July 31, 2012 / Heather Somaini / Source

I love Urban Daddy, they come up with some of the most awesome stuff and their imagery is great. I’m definitely checking out this store the next time I’m down Venice way….
Gant Rugger
The other day, something terrible happened.Yo… — *I love Urban Daddy, they come up with some of the most awesome stuff and their imagery is great. I’m definitely checking out this store the next time I’m down Venice way….*

**Gant Rugger**

The other day, something terrible happened.

You walked into a shop. Poked at a pair of pants. Tried on a shirt. And unfathomably, nobody handed you a beer.

Fair to say you’ll never set foot in that place again…

Take your first look inside *Gant Rugger*, the brand’s first West Coast shop—it’s fully stocked with Americana-ish clothes and cold beer—now soft-open on Abbot Kinney.

If you’ve been an Ivy Leaguer, captain of the crew team or a toothpaste model… you might’ve picked up one of these oxfords before. If not, you might have gotten one at Barneys anyway.

Which brings us to now. When you walk into this bright, white-walled shop with an old gymnasium’s wood floor, you’ll find… all of it. Everything they’ve got. Think preppy oxfords, swim trunks, button-down shirts and conservative blazers—lots of plaid and stripes, lots of red and white and blue. So you can gear up here for the Dodgers game or a boat trip, and look like you’re in a commercial for Dodgers games or boat trips.

FYI, the doors are open now, but they’re still filling out the shelves—the official opening is in a couple weeks. Just know that if they like you (and we like your odds), they’ll crack open a beer for you while you browse.

Yes, the beer’s already here.

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tags / urban daddy, gant rugger, design, fashion

June 15, 2012 / Heather Somaini / Source

T-shirts! T-shirts! T-shirts!
Pilot & Captain
We’ve seen t-shirts featuring airport codes before, but the Pilot & Captain series by The Heads of State does it just a little differently. The well-known three letter codes for some of the wor… — *T-shirts! T-shirts! T-shirts!*

**Pilot & Captain**

We’ve seen t-shirts featuring airport codes before, but the Pilot & Captain series by The Heads of State does it just a little differently. The well-known three letter codes for some of the world’s most popular destinations are accompanied by some other ticket-like, travel-ish looking business. Whether you fancy yourself a traveling man or just want to represent your home base, these city-specific t-shirts are a fine choice. **$32**

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tags / cool material, t-shirts, tees, fashion

May 11, 2012 / Heather Somaini / Source

I’m not 100% sure what all this RAGNAR stuff is about but I totally dig their apparel. A dad at our kids’ preschool was wearing this one last night - LOVE! I think I fondled his track jacket inappropriately. Thank goodness our kids are almost done with preschool.

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tags / ragnar, fashion, design, gear

May 10, 2012 / Heather Somaini / Source

Moods of Norway

I think I’m sort of in love with this little brand of clothing from Norway…..must go to store on Robertson!

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tags / moods of norway, design, fashion, la, los angeles

May 08, 2012 / Heather Somaini / Source

Leather is pretty awesome….
Hell Yeah: Introducing Hellbrand Leatherworks
Sonofabitch.Sorry, we had to get that out.It’s just that, well… we came across some things recently.Things that make you want to jump on the back of an unbroken … — *Leather is pretty awesome….*

**Hell Yeah: Introducing Hellbrand Leatherworks**

Sonofabitch.

Sorry, we had to get that out.

It’s just that, well… we came across some things recently.

Things that make you want to jump on the back of an unbroken quarter horse, ride bareback into a fireworks-testing facility and sing “Power and the Glory” through a bullhorn.

We’re talking leather here.

Just a heroic amount of American-made, apocalypse-proof leather.

Take a look at *Hellbrand Leatherworks*, your new munitions depot for hand-stitched wallets, Horween messenger bags and other cowhide-related essentials, available online now.

This is the story of a guy named Edward. Who met a guy named Jarvis Hellbrand. Who has the most amazing name ever. Also, who taught Edward everything he knows about the old-world techniques of turning animal hides into magnificent things that go in, on and around your body.

But most importantly, this is the story of how the next time you buy a cup of coffee, Edward doesn’t just want you to brandish a new wallet. He wants you to brandish a Chromexcel Horween leather money chalice that he handmade using techniques from 100 years ago.

Same principle applies for when you need to keep your pants from falling down (tan belts with brass buckles). Or if you need a place to store a ham sandwich and some duck calls (camo messenger bags made with boot leather). Even things to put your toothbrush in (leather fanny packs).

Kidding. It’s dopp kits.

