Day one in the books.  Upon arrival into Turin I was met by the real winter New York has been spared – negative -7 degrees Celsius (19F).   After making our way into town and getting settled, we set out on foot to explore and find a much-needed espresso.  What is probably the most quiet of cities along our route, Turin proved to be very rewarding and being on a grid made finding our way around really easy.  After getting little to no sleep on the way over, I was just happy my eyes were open at the end of the day.

For real-time updates and photos be sure to follow @StndardEdition & @contempstandard on twitter and @thestandardedition on instagram.

Made in Italy has a different meaning to different people.  For me, this label calls to mind some of the best clothing manufacturers, Lamborghini and of course Sophia Loren.  Having only spent time in Rome, I’m still  green when it comes to the ways and the workings of the rest of the country.  To better my understanding, this month I will be traveling the length of the Italian peninsula and see if my assumptions hold true.  Over the course of the next two weeks I will be driving from Turin in the north to Naples in the south.  Joining me on this tour is Enrico, good friend and editor of The Contemporary Standard.  Enrico’s Italian citizenship not only affords an insider’s look at the country, but also valuable help with navigation and my flailing attempts at communication.  Together we plan on exploring everything from clothes to cars and will be visiting a variety of different people, brands and companies.  After talking about this trip for nearly two years, we’re finally pulling the trigger and I am really excited to be sharing this project with you.

Be sure to check out both blogs for our daily dispatches and for real-time shenanigans follow us on Twitter (@StndardEdition and @contempstandard) as well as Instagram (@thestandardedition).

Band of Outsiders is at it again.  Over the past couple years I’ve always enjoyed the Band of Outsiders lookbooks and their consistent use of Polaroids.  As the brand continues to grow, so does the roster of models who step in front of the camera.  This time up it’s Ed Ruscha, the famed American artist.  As a person whose life and work is closely associated with Southern California and Los Angeles, they couldn’t have found a better fit.  Keep an eye out for this collection later this year.

Further proof that clothes made well and made right stay their course, and those that look like a costume fall by the wayside.   As evidenced in footage 60 years old, choosing your clothes and choosing them wisely will pay dividends.  One, you’ll look good, and two you’ll look good for some time.  What’s equally notable is the fact that most of what these gentlemen are wearing are now what people are calling staples or classics, but remain in most men’s rotation nonetheless.  Whatever you want to call a proper jacket or suit, it’s wise to make sure one is hanging in your closet.

When it comes to toy soldiers, the list makers is short.  Many are British, nearly a century old (see: Britains or King & Country ), and established the benchmark for what a traditional toy soldier looks like.  Now with most of these originals no longer in existence, they’ve become either extremely rare, extremely expensive or both.  Insert Wm Hocker, an American maker of toy soldiers who is establishing a new benchmark.  Wm Hocker came onto my radar during a late night fact-finding mission.  While looking for some background on the American turtle (a submarine), a Wm Hocker toy model of the first combat sub arrived in the search results.  As a person who enjoys and collects these miniature militiamen, I was nothing short of impressed by the Wm Hocker company and their story. 

Originally an architect from northern California, Bill Hocker became interested in the early Britains toy soldiers while attending college at Berkeley.  After buying a couple sets they ended up sitting on a shelf until he again came across another collection 15 years later.  Resurrecting his interest he quickly began buying up (mostly damaged) soldiers en masse and making his own replacement parts, all while still working as an architect.  Within a couple of years, what initially began as a hobby of repairing old soldiers with handmade parts quickly became a business and The Toy Soldiers of Wm Hocker Proprietor was born.  Now after almost three decades, Wm Hocker remains in California and are one of the main suppliers of toy soldiers.

In an industry that’s dominated by foreign makers with a mountain of history, it’s impressive that after only 29 years Wm Hocker has managed to carve out a place for themselves and keep all their work stateside.  Additionally, I always stand behind anyone that’s willing to take the risk and go out there and do something for themselves at the behest of others.  If you’d like to join the ranks of several other noteworthy gentlemen who also kept a fine stock of soldiers (see: Churchill, Fairbanks Jr. & Malcolm Forbes), pay Wm Hocker a visit.

Snow has finally paid a visit to New York.  Now that this season’s endless fall (not complaining) has finally shifted to a more permanent winter it’s time to get & keep the armor out.  Insert your best friend and winter’s worst enemy, L.L. Bean Boots.  Bean Boots are no secret, and with the company celebrating their 100th anniversary this year, they’re clearly made well and here for the long haul. With a no questions asked life time guarantee, arguably the best customer service out there, and affordability, L.L. Bean is a win-win and definitely worth a visit.

Last month I caught up with a few of the people behind Ghurka, at their new Fifth Avenue location to discuss the American leather goods company.  On top of opening a new store (781 Fifth Avenue), they’re also getting back to basics.  After acquiring the patterns and leathers from the original collection, it was quickly realized that there was no need to reinvent the wheel.  Taking cues from what helped create the Ghurka reputation, most of what they needed had already been done and a loyal following established.  The store itself is lined with vintage pieces, which were used as templates for some of the newer models.  While the line is new, most of what’s being produced is either one-for-one to the originals or has a simple change-up with updated fabrics such as wool or canvas.

At the end of the day, the quality of a product is what’s most important, and this has been something Ghurka has always understood and valued.  From hide to handbag, every detail is scrutinized at the company’s Connecticut and New York factories.  With a relatively minimal workforce, many of the people who were making these bags when Ghurka was started in the 70s are still at the helm using the same techniques and tools.  It’s this level of experience and appreciation that’s evident in the final product.  Personally, I like to know that what I buy is going to last a long time and in some ways an investment, so it’s nice to see company with this type of integrity.

Pitti Uomo is again taking center stage in all things menswear, footwear, apparel or the like.  Although I didn’t have the opportunity to make the trip over for this round, and already two days in, there’s no shortage of coverage for everyone to feast their eyes on.  These are a few of the people who are doing their part in proving you don’t have to wear socks or coats in January as well as covering all the offerings soon to be on the market.  Make sure you follow all their respective twitter and instagram feeds for live details.

Esquire

GQ

SREETFSN

Die, Workwear

Moon On The Moon

How To Talk To Girls…

Justin Chung

Jak & Jil

Park & Bond

In 1775, American inventor and Yale grad, David Bushnell created the first American combat submarine.  Using ideas that are still in use today, the American Turtle was designed to combat the British strong hold on New York harbor during the revolutionary war.  Called the Turtle because of its appearance in the water, its function was to plant explosives in the hull of the nearby HMS gunners.  Unfortunately, the Turtle didn’t have a very successful track record and couldn’t manage to bring down any of its intended targets.  Instead, the Turtle’s fate was met at the hands of the British when they sank her transport ship as it tried to flee the harbor.  A model of the Turtle can be seen at the U.S.N. Museum in Washington D.C.