This year marks the first time in the past few years we’ve actually been able to enjoy the holidays in person. While you’re evaluating your gifts and considering your wardrobe, don’t forget to take into…
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This story is part of our end-of-year series This Year in Gear, rounding up the most notable releases of 2021.
The footwear we gravitate toward each morning typically defines the day ahead: Boots if you plan to brunt cold or questionable terrain; Sneakers if you’re doing a lot of walking; Loafers if you’re headed into the office or to a luxurious lunch; and so on and so forth. But footwear can also be purely fun, a striking form of self-expression. The 20 best boots, sneakers and shoes released in 2021 emphasize both form and function. Find them below.
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GANT’s collaborative Diemme boots come with colorful mud guards. You can choose from Persimmon Orange, Peacock Pink or Black, but they all have the same brown leather upper. Think: rugged yet fun.
Price: $405
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These Blundstone boots are made from onMicro, an animal-free, water- and abrasion-resistant material that looks a whole hell of a lot like leather. Made in collaboration with Finisterre, folks in the UK and EU have exclusive access.
Price: $216
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I’m anti-unnecessary collabs. I’m into cool, unexpected ones (from companies within the same industry, typically). Like Brain Dead and Asics. They made this new shoe, the Trabuco Max, which looks like its made from the skin of several different types of extraterrestrial life. It’s a spooky season running sneaker.
Price: $160
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L.L. Bean and venerable American designer Todd Snyder are back for a sequel to their co-branded collab from last year. There’s more of the same, but also just more. From sweaters to tees, shorts, pants, jackets, bags, and boots, there’s something for everyone. I especially like these Bean Boots, refreshed with new colors, materials, and tongue logos.
Price: $319
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There’s an incredible backstory embedded in Social Status x Nike’s Free Lunch Dunks, a design by Whitaker Group owner James Whitner. Plus, there’s a cinematic short to accompany the launch. Plus (plus), this is an all-new Nike silhouette, a rarity for retailer collaborations.
Price: $130+
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Stüssy and Birkenstock are back with another collaboration. This time it comprises three different Boston clogs: pink ones, white ones, and these rich brown guys. Get them for the cooler weather (or the hot seasons).
Price: $179+
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Say hello to an all-new Desert Boot. The iconic silhouette’s been reimagined with an innovative vegan-friendly brown microfiber. Ditching leather, Clarks turned to material development teams for an alternative. The resulting boot is just as durable, plenty stylish, and a signal that similar advancements from other brands are sure to come.
Price: $150
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Elusive designer Justin Saunders (aka JJJJound) has collaborated with Dr. Martens, New Balance, Reebok and now Vans, too. His trio of SK8-Mids come in black, brown, and green, but all are bound to sell out instantly. Best of luck buying a pair. You’re probably better off monitoring resale prices on sites like StockX until you find something at least close to retail. That’s the reality.
Price: $150+
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Dubbed “Levi’s For Feet,” these New Balance sneakers are made from a mix of patchwork suede and authentic grey denim. Like the JJJJound New Balance 992s, these emphasize the popularity of NB’s various shades of gray. Finished with the iconic Levi’s pull tab logo, they’re made in the US in extremely limited quantities.
Price: $699+
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Think of these as the cross between a loafer and an open-toed sandal. For those who’d rather not flash their feet — at least not without charging a fee — these are for you. All jokes aside, these were produced in a way that upholds the huarache’s history. “For the past year we have been working with a family-owned workshop in the Mexican region of Michoacán who has been producing huaraches for over 50 years,” NYC-based brand Knickerbocker announced alongside the release.
Price: $120
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We’ve been preaching about the practicality of loafers. And not the run-of-the-mill leather or suede ones, either. We’re talking statement styles. Blackstock & Weber’s new Emerald Croc horse bit loafers — see our guide to learn what that means — certainly make one.
