Adding items to my wardrobe where I know the story behind it makes the purchase mean so much more. Clothes become more than just what you put on in the morning.

Uniqlo

Blocktech single breasted coat

Saint and Birchley

Brown moleskin ernest jacket

Acne Studios

Grey pinstripe trousers (sold out)

Daniel W. Fletcher

Logo polo neck

Knowing where something has been made, with traceability all the way back to where the material is sourced, is something brands are looking to do more of. We are all becoming more mindful of the decisions we make when shopping. And in the same school of thinking, investing in people you know have good intentions can play a part. 

In my last newsletter I spoke about the enjoyment I get from making real connections and friendships in this industry. Highly passionate for his craft, Nigel Ruwende of Saint and Birchley has created a limited run of jackets where I have been able to see the process from start to finish. What makes it even sweeter is that we come from the same hometown. How often can you say that?

It is a year-round piece which carries plenty of considered details: lined sleeves, inside pockets and double zips. At the minute I wear the ernest jacket as a mid-layer, but when that warm weather returns, it’ll sit nicely as an outerwear piece for spring/summer. With each wear I am looking forward to seeing how the moleskin ages. I wear items repeatedly and that provides me with the same satisfaction as buying new. I like the sentiment of it. I am not talking about wearing t-shirts that no longer fit us, or a sweatshirt that take you back to that place, but well-made menswear made by good people.

You’ll have also heard me talk about Daniel W. Fletcher – one of these good people – before and this polo neck (which is currently on sale) slips itself under pretty much every jacket and jumper. The neck holds so well after numerous washes and does not lose its shape like most. Daniel is one of my favourite designers during fashion week and it’s good to be able to style runway in a day-to-day sense.

If you need evidence of me wearing things repeatedly, I think it is clear on close inspection of my Uniqlo trench. It is definitely in need of a clean, but I cannot seem to take it off long enough to give it some much needed tlc. It has pretty much become my second skin and to have clothes like that in your wardrobe is a good feeling. Aside from the Acne Studios trousers and Common Projects combination that have had a lot of airtime from myself, in a couple shots you can see peeks of my Pakt bag. We took these photos during one of my overnight trips to London and it keeps me wheel-less when situations allow. Super simple and functional, I’ve been able to road test this for the best part of a year and pockets and zips are placed exactly where you need them to be.

To talk menswear for just a few more words before signing off, I shared a photo of this outfit yesterday on Instagram and a few people picked up on how confident I looked in it. The colours complimented each other nicely, the two coats contrasted well in texture, the items sat at different lengths and a double collar that had the potential to look untidy just worked. I would argue that is much better than a t-shirt that reminds you of your first festival.jbicon

Photography by Ollie Ali