Detail of raincoat of the Swedish company Stutterheim at Seek event in Berlin. Each piece is signed and numbered by the seamstress.

It is a fact that high-street brands took over the clothing business with the so called “fast fashion”. We’ve seen clothing companies produce and sell affordable interpretations of luxury brands within very short time periods following the launch of new ideas on the catwalks. Most of the items are cheaply produced in China, Taiwan and India and often are consumed as fast as burgers.

Fashion, which has always reflected the promise and uncertainty of the future, has been accelerating the temptation of the consumers by offering them new identities that alter at the speed of light. Indeed, the contemporary situation might express the fragmented moralities of cultural diversity and social uncertainty, as the author Rebecca Arnold pointed out in her book: “Fashion, Desire and Anxiety: Image and Morality in the Twentieth Century” (2001).

On the other hand, a whole group of people is reacting against fast consumption and questioning the ecological sustainability of this wheel*. Some consumers are starting to give more importance to Upcycling – which means to recycle, remix and improve old clothes. Some others are reacting with a classic: the craftsmanship. Handmade items are living a renaissance especially among young men.

Not many years or even seasons ago the handiwork of gifted tailors, shoemakers and hatters seemed to be less appreciated because their manual labour demands a different time frame and is not priced as competitively as mass-production brands. “Often, the work of an artisan is seen as manual labour, forgetting about its real meaning: the ability to invent, make an object”, explained the editor of “Vogue Italia”, Franca Sozzani, in an article about the term ‘artisan’ from 2010. She pointed out that in a virtual world where everything is the same, the artisan is a unique figure, different and exclusive; he is “someone who creates something that no one has”.

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The printing technician Lars in action at Martin Schröder Drucker workshop inside Bread & Butter fair in Berlin.

Lars prepares metal plate before printing one business card.

Several craftsmen showed how they execute their work. The space was organized by a new German publication totally dedicated to authentic items, The Heritage Post.

The owner of the brand Stutterheim from Sweden, Alexander Stutterheim, shares the same point of view as the editor Franca Sozzani. His company is a small-scale brand based in Sweden that is specialized in raincoats. During the last Berlin Fashion Week he brought his brand to the city to show his pieces at the Seek showroom after being spotted by the organizer Oliver Saunders. Stutterheim’s company has only four seamstresses: Lena, Birgitta, Evy  and Ingrid. Each piece they produce is numbered and signed by them.

“We noticed that our client is concerned about how clothes are produced. Once they know that there was a person behind that product it becomes much more human and interesting for them”, explains Alexander. “The reaction has been very positive so far: in a rainy day in Stockholm people might approach each other to talk about the coats they are wearing and end up checking their number or who produced them”.

Although the craftsmanship appeal always existed, it was for a long time forgotten. Even luxury brands had to go back to their archives to rescue their history and tradition from the oblivion. Now they are all trying to tell about this tradition in a new way (actually any brand who has handmade items in its DNA). From a marketing perspective there was not a lot they could do to compete with Zara and H&M.

But why the role of individual artisans and their potential are being requested again?

It’s all about the appreciation of products that a younger generation is only getting more conscious about now. Handmade clothes set a different standard in quality and have a great story which is always nice to be told. It’s also related to something we discussed here previously in the article “Individualist World, Individual man”, that in the context of many financial crises – especially in Europe and USA – the male consumer has become more purist and more conscious about his choices. But, most of all, when someone chooses a well-crafted item, he is also choosing something that has a better quality and will most probably last longer. In other words: a good and solid investment.

Text and photos: Hermano Silva © Berlin 2012

*= A good example about the need of being conscious about what you wear comes from an initiative of the Belgian designer Bruno Pieters. He developed a new line called Honest by Bruno Pieters that is available on-line. Nothing new if it wasn’t for the fact that the visitor of the on-line store can find very detailed information about each piece, such as where the zipper and buttons come from, how much the materials cost and how much time the item took to be produced. It’s about transparency on how the business is managed. It’s for sure an innovative idea that will help to shape how we see fashion (and ethic) in the future.