Price: $325
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Yuketen’s Maine Guide DB is the fully-loaded option, if you don’t mind the car reference. I mean, just look at ’em. Italian leather comprises the midsole, rubber reinforces it and Vibram’s new made-in-US 2021 sole tops it off. On top, it’s silky, full-grain, flesh-out leather all over in four different hues, hence the Quatro in its name.
Price: $590
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This iteration of Doc Martens’ 1461 shoe is their second collaboration with Bodega. Made from four different materials — pebble lamper, milled nubuck, suede and TecTuff — the all-weather Oxford arrives as a celebration of the silhouette’s 60th anniversary. All of the subtle tweaks made this version an upgrade on the standard release, which, as evident by its enduring design, remains a popular style.
Price: $160
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New York-based label Alife — who closed their Rivington store this year — breathes new life into Timberland’s lesser-known silhouette, rendering it interesting again. The brand’s eco-conscious Better Leather is dyed a reddish hue designed to contrast the orange EVA midsole. Each pair is painstakingly sewn by hand and arrives with rugged tread we can all agree upon.
Price: $170
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The collab between Engineered Garments and Sebago offers a unique take on the brand’s iconic moc-toe boat shoes. The styles feature suede or exotic stamped leather, chunky soles and unique closures.
Price: $380
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A portion of the sales from these comfortable shoes will be donated to The Wilderness Society’s ‘Protect the Tongass’ campaign. The comfortable Yogui model features Jerry Garcia’s art — either New York at Night or Banyan Tree — and the donation is a nod to Garcia’s earlier work supporting rainforest protection: the 1988 rainforest benefit concert at Madison Square Garden and his 1993 “Junglescape” painting.
Price: $90
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Salomon’s ultra-popular XT-6 shoes were originally built for ultramarathoner Kilian Jornet, but have also become popular in style circles (they were names sneaker of the year by GQ in 2019). This limited-edition color of the shoe features all the elements that made the original famous: dual-density EVA cushioning, an abrasion-resistant TPU film and durable mesh upper, a Quicklace system and a lugged sole.
Price: $220
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This collab with Tokyo-based label Wacko Maria features the iconic Vans OG Authentic LX with a vinyl record print in three colors. The shoes pay homage to the roots of the Japanese brand — the founder, Atushiko Mori, initially opened a bar in Tokyo called Rock Steady that spun records.
Price: $60
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This is the ultimate ‘80s mash-up. The collab features elements from Reebok’s 1983 Classic Leather trainers and Maison Margiela’s 1988 Tabi boots — the split-toe design is immediately recognizable.
Price: $270
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Made by hand in the hills of Tuscany, The Legend boot features a vat-dyed kangaroo leather that’s lined with calf leather. It has a flexible leather sole. and almond-shaped two and a brass zip up the back.
Price: $825
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There’s no topping a great winter coat, but staying warm in the colder months often comes down to protecting the parts furthest away from your core — especially your hands and feet. Heat Holders knows how to keep every part of your body warm regardless of how low the mercury drops, and its Twist & striped socks pack style into its trusted ORIGINAL Crew Sock. Independently tested and proven to be warmer than the average cotton sock, Heat Holders offers three levels of warmth — ranging from the thinner, everyday Ultra Lite (which is three times warmer than a cotton sock) to ORIGINAL (which is seven times warmer) — so you can find the right fit for your feet. The Heat Holders ORIGINAL Striped Sock turns up the heat with specially-developed bulk yarn that boasts extreme thermal qualities. With long pile cushioning and a brushed interior, the final product is soft and supremely insulating. Whether you’re in the market to protect your feet, or just looking for a way to keep your whole self warm this winter — with everything from socks and gloves to hats and blankets — Heat Holders knows how to keep things cozy.
