Brazil is ranked on the 11th position of the current global rank of inequality distribution of income – fact not explored on the reports.

* In the article “Exactly How Hot Is Brazil?”, Menkes describes the city of São Paulo as a “hive of glamorous commerce”. In summary her impression is that São Paulo’s shopping scene has a charming atmosphere that is difficult to find in the cities of the other BRIC countries (Russia, India and China).

* The same article also highlights that, compared to the other BRIC countries,  Brazil is the only one “to have significant designers of its own”, mentioning Gloria Coelho, Carlos Miele, Osklen and H.Stern.

* It was common sense amongst the experts of the Brazilian luxury market that were interviewed by the newspaper, that the Brazilian life feeling strongly influences the consumers shopping habits. The Brazilians have a strong desire for fashion, don’t like to save money, prefer to buy in shopping centers, expect a good personal service and like to show off.

But what does this all mean? Ferreirinha believes that the world wants and needs Brazil and the Brazilians as consumers. “The giant has awoken”, he said.

It seems that no matter where the development of Brazil leads, something most likely will never change though: a caipirinha in one of the buzzling bars of São Paulo after a shopping tour.

Text and photo: Hermano Silva © Brazil

The reputation and history of the absinthe is something quite fascinating. The green drink that was once adored and celebrated by bohemians and European artists during the 19th century, was banned and prohibited from 1910′s onwards for being considered an “addictive psychoactive drug”. The distilled beverage – produced from the herbs grande wormwood, fennel and green anise – had a very high level of alcohol at that time.

Since mid 1990s, however, the production and trade of the drink was re-authorized in some countries. The rule behind it was that the absinthe should be produced with a different concentration of components in relation to its original recipe.

This was the moment in time when the architect Hermann Plöckl saw an opportunity to open a shop specialized in the drink. Absinth Depot  was born in Berlin in 2000 with more than 150 different absinthe brands. In between hundreds of bottles in the shop it is also possible to find everything related to absinthe like vintage absinthe fountains and perforated spoons. Not to mention the interior design, created by Mr. Plöckl himself.

The shop is like a travel in time, straight into the Belle Époque with its flowered golden wallpapers and posters in the Jugenstil (Art Nouveau) style. The ideal place for a drink while discussing philosophy with Friedrich Nietzsche or art with Gustav Klimt. Salut to la fée verte!

Photos: Hermano Silva © 2011

As you know, London is always renewing itself. Often the changes can be seen through the hairstyles of people or sometimes just through the ZIP codes of the coolest addresses. These changes occur quite rapid. I just got back from the city and will share some impressions with you:

* Have you ever imagined finding clothes of the maison Balenciaga in the heart of Dalston in East London? The shop LN-CC (which stands for Late Night Chameleon Cafe) made the unexpected idea possible - considering that until recently the area was at the opposite of the idea of luxury. The store has been around for less than a year selling super exclusive brands and is becoming more and more known in the universe of e-commerce. Like the virtual store, the real store is super cool. It has a gallery, a bookstore, a dance floor – all connected by a corridor like the one in the movie “2001: A Space Odyssey”. You must make an appointment before visiting the shop. Once there, be prepared for the fact that there is no sign at the entrance and you have to walk to one of the sides of the building to find the door bell. But the effort of going there is worth it.

* Actually East London undergoes a cosmetic surgery at the moment. Streets and sidewalks in areas like Dalston and Hackney are being completely redone. All to receive the 2012 Olympics Games, held in the area in a year from now.

* Patti Smith’s book “Just Kids” has everything to be one of the books of the decade. Almost everyone of my generation that is interested in art, has read it or is reading it. The book is a beautiful testimony about Patti’s “larger than life” relationship with the photographer Robert Mapplethorpe. Rumors say the film is already being pre-produced in Hollywood. The question that remains is: who will play the singer? I can’t think of any name among the young actresses today. It is a great chance to discover a new talent.

* Still on movies, I can’t not talk about the new film by Pedro Almodóvar, “The Skin I Live In“. It seems to be a new phase for the Spanish director since he is using ideas of science fiction – or horror B-movies, as you prefer. “The Skin I Live In” refers to several cult movies such as “Vertigo” (1958), directed by Alfred Hitchcock and “Eyes Without a Face” (1960), by Georges Franju. It also is a generous tribute to the work of the artist Louise Bourgeois, who died last year. More than that I shouldn’t tell.

* From Berlin comes the news: “the avant-garde is dead”. Who says it is the English art director Peter Saville (responsible for, among other things, the album covers of Joy Division). He was in town to be part of the exhibition Transmission1 organized by the online magazine “Avant/Garde Diaries” and curated by the fashion designer Raf Simons. During a roundtable about pop culture with the journalists Tim Blanks and Jo-Ann Furniss and the artist Peter Potter –  Saville commented from the audience that the avant-garde is dead. If there is a chance of resurrection, he believes then that will come from groups oppressed by the system but not from within the industry. This is for sure something to think about.

Above: the corridor of the shop LN-CC in London.

Photo: Hermano Silva © 2011

From this Wednesday (22.06) onwards we will bring exclusive news straight from the men’s fashion week in Paris!

Follow our visual posts here with the shows, the most stylish men, exhibitions and everything else that might interest you. We go with the eyes wide open, full of tips from our friends, to bring only the best.

The event will reveal the designers’ proposals for summer 2012, but the fact is that the heat has already started. It’s summer in Paris, after all.

