Category: wear

After helping his friend Shawn Stüssy open the first Stüssy store in New York, James Jebbia set out to develop his own open-minded vision of skatewear in 1994. He opened a small skate shop on a quiet street in SoHo next to some secluded antique stores. The company has since come a long way from its humble beginnings on Lafayette Street. Supreme’s collaborations with brands across the fashion spectrum, from Japanese label Comme des Garçons to luxury brand Louis Vuitton, reflects its cross-cultural status in society today.

The brand’s product catalogue began with a few simple cotton t-shirts and hoodies. Next came the camp cap. Initially released in only black and camo, the fitted cap bore the classic Supreme box logo and catered to customers’ desire for something familiar, yet unique. The simple 5-panel headwear grew into a timeless staple of the brand’s streetwear collection. I like the solid-coloured black variant which keeps things subtle, yet still leans on the heritage of the brand.

Supreme keeps advertising to a minimum and even when it does advertise, it typically features skaters who are real friends of the brand. Its authenticity and alacrity is a whiff of fresh air amidst the mercenary enterprises of today’s fashion industry.

Modesty is a virtue for some and clearly not all. To a few, there is the quiet appeal of things that are exceptional, but yet not victims of widespread recognition. One of the most humble and affordable watches that exemplifies this fittingly is the HALIOS Seaforth.

Released in 2017, the Seaforth was made available in three small production runs. Due to the limited scale of the small brand’s manufacture, the wait between placing an order and receiving the watch was almost a full year. However, when I finally received it and held it in the flesh, it was clear that waiting was no mistake.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

The appropriately named Abyss Blue dial is a perfect coalescence of the very best shades of deep and dark blue. Pictures fail to do it justice, with the hue unavoidably appearing either too dark or too light. This elusiveness only seems, however, to add to its charm. The Seaforth’s time-only configuration provides a back-to-basics aesthetic, while still hinting at its quality through its beautiful polished hour markers. Equipped with a screw-down crown and two hundred meters of water resistance, this makes a perfect go-anywhere, do-anything field watch.

When my final pair of dress shoes from a trite luxury brand gave way, I knew it was time to look for a pair of quality shoes. I first read about Spanish brand Carmina in Parisian Gentleman’s nicely compiled 2013 review of shoe brands and, given that they had just opened their first store outside of Europe in Singapore, decided that a visit was in order. 

I was greeted by friendly Carmina team member Vivek at the store and he happily explained to me the different models and options available from the hundred and fifty year old brand. I wanted something foundational and opted for classic black oxfords in the beautiful Simpson last. The hand-made shoe feels sturdy with its Goodyear welted construction, yet maintains a slim profile thanks to the sleek silhouette of the Simpson last. The calfskin leather is sufficiently thick to buttress the shoe upper, but is still supple enough to adapt to the shape of the foot. 

Carmina does an outstanding job with its aftersales service and I try to visit the store fortnightly to have my shoes waxed and buffed. Vivek is always accommodating and I enjoy our casual chats about the store and new arrivals. The visits to the store have become somewhat of a routine and this agglomerated package of product and service has proven hard to displace.

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