Price: $10-$50
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Carhartt isn’t just a purveyor of hard-wearing workwear, it’s been creating all-conditions gear for every aspect of life, from the worksite to relaxing in the great outdoors. Named after Carhartt’s first-ever line of hunting gear (which, for the record, dates back to the 1930s), the Super Dux coat leverages almost a century of outdoor and sporting performance to inspire a coat that’s both technically sound, but practical and stylish. Built on 7.75-ounce Nylon, the exterior of the coat is treated with a Rain Defender® durable water-repellent finish and Wind Fighter® technology to keep wet and windy conditions at bay. Lined with 100 grams of 3M Thinsulate, the Super Dux promises warmth without any unnecessary bulk. Whether you’re heading out on a fishing trip or simply going for a walk, this is the jacket to pack regardless of what mother nature puts on the agenda.
Price: $180
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The best solution to changing weather and sudden storms? A jacket that stands up to practically anything. Designed to deal with whatever mother nature throws your way, On’s Parka is a fully-adjustable piece of outerwear that’s supremely versatile. The overall silhouette is knee-length to block any stray sprays of snow or rain, and is cut in a more relaxed shape. This allows the jacket to facilitate airflow and feel breathable — while still being fully wind- and waterproof (thanks to its triple-layer construction and DWR coating). Bonded seam zippers seal any extraneous moisture out, rounded out by a fully adjustable attached hood. Not just a jacket that’s able to carry you from autumn evenings, to winter snows and spring showers, On’s thoughtful sport-adjacent design means that this jacket looks right at home regardless of where you’re wearing it. Whether you’re adding it to your gym bag to keep you warm post-workout, or simply need a stylish jacket that looks sharp in any season, when you’ve got a parka like this, you don’t need to worry about the weather forecast.
Price: $460
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Timex has been bringing the vintage style like nobody else in the watch world today, and they all come at truly attainable prices. Their latest is one that nods to the company’s 1854 origins, when…
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Plenty of jackets boast supreme heat retention, but how many can say they’re actually the warmest jacket on the market. With a stunning 9.25 CLO rating — a system developed in 1941 to measure the degree of insulation provided by an article of clothing (for context, a business suit is 1 CLO) — LifeLabs’ MegaWarm jacket is literally rated as the warmest jacket on the planet. This begins with the brand’s proprietary WarmLife technology, which is designed to retain heat while being as breathable as possible. On top of using 800 fill power ethically-sourced goose down, the MegaWarm uses less than a paper clip’s worth of aluminum to reflect 100 percent of radiant body heat back onto the skin. Taken together, the approach gives a supreme warmth-to-weight ratio. That’s incredibly important, given that LifeLabs designed the MegaWarm to be packable with an ultra-lightweight build. Most importantly, LifeLabs’ commitment to sustainability isn’t just isolated to its responsibly sourced goose down, the MegaWarm uses 91 percent recycled materials by fabric weight and compostable packaging.
Price: $693
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It’s hard not to love clothing that can fit more than one occasion, pulling double (or triple) duty as it transitions from home office, to gym to a meetup with friends. On’s Active Pant embodies this philosophy, designed to prioritize comfort while looking contemporary and — frankly — classically stylish. As expected from a label like On, these hit the marks when it comes to sport-centered details, including adjustable hemlines at the ankle, a drawstring waist (for easy on-and-off) and a techy Polyamide exterior that delivers light insulation, soft hand feel and a UV protective fabric that also dries quickly when wet. Even with all the details taken care of, On has emphasized that these pants are, first-and-foremost, centered on sheer comfort. With a modern, easy design, that’s obvious the moment you slip them on. Being able to rock a single pair of pants as you go through every part of your day — what’s cozier than that?
Price: $150
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Art Kane – Black Ivy: A Revolt in Style
Clothing can tell stories, bear hidden meanings and relay silent messages through tightly-packed crowds. It can also kickstart a revolution. Jason Jules’ new book, Black Ivy: A Revolt in Style, due out December 7th, 2021 via Reel Art Press, proves this.
The book details how Black individuals like Malcolm X, Martin Luther King Jr., James Baldwin, Miles Davis and John Coltrane reinterpreted traditionally prep designs like the Oxford button-down shirt, hand-stitched loafer, soft shoulder three-button jacket and repp tie for their own wear — and changed menswear forever by doing so.