Until then indulge yourself on a selection of songs and videoclips that pay homage to the fashion capital. (Special thank to my friend Matthias that helped me to find the very best pearls). It’s pure fun:

1. Josephine Baker – J’ai deux amours

2. Funny Face – Bonjour, Paris!

3. Joe Dassin – Les Champs-Elysées

4. Malcom McLaren & Catherine Deneuve – Paris Paris

5. An Pierlé – Paris s’éveille / Il est cinq heures

Photo: Eiffel Tower / Hermano Silva © 2006

1. Breakfast in London

Cupboard Deli is the right place for a nice breakfast on a rainy and foggy London day. Often, when you need to recover from a hangover, you might have a strong desire for your mom’s food. This place might be an alternative – a cozy and charming small café somewhere between Shepherd’s Bush and Cheswick in West London. Although all their dishes are gorgeous, fresh and homemade, our recommendation is the amazing Egg Benedict with a rich sauce Hollandaise – not really diet though.

www.cupboarddeli.co.uk

2. Mexican in Stockholm

La Neta is a Mexican restaurant almost hidden in Stockholm downtown. The atmosphere is warm, very different from the coldness of the city itself. After all it is a Mexican family who runs the business and the Latin spirit is present everywhere, also in the colorful decoration. Choose one of the amazing Tacos, Burritos and Quesadillas from their comprehensive menu. And then spice it up to your own taste with chilies and original Mexican sauces from the buffet. And obviously a Mexican beer completes your Latin experience in Stockholm.

www.laneta.se

3. Menu dinner in Berlin

Localized in the district of Prenzlauer Berg in Berlin, Neugrüns Köche symbolizes the spirit of its neighborhood: understated without giving up of excellence. What could be more Prenzlauer Berg (apart from baby trolleys sharing the space on the cycle lanes) than a restaurant with excellent food, excellent staff and non-pretentious venue? There are many good restaurants in Prenzlauer Berg and many of them provide good value. But if it should be a bit more special but still casual then this small charming place is where you should go. It’s not so easy to choose for which of the two weekly changing menu sets you want to go for: the Brandemburg menu or the Mediterrean. Anyway, both are outstanding and in case you can’t decide just mix the two. And since we’re talking about Prenzlauer Berg, it goes without saying that most of the ingredients are organic and come from the region. The portions will be more than enough but you will want to eat it all.

www.neugruenskoeche.de

4. Pizza with the Italian mafia in São Paulo

Experience the real Italy in the centre of São Paulo at Castelões. They present the food on the original simplicity of Italian cooking. The pizzeria is so Italian that you will have the feeling is that Al Capone himself will appear in the door at any time. The waiters with their poker face look like gangsters carrying guns, prepared for a wild fight on the spooky street in front of the place. But don’t be afraid. The restaurant is there since more than 100 years and their pizza with big crust became so famous in São Paulo that everybody tries to copy their recipe. I’m sure you will not regret to taste the original one.

Rua Jairo Góis, 126, São Paulo

Phone: +55 11 3229-0542

5. Chinese cuisine outside the Londoner Chinatown

Enjoy an excellent Chinese meal surrounded by contemporary art: works from Andy Warhol, Ed Ruscha, David Hockney and so on. So you are in a good company in Mr. Chow restaurant. This was the place where some of these artists went out in the evening during the 1970’s and 1980’s in London. The first of many restaurants of the entrepreneur Michael Chow, this one became a landmark for the art and fashion communities. Localized at the heart of the elegant Knightsbridge, it’s in a walking distance from Harrods. It is also where the traditional Beijing cuisine keeps preserved with the most perfect crispy duck or handmade noodles. Although it’s not inexpensive, you cannot go wrong when having a dinner at Mr. Chow. Don’t forget to make a reservation.

www.mrchow.com

+ Learning how to cook (finally)

A good alternative to dining out is cooking at home for friends or your sweet heart. But if you are not a gifted cooker like me, there is now a solution that will help you to impress: the supermarket Kochhaus, in Berlin, is designed to help cooking illiterates. Every week they suggest some recipes fitting to the season. All ingredients are assembled on a separated table for each recipe. And there is more: A chef will demonstrate how to prepare the food step-by-step. “Cooking for dummies” so to say. If anything go wrong with your cooking experiment, don’t worry: we’re sure your friends and guests will forgive you while honoring the efforts you’ve done for them.

www.kochhaus.de

Text and collage: Hermano Silva

We visited the oldest of all of the shops in Savile Row, Henry Poole, founded in 1806 and that today is perhaps, one of the best examples of how this tradition in tailoring was preserved over the years.

The entrance of the shop at Savile Row 15.

After taking the measures of the client and creating the molds in a cardboard, the tailor draws the lines for the cut of the fabric.

After the fabric is cut, the suit is ready to be put together. The creative process is entirely artisanal and can take around 50 hours of work to be finished.

Each tailor has his own corner and the environment in the workshop is relaxed. Many of them are working in the shop for more than 40 years.

The fitting room the clients must visit at least three times. The first one to have their measures taken, then after for the first fitting with the suit still undone and later for the final fitting.

The contrast between before and after: on the left side the molds created exclusively with the measures of each client. On the right side a replica of a suit done for the ex-British Prime Minister Winston Churchill during the 1930s. He was a faithful client as also was the British King George VI.

Everything on Henry Poole is about being discreet. The list of clients, for example, is never revealed and the shopkeepers are always busy, impassive to your presence.

The tailor Rudi Baldino, one of the oldest tailors at his table in the workshop.

On the left side, the tailor Roger Duxbury reads the newspaper during his lunch break. On the right side, the tailor Ian Reid works on a jacket. The training for a master tailor can take about 10 years. It is not by chance that they are proud to say that it takes longer than to become a doctor.

Photos: Hermano Silva © 2010/2011