Pour Porter

Philadelphia based boutique Joan Shepp has a decent selection of pieces from the avant garde establishment-Martin Margiela, Ann Demeulemeester, Dries Van Noten, Yohji Yamamoto, and Junya Watanabe along with items from other lesser known labels.

I couldn’t find much information about 12 lbs inc., but it appears to be a small, Japanese menswear label that specializes in perfectly worn-in basics like tee shirts and casual jackets in a variety of natural fabrics like linen cotton fleece, organic cotton, cotton cashmere gauze, rib knit, silk waffle, and more. The clothing is released under the name of v:room. I wish I could find more information on them including stockists! I guess I’ll just have to keep an eye open to see if any online shops start carrying the label.

Gestuz has a rocker chick aesthetic that I find boring and mostly because it’s everywhere these days, but ignoring the clichéd styling, there are separates that I find appealing and applicable (slouchy sweaters, loose pants, boxy jackets).

I’ve posted previously about Aussie label, Willow, but I visited again recently and wanted to re-post. Since my initial feature, Willow has been popping up all over and rightfully so.

The line remains characterized by soft draping and wearability, which makes the line a nice alternative to the recent affinity for aggressive, hard edged silhouettes.

I’ve posted photos from the A/W 08/09 and S/S 09 collections. You lovers of the current thigh high and beyond boots will like the A/W collection. You can find Willow at quite a few online retailers now.

Here is another label who I’ve noticed popping up on a few online shops I frequent, recently. Nude: Masahiko Maruyama has been creating beautiful basics with a soft, worn-in quality for men and women since 2004, but it’s only been recently with the expansion of online shopping selections that the label has gotten more exposure and has been more accessible.

Maruyama’s pieces are characterized by natural fabrics in classic cuts, some with subtle prints or treatments. I also like the fact that the collections focus on separates rather entire looks-it makes it easy to imagine them blending seamlessly with one’s own wardrobe. There are also particular silhouettes that reappear each season, like the perfect trenchcoat or slouchy sweater, and if you go back to the debut collection and work your way to the most recent you can see a consistency throughout that contributes to the timelessness of all of the pieces.

I’ve posted pieces from the A/W 07/08 and S/S 08 men’s and women’s collectionsThe A/W 08/09 collections are presented in Quicktime format. I’ve posted the women’s items on the left and the men’s on the right.You can find pieces for purchase here in the States at Forward by Revolve and Opening Ceremony.