“Black Ivy style became a thing in and of itself, distinct from Ivy but always related to it,” Jules says. “Ironically, the characterization of Ivy league clothing as quintessentially cool is due in no small part to the enormous, but until now undocumented, influence Black Ivy style has had on mainstream culture —past and present. The old adage, it’s not what you wear it’s how you wear it, is never truer than in the case of Black Ivy style, where the classic Ivy wardrobe was comprehensively raided and then remixed and re-envisioned, away from its elitist confines, away from its mass-market popularity, and into something heavily coded and intentionally revolutionary.”
There’s a thread that connects today’s prep resurgence and the sartorial efforts of these men in the ’50s and ’60s. Prep is cool once more because new designers and brands are removing it from its original context — aka the wretches of global elites (which are predominantly white) — in the same way King Jr., Baldwin and Davis did. But to understand today’s trends, you have to educate yourself on the cast that set the revolution in motion.
Jules, a popular prep model, public relations expert, consultant for brands like Levi’s and Wrangler and seminal style blogger, noticed the new way of dressing early, when he was a child still.
“To me, the understanding of Black Ivy came about organically. As I got older, I began to draw connections between style and its contexts and began to understand how clothes could have meaning, how things can be adopted and redefined to serve a purpose or an agenda,” Jules told The New York Times.
Initially, he surveyed the style from afar. Over the years, as fashion became his primary focus, he returned to Black Ivy Style with renewed interest, as he realized it laid the foundation for how many men dress today.
“Coming from a Black, British working-class background, the Ivy Look couldn’t be further away from my everyday life experience growing up,” Jules explains. “But the more I understood it, the more I gravitated towards it. Black Ivy style is so important. It charts a unique moment in time when the language of Ivy style became an internal part of the Black American story — from the music, the visual arts, the education, the struggle and beyond.”
Jules is sure to call out, though, that Black Ivy Style is not, nor was ever, rooted in the desire to be, or at least dress, white. In fact, its origins are quite the opposite. In the same ways Ivy Style intersected with the Civil Rights Movement, later prep renaissances (today’s included) reared their heads in times of turbulence. Dressing up, it seems, served as a way to endure instability and rebut injustice.
“Rather than a sign of conformity and compliance, Black Ivy was a kind of battledress, a symbolic armor worn in the nonviolent pursuit of fundamental change,” Jules writes.
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Looking for more Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals? Bookmark our tag page, where we’ll be collecting the best savings, discounts and promotions throughout the week.
Few people can say they aren’t familiar with L.L. Bean. The brand, founded by Leon Leonwood Bean in 1912, has long been the go-to outdoors retailer. Made for Maine, L.L. Bean sells everything from gloves and beanies to the iconic Bean Boot and the trusty Boat and Tote.
And that’s far from it. It’s truly hard to describe how many different garments, goods and accessories the 100+-year-old label sells. Plus, fresh off a collab with Todd Snyder, its profile has probably never been higher. Find a handful of icons and newcomers alike, all on sale now until the holiday season ends.
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Looking for more Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals? Bookmark our tag page, where we’ll be collecting the best savings, discounts and promotions throughout the week.
Ever since 2010, Everlane’s been making mindful menswear at affordable prices. What does that mean? Well, the brand’s always been transparent about how it prices its items — how much it costs to make, where it was made and who made it, how much it costs to ship it and so on and so forth. As such, a lot of the erroneous add-ons to appease middlemen are missing. That makes the final product far more affordable.
During the year’s shopping season — that stretch spanning Black Friday and Cyber Monday — the brand slashes its prices even further, sending standout pieces free-falling toward 40-, 50- or even 60-percent off. Capitalize while you can (aka while everything’s still in stock).
