If you are an avid reader here at WCL or one of our longtime followers on Instagram, you know we love a good pair of fashionable sneakers. While most of the time you'll see us sporting Lanvin Captoe sneakers —like those we featured here— in every color possible, we recently discovered that Eleventy happens to make some of the nicest and most comfortable fashionable sneakers out there.
Posts filed under Fashion & Style
Insider: MB&F Caran d'Ache Astrograph Pen. Hands-on with the 99-Piece Limited Edition Writing Instrument Shaped Like a Rocket.
As you guys know, MB&F always bring the most creative thinking to watches, clocks, musical boxes and now mechanical pens. MB&F are the makers of all things cool and their newest addition is the rocket-shaped pen designed and manufactured in collaboration with the most reputable Swiss writing instruments maker, Caran d'Ache. Complete with rocket-shaped fuselage, a miniature astronaut, shock-absorbing “switchblade” landing gear and a case designed like a launch pad, the new MB&F Astrograph is nothing short of uber cool.
Experience: Vilebrequin Massimo Vitali Rocks Special Edition Swim Trunks. Perfectly Paired with a Panerai Radiomir GMT 3 Days PAM 421.
The latest collection of Vilebrequin —one of our favorite brands here at Watch Collecting Lifestyle—, this time brings a very unique design in collaboration with renowned Italian photographer Massimo Vitali. This special edition swim trunks, feature some of the most captivating images of Massimo Vitali as crystal blue waters wrap a rocky shoreline scattered with sunbathers on these classic Moorea cut from the 70s.
Experience: Penhaligon's Halfeti Eau de Parfum. Leathery Like the Hornback Strap on the Armin Strom Tourbillon Skeleton Air.
Using the finest rare ingredients, from hand squeezed Bergamot, to jasmine at twice the price of gold, Penhaligon's was founded in London in 1870 by its founder William Penhaligon, an Englishman living in an age of excess and flamboyance, William was witty, wildly creative and always inspired by the unusual. Hammam Bouquet was Penhaligon's first scent, dreamed up by William in 1872 after inhaling the steam and sulphurous aromas of his neighbouring Turkish baths.
Experience: Thirdman Eau Monumentale. A Cologne that Smells as Classic as a Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso on the Wrist.
The Thirdman Eau Monumentale is one of our favorite colognes at this moment. With Extraordinary freshness, unprecedented comfort, unisex and with the ability to splash it or spray it thanks to its removable sprayer, this fragrance is the epitome of modernity, class and understated elegance. A complete new attitude in luxury fragrances that will feel on your skin as classic as that Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso does on your wrist.
Experience: Vilebrequin Swimwear and Three Divers. The Perfect Summer Companion for those Divers.
Vilebrequin was launched in Saint-Tropez —the heart of the French Riviera— back in 1971. Daytime, outside. View of the port. Café Sénéquier, meeting place of the happy few on the French Riviera. In the background, the village is abuzz with the news of the imminent arrival of Brigitte Bardot with her admirers, to spend a night at one of the legendary Saint-Tropez nightclubs. Music and champagne, non-stop! The stars have their own country here, governed by the laws of pleasure, carefree living and legend.
Experience: Al Bazar Milano 7 Tie by Lino Ieluzzi. A Perfect Italian Sartorial Combo when Paired with a Panerai.
If you are familiar with Pitti Uomo and names like Renato Plutino, Gianni Fontana and Lino Ieluzzi, then the 7 tie is no stranger to you. The 7 tie from Al Bazar Milano by Lino Ieluzzi —featured by us here— is one of those sartorial items that only those in the know will recognize and wear. Just like when you're wearing a Panerai 'Destro' and only a real watchlifestyler would be able to call out its reference number —after spotting it on your wrist—, recognizing a 7 tie by Lino Ieluzzi takes the same level of expertise.
Experience: Fauré Le Page 'Porte Cartes de Crédit'. The 'Under the Radar' Oldest French Luxury 'Maroquinier' for Those that are in the Know.
