Aug 2, 2013

Check My Flow





Power Francers GalleryPoetry is one of my favourite pastimes, so when Check My Flow contacted me, I was intrigued to see what they were all about. Incorporating a passion for writing and the delights of poetry, CMF have created a new brand showcasing creative excellence. The concept of the brand taps into the constant desire to express creativity, and the need to share likes and passions with those around us. By wearing a Check My Flow garment, you will be able to combine your creative passion with urban fashion.

The fleece interior of the hoody I received is delightfully soft and the bright red colour doesn't fade in the wash. Regardless of the actual item, the bold logo is the main interest for their pieces. The wording on mine reads "Person of Exceptional Talent," creating the very clever acronym of POET. Printed in a bright white contrast, it draws your attention to the story behind the phrase. Other slogans across the site read "Creative Excellence," and "Live. Love. Write," a quote I can personally identify with.

Check My Flow is a poetic brand that is all about showcasing talent in style. CMF identified that we all have a creative gift or special ability which we want to show to our friends, family and peers. Being poets and creative individuals themselves, they decided to create a brand allowing others the opportunity to put their creativity on full display.


The brand also practises what they preach, attending regular events and really getting themselves involved with the writing industry. The brand lends their support to various platforms across the writing spectrum including rappers, poets, MC's, writers, schools and live music events. Adding to this they support a number of independent companies including Watch Them Fall Down films, Souled Records and Black Rainbow Poetry.

This U.K based company also ships globally, and offers a wide range of garments. Their products express artistic designs that you can relate to, embrace and connect with. The founder and MD, Anthony Lyrics, is an established poet himself, so who better to manage the company alongside the talent of poet/Creative Director, Christina Ferreira and well travelled Brand Ambassador, Veronica Di Martino. The team have together coined an apparel line with a message behind it, a rare find in a sea of slapdash companies looking to make quick cash. The company continues to grow, creating new garments, attending more events and establishing more contacts within the creative writing world. Wear your CMF garments with pride and know that you are supporting an amazing, under-rated, U.K culture.

As a thank you to its customers, every order from Check My Flow will receive a digital copy of the Check my Flow poetry eBook. So not only do you get a creative piece of clothing, you also receive a collection of poetry.

Follow the links below for all CMF's social outlets:


Jul 4, 2013

Del Boy Fashion


We first noticed Brian Lichtenberg's collection on Cara Delevingne in April, showing off her "Bucci" tee whilst Rihanna opted for a "Homies" crew. At the time we thought it was a quirky one off brand that we liked, but couldn't afford. However, since then B.L has been on every celebrities Instagram and twitter feed across the globe. Other brands are cottoning on to what we call 'Del Boy Fashion' and selling similar ideas at realistic prices.

Del Boy Fashion, know on the street as 'Parody Brands' ethos is; ripping off well known brand logos and giving them an urban twist. It's a rip off, but it's mange tout, mange tout. We can all remember our fakes from our early teen years, poor Chanel would have been turning in her grave, but this is a new breed of fake, and it's in.

Below are our hot picks of Del Boy fashion from across independent brands worldwide. Links to buy beneath photo's, we do the groundwork so you don't have to.

Nice


Rob The Rich


Benzo Kenzo Tee





Image of Navy Kanye West Meets Versace Crewneck

Image of Black Kanye West Meets Versace Shirt

YSL BLACK TANK



Be Priv Paris T-shirts The YLS White


Your two lover - yevest lauren-ysl




GUNS VUITTON



Jun 28, 2013

Festival Tees from Not One Of Many


July sees the kick off of the UK festival scene. You've stocked up on beer and found your Ray-bans  but now as a male you are aware that your choice of  T-shirts are key. You want to stand out and avoid being seen in the same clobber as anyone else. Not One of Many has a vast range of ideas to dress your chest for the entire weekend.

 We have put together a selection of tees to compliment the best festivals appropriately. Stick with us and soon enough you will be as popular as the headliners. 