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Clean Origin is founded on a promise to provide diamonds without compromise. This includes its specialized focus on exclusively lab-grown diamonds, which (on top of generally being 20 to 40 percent more affordable than the conventionally-mined alternative) are more ethical than traditional gemstones — all without sacrificing the brilliance or quality you’d expect from a top-tier diamond. This eye for quality is embodied by Clean Origin’s Diamond Stud Earrings, which range from 3/4 to 2 carats in myriad different styles — from a classic four-pronged round shape to pear or halo silhouettes — and utilize Clean Origin’s signature lab-grown diamonds. If you’re looking to make a statement with someone you love this upcoming holiday season, Clean Origin also has a selection of engagement rings that leverage the clarity and beauty of its lab-grown diamonds to create a piece that’s meant to make any moment truly memorable. Whether you’re shopping for something classic or something more contemporary, Clean Origin makes the case for adding lab-grown diamonds to your holiday gift shopping list.
Price: $435+
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Paramount Networks’ hit show Yellowstone is back for its fourth season — surprises in tow. And we couldn’t help but think back to one of our favorite looks from seasons past. They’ve all been done by costume designer Ruth Carter, who worked on films such as Amistad, Dolemite Is My Name, and won an Oscar for her work on Black Panther. The modern western drama sees its characters decked out in vintage-inspired ranchwear with a modern twist, like the down-filled mackinaw zip-up jacket, highlighted with a bright orange yoke, worn by John Dutton (Kevin Costner).
While you could try and convince your tailor to recreate the custom clothes made specifically for Costner, Luke Grimes’ character, Kayce Dutton, also sports some enviable ready-to-wear duds throughout the show. The key piece he wears is the Riders Jacket comes from SoCal-based brand Freenote Cloth. It’s a beautiful hybrid between a vintage ranch jacket and trucker jacket and features a burly 10-ounce waxed canvas which, as you can tell from the show, ages really well. But it doesn’t just look good — it’s the real deal.
All of the metal hardware is custom-made in Kentucky, accompanied by a leather patch from Red Wing as well as a silky satin sleeve lining and Southwestern-inspired printed body liner, both made in Japan. It’s got plenty of room for personal effects, with dual chest and hand pockets as well as an interior pocket. And the clever gusseted shoulders allow for a greater range of motion to handle all that tough ranch work (or yard work).
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Whenever cold weather arrives wardrobes contract. We transition from wearing things because we like how they look to wearing things because they’ll keep us warm — with the occasional sacrifice to emphasize the former. Largely, though, it’s an “I’ll wear whatever works” time of year. But that doesn’t mean you must always sacrifice style in order to survive sub-zero temperatures.
Our list of winter style essentials balances form and function, meaning the items here are as high-performing as they are nice to look at. That includes plush beanies that won’t pill, jackets with eco-friendly fill, boots that won’t falter in a foot of snow, gloves to keep your hands dry and fingers from cracking and plenty more.
Admittedly, finding these things can be hard. Perhaps the coat you really want looks amazing and all but wouldn’t keep you warm on a crisp fall morning, let alone nighttime in the dead of winter. It’s why we stick to what works, often longer than we should — or long after the look’s gone out of style. So, whether you’re bolstering your winter wardrobe or building it from scratch, these selections represent 25 different ways to upgrade — in colors correct for the season, too.
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Henry Phillips
A version of this story first appeared in Gear Patrol Magazine. Subscribe today.
Cannabis has been around since, some say, 2000 BCE. It’s documented in texts from Ancient China, Africa, and Eastern Europe, and a part of spiritual life in Jamaica and on the Indian subcontinent, where the plant’s indigenous to. Stateside, the number of citizens open about their cannabis consumption is increasing.
Only five states haven’t yet passed laws to legalize cannabis for medicinal or recreational use. The early adopters, Colorado and Washington, only did so in 2012. Relatively speaking, we’re still in the wee beginnings of what will be a $91.5 billion dollar industry by 2028, according to Grand View Research, Inc.
Brands that grow and pack, distribute, sell, advertise, deliver, educate about and advocate for criminal justice reform around cannabis are forging the legal landscape. But despite the rapid growth, these companies remain punk in spirit, creating merch for a new generation of stoners. Is it high fashion? Depends who you ask.