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tags / hellbrand leatherworks, fashion, design, urban daddy

May 08, 2012 / Heather Somaini / Source

I love t-shirts!!!
To A Tee: Superhero Edition
With the release of Avengers this weekend, trailers of Dark Night Rises emerging and buzz about The Amazing Spiderman, summer 2012 will be hosting more than the just Olympic Games. It’s the battle of t… — *I love t-shirts!!!*

**To A Tee: Superhero Edition**

With the release of *Avengers* this weekend, trailers of *Dark Night Rises* emerging and buzz about *The Amazing Spiderman*, summer 2012 will be hosting more than the just Olympic Games. It’s the battle of the ultimate superheros in theaters. You should dress the part (but not with masks and tights) by choosing your favorite character t-shirt before lining up to see them in action on the big screen. (Junk Food Clothing, Pac Sun, Junk Food Clothing, 80s Tees) **$20+**

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tags / t-shirts, tees, fashion, design

May 08, 2012 / Heather Somaini / Source

Have I told you how in love I am with my new Aether hoodie? OMG - it’s so brilliant and soft and warm and amazing. I don’t know how I lived life without it. I want more of them.

I also got the Element jacket which I will have no reason to wear until winter but I don’t care - I want to dance around in it in my house. These two things make me so very happy!

Aether Apparel - you must have!

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tags / aether apparel, aether, design, fashion, la, los angeles, LOVE

May 04, 2012 / Heather Somaini / Source

This is pretty brilliant. :)
Aether Journal
German artist Cornelia Konrads specializes in constructing site-specific sculptures that use found material to enhance the natural beauty of a location. Similar to Zander Olsen’s “Tree, Line” Konrad’s wo… — *This is pretty brilliant. :)*

**Aether Journal**

German artist Cornelia Konrads specializes in constructing site-specific sculptures that use found material to enhance the natural beauty of a location. Similar to Zander Olsen’s “Tree, Line” Konrad’s work brings a touch of the surreal to the natural landscape. In this series she continues a theme of suspended levitation, capturing inanimate object at precise moment when gravity appears to lets out. To look at one of these installations, you can’t help to feel like floating.

It fairly easy to see how the logs are propped up below, but how she manages to get those sticks and snowballs to stay up in the air is beyond me. Perhaps she “just happened” to stumble across a reel of fishing wire at each location.

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tags / aether, aether apparel, cornelia konrads, design, fashion

May 04, 2012 / Heather Somaini / Source

Hmmmm…simple….leather….hot!
Dissident Leather Wallet
Well that settles it, we’re going to Russia. After realizing we could go for some normal vodka after writing this, now we’ve come across this awesome sheet of leather. Really,… — *Hmmmm…simple….leather….hot!*

**Dissident Leather Wallet**

Well that settles it, we’re going to Russia. After realizing we could go for some normal vodka after writing this, now we’ve come across this awesome sheet of leather. Really, that’s all it is—a piece of leather, but we want it. The DISSIDENT Leather Wallet is a distinctly minimalist leather billfold. Each of them is made from one solid piece of 2.5mm leather and includes no stitching, no accessories, no… anything. Simply load it up with your cards along with some rubles and fold it up to take with you. Acquiring one may not be the easiest or cheapest thing to do, but sometimes simplicity takes a ton of work. **$120**

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tags / cool material, leather, wallet, dissident, design, fashion

April 23, 2012 / Heather Somaini / Source

I’m loving this brand for guys and girls!!! Check it out!

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tags / aether apparel, aether, design, fashion, clothing, palmer west, jonah smith

April 18, 2012 / Heather Somaini / Source

T-shirts, t-shirts, t-shirts!!!
Pop Chart Lab Tees
We’ve got a serious man-crush on Pop Chart Lab. We don’t know why we just assumed a company was a dude, but we did, and now we feel a little weird. Their prints are always well-designed and extremel… — *T-shirts, t-shirts, t-shirts!!!*

**Pop Chart Lab Tees**

We’ve got a serious man-crush on Pop Chart Lab. We don’t know why we just assumed a company was a dude, but we did, and now we feel a little weird. Their prints are always well-designed and extremely (understatement) informative. Our only issue has been the fact that carrying around a poster to educate friends on rappers’ names or various beer varities is annoying and highly bizarre. Lucky us, now you can wear around some of the best work from Pop Chart Lab. Each 100% ringspun cotton tee is slim fit and perfect for having girls stare at your body for extended periods of time. **$16+**

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tags / pop chart lab, cool material, tees, t-shirts, tshirts, fashion, design

April 16, 2012 / Heather Somaini / Source

More cool t-shirts!
Arka
When you name your company Arka, defined as “the king of all kings,” you better be able to back that up. Which is probably why this blog isn’t named “Coolest” Material. They seem to put their money where there mouth is, due … — *More cool t-shirts!*

**Arka**

When you name your company Arka, defined as “the king of all kings,” you better be able to back that up. Which is probably why this blog isn’t named “Coolest” Material. They seem to put their money where there mouth is, due in part to a heavy emphasis on the details and the perfection of every piece. The graphics (applied with non-toxic, eco-friendly inks) reflect an eclectic blend of various influences from around the globe, each possessing its story and purpose. **$32**

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tags / arka, cool material, fashion, design

April 16, 2012 / Heather Somaini / Source

T-shirts, t-shirts, t-shirts!!!