Fauré Le Page is today the oldest French luxury 'maroquinier' —leather goods company— in the world, and one of those luxury leather goods that is still 'under the radar' and reserved for those watchlifestylers that are in the know and truly enjoy the good life. Established almost 300 hundred years ago in 1717 —135 years before Goyard and 137 years before Louis Vuitton—, by Louis Pigny, it remained in the hands of the same family for seven generations until 1913.
Experience: Richard Mille RM S05 Fountain Pen in NTPT Carbon. Hands-On Live Pictures of the $105,000 USD Mechanical Pen.
ust as if the other two novelties presented by Richard Mille at the SIHH 2016 Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie Genève weren't impressive enough, the king of NTPT carbon timepieces unveiled a mechanically operated fountain pen out of this world. The new Richard Mille RM S05 Fountain Pen in NTPT Carbon, priced in excess of a $100K USD is one of those luxury objects that are beyond fascinating.
Experience: Burberry Wiltshire Long Heritage Trench Coat. A Must Have for Fall and a Perfect Match to Black Dial Timepieces.
Fall is here and its time to pull those Burberry trench coats out of the closet and pair them with your black dial timepieces. Even better if its with a gorgeous Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Diver ref. 15703ST just in case some heavy downpour is on the forecast. The Burberry Wiltshire Long Heritage trench coat is a must have in every men's wardrobe. Designed with a modern fit, the Wiltshire is tailored to the body with a tapered waist. Made in England from weatherproof cotton gabardine invented by Thomas Burberry in 1879, the Burberry trench coat is perhaps one of the most iconic pieces of garment designed to be a classic for all seasons and occasions. Unlike other coats, the trench coat can be worn belted over tailoring or open and relaxed over denim and t-shirts as one of the most versatile garments for demanding watchlifestylers. Inspired by the Burberry Heritage Archive, the Burberry Wiltshire trench coat features the iconic check undercollar and its design is available in two sleeve lengths.
Experience: Goyard Watch Box. Where Hand-Painted Personalization Makes a Difference.
An important part of our watch collecting lifestyle is to find the right box or boxes to safely keep our precious timepieces at home or while traveling. In the past, we've shared with you here the Tiffany & Co. watch box we own and which we think is the ultimate watch travel box that we recommend for most watchlifestylers in terms of quality, looks and price. However, this time we are bringing you another special box owned by one of our contributors. Part of the many joys of owning a watch is the ability to just admire them when they are not on our wrists. We often find ourselves spending way too much time just looking at our own collections and while it may sound silly to those who don’t share our passion for watches, the rest of us watchlifestylers surely get what we mean.
To make that time looking at your pieces much more enjoyable, our contributor JK was fortunate to be given this wonderful Goyard watch box —Coffret 4 Montres Noir— as an anniversary gift this year. Interestingly, the box that houses part of JK's amazing Audemars Piguet collection, is befitting of the watches inside it.
Experience: Tom Ford Rock Sunglasses. A Retro-Modern Jetsetter Look.
For some strange reason, Tom Ford is one of the favorite brands among most of our watchlifestyler friends, perhaps for the same reason that they also love Porsches, Range Rovers and Barbour jackets. Well, let's get back on topic and leave the marketing discussion for another time.
These particular Tom Ford Rock sunglasses are perfectly designed to give you a retro-modern look in a very classy and stylish way. After turning Gucci into an icon of sexy, modern fashion, American designer Tom Ford introduced his own collection in 2005 including 'pret-a-porter' and eye-wear designs that were instantly sported by celebrities and international jetsetters. The gold 'T' on the frames is a subtle way of telling others that you are in the know and you like the finer things in life.
Experience: Alberto Moretti Arfango No. 1 Velvet Loafers. Perfect Match to the MCT Sequential Two S200.