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The best outerwear is able to pack significant warmth without getting too bulky, making it the perfect piece to transition from fall to winter (and ultimately springtime) without skipping a beat. Fox Racing’s Ridgeway jacket ticks all the boxes, offering durability and weather-defying warmth, wrapped up in a… well, highly packable design. It begins with the Cordura fabric outer shell, which is designed to handle rugged conditions, rounded out by a Polartec lining for practical insulation without adding weight. With fleecy side panels, the overall design was developed to be as versatile as possible — without feeling weighed down. We can definitely see this piece as a smart investment; the way the Ridgeway jacket is designed, we imagine you’ll be reaching for it no matter what Mother Nature throws your way.
Price: $145
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The humble insulated puffy jacket has been a staple in outdoor clothing since it was first invented in the 1940s. Today, it has come a long way from its much more utilitarian beginnings. It can be seen gracing the runways at fashion weeks across the globe, on album covers and of course, on the backs of adventurers summiting the world’s tallest peaks.
To stand out from a crowd of jackets that have become ubiquitous not just in the outdoors, but in pop culture as well, takes a lot. Such is the goal of the AETHER Rex insulated jacket. To find out if it achieves that goal, we put it through its paces in the unpredictable late fall weather of northern Vermont.
“The Rex Jacket is a piece you won’t find anywhere else. Made from a water- and wind-resistant nylon, it features custom bonded baffling, giving it a truly unique aesthetic. The Rex is both comfortable to wear and built for winter’s coldest days. And because small details matter to us, there is Trapunto stitching detail at the center-front zipper wind guard, as well as pocket bags lined with a super soft brushed tricot that you’ll notice the moment you put your hands in the pockets.”
Gear Patrol Studios
Gear Patrol Studios
AETHER is known for taking great care in the details of its garments and the Rex is no exception. In fact, the first detail our tester noticed in the jacket is a rather unique cover pocket for the washing instructions and materials specifications attached to the lining of the jacket. The pocket is the same color as the rest of the lining, which allows it to blend in nicely. Some would argue that it’s an insignificant blip on what the jacket is actually about. But our tester would argue that it’s the perfect flourish to highlight, and one that exemplifies what AETHER is all about as a brand.
The details continued to unfurl when our tester took the jacket on its maiden voyage for a coffee run and walk along the just-above-freezing shores of Lake Champlain. This, of course, required a tug on the AETHER-logo Natulon® zipper to snug up the collar lined with premium Italian brushed cotton. In practice, these details instantly wrap you in their warmth and comfort, and buck the trend of a simple nylon lining on most other insulated jackets.
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Speaking of insulation, our tester found the Rex to be no slouch in that department either — both in terms of syle and performance. The 800-fill-power goose down is plenty warm, and looks unlike anything else thanks to its custom bonded baffle layout. Even with frigid winds whipping through the valleys of the Green Mountains, no chill was felt. Need we say more?
Maybe not — maybe that’s enough to convince you right there. But that, is only part of the Rex’s story. How does it stand up to inclement weather? The kind that makes you want to curl up indoors with a good book and a stiff pour of Scotch? For our tester and for most other dog owners, there are times where avoiding the weather outside simply isn’t possible. Nature calls, even when an impending hail, rain and snowstorm is on the horizon.
This is, perhaps, where the Rex shines best. Our tester threw on the jacket with haste before heading out the door to walk the dog — not bothering to put on some sort of shell that promises full waterproofing capabilities. What followed was categorically northern Vermont fall — a mix of every winter weather precipitation known to man. As the cavalcade came down, it was no match for the Rex’s water- and wind-resistant nylon shell. Water in all its forms beaded up and rolled right off its sleeves and shoulders, much to the enjoyment of our tester.
Gear Patrol Studios
Gear Patrol Studios
Simply put, the Rex is for style-conscious users who refuse to compromise. We wouldn’t be surprised if there were even more considered and thoughtful details baked into this jacket than our tester was able to catch. That’s AETHER’s M.O.
It’s also for anyone who wants to stand out from the crowd. The unique baffle structure immediately sets it apart from its competition. One glance at the jacket conveys that it’s not like the others.