All of the items shown here are available from the Not One of Many shop. Be sure to tweet us your festival photo’s rocking your NOOM merchandise, the best ones will be posted here at the end of the summer

Music to accompany today's post from long lost band The Libertines performing at Reading festival in 2008.


Jun 26, 2013

Have we reviewed you?

I find myself continually finding new brands that believe print-screening their name in a fancy font on 5 different colour t-shirts is a collection. This is not a niche in my books. Understandably all brands will have a tee like this, but to have an entire store full of them is dull and shows that you are just out to make a quick buck. At the beginning of blogging on Apparel Review I was enticed by some brands with bog standard stock images and fancy fonts, now I feel I can spot a waste of time from a mile off. Over the past few months I have had the pleasure of finding, wearing and chatting to some very talented labels. Brands that make me passionate and want to blow my hard earned cash straight away. If you feel you are one of those brands, or that you have been over-looked by Apparel Review please contact us, we love to here from talented, independent UK companies and take pleasure in getting to know you and your brand.


We Are Abnormal



"I need this Frank Sinatra crew in my life!"- Yasmin

Abnormal are a British fashion label with a difference. Started by two brothers who were fed up of seeing people wearing the same clothes as them. Once you start to delve into the depths of their site, it is a breath of fresh air to find a collection where I find myself loving almost every item. This is not another lets-emblazon-our-brand-on-a-tie-dye-t-shirt kind of brand. This is a make-people-think-whilst-they-look-the-business company. 

Everything the brand produces is limited edition, and individually numbered, meaning that every single piece is unique. Something the brand are very proud of and it’s what, they believe, gives them something more to offer than other brands on the market. It's also something we believe which is why we have featured them on the blog.

“We view our clothes not as a necessity, but as a piece of art and an abstraction of personality.”

We Are Abnormal have been designing for many years now and had the idea and concept of Abnormal at University. The brand has been up and running for almost 12 months now, but their best moment was back when their first retail outlet was stocked and they received an email from the shop saying they had sold 3 tops within an hour. A feeling I'm sure any designer can relate to. 

The whole brand ethos is about being unique, different and not conforming to normality. And that they are, the designs are sharp and unlike many I have seen out on the market they ooze substance. WAA are encouraging people to be themselves and thus being abnormal, something we at Apparel Review are huge supporters of.

“We describe ourselves as unique, different, edgy and eccentric.”

Jake, one of the brothers, admits that music motivates them when working on a new project. Music is on in the studio 24/7 and they can’t design or live without it. But they are sure to make us aware that art and design in general are the inspiration to the team. Whatever they are listening to I would love to get my hands on! Designs such as the 'think outside the box' tee (see below) show real creative flair, with a clever kick in such a simple way.


The next step for this up and coming brand is to have a full range of menswear and hopefully a women’s range soon. If you take a look at their website you can find many different styles and concepts to choose from. What a little find thanks to my co-work writing for on-line fashion retailer Not One Of Many.

To finish off here’s a little insider secret, the company was nearly called peculiar hen! We think We Are Abnormal is much more fitting!




Jun 24, 2013

We are back!

Well it's been a long month for us here! Unfortunately we have neglected the site due to some big projects coming our way. But fear not, we are back in the game and ready to bring you the latest apparel news and reviews. The June review is ready for publishing and this month we have found you some real gems. We will also be launching a sister blog for female high fashion, so stay with us over the next few days to keep informed.

I have had the pleasure of getting to chat to the team at Not One of Many. A brand new on-line outlet for independent UK apparel. There are some familiar faces on the site (District Roots and Third World,) and some brand new ones (Scarlett Black and Etrala.) Exploring everything from tees and beanies, to 60's inspired dresses and luxury leather. The site caters to a wide range of clientèle, from glamour girls to indie gents. The team support the UK fashion scene and I like to think of the store as an ASOS for new talent. You will be seeing some of my writing on the site very soon!

Alongside that, the last two weeks have been spent shooting in Finland for a childrens apparel range. Check out the beautiful model Leopald in one of the brands polo's (below.) This kid has got serious style!
Leopold modelling Uh-O!