Velvet loafers a.k.a. Albert Slippers —we'll explain the name in a little bit— have always been reserved for royalty, celebrities or for those watchlifestylers with enough panache to sport them outside their homes or their cigar smoking lounges. The history behind the velvet loafers a.k.a Albert Slippers tells us that they were originally created to be used as an indoor type of shoe with a velvet upper often embroidered with a royal crest and fitted with leather soles. Back during Victorian times in England, regal men would replace their shoes at the front entrance with Albert slippers to avoid dragging dirt, gravel or sand into the finely finished hardwood floors of their homes. The name Albert comes from Prince Albert —Queen Victoria's husband who made them popular.
In this day and age, velvet loafers had turned into a statement type of shoe, more than just being an elegant men's slipper destined to be worn indoors.
Experience: Lino Ieluzzi's Al Bazar Milano. A True Haberdasher and a Watchlifestyler at Heart.
If you recognize these hands or you are a regular attendee of Pitti Uomo, you obviously know who we are talking about. A morning spent with legendary fashionisto and haberdasher Lino Ieluzzi, is a morning very well spent and quite an experience. Lino is not only a man that has been setting fashion trends around the streets of Milano for decades, but his unique style and personality has also captivated many followers around the globe and especially in places like Japan. Considered by many publications as one of the fifty most elegant men in the planet, Lino is easily recognizable by his double-breasted suits, the light blue color palette he usually chooses and his iconic lucky 7 embroidered ties. To us, Lino is the epitome of a true watchlifestyler with an unlimited love for watches as you can see by the picture opening this post.
Experience: Barbour Jackets. The Perfect Watchlifestyler Companions for Autumn and Winter.
Fall is here and its time to pull those Barbours out of the closet and pair them with your vintage Rolexes. Even better if its with a nicely aged Rolex GMT Master ref. 1675 with faded super fat font bezel and creamy patina. Barbour jackets are to outerwear what Hermès is to ties and what Rolex is to watches.
A Barbour jacket is indispensable, handcrafted, durable and a true symbol of a real watchlifestyler. Barbour's iconic classic wax jackets have been protecting generations of families from the cold and rain for over a hundred years. The Barbour story began in 1894 in the Market Place in South Shields. Today, the 5th generation family owned business remains in their Barbour's headquarters located in Simonside, South Shields. Barbour's classic wax jackets are still manufactured by hand in the factory in Simonside. Barbour now has 11 of its own retail shops in the UK and a presence in over 40 countries worldwide including the United States, Germany, Holland, Austria, France, Italy, Spain, Argentina, New Zealand and Japan.
Barbour jackets are made of 100% cotton — of different weights, thickness and texture calibers— that is fully waxed to become thornproof and waterproof. These jackets are fitted with a soft yet hard-wearing corduroy collar that will always be the unmistakable detail of a true Barbour jacket. The collar is purposefully made of corduroy to provide warmth around the neck and underneath it is fitted with a chin-guard that can be secured when rolling the collar up in order to guarantee extra warmth.
Experience: GMT Bezel Type Bracelet. The Latest Trend on Instagram Available Here.
Several weeks ago, we ran into a picture —posted by a well known watch collector and dealer— of what at the time was just a prototype of what we considered to be one of the most unique and interesting looking stainless steel bracelets. Today, just within a few days from its launch, the GMT Bezel Type Bracelet is the trendiest watch accessory on Instagram among watch collectors and watchlifestylers. Luckily for you guys, we have stocked our shop with them so you can get them without having to search around.
This new bracelet is made of hypoallergenic 316L grade stainless steel with a satin brushed finish and filled with enamel to evoke the vintage look of the Rolex GMT Master bezels. The bracelet is designed in a way similar to the I.D. Blood Type bracelets worn by many aviation pilots where one can bend the bracelet to go around the wrist and fit as snug and comfortably with just a slight bend.
Experience: Smythson of Bond Street Leather Card Case. Classic and Functional as a Rolex GMT Master ref. 1675 Pepsi.