While the Rex Jacket is expensive, what you get for your hard-earned coin is an exclusive jacket packed with tech; that sweats the details; that you won’t see each of your friends wearing. But more than that, you get a jacket that you can grab as you head out the door and not think twice about it — you get convenience. It’s stylish enough to top your slacks on the way to a business meeting, casual enough for meeting up with friends at a brewery and performance-oriented enough that it will keep you comfortable no matter what the weather holds — just as it did for our tester.
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Price: $650
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No one expected Ben Gorham to bottle magic when he launched the fragrance brand Byredo 15 years ago. The pro-basketball-play-er-turned-art-school-student had no experience in an industry dominated by luxury conglomerates with centuries of history, so he enlisted respected perfumer Jérôme Epinette to craft his vision.
For Gorham, Byredo’s fragrances are deeply personal and nostalgic: His first scent conjured memories of his absent father with notes of sage, jasmine, violet and musk, and his second, a blend of temple incense, amber, ginger and bergamot, was inspired by the Mumbai suburb where his mother was born. Through the veil of memory, Gorham created something immediately relevant and unlike anything put out by legacy fashion houses.
Not surprisingly, Byredo grew from a cult brand to an industry darling, even collaborating on scents with the likes of Virgil Abloh’s Off-White and Travis Scott’s Cactus Jack in recent years. As his brand has gained respect in the fashion world, Gorham has ventured out into other categories: first, leather goods and purses, then jewelry, makeup and grooming products.
In 2019, Gorham launched a new line, ByProduct, to house his non-olfactory creations. The line has produced suits, sneakers, eyewear, wallets, jeans and home goods, among other things. Additionally, Gorham has recently collaborated with a wide range of brands on non-Byredo products, including a line of affordable candles with Ikea, adventure gear with Peak Performance, a table with La Manufacture and a collection of surf-inspired clothing with Stockholm (Surfboard) Club.
Byredo × Courtney MC Le Monstre Sneakers
Paris-based artist Courtney MC’s work is printed onto lambskin and hand-stitched to the sides of these basketball-inspired sneakers.
Price: $330
Byredo Isono Solaires
Made in Japan, these sunglasses bring disco into the modern era with pure titanium frames and industry-leading CR-39 lenses.
Price: $380
Byredo × Our Legacy Work Shop Denim
Working with Stockholm brand Our Legacy, Byredo repurposed leftover Italian denim to create these wide-cut jeans. Details include copper rivets and a screen-printed logo.
Price: $410
While fragrance is still the core of Byredo’s business, Gorham’s unique perspective is making waves in an array of other seemingly untouchable categories. Reflecting on a decade and a half of helming Byredo, Gorham shares how he approaches these new products and the lessons learned along the way.
You started Byredo with little experience in the fragrance world and created a range of unique scents — how has your relationship to creating new fragrances changed with 15 years of experience?
It’s funny when I think about it as my approach hasn’t dramatically changed. What has changed is what I know about the fabrication of a fragrance, the technical details. Not knowing what to begin with was an asset, one of the many joys of being an outsider. I had no framework, which also meant I had no constraints. I wanted to create moments in time linked to memory or emotion, which may not have been possible if I had years of experience in an industry that often starts from a marketing approach to developing new products.
Did your experience in art school inform your approach to fragrance?
Art school was kind of a time of rebirth in my life. I knew I wasn’t conventionally academic from my schoolboy days, and my basketball journey had abruptly ended because of bureaucracy. Everything I thought I would do with my life drastically changed when I was in my twenties. Going to art school allowed me to recalibrate that experience, and what came out of it was a chance encounter with a perfumer [Epinette] I still work with to this day — and the opportunity to express myself in a way that would have never occurred to me if it wasn’t for that part of my journey.
How does fragrance allow you to express memories and emotions better than other products?