We are still on the look out for bloggers for contributions to Apparel Review and our new blog AR High Fashion. So please contact us if you have any interest in joining us.



May 22, 2013

Ditch The Fitch

Ditch the Fitch

A different approach to #fitchthehomeless
Please watch the video before reading the article




 
This video has gone viral in the past week, reaching over 7 million views. The reactions are a mixture of inspired and insulted. I try not to get political when it comes to clothing and refuse to post bad reviews on my blog. In this case I feel very strongly about the message behind this somewhat tainted campaign. The idea is there, the thought process is correct, however the clientele is inappropriate. We are all aware of the point Greg Karber is trying to make, albeit in the wrong way.

This video, unfortunately, implies homeless people are the only one's desperate enough to wear Abercrombie and Fitch. This is unfair and although I agree with what Greg is trying to prove, I don't agree how he is implementing his ideas. To hear the people of Skid Row's reaction to the video read this wonderful article from Rachel Karman.

The A&F boss had no shame in being openly prejudice against his definition of 'ugly' back in 2006. Now he states:

"We are completely opposed to any discrimination, bullying, derogatory characterizations or other anti-social behaviour based on race, gender, body type or other individual characteristics." 

This is supposed to be an apology. Yet there are still no sizes over a large for females on his shelves. Refusing to make XL and XXL for women is more than just distasteful, it is prejudice. Whether he acknowledges it himself or not. It goes against human rights, for the equality of both males and females. Abercrombie produces XL and XXL for males. So why should women be discriminated against, what fashion crime did they commit?


The only crime occurring here is Mike Jeffries blatant disregard for the general public. In the UK a size 16 (US size 12) is the national female average, and the brand is now going to remove any size above a UK 14 (US size 10.) This is the majority of the spending nation that Jeffries wishes to over-look for his ideal clientele. I am not an Abercrombie Model and neither is the majority of the worlds population. 

Abercrombie & Fitch has shocked its customers, investors, retailers, and just about anybody else who is paying attention to their provocative marketing campaigns. Campaigns that include questionably young models showing off the brands latest styles, in ways that many find to be sexually explicit and exploitative. Throughout his 17 years as the leader of the Abercrombie brand, Jeffries has acknowledged the company’s intention to sexualize its marketing, and adamantly denies that there is anything inappropriate about it.

There are much better ways to show your dislike for the aforementioned brand than to force it upon the unsuspecting homeless. I suggest a new campaign, mentioned by many already in the form of . Rather than giving it to the people that A&F don't want to wear it. Don't buy the products. Bin what you already own. Get it known globally what a sham of a human being the C.E.O is in a different way. A way that would actually affect him wear it hurts, his pocket. If everyone in the world stopped buying the brand, we wouldn't have to deal with his negative opinions or be made to feel like a minority. 

Boy-cot the label and ditch the Fitch. 

If you really feel the urge to have something to express your dislike for the company get yourself an anti A&F tee/sticker, brought to my attention today by Scott Dovey
via twitter.

If that hasn't infuriated you enough here are some actual quotes from Mike Jeffries. None of these have been embellished, believe it or not.

“Candidly, we go after the cool kids... A lot of people don’t belong [in our clothes], and they can’t belong,”

"Are we exclusionary? Absolutely."

 
"We go after the attractive all-American kid with a great attitude and a lot of friends. "

“We hire good-looking people in our stores. Because good-looking people attract other good-looking people, and we want to market to cool, good-looking people. We don't market to anyone other than that.”


"[Abercrombie] would rather burn their faulty clothing than donate to charity. Poor people wearing the clothes is bad for our image" - A&F Spokesperson.

I would personally never wear Abercrombie and Fitch, the designs are bland and egotistical with little substance. On a trip to Milan last year my friend and I went into the store and walked straight back out. The models were rude, the store un-inviting and the clothing mediocre at best. There is nothing "aspirational (to quote the C.E.O)" about the brand.

I would like to see some of the good they have done for the fashion world and perhaps my opinion can be changed. Until then I am firmly against this companies beliefs and suggest we all #DitchTheFitch


apparelreview@london.com