Read here about our visit to one of the Saville Row tailors in London

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 – Different from the woman who has the makeup as a resource to express individuality, the man has the facial hair. A true gentleman is aware of this fact and plays with his beard for his own benefit. An excellent example of this came from friendly German journalist Jan Joswig, who we found in the tent of the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in Berlin.

Mr. Joswig has an irreverent Chevron moustache that is combined with round frame glasses and a hat typical from the region of Bavaria called “Trachtenhut”. He, who went to the shows with his bicycle, opted for the moustache after years using a full beard.

It’s very interesting to notice the use of moustaches more and more present among young people on the streets of Berlin. Sign of the times considering that the beard is a common sense now.

Have a look on our fashion editorial inspired by beards and moustaches from 19th century

+ Read here article about the new moment in fashion

Photos: Hermano Silva © Berlin 2012

Berlin, Autumn/Winter 2012 – The clothes you see above promises a comfortable winter for men who like the balance between formal and casual. This is the proposal of the German designer Sissi Goetze, one of the highlights amongst the men’s fashion presentations of this Berlin Fashion Week.

Her clothes are “gemütlich” – the German word to describe anything that is comfortable – but still they offer something quite modern. “My ideal man is a mixture of Rocky Balboa (the boxer played by Sylvester Stallone) with a bit of the elegance of the reporter Clark Kent”, said the designer to The Gentleman website. Of course: all of this with a minimal and radical approach, where only the necessary prevails.

Goetze, who in the past has created a collection entirely white, explores this time only black and grey. When observed closely the clothes reveal very interesting cuts. This research on tailoring started when Sissi was still a student in the menswear masters at Central Saint Martins in London and had as a mentor the legendary (and rigorous) professor Louise Wilson.

In the context of Berlin the young Goetze stands out and has the future in her hands.

The Berlin Fashion Week will continue until Saturday (21.01). Follow here our reports about the event during the coming days.

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.

By Hermano Silva

In the early 2000’s there was the “metrosexual” popularization – an expression created by the media to define the very latest looks and habits in urban men’s fashion. The term metrosexual referred to men who embraced their vanity and feminine side – at least for the mirror. They became more concerned with depilation, tanning, and with making their bodies ripped.

We have seen by the beginning of 2010’s a new direction: boys from all over the world interested in a more masculine image – a choice manifested very clearly by the current preferences for beard and moustaches. Perhaps this is a reaction to the image of David Beckham that has become fixed into our minds, or because in times of social or cultural uncertainties the sexual differences and genders definitions tend to be reinforced. Just think about the effects of economic crisis and how the working structure is changing – people are more mobile and to work from home is now seen as something totally normal.

This is the decade where the individualism seems to be finally celebrated by men in their style of dress. Some might say this individualism is based on archetypes of masculinity, such as soldiers, lumberjacks and workers. Perhaps true. But wait… Did someone imagined Village People band? Yes, fashion has its’ risks. But I believe that it is only now that men really seem to have the self-confidence to take risks and to experiment without shame.

If we carefully observe the spring-summer 2012 collections presented in Milan and Paris this past June, they confirm that the ideal man is on a new and different track. It’s about experimenting ideas that in the past he didn’t dare try, such as being more colourful, more keenly focused on good and collectible items and intuitively aware of what Fashion is all about – fun perhaps?

Cathy Horyn, the fashion critic of “New York Times”, speculates that “the current ideal man is an individual man”. In an exclusive interview for The Gentleman website, she gives her opinion: “I think the better designers tend to acknowledge that man have a very broad view of fashion today. There was a very hardcore fashion consumer in the 1980’s and early 1990’s, who was most probably gay and who had a very huge interest in being expressive about their clothes. There were also designers like Versace, Dolce & Gabbana, Thierry Mugler and Jean Paul Gaultier to fulfil that…”, she observes.