Altru Apparel

If we revisit a brand, it means they must be doing something right. And that isn’t just code for “we ran out of material.” Since our last look at Altru Apparel plenty of equally fresh designs have popped up. Some favorites include a nod to Facebook and a correction for all those asshole bosses who love to call you into their office to tell you there’s no I in team. Oh really? ‘Cause my shirt seems to seem to think there is. $36

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tags / altru apparel, cool material, fashion, design

April 16, 2012 / Heather Somaini / Source

These are totally hot for guys this summer!
Batten Sportswear
Your modest stake in some sort of phone-camera-based social network just netted you a tidy sum courtesy of one M. Zuckerberg.Economics is crazy.Also: we assume you’ll be heading to an und… — *These are totally hot for guys this summer!*

**Batten Sportswear**

Your modest stake in some sort of phone-camera-based social network just netted you a tidy sum courtesy of one M. Zuckerberg.

Economics is crazy.

Also: we assume you’ll be heading to an undisclosed tropical location posthaste.

And this is what you’ll be wearing.

Introducing *Batten Sportswear*, a line of funky-colored, wearable standbys inspired by the more sandy parts of the world, available online now.

Let’s get philosophical for a second: in order for nude beaches to exist, there naturally have to be *other* places—ones where clothing is expected. And for those places, there’s this stuff.

Picture brilliant anoraks you can jam into a bag and weather afternoon typhoons with, and a couple of so-over-the-top-they’re-amazing Hawaiian-print shirts and shirt jackets, complete with unabashedly ’70s-style pointy collars. It’s like Serpico retired to Maui, or like seeing Magnum, P.I., in the disco era (but, you know, if it were awesome). Boardshorts also make an appearance.

You’ll probably be wearing this stuff more often than you initially intend to. Which is fine. That’s just what broken-in cotton T-shirts, floral “I don’t give a f***” shorts and the forthcoming bottomless supply of sunlight are for.

It’s okay if you do give a f***.

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tags / batten, batten sportswear, fashion, urban daddy

April 02, 2012 / Heather Somaini / Source

Den.m Bar in Downtown Los Angeles
Bespoke EVERYTHING is all the rage these days and I LOVE IT! Can’t get enough of it. I signed up for Bespoke Post and got my first product email today - it’s SALT - brilliant, awesome salt that Tere an… — **Den.m Bar in Downtown Los Angeles**

Bespoke EVERYTHING is all the rage these days and I LOVE IT! Can’t get enough of it. I signed up for Bespoke Post and got my first product email today - it’s SALT - brilliant, awesome salt that Tere and her chef girlfriends are going to oooh and aaah over. It’s going to be awesome.

I find that although I’m not a GIANT or have three arms or anything, my body type is slightly more unusual than the usual fare at the mall. I love to be comfortable and don’t think I should suffer for beauty. To that end, I’m always looking for someone who is making clothes for ME and not for every woman on the planet.

This is where the den.m bar comes in. I’ve posted about them already from some swanky site but now you get my bird’s eye view of it as I walk through their process. First off, I emailed them about 10 days ago and Derek emailed me back fairly quickly to let me know that because of recent demand, he couldn’t set an appointment for a couple weeks. We emailed into the evening as he burned the midnight oil on his new business. Sure to his word, he emailed me about a week later to let me know we could set a time this past Saturday.

I arrived on time to Steve who quickly helped me walk through all the options that lay before me. I was measured, leg widths and lengths were discussed and soon Steve was swiping my credit card on the store’s iPad.

*And now we wait for them to be made! I will be back soon to tell you how they turned out - with PICS!!*

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tags / den.m bar, jeans, denim, bespoke, handcrafted, fashion, design, los angeles, LA, downtown LA

April 02, 2012 / Heather Somaini / Source

More t-shirts!!!

Saturdays Surf NYC

Saturdays. Surf. NYC. All three of these things, when mentioned separately, bring good thoughts into our heads. Put them all together and what do you get? A great line of off-duty tees. The brand makes it its mission to outfit a lifestyle occupied with surfing, living and working in the Big Apple. Even if all that doesn’t appeal to you, the simplicity of their laid back designs surely will. $40