Smythson of Bond Street is one of the leading names in the luxury leather goods industry around the world and an icon in the UK. Smythson of Bond Street was established in 1887 and is the proud holder of three Royal warrants, granted by Her Majesty The Queen in 1964, HRH The Prince of Wales in 1980, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother in 1987 and HRH The Duke of Edinburgh in 2002. While holding The Queen Mother's Warrant, Smythson was one of only eight companies in the world to hold all four warrants simultaneously. Royal Warrants are a mark of recognition given to companies or individuals that have supplied goods or services for at least five years to the households of the British Royal Family. As users of the most functional and classic pigskin card case, we can attest that their quality, design and craftsmanship is exceptional.
This beautiful black pigskin card case gets its inspiration from an early card case launched by Smythson back in 1925 and described in their catalogue at the time as 'perfectly finished and available in the finest leather'. At that time the card case was fitted with a thin sterling silver mount on the border of the top cover and embossed with gold foil lettering.
Today, the current model of their card case features a simple, functional and durable design that catches the eyes of other watchlifestylers every time we pull it out to hand out one of our business cards. Measuring only 4" tall by 2.75" wide, the card case is light, sturdy but not too bulky at less than 0.5" at its thickest point.
Besides its functionality and design, something else we love about this card case is how discreet the Smythson of Bond Street branding was done. The branding is only visible as you pull the top cover off to take out one of your business cards. This is a nice and elegant touch that gets enhanced even more, if your business cards happen to have silver foiling.
This elegant Smythson of Bond Street card case is as functional as that Rolex GMT Master ref. 1675 Pepsi you've been wanting to buy for months. The best part about Smythson leather goods, is how exclusive they are and how only a very few watchlifestylers will be pulling out one of these cases out of their bespoke suit pockets.
If you are walking around New Bond Street in London or 57th Street in New York City, make sure to pay them a visit and look at all their leather goods selection that includes everything from bags, wallets, card holders and cases, leather accessories, books, diaries and even some amazing chess sets and watch boxes.
Sticker Price £115. For more info on Smythson click here.
Experience: Louis Vuitton Damier Graphite Porte-Documents Voyage. A True Watchlifestyler's Bag.
Many of you have noticed the Louis Vuitton Damier Graphite background on some of our pictures posted here on our website, via Twitter and on our Instagram account. Since we rarely show the whole bag, we decided to work on this post to showcase one of our most faithful companions and what we consider a true watchlifestyler's bag of choice. The Louis Vuitton Damier Graphite Porte-Documents Voyage is a perfectly sized briefcase capable of carrying a 15" laptop in conjunction with documents as big as 14" by 10" and even our Leica camera equipment fits in it. This briefcase that has been our companion along all sorts of watch reviews, pleasure travels and watch events like the SIHH —Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie—, Baselworld and the SIAR —Salón Internacional de Alta Relojería— is nothing but durable and practical. Today, after years of ownership, it still looks as good as when it came out of the store.
This distinguished briefcase measuring 16.1" wide, 12.2" tall and 4.7" deep will surprise you when you realize how much stuff you can fit in it. The briefcase features a convenient foamed laptop pocket for added protection, a zippered compartment for A4 documents, two small flap pockets where you can fit your planner or small notebook, two pen loops, interior d-ring for your keys, an exterior flat pocket on the back side, lock and a removable shoulder strap —we personally like the look of the bag without the strap as it is looks more elegant. Lastly, the added feature that Louis Vuitton doesn't tell you about, is that it makes one of the nicest backdrops for watch photography.
Now, let's share with you some of our favorite images where we have used this briefcase as the backdrop for some amazing timepieces. Indisputably, this is the most stylish way to walk around the streets and airports of the world and this briefcase is now for sure one of the staples in WatchCollectingLifestyle images.
Sticker Price $2,290 USD. For more info on Louis Vuitton click here.
Experience: Deakin & Francis Silver Bull and Bear Cufflinks. Perfectly Made to Match the Girard-Perregaux WW.TC Financial Worldtimer Chronograph in Titanium.
Deakin & Francis was founded in Birmingham, England in 1786 as the manufacturer of some of the world’s finest cufflinks and without a doubt one of the top brands for demanding watchlifestylers. Their workshop in Birmingham produces fine quality handmade jewellery in precious metals, incorporating vitreous enamel and fine gemstones. Seven generations after Charles Washington Shirley Deakin developed the product range, the business is today owned and managed by James and Henry Deakin. Over the last 200+ years, the team at Deakin & Francis has created over 1,000 cufflink designs for business people, celebrities and members of royalty worldwide. Some of their creations range from funky and fun to classic and extremely elegant in precious metals and stones.
The Bull and Bear cufflinks we are presenting you here are the perfect companion for those of you living the 'Wolf of Wall Street' lifestyle. The Bull and Bear Deakin & Francis cufflinks are handmade of sterling silver and encrusted with bright ruby eyes. The oxidized silver along with the ruby eyes are the perfect combination for those seeking a dressy but fun look.
Deakin & Francis offers a large selection of silver and gold cufflinks, leather cufflink boxes, money clips, wallets, bracelets, bangles and key rings. When it comes to their particularly fancy gold cufflinks, these come set with precious stones or in funky designs to make that first impressions unforgettable. Their gold cufflinks come in either 9K or 18K gold with vitreous enamel, gem set and hand painted crystal cufflinks. The designs are not only very well executed but also quite original including all sort of wild animals and bugs, a vast array of transportation vehicles, foods, drinks, skulls, quirky characters and even some amazing blue enamel and gold knot cufflinks.
Next time you are wearing that fabulous Girard-Perregaux WW.TC Financial Worldtimer Chronograph at the floor, make sure its paired with this oxidized silver cufflinks that match the beautiful dark gray color of its titanium case. Now, if you are one of those that prefers gold watches, these cufflinks are also available in 18K gold with ruby eyes for only $7,970 USD.
Sticker Price $570 USD. For more info on Deakin & Francis click here.
Experience: Doucal's Five Eyelet Wing Tip Shoes. A Shoemaker Founded the Year After the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak was Born.
Nestled in the enchanting Marche Region of Italy is the town of Montegranaro —located a 110 miles East of Perugia— home to Italy's heart for handcrafted glamorous footwear and the place where Mario Giannini founded Doucal's in 1973, the year after the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak was born.
The brand, known initially as Duca —meaning "Duke”— to identify a product which was developed for an elite clientèle. Mario's dream and his passion for English shoes took him to England where he took an internship in the British Shoe Manufacturer District and learned all the secrets of the various construction methods and the rules of English style. After several months of training, his desire was to create shoes that endured through time, but that were also comfortable to wear in comparison to the rigidity of English shoes. Following his passion and everything he learned in England, Mario decided to anglicize the name of his company from Duca into Doucal's.
Doucal's shoes are now conceived to look like English shoes while incorporating the comfort of an Italian shoe that is guaranteed by a liner in the insole with an activated carbon coating which guarantees the foot great comfort and freshness, combined with anti-bacterial action. This peculiarity has given Doucal's shoes an advantage that has been much appreciated by new emerging markets, more interested in comfort than rigidity. Always evolving, Giannini's second generation guards well the traditions of the “Made in Italy” elegant Italian craftsmanship while embracing the modern perspective of fashion and style.
If you are ready to wear an exclusive brand that comes with history, handmade craftsmanship, amazing details and design straight from Italy, Doucal's is the brand. These shoes are as well crafted and durable as Bally, Church's or Allen Edmonds. The first three words that come to mind when wearing a pair of Doucal's are elegance, comfort and Italy.
Sticker Price $350 USD. For more info on Doucal's click here.