“I think now though a lot of men gay, straight, doesn’t matter, have a very good knowledge of fashion, of who is designing. They want to be comfortable; they live in an urban area; they’ve got to be polished for work, but they can also wear jeans and t-shirt most of the time or even shorts. They want a good bag, they want a good briefcase, good shoes”, Horyn concludes.

The male consumer has become more purist and more conscious about his choices. Now we see some of the best menswear designers (such as Lucas Ossendrijver for Lanvin, Junya Watanabe and Paul Smith) presenting clothes on the catwalk that don’t look like designer’s clothes. They are just very good independent items: well-constructed, precise, definitive. Perhaps fashion – in the purest sense of the word – is not as interesting anymore and is giving way to style. Designers know their clients are more self-confident and they will choose what fits them best. And for those who still yearn for the more playful and outlandish? No worries, this season Prada is there to play with.

It now appears that man will continue to re-invent and romanticize who they want to be. The fabrics, colours and accessories will express this individualism carefully – perhaps far from the constraints of the suit uniform. Even if the suit is a choice, it will be for sure a very well thought-out one.

Click here to read the exclusive The Gentleman’s coverage of the Spring/Summer 2012 menswear collections

Credits for the images: Looks from Lanvin, Junya Watanabe, Paul Smith, Dries Van Noten and Prada (Monica Feudi / Style.com, Yannis Vlamos / GoRunway.com), Cathy Horyn (photo via Twitter) and still from “Altered States”, from director Ken Russell.

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

I met the actress Ann-Julie at the exit of the supermarket by chance. I was completely intrigued by her bike. The story behind the funny vehicle is as interesting as its owner.

One day Ann was in a park with a group of friends and an old lady approached them, offering her bicycle for only 10 Euros. Ann didn’t have the amount with her, so she suggested that they should go together to the nearest bank. Detail: Ann cycled with the woman sitting on the back of the bike. The deal was closed and now the actress moves everywhere on her two wheels. There is almost no space left for further adornment on the bicycle but Ann always finds space to add another one.

Jonas Bonnetta is a Canadian musician and composer who was visiting Berlin when we met in the Mitte district. Like many tourists, he did most of his tours around town with a rented bike (they can be easily found at major tourist spots).

From a distance Jonas’ style may look ‘hipster’, but the buckle of his belt shows that the reference of his style is more to ‘folk-rock’.

Joschua Tonay is one of the many taxi-bikers that work in the city. We met when he was in his first week of work. His ‘office’ in this case is nothing less than Brandenburg Gate. The standard tour he offers includes the main tourists attractions and it means to him one hour of cycling.

His clients are transported in a kind of Indian Rickshaw, or rather a Berlinda –  term that describes a horse carriage produced here from 1670 onwards and which was named after the city of Berlin. To Joschua the work as a taxi-biker is rewarding because it is a way for him to combine a hobby with a job.

This group of young cyclists, meet in a square in Mitte every Friday after work. Parallel to their jobs as Fahrradkurier (Bicycle courier), they all have activities or hobbies related to sports or to arts.

Gordon Teßmann works as a delivery boy for more than two years now. His bike is full of stickers and one of the wheels is decorated with flyers and some of his favourite images.

He dresses himself with high-tech fabrics to optimize his performance while cycling. His passion for bicycles can also be seen on the amount of tattoos he has.

Holger Matthias also works as a delivery boy and during a very busy working day he is riding his bike up to 9 hours. His single indulgent act may be the comfort of the anatomical leather saddle of Brooks England.

His bike is one of the most beautiful, fully in silver color and with various customized items that were chosen by Holger himself.

Jim Pirus also began working as a delivery boy about two years ago.

Another collector of stickers, his bike is full of them including one that supports the vegan cause – being himself a vegetarian.

Feliks Aleksander is so connected to his bike that he decided to bring it from Frankfurt by train under the care of his own hands. Now it is his main working tool.

Feliks is also a photographer, producing a very interesting work about Berlin.

Useful links for those who are planning to ride in Berlin:

- Call a Bike rental service

- Berlin Wall bike tour

- Other tours

Photos: Hermano Silva © Berlin, 2011