Smell is obviously not the only sense that will somewhat unwittingly bring a memory or emotion into someone’s consciousness, but it is un- deniably potent. For the most part, people can’t remember where they put their keys or parked their car, yet a whiff of jasmine or coffee or rose will transport them immediately to a moment filed deep in their subconscious. The fact that scent is intangible and subjective is so attractive to me. I am creating fragrances from my own memories that will ultimately reveal memories in the minds of others, which is where I find the most joy in Byredo.
As the brand has grown, have the inspirations for fragrances changed from personal memories to a wider vision, or is it still a singular perspective?
Byredo has allowed me to visit so many countries and collaborate with some of the world’s most creative people. It’s definitely diversified my approach to fragrance and enriched the experiences that I can draw from. So has the times we are living through, the good and the bad. Mixed Emotions was inspired by the idea that it’s okay to not be okay. Open Sky was born from a longing to experience that trepidation and excitement between departure and destination, when I took the longest break from travel that I have had in years. The perspective is ever-evolving but never lacking inspiration.
When did you have the impulse to expand into other product categories — was it a challenge to apply the same perspective to cosmetics or grooming products?
From the beginning, my approach to the fragrance game was different to anything else on the market. Byredo began as a journey around scent, but memories and emotions are really the heart of the brand. And inevitably that often led me to want to create products that weren’t fragrances or candles or body care, which is how our leather goods and footwear and collaborations with Off-White and Craig McDean came about.
Cosmetics was something more deliberate. I had always felt that there could be a visual manifestation of Byredo and that it should be disruptive. And looking at the industry as an outsider, it was ripe for disruption. Beauty is ultimately subjective, yet the makeup industry is built around dictating what is beautiful and what you should look like. Byredo makeup had to totally reject that notion, which is why we created a tool box of colors and textures for people to express themselves.
How do you decide which products to approach in the ByProduct line?
Without sounding too esoteric, the products come to me quite organically. Our creative ambition is really to connect with people — and I have never wanted to limit what those could be. ByProduct is a physical exploration of this belief, from eyewear to beach towels to vases to picnic baskets. It’s about constantly discovering what Byredo can be.
How does your design approach change when collaborating with outdoors brands like Peak Performance or Stockholm (Surfboard) Club?
I am working with very different teams on these projects, and there are very different roles for the products we create. What is always the same is that I love to be surrounded by people who know more than me about the topic — I learn the rules from them so I can break them a bit.
What inspires you?
We will launch 12 ByProducts in total this year, which inspires me greatly. To have the freedom to constantly apply my creativity to new mediums is extremely satisfying. And to see makeup being launched across the globe in such a radical way and being embraced so thoroughly, it’s the best possible fuel to keep creating.
Courtesy
There’s no nice way to say it: humans are sweaty creatures. And while you’re mostly dealing with water here, some parts of your body (like, say, your armpits) also secrete proteins and fatty acids. These things are harmless but annoying; when they react to bacteria on the body, you get a little thing called trans-3-Methyl-2-hexenoic acid — a.k.a. body odor.
You already know what to do, of course. But before you reach for the same old stick you’ve been using since the first day of middle school, you might want to consider your other options. There are lots of ingredients and methods of application to consider. When it comes to something as essential as deodorant, it’s worth sweating the small stuff.
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Courtesy
Are you just now getting into jewelry? I understand. Big clunky necklaces or bracelets can be a bit cumbersome, especially if you’re active or work with your hands. Rings can be annoying, and they’re risky — meaning if they’re not sized specifically for you they could totally slip off. Earrings are another conversation entirely. Tabooed by champions of extreme masculinity, they’ve been removed from most men’s rotation for years now (save for a select few pop stars, rock-and-rollers and aging actors).
You shouldn’t be afraid to try any of options these, though. Like I said before, it’s best to invest in a bracelet you can wear all of the time — with casual looks and formal attire just the same. You’ll feel less insecure about your accessories this way. The more a part of your style your bracelet becomes, the less likely you are to be shaken by someone double-taking at your dangly accessory.
Here are 18 bracelets you can easily incorporate into your outfits — from natural woven ones to the sparkly silver things.
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