Rose Butt

Poufs are multitaskers of the furnishing world, acting as impromptu stools, ottomans or coffeetables. This one's a rather detailed piece, looking very much like a della robbia sphere with layers and layers of wool roses, each with individual laser-cut petals. The Lana Wool Ottoman would make a great conversation piece even if you have it just sitting in your living room, as its multitask-y functionality would not readily be evident. The neutral colors also are a good choice, as you really want to focus on teh texture. We have a feeling people might think it's too pretty to sit on, but one could argue that there's nothing softer than a seat made of flowers. At $395, it's actually reasonably priced too, for all that detail work. Get it via Modern Dose, as seen on BLTD.

Best In Shows

Congratulations to America's Best Menswear Designer for 2009, Robert Geller! GQ & the CFDA announced it today after a showing and party the other night. I couldn't make it to the event, but I knew Robert would take it, and was glad to hear him confirm it this evening. His Fall 2009 show is tomorrow and I'll try to upload video of it, but with all eyes on my favorite menswear designer in America, it may not be necessary, as he will no doubt be the center of attention. But you saw his line here first, as I was one of the first to ever feature images video for his work from his very first collections. And it certainly won't be the last. Congratulations, Robert! So excited.
image from men.style.com.

Siwa's New

I went to the enormous trade show Maison et Objet in Paris to see what's new, and Siwa was the freshest thing I found. The Japanese company offered an improved take on a familiar standby: ubiquitous brown paper gets a makeover... or should we say a make-under?

Design demi-god Naoto Fukuzawa teamed up with Siwa to create a line of crumpled paper products whose qualities are evident in the fact that they seem so not designed. I was immediately drawn to the simplicity of the line, which stood out in aisle after aisle of overproduced schlock at Maison. What makes these products really noteworthy is distilled down to simple form and enhanced function. Made from a reinforced new paper they call Naoron, its rumpled appearance ("siwa," I was told, literally means "crumpled") belies the strength of the material. The reusable containers are so strong they will withstand wet items like umbrellas without a problem. There's a definite Japanese aesthetic in this line (as well as their booth) that reminds me of the quiet appeal of brands like Muji, and the designer in me loves the fact that these are designed non-design.... by such a luminary as Fukuzawa, no less. No word on when these will be available in the US, but I'm encouraging the company I work for to look into bringing them in. Find out more about Siwa on their website, here.

Pinned At The Wrist

Sometimes redundancies are clever fun, such as in the case of these cuff links: one fastening implement providing the theme for another. They make the idea of jewelry more ironically utilitarian and mundane. Of course, you could always go the route of using actual safety pins to secure your sleeves, but where's the fun (or style) in that? At a mere $39.95, it's a perfectly affordable way to give your sartoria some ...wait for it... off the cuff humor. Available from the Conran shop.

New for Necks Fall

Over the course of the Milan and Paris menswear shows, trends always emerge. And while not everyone may have immediate access to sarouel pants or the new, fuller pleated trousers (or want to, for that matter), there's one look you can emulate right now: turtlenecks under collared shirts. Designers as disparate as Dior Homme (left) to Cerruti (above, left) and Gaultier (above, right) as well as Victor & Rolf (below) all showed this kind of layering in no uncertain terms. It's a style that hasn't been seen in earnest since the 80s, although one could arguable still see older men sporting it in the West Village without any nod to current fashion whatsoever. But in fashion whatever's old will be new again, and the t-neck is making a showing underneath collared shirts. It has the look of an ascot without the prissiness, and should be worn with the collar buttoned up all the way to stay neat and concise. Available from European designers for next Fall, or right this very instant if you want to rummage through your sweater drawer for that turtleneck you got for